A Lookback At The 2006 NFL Draft , Pt. 3: The Surprises of the Later Rounds

In the 2006 draft, the Baltimore Ravens selected Dawan Landry in the 5th round with hopes of becoming a counterpart in the secondary with Ed Reed. In his short tenure in the NFL, he has done just that. In three seasons he has 162 tackles, 4 sacks, 5 interceptions, and one defensive touchdown. Keep in mind he has these stats while missing 14 games in the regular season, including playoffs in the 2008 season.

In the 4th round of the 2006 draft, the New York Jets selected Leon Washington out of Florida State. A back that is known for his speed, he has played a solid role with the Jets thus far. In three seasons he has 1,451 rushing yards, along with 13 rushing touchdowns. While the stats aren't Pro-Bowl worthy, he is a dominant force within the Special Teams group. He earned his first Pro-Bowl selection in 2008.

In the 6th round of the 2006 NFL draft, Antoine Bethea was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts, who have been looking to improve their defense, especially secondary, around Bob Sanders. For such a low selection in the draft, Bethea is one of the true surprises from this class. In three seasons he has compiled 256 tackles, and 7 interceptions. Bethea earned his first Pro-Bowl invitation in 2007.

Aside from his discipline issues, you can't deny the great of pick of Brandon Marshall in the 4th round of the draft. In three seasons, Marshall has 226 receptions, 2,899 yards, and 15 touchdown grabs. Establishing himself as a top ten receiver this early in his career, he earned his first Pro-Bowl invitation in 2008.

Normally a true surprise of a player is found in the 7th round, the final round where most of the time these players are not able to last in the ranks of the NFL. Well, we have a different situation when talking about Cortland Finnegan. Drafted in the 7th round by the Tennessee Titans, Finnegan has proved to be one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL. In three seasons, Cortland has 235 tackles , 4 sacks, and 6 interceptions. In 2008, he was selected to the Pro-Bowl. A great story we have on our hands, in most drafts he would be number one on this list.

Pronounced as the biggest surprise selection in the 2006 NFL Draft, not much of a surprise of Marques Colston being on top of this list. Colston was selected in the 7th round, ( 252nd overall), and has become a top receiver within the system of the New Orleans Saints. In his three seasons in the NFL, Colston has 215 career receptions, along with 3000 yards receiving, and 24 touchdown grabs.