NFL DRAFT STEALS
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No hype. No expectations. No egos. Just dreams of making it. Most of the players taken on day two of the NFL draft just hope they are not cut in training camp. They simply want to be apart of the team. They don't hold-out in camp for a bigger paycheck. They just want to get a paycheck. Scouts dream of finding the diamond in the rough in the later rounds. A guy that believes in himself, despite what people say he can't achieve on the next level.
Tom Brady 2000, (6th round, pick 199)- Brady is the ultimate draft steal. Even at Michigan Brady normally found himself watching from the sideline. When he arrived at Michigan he was 7th on the depth chart at QB. In the 98 season at Michigan he finally started at QB but was not thought of as a great NFL prospect. In the NFL he once again found himself watching start Drew Bledsoe from the sidelines. Everything changed for Brady when Bledsoe suffered internal bleeding and Brady took his spot as the starting QB for the Patriots dynasty. It’s all history from there; 3 Super Bowl victories, two Super Bowl MVP's, NFL record 50 TDs in a season, four-time pro-bowl selection, and NFL MVP. I would take that from a sixth round pick any day.
Career Stats- 26,446 Passing yards, 197 Passing Tds, 63% Completion Percentage
Joe Montana 1979, (3rd round, pick 82)- Like Tom Brady, Joe Montana was also a seventh string quarterback in college. He did not start for the Fighting Irish until his senior season. Montana was not expected to succeed on the next level and scouts did not have positive things to say about him coming into the 79 draft. Bill Walsh believed Montana was the perfect fit for his west coast offense. Montana went on to win four Super Bowls and winning the MVP in three of them. He was an eight-time pro-bowl selection and two-time NFL MVP. This third round draft pick was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2000. I would have to say he was quite the steal in the 1979 draft.
Career Stats- 40,551 Passing Yards, 273 Passing Tds, 63% Completion Percentage
Terrell Davis 1995, (6th round, pick 196)- Davis started his college career with the Long Beach State 49ers. In 1991 the Long Beach State team was disbanded because of financial issues. Davis wanted to continue his football career and transferred to Georgia where he was second string to Heisman candidate Garrison Hearst. Davis had injury trouble his senior season and scouts believed Davis would always he hampered by injury. In a draft where Ki-Jana Carter was the 1st selection. Terrell Davis was the 4th “Davis” drafted in 1995. Entering training camp Davis was the sixth string running back and doubtful to make the team. He never gave up and made the team because of his superb efforts on special teams. Davis would eventually become the starting back for the Broncos and remains there all-time leading rusher. Davis and Elway went on to win two Super Bowls and Davis was named Super Bowl MVP in 1997. The next season he was named NFL MVP and he was also a pro-bowl selection on three different occasions.
Career Stats- 7,607 Rushing Yards, 60 Rushing Tds, 4.6 Yards Per Carry
Shannon Sharpe (1990, 7th round, pick 192)- Shannon Sharpe is the only player in history to be drafted our of Savannah State. He was taken in the seventh round of the 1990 draft. Sharpe did not have the talent and physical ability of his older brother, Sterling, who was drafted seventh overall in the 1988 draft. Shannon played wide receiver his rookie season and only had 7 catches and one touchdown. In his second season Dan Reeves moved him to tight end, a position that Shannon would master. At tight end, Shannon was selected to the pro-bowl on eight different occasions and won three Super Bowls. Sharpe was recently snubbed from being inducted into the Hall of Fame. He is arguably the greatest tight end of all time and will eventually be enshrined in Canton.
Career Stats- 815 Receptions, 10,060 Receiving Yards, 62 Tds
Roger Staubach (1964, 10th round, pick 129)- Despite winning the Heisman Trophy, being called Navy's greatest quarterback, and having a great college career. Staubach was still a tenth round draft pick. How you might ask? After his senior season at Navy Staubach spent the next four years in Vietnam and joined the Cowboys in 1969 and a 27-year-old rookie. Staubach had a fantastic ten year career with the Cowboys. In that ten years Staubach was a six time pro-bowler, won two Super Bowls, and racked up 22,700 passing yards and 153 Tds. He led the NFL in passer rating on four different occasions. Staubach was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985. Definitely a steal being drafted in the tenth round.
Career Stats- 22,700 Passing Yards, 153 Passing Tds, 85-29 Record as Starting QB.
Zach Thomas (1996, 5th round, pick 154)-Thomas, like Staubach, had an excellent college career but was overlooked come draft day. Thomas was a three-year starter at Texas Tech and a two-time consensus All-American. On draft day many teams passed him because they thought he was too small or too slow or even too dumb. Thomas was an immediate started and recorded 154 tackles in his rookie season. Seven pro-bowls and 1700 tackles later Thomas is one of three players to ever record 100 tackles in his first ten seasons. Thomas has more tackles than any linebacker that is currently in the Hall of Fame.
Career Stats- 1723 Tackles, 20.5 Sacks, 17 INTS, 4 Tds
Johnny Unitas (1955, 9th round, pick 102)- Coming out of high school Unitas struggled to receive scholarships from any major schools. Finally Pitt offered him a full ride and he failed the entrance exam. Unitas received a second chance from the University of Louisville where he thrived at quarterback for the Cardinals. In 1952 Unitas played safety on defense, quarterback on offense, and was even the kick returner on special teams. After being drafted by the Steelers he was soon after cut from the team. He was given a second chance yet again on the next level from the Baltimore Colts. He did not disappoint the Colts and in 1957 he won the NFL MVP. This would be the first of four MVP honors. Unitas was a ten-time pro-bowl selection and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Career Stats- 40,239 Passing Yards, 290 Passing Tds
Rodney Harrison (1994, 5th round, pick 145)- Harrison played his college bowl at Western Illinois where he still holds the record for career tackles with 345. He also set a record for tackles in a game with 28. Coming from a small school and running a slow forty time (4.82) dropped with stock in the 1994 draft. He became the first player in NFL history to score on an interception return, a fumble return, and a kickoff return in the 1997 season. He is the all-time leader in sacks for a defensive back with 30.5. Harrison is also the only player in history to rack up 30 interceptions and 30 sacks.
Career Stats- 1205 Tackles, 30.5 Sacks, 34 Interceptions
Marques Colston (2006, 7th round, pick 252)- In high school Marquis once threw the Javelin 187 feet to qualify for the Pennsylvania outdoor track championships. Although Colston could have attended Missouri, he decided to go to Hofstra instead. At Hofsta, he set the school record for receiving yards with 2,834. In the 2006 draft, Colston was only 3 picks away from being Mr. Irrelevant. At 6'4", 230 pounds, teams did not know if he would fit better at a tight end or a receiver. The Saints gave him a chance and he turned out to be quite a steal. He started twelve games his rookie year and reeled in 70 catches for 1,038 yards and eight touchdowns. Colston has a bright future with the Saints being accompanied by one of the league's best quarterbacks in Drew Brees.
Career Stats- (In three seasons) 215 Receptions, 24 Touchdowns, 3,000 Receiving Yards
Donald Driver (1999, 7th round, pick 213)- Driver is quite a diverse and inspiring athlete. Driver and his family were extremely poor, so poor that they were living out of a U-Haul truck in Driver's teenage years. Driver was a member of the football, baseball, and track team in high school. He earned a scholarship to Alcorn State where he played receiver and was also the star of the track squad. He qualified for the 1996 Olympic Field Trials with a high jump of 7 feet, 6 inches. That was the highest jump in the nation that year. In 1999, Driver was drafted in the 7th round by the packers. He has been selected to the pro-bowl three times in his career and at age 33 he is still a dominant receiver.
Career Stats- 577 Receptions, 7,989 Receiving Yards, 43 Receiving Tds
T.J. Houshmandzadeh (2001, 7th round, pick 204)- Housh was a high school drop out who made a name for himself at Cerritos College. A school that has only produced three other NFL athletes. After two years at Cerritos, T.J. was recruited by Dennis Erickson from Oregon State. In his one starting season at Oregon State, T.J. played alongside Chad Johnson and totaled 42 catches for 656 yards and six touchdowns. In 2001, he was drafted in the seventh round by the Bengals. He had his best season thus far in 2007 when he racked up a league best 112 catches and was selected to his first pro-bowl. Housh is a free agent this off-season and is definitely due for a big contract.
Career Stats- 507 Receptions, 5,782 Receiving Yards, 37 Receiving Tds