If you had to pick one player, past or present...

[TanksAndSpartans]

Hard to argue against Thorpe or Brown, but if you think of this as a fantasy draft, I'm thinking the key positions go first and there would be enough running backs to go around

But with the qualification "the era that he played in", then Thorpe is a perfect choice - no one dominated an era like Thorpe dominated the pre-NFL era.

[74_75_78_79_]

A few USC guys...OJ, Marcus Allen, Troy Polamalu.

[Bryan]

George Blanda. Pretty much set at the backup QB/placekicker position for the next 26 years.

[74_75_78_79_]

In the two-way era: Baugh & Bednarik utter shoe-ins! Thorpe...Nagurski...Nomellini...

[Ronfitch]

If in an era of two-platoon/free substitution football ....

- If my goal is to build fanbase in a hurry, Brett Favre;

- If my goal is to win a lot of games over this player's career, Payton Manning;

- If my goal is post-season success over this player's career, Bart Starr or Tom Brady;

[Todd Pence]

Alan Page.

[Rupert Patrick]

Alan Page.

I was thinking a lineman - Alan Page, Joe Greene, Merlin Olsen, Reggie White, or on the offensive side, maybe an Anthony Munoz or Forrest Gregg. He would have to be the lynchpin, a guy who will come to define the entire organization. Intelligent, hard-working, a leader who leads thru example and serves as a role model for the other players on the team to strive to be like, on and off the field. Guys like them come along maybe once or twice a decade.

[Gary Najman]

Alan Page.

I was thinking a lineman - Alan Page, Joe Greene, Merlin Olsen, Reggie White, or on the offensive side, maybe an Anthony Munoz or Forrest Gregg. He would have to be the lynchpin, a guy who will come to define the entire organization. Intelligent, hard-working, a leader who leads thru example and serves as a role model for the other players on the team to strive to be like, on and off the field. Guys like them come along maybe once or twice a decade.

I would have chosen Bruce Smith. When he came to Buffalo, the Bills were then the laughing stock of the NFL, just a shadow of 4-5 years earlier with Chuck Knox. He immediatily made the team better (and remember, it was before Marv Levy or Jim Kelly joined the Bills).

[JuggernautJ]

I love the Cal Hubbard mention and Joe Greene did have a championship franchise built around him.
But as much as I love line play and linemen I can't help but think a QB or RB is a better first building block.

On a team of average players (all Cs) an outstanding (A+) quarterback or running back would be more influential and effective than an OT or DT.
I guess your choice would come down to what position do you want to build around.
And that answer may well be different for different coaches/approaches and, of course, eras.

But in my heart I want to answer Thorpe or Bednarik.

[BD Sullivan]

I love the Cal Hubbard mention and Joe Greene did have a championship franchise built around him.
But as much as I love line play and linemen I can't help but think a QB or RB is a better first building block.

On a team of average players (all Cs) an outstanding (A+) quarterback or running back would be more influential and effective than an OT or DT.
I guess your choice would come down to what position do you want to build around.
And that answer may well be different for different coaches/approaches and, of course, eras.

But in my heart I want to answer Thorpe or Bednarik.

The problem with starting off with a top-notch QB or RB is that it leaves the line exposedm which means that there's no one that can consistently block for them, which means that their productivity is usually wasted.