10 CRAZIEST Steals In The NFL Draft Of All-Time
Draft Day – is big in the NFL… for teams, players, fans, and the media alike. It is the one time of the year that can completely alter the trajectory of a franchise.
Make a bad a pick and your team could fall apart… On the other hand, if you are able to lock in a star player late in the draft, well, that can set your team up for years to come.
Over the years, we have seen quite a few teams do just that! Now… let’s take a look back through the annals of draft history and identify the ten craziest steals in the NFL Draft of all-time!
Which NFL Draft steals truly made a mark in their respective franchise?
Pittsburgh Steelers – 6th Round of the 2010 – Antonio Brown
Antonio Brown stands out… well… for many things. Not all of which are very positive. It won’t take you very long on Google… or his controversies section on Wikipedia… or even a simple Twitter search to find out why.
Sadly, he went from standing out for being one of the most dynamic wide receivers in NFL history to standing out for his horrific and, at times, borderline inexplicable behavior.
But when he was at his best, he was something to behold. The man had exceptional route-running skills, the kind of speed that made even the most athletic defensive backs nervous.
His skill set was All-World for a stretch there, catapulting him to seven Pro Bowl selections and four All-Pro honors. Despite all the credit that Big Ben and Le’Veon Bell got, there is no way around the fact that those potent Pittsburgh offenses revolved around the wideout. His impact on the Steelers’ offense was undeniable, as he accumulated 11,263 receiving yards and 75 touchdown receptions during his tenure with the team.
It’s not too shabby for a guy who was taken in the sixth round of the NFL draft, which was 195th overall!
New England Patriots – 6th Round of the 2000 Draft – Tom Brady
When people talk about draft day steals, Tom Brady is usually one of the first names that comes to mind. The New England Patriots snagged him with the 199th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.
And to say that investment paid off in spades for the Robert Kraft and the Pats would be the understatement of the century.
Here we are just over 20 years later, and Brady’s resume is nearly unmatched.
He stands alone as a seven-time Super Bowl champion, five of which he took home MVP honors. He retired with a litany of NFL records including: most touchdown passes with 649, most passing yards with 89,214, most playoff wins with 35…the list goes on and on and on.
And considering he did most of his damage in the NFL for New England, having played 20 of 23 seasons in a Pats uni – I think it is safe to say that they got one heck of a draft day steal in Tom Brady.
San Francisco 49ers – 3rd Round of 1979 Draft – Joe Montana
Joe Montana was Tom Brady before Tom Brady.
And, to be frank, he is still widely regarded as one of, if not “the,” … though that contingency shrunk drastically after Brady won a ring with the Buccaneers … the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
The Pennsylvania native was a standout athlete in High School, excelling in both football and basketball. In fact, he nearly went to North Carolina State because he was offered to play both sports there.
In any case, he settled on Notre Dame, where he won the AP/Coaches National Title in 1977 and, as a fifth-year senior the next season, led Notre Dame to a legendary Cotton Bowl comeback victory against Houston despite absolutely frigid conditions.
He ended up being select in the third round of the 1979 NFL Draft, 82nd overall, and… let’s just say he Montana exceeded all expectations.
The man led the 49ers to four Super Bowl victories, earned three Super Bowl MVP awards, and finished his career with 40,551 passing yards and 273 touchdown passes.
Montana was renowned for his clutch performances and leadership, and will forever be remembered as one of the most iconic figures that the game has ever had to offer.
Denver Broncos – 6th Round of the 1995 Draft – Terrell Davis
Terrell Davis was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round as the 196th overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft, and while his stardom in the league was relatively brief, it will forever be remembered as one of the most remarkable draft bargains in league history.
Davis’s path to NFL success was anything but conventional. His collegiate journey began at Long Beach State, but he transferred to the University of Georgia after Long Beach State’s football program was discontinued and despite, his athleticism and a solid college career, he entered the NFL with little fanfare.
The Broncos took a flyer on him late in the draft, and he rewarded them handsomely. He quickly made an impact in his rookie season, rushing for over 1,000 yards and earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Davis’s breakout campaign came in the 1998 season, when he rushed for 2,008 yards and 21 touchdowns, earning him the NFL MVP award.
The icing on the cake for Davis and the Broncos was winning back-to-back Super Bowls, one of which Davis was the MVP of, after rushing for 157 yards and three touchdowns.
Davis was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017, and his career would’ve been way sooner had injuries not shortened it… He still managed to rush for 7,607 yards and 60 touchdowns in his seven seasons, earning three Pro Bowl selections and two first-team All-Pro honors.
What a career for the draft day steal!
Los Angeles Rams – 14th Round of the 1961 Draft – Deacon Jones
Deacon Jones, who would later be known as the “Secretary of Defense” and revolutionized the defensive end position, had a humble beginning to his NFL career.
The Rams took him way late in the NFL draft – so late that this round hasn’t even existed in decades… the 14th!
His aggressive style of play and incredible ability to get after the quarterback made him one of the most fearsome defenders the game has ever seen.
So much so that Jones is often credited with coining the term “sack” to describe tackling the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. His unofficial career total of 173.5 sacks was a record at the time, although sacks were not an official statistic during the bulk of his playing days.
All in all, he finished with eight Pro Bowl selections and five First-Team All-Pros as part of the Fearsome Foursome. Needless to say, that late-round flyer paid off for Los Angeles.
Seattle Seahawks – 5th Round of the 2011 Draft – Richard Sherman
You can’t talk about draft day steals or the Seattle Seahawks without thinking about Richard Sherman, the boisterous defensive back who set the tone for Legion of Boom after being taken as the 154th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
His climb from overlooked to Super Bowl champion was something to behold.
He showed glimpses during his rookie year, but during his second season, he really established himself and folks around the league started to take notice, as he led the NFL in interceptions and earning his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection.
But after his game-saving deflection in the 2013 NFC Title Game and the subsequent postgame comments, every NFL fan knew who Sherman was… for better or worse.
It wasn’t always pretty, but Sherman was a heck of a competitor and there is no doubt that Seattle is grateful they rolled the dice on him in 2011.
Philadelphia Eagles – 6th Round of the 2011 Draft – Jason Kelce
I don’t know what it is about the sixth round of the NFL draft… But we have another diamond in the rough uncovered there in Jason Kelce!
The future Hall of Fame center was not very coveted in his draft, in part because his college career started as a walk-on linebacker.
The Eagles, however, loved the developing skillset they saw, as well as the work ethic that turned him into a standout on the University of Cincinnati’s offensive line. Although Kelce didn’t move to center until his senior season, the Eagles took a chance on him with the 191st overall pick, and it’s safe to say that one paid off.
Throughout his career, Kelce has been selected to multiple Pro Bowls and named a First-Team All-Pro several times. His durability and consistency were key factors in not only the Eagles’ offensive stability, but building a culture of toughness and grit within the organization.
And most importantly, he set the tone for the Super Bowl winning team that saved the rest of the NFL from another Patriots championship!
Denver Broncos – 7th Round of the 1990 – Sterling Sharpe
Heading into the 1990 NFL draft, Shannon Sharpe probably was better known as the younger brother of standout receiver for the Green Bay Packers, Sterling Sharpe, than for anything that he did on the football field…
Which wasn’t particularly fair, in our opinion… After all, he may have only played Division 2 football in college at Savannah State, which caused many teams to overlook him entirely, but the man put up some big-time numbers there.
He racked up 61 receptions for 1,312 yards with 18 touchdowns as a senior at Savannah State.….
The damage, however, was done—and the teams were spooked… Hence, his falling into the 7th round…
That said, the Broncos were handsomely rewarded for taking a chance on him with the 192nd overall pick.
They started him off at wide receiver but shortly after transitioned him into a tight end, where he became an integral part of a Broncos offense that carried the team to back-to-back Super Bowl victories in the late ’90s. In addition to the two Super Bowls he won with Denver, the Hall of Famer also added a third championship as a member of the Baltimore Ravens.
The accolades don’t stop there for Sharpe.
He also earned eight Pro Bowl selections and four First-Team All-Pro honors during his career, but perhaps more importantly, Sharpe was beloved in the Mile High City for his ability to make crucial plays in high-pressure situations.
Sharpe was also one of the first tight ends that opposing defenses legitimately needed to gameplan for in the passing game. When he retired, he had accumulated 815 receptions, 10,060 receiving yards, and 62 touchdown receptions, which were NFL records for a tight end at the time.
Pretty good for a guy that most scouts didn’t even think belonged in the league.
San Francisco 49ers – 3rd Round of the 1996 – Terrell Owens
Coming out of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Owens was not heavily scouted by major NFL teams before draft day. This is in part due to the character concerns that landed the physical specimen in Chattanooga, to begin with…
But I digress.
The San Francisco 49ers saw enough potential in Owens and decided to take a chance on him in the third round.
Though those, shall we say… “personality quirks” reared their ugly heads many times over his career, there is no denying that he was a heck of a player—and one of the greatest wideouts the game has seen.
The prolific receiver had great hands and a knack for making big plays, his career totals were 1,078 catches for 15,934 yards, 14.8 yards per catch and 153 TDs.
Owens recorded 60 or more catches in all but three of his 16 seasons. He eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark nine times over an 11-year span and had eight seasons with double-digit TD receptions.
Good enough to land him in the Hall of Fame in 2018—and it would’ve been sooner had he not so emphatically rubbed the media the wrong way.
Not too shabby!
New York Giants – 27th Round of the 1953 Draft – Roosevelt Brown
Here is a little-known guy for y’all … Roosevelt Brown! An old-timer taken in the 27th round of the 1953 NFL Draft. Yes, you heard that right 27th round!
It was a different time!
In any case, despite being on the younger side and inexperienced, Roosevelt Brown impressed New York with his size, strength, and work ethic.
He quickly became the team’s starting left offensive tackle, where he was a stalwart for 13 seasons, showcasing his skill as a pass blocker and opening holes for the running game.
Brown was critical to New York’s success, earning numerous accolades, including eight All-NFL selections and nine Pro Bowl appearances – and he was a standout in the 1956 NFL Championship Game, which solidified his place in football history, as well as his induction into Canton in 1975.
