Revisiting the Biggest Draft Steal in the History of Every NFL Franchise
Discussing NFL history can be a lot of fun when it comes to pinpointing a franchise’s biggest bargain.
That’s why choosing the biggest draft steal for each franchise is a labor of love.
There are only two rules when it comes to this list. None of the 32 players were selected in the first round. We are using the common draft era (1967-2015) as our guide and also excluding any supplemental proceedings.
The main focus for each selection will be the player’s time with the franchise that picked him. But we won’t leave out accomplishments with other teams.
Arizona Cardinals: RB Stump Mitchell
1 of 32
Round and Year: 9 (1981)
Overall Selection: 226
School: The Citadel
Running back Stump Mitchell’s final NFL season came in 1989 with the Phoenix Cardinals. It was the second year for the franchise in the desert after relocating from St. Louis.
In his nine campaigns with the Cards, the versatile performer racked up 11,988 combined yards and 42 total touchdowns as a runner, receiver, punt return artist and kickoff returner.
Mitchell was drafted by the franchise when it was still located in St. Louis. He led the Cardinals in rushing in each of their final three seasons in the Gateway City.
Honorable Mention
DB Aeneas Williams
Round and Year: 3 (1991); Overall Selection: 59; School: Southern
Atlanta Falcons: RB Jamal Anderson
2 of 32
Round and Year: 7 (1994)
Overall Selection: 201
School: Utah
Forget the “Dirty Bird.”
Jamal Anderson was downright filthy in his eight seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. The 5’11”, 237-pound performer ran for 5,336 yards and 34 touchdowns, then added 156 receptions for 1,645 yards and seven scores.
It’s tough to roll up 1,846 yards and not win the league rushing title. Such was the case for the former Ute in 1998.
Not only did Denver’s Terrell Davis gain an NFL-best 2,008 yards on the ground that season, his Broncos would go onto defeat Anderson’s club in Super Bowl XXXIII in South Florida.
It was still quite the career for the 201st overall selection in 1994, who ranks fifth in Falcons history in career rushing yards.
Honorable Mention
RB William Andrews
Round and Year: 3 (1979); Overall Selection: 79; School: Auburn
Baltimore Ravens: G Marshal Yanda
3 of 32
Round and Year: 3 (2007)
Overall Selection: 86
School: Iowa
Pro Football Focus’ top-ranked guard in the league each of the past two seasons, Baltimore’s Marshal Yanda has been one of the NFL's most consistent players the past five years.
Over that span, he’s been named to the Pro Bowl in each instance and also earned First-Team All-Pro accolades in both 2014 and 2015. The former Iowa Hawkeye has played every position on the offensive line (except center) since general manager Ozzie Newsome made him a third-round pick in 2007—the year before the team hired head coach John Harbaugh.
The 31-year-old blocker is currently playing the best football of his career and shows no signs of wear and tear.
Honorable Mention
DE/LB Adalius Thomas
Round and Year: 6 (2000); Overall Selection: 186; School: Southern Mississippi
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Buffalo Bills: WR Andre Reed
4 of 32
Round and Year: 4 (1985)
Overall Selection: 86
School: Kutztown (Pa.)
Be honest. You wound up hopping on Google to find Kutztown University.
You don’t need to run a search for Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian, who in his second year with the Buffalo Bills found wide receiver Andre Reed at the small Pennsylvania school. A member of four Super Bowl teams, he currently ranks in 16th in NFL history in both catches (951) and receiving yards (13,198) and 14th in league annals in touchdown receptions (87)—the vast majority of those numbers with the Bills.
Reed was finally given his just due in 2014 when he was inducted in Canton, Ohio. He and teammate/fellow Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas co-own the franchise record with 87 total touchdowns.
Honorable Mention
S Kurt Schulz
Round and Year: 7 (1992); Overall Selection: 195; School: Eastern Washington
Carolina Panthers: WR Steve Smith
5 of 32
Round and Year: 3 (2001)
Overall Selection: 74
School: Utah
It’s hard to do much better than becoming a franchise’s all-time leader in numerous categories.
Such is the case when it comes to playmaker Steve Smith. No player in the 21-year history of the Carolina Panthers has totaled more receptions (836), receiving yards (12,197) and total touchdowns (75).
Now include his two-season stint with the Baltimore Ravens and the former Ute not only ranks 15th in NFL history in receptions (961), but only 10 players in league annals have topped his 13,932 receiving yards. And the 36-year-old wideout isn’t done yet.
What can’t be overlooked is his performance in the postseason. Smith has played a total of 11 playoff games with two franchises. He's totaled 59 catches, 1,101 yards and nine touchdowns.
Honorable Mention
DE Charles Johnson
Round and Year: 3 (2007); Overall Selection: 83; School: Georgia
Chicago Bears: DE Richard Dent
6 of 32
Round and Year: 8 (1983)
Overall Selection: 203
School: Tennessee State
The 1983 NFL draft has been regarded as one of the best in league history. There were 28 first-round selections that year and six of those players are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Some seven rounds later, the Chicago Bears were busy grabbing a defensive end who would also wind up with a bust in Canton. There were 202 players selected ahead of Tennessee State’s Richard Dent. In his 12 seasons with the “Monsters of the Midway,” he amassed 124.5 sacks, 34 forced fumbles, eight interceptions and 13 fumble recoveries.
He also helped the 1985 Bears become a household name and would garner Super Bowl XX MVP honors in the team’s 46-10 rout of the New England Patriots.
The 6’5”, 265-pound athlete also enjoyed stints with the San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles. He combined for 13 sacks with those clubs and finished his 15-year NFL career with 137.5 quarterback traps.
Honorable Mention
C Olin Kreutz
Round and Year: 3 (1998); Overall Selection: 64; School: Washington
Cincinnati Bengals: CB Ken Riley
7 of 32
Round and Year: 6 (1969)
Overall Selection: 135
School: Florida A&M
It seems only appropriate that we use the term steal here—especially since we’re discussing one of the league’s all-time leaders in interceptions.
Florida A&M defensive back Ken Riley was a sixth-round selection in 1969 by the Cincinnati Bengals, a team entering its second year of existence. A mere 15 seasons later, the opportunistic performer would pick off 65 passes, tied for fifth in NFL history with recently retired Charles Woodson.
It should be noted that the four men ahead of this duo on the list are Paul Krause (81), Emlen Tunnell (79), Rod Woodson (71) and Dick “Night Train” Lane (68)—all enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Woodson is not yet eligible, while Riley hasn’t received the call.
Perhaps even more perplexing is the fact that while the ball hawk did earn First-Team All-Pro honors in his final season in 1983, Riley was never named to a Pro Bowl.
Honorable Mention
NT Tim Krumrie
Round and Year: 10 (1983); Overall Selection: 276; School: Wisconsin
Cleveland Browns: RB Earnest Byner
8 of 32
Round and Year: 10 (1984)
Overall Selection: 280
School: East Carolina
Before there was the “Butt Fumble,” there was “The Fumble.”
No ifs, ands or buts.
Back when the NFL draft was comprised of 26 teams and 12 rounds, the Cleveland Browns made East Carolina running back Earnest Byner a 10th-round pick in 1984. He rolled up 5,994 yards from scrimmage and 37 touchdowns in two tours of duty and a total of seven seasons with the club.
Unfortunately, he’s also best known for his miscue on the way to the end zone in the fourth quarter of what proved to be a 38-33 loss to the Denver Broncos in the 1987 AFC title game.
There would be seven additional campaigns with both the Redskins (1989-93) and Ravens (1996-97), with Byner earning a Super Bowl ring with Washington (XXVI). He would finish his career with 12,866 yards from scrimmage and 71 touchdowns.
Honorable Mention
T Doug Dieken
Round and Year: 6 (1971); Overall Selection: 142; School: Illinois
Dallas Cowboys: DL/TE/T Rayfield Wright
9 of 32
Round and Year: 7 (1967)
Overall Selection: 182
School: Fort Valley State
We all struggle in our early years as human beings in deciding what we want to do when we grow up.
The Dallas Cowboys eventually made up their minds that Fort Valley State’s Rayfield Wright was best suited at tackle.
Good career move.
A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and a reliable performer who would earn six invitations to the Pro Bowl, Wright was utilized on both the offensive and defensive lines early in his career. He even saw action at tight end and his career numbers include two receptions, one for a score.
It was in his fourth season in the league that he finally became a fixture at tackle. Led by Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry, the Cowboys would go to the Super Bowl five times in the next eight years. Wright’s stellar career would span 13 seasons and in 2006, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Honorable Mention
DT Leon Lett
Round and Year: 7 (1991); Overall Selection: 173; School: Emporia State
Denver Broncos: WR/TE Shannon Sharpe
10 of 32
Round and Year: 7 (1990)
Overall Selection: 192
School: Savannah State
There are some that are probably expecting to see running back Terrell Davis in this slot. With apologies to the Super Bowl XXXII Most Valuable Player and 1998 NFL MVP, we opted for a Pro Football Hall of Famer drafted five years and four spots earlier.
It’s safe to say that tight end Shannon Sharpe was pretty darn good as well. In two stints with the Denver Broncos—the franchise that drafted him—he totaled 675 receptions for 8,439 yards and 55 touchdowns. In 12 seasons in the Mile High City, he earned seven Pro Bowl invitations and won back-to-back Super Bowl rings (XXXII and XXXIII) in 1997 and ’98.
He was also part of a third Super Bowl title team with the Baltimore Ravens. In two seasons with that franchise, he totaled 140 catches for 1,621 yards and seven scores and earned his eighth Pro Bowl invite in 2001.
Honorable Mention
RB Terrell Davis
Round and Year: 6 (1995); Overall Selection: 196; School: Georgia
Detroit Lions: TE Charlie Sanders
11 of 32
Round and Year: 3 (1968)
Overall Selection: 74
School: Minnesota
On July 2, 2015, Pro Football Hall of Famer Charlie Sanders died from cancer at age 68.
Last year, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reminded us of the impact the seven-time Pro Bowl tight end had on the game.
In 10 seasons in the Motor City, the 1968 third-round selection totaled 336 catches for 4,817 yards and 31 touchdowns. Those numbers seem somewhat ordinary when compared to today’s standout tight ends such as Rob Gronkowski, Greg Olsen, Jimmy Graham and Antonio Gates.
Sanders was a player ahead of his time at a position that was more about blocking and less about receiving during his era.
Honorable Mention
LB DeAndre Levy
Round and Year: 3 (2009); Overall Selection: 76; School: Wisconsin
Green Bay Packers: WR Donald Driver
12 of 32
Round and Year: 7 (1999)
Overall Selection: 213
School: Alcorn State
Earlier in this piece, we mentioned Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian in regards to the Buffalo Bills. A year ago, both he and longtime NFL general manager Ron Wolf were both enshrined in Canton.
One of the latter’s best finds in his 11 years with the Green Bay Packers (1991-2001) was Alcorn State wide receiver Donald Driver. He played for 14 seasons and is the franchise’s all-time leader with 743 catches and 10,137 receiving yards—good for 61 scores.
Driver totaled 1,000-plus yards receiving in half of those 14 seasons and caught at least 50 passes nine times. He was named to three Pro Bowls in a six-year stretch from 2002-07.
Honorable Mention
WR Antonio Freeman
Round and Year: 3 (1995); Overall Selection: 90; School: Virginia Tech
Houston Texans: T Derek Newton
13 of 32
Round and Year: 7 (2011)
Overall Selection: 214
School: Arkansas State
The Houston Texans have been around for only 14 seasons. Obviously, the franchise has the least body of work when it comes to this list.
Regardless of that fact is that adding a quality starter in the seventh round of a draft qualifies as a steal.
Right tackle Derek Newton was the team’s next-to-last selection in the 2011 draft. He made 14 appearance as a rookie that year but he’s been a fixture in the starting lineup the last four seasons.
The former Arkansas State product was Pro Football Focus’ 15th-ranked tackle this past season. But it was a year in which Newton’s versatility was on display. While he made 13 starts at his primary position, he also started games at both left (one) and right (two) guard.
Newton has proven to be quite the value for a player chosen with the 214th pick five years ago.
Honorable Mention
TE Owen Daniels
Round and Year: 4 (2006); Overall Selection: 98; School: Wisconsin
Indianapolis Colts: DE/OLB Robert Mathis
14 of 32
Round and Year: 5 (2003)
Overall Selection: 138
School: Alabama A&M
Very quietly, Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Robert Mathis played in 15 games and made 10 starts in 2015. He tied for the team lead with seven sacks.
It was a nice bounce-back showing after the five-time Pro Bowler (hit with a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy to start the season) missed all of 2014 with an Achilles injury (via ESPN).
The body of work is impressive. Mathis has played 178 regular-season games, totaled 118 sacks and forced 51 fumbles. From 2012-13, he totaled 27.5 sacks in 28 games in his first two seasons at outside linebacker in the 3-4. This came after nine seasons at defensive end in a 4-3 scheme. In 2013, he led the NFL with 19.5 sacks.
Now more than one year removed from his Achilles issues, the 35-year-old defender may have one more big season left in him.
Honorable Mention
S Antoine Bethea
Round and Year: 6 (2006); Overall Selection: 207; School: Howard
Jacksonville Jaguars: RB Maurice Jones-Drew
15 of 32
Round and Year: 2 (2006)
Overall Selection: 60
School: UCLA
Like the Carolina Panthers, the Jacksonville Jaguars just began their third decade of play this past season.
The sample size is small when it comes to draft picks. In terms of rounds, running back Maurice Jones-Drew is the highest-selected player among our 32 choices.
He’s the Jaguars’ all-time leader with 81 total touchdowns. In eight seasons with the club he rolled up 13,110 all-purpose yards—including 8,071 yards on the ground. In 2011, he won the league rushing title by running for 1,606 yards.
Jones finished his career with the Oakland Raiders, totaling only 167 yards from scrimmage and zero touchdowns in 12 contests in 2014. But he made a lasting impression with the club that grabbed him late in the second round 10 years ago.
Honorable Mention
DL Rob Meier
Round and Year: 7 (2000); Overall Selection: 241; School: Washington State
Kansas City Chiefs: CB Kevin Ross
16 of 32
Round and Year: 7 (1984)
Overall Selection: 173
School: Temple
Defensive back Kevin Ross was one of the standout players for the Kansas City Chiefs in the mid- to late-'80s and early '90s. Those talented teams made their share of playoff appearances and featured defenses led by Pro Football Hall of Fame outside linebacker Derrick Thomas and defensive end Neil Smith.
The former Temple University product spent 11 of his 14 seasons in the league with the franchise that drafted him, making 144 starts for the club. Ross also made stops in both Atlanta and San Diego and his career totals include 38 interceptions and 15 fumble recoveries. The two-time Pro Bowler managed all but 11 of those takeaways during his days with the Chiefs.
Honorable Mention
G Will Shields
Round and Year: 3 (1993); Overall Selection: 74; School: Nebraska
Los Angeles Rams: DE/LB Kevin Greene
17 of 32
Round and Year: 5 (1985)
Overall Selection: 113
School: Auburn
He’ll finally be taking his spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this August. And it’s worth noting that defensive end/linebacker Kevin Greene was actually drafted by the Los Angeles Rams 31 years ago.
During a 15-year career that also included stops in Pittsburgh, Carolina and San Francisco, the pass-rushing specialist racked up 160 sacks. Nearly half of those quarterback traps (72.5) came in the eight seasons he played for the franchise that selected him with the first pick in the fifth round in 1985.
Now Greene will be headed to Canton this August to take his place among the game’s legends. “I know I have waited a while, but it doesn’t matter,” the five-time Pro Bowler said to Teresa Varley of Steelers.com in February. “I am on a pretty cool team right now. I am one of 303 players, coaches and contributors in the Hall of Fame. The wait now is pretty much irrelevant.”
Honorable Mention
DT Larry Brooks
Round and Year: 14 (1972); Overall Selection: 355; School: Virginia State
Miami Dolphins: WR Mark Clayton
18 of 32
Round and Year: 8 (1983)
Overall Selection: 223
School: Louisville
It must be a Florida thing.
These days, the Jacksonville Jaguars have the “Allen Brothers” in wideouts Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns.
Three decades earlier, the Miami Dolphins started a trend of sorts by pairing receivers Mark Duper and Mark Clayton. Let’s be honest: The “Marks Brothers” was a helluva lot catchier.
Speaking of catches, Clayton totaled 550 of them in 10 seasons with the Dolphins. They added up to 8,643 yards and an impressive 81 touchdowns. The former University of Louisville produce wrapped up his career with the Green Bay Packers in 1993, where three of his 32 grabs went for scores.
Clayton remains one of only 24 players in league history with at least 80 touchdown receptions.
Honorable Mention
S Jake Scott
Round and Year: 7 (1970); Overall Selection: 159; School: Georgia
Minnesota Vikings: T/C Matt Birk
19 of 32
Round and Year: 6 (1998)
Overall Selection: 173
School: Harvard
These days, it’s former Ivy Leaguer Ryan Fitzpatrick who’s making all kinds of news due to his current contract stalemate with the New York Jets.
Nearly 20 years ago, the Minnesota Vikings used a sixth-round pick on Harvard offensive lineman Matt Birk. After biding time during his first two years in the league, the well-schooled blocker (pun intended) finally cracked the starting lineup in 2000. Over an eight-season span (Birk missed all of 2005 following hip surgery), he would start 123 of the 124 games he played and earned six trips to the Pro Bowl.
In 2009, the unrestricted free agent headed slightly south to Baltimore. He started every game for the Ravens the next four seasons, and his final appearance in the NFL resulted in a 34-31 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII.
Honorable Mention
CB Carl Lee
Round and Year: 7 (1983); Overall Selection: 186; School: Marshall
New England Patriots: QB Tom Brady
20 of 32
Round and Year: 6 (2000)
Overall Selection: 199
School: Michigan
There’s a steal, and then there’s grand larceny.
Tom Brady was somewhat of an afterthought when the New England Patriots used the 199th overall selection to nab the University of Michigan quarterback.
A total of 16 seasons, 58,028 passing yards, 428 scoring tosses and a record six Super Bowl appearances as a starting quarterback later, he’s a bona fide legend. Four of those trips to the Big Game resulted in victory
And the book still isn’t finished being written. Brady has led the Pats to five straight AFC title games dating back to 2011, reaching Super Bowls XLVI (lost) and XLIX (won). His 22 wins and 56 touchdown passes in the postseason are league records.
What’s next for the 38-year-old Brady? Only time will tell.
Honorable Mention
WR Troy Brown
Round and Year: 8 (1993); Overall Selection: 198; School: Marshall
New Orleans Saints: WR Marques Colston
21 of 32
Round and Year: 7 (2006)
Overall Selection: 252
School: Hofstra
In 2006, the New Orleans Saints hit on a pair of latter-round selections in guard Jahri Evans (fourth) and wideout Marques Colston (seventh).
Ironically, both were released by the franchise earlier this year.
The nod here goes to Colston, the 252nd player picked that spring. He now ranks as the Saints’ all-time leader in catches (711), receiving yards (9,759) and total touchdowns (72). He was never named to a Pro Bowl in his 10 seasons in the Crescent City, but he proved to be an invaluable asset to star quarterback Drew Brees and a club that would win a Super Bowl in 2009.
Honorable Mention
G Jahri Evans
Round and Year: 4 (2006); Overall Selection: 108; School: Bloomsburg (Pa.)
New York Giants: LB Harry Carson
22 of 32
Round and Year: 4 (1976)
Overall Selection: 105
School: South Carolina State
Some would put Hall of Fame outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor on this list of steals. That despite the fact that he was the second overall pick in the 1981 draft. The fierce defender changed the game and at times was simply unstoppable.
But five years before L.T. became part of Big Blue, the New York Giants used a fourth-round pick on South Carolina State linebacker Harry Carson. In his 13 seasons with the club, he was named to the Pro Bowl nine times and was part of the club’s Super Bowl XXI championship.
Seven years after Taylor got the call from the Hall (1999), Carson joined his former teammate in Canton.
Honorable Mention
LB Jessie Armstead
Round and Year: 8 (1993); Overall Selection: 207; School: Miami (Fla.)
New York Jets: DT/DE/NT Joe Klecko
23 of 32
Round and Year: 6 (1977)
Overall Selection: 144
School: Temple
In today’s NFL where economy is not only a financial term, the more you can do, the longer you will remain in the league.
A sixth-round draft choice in 1977, defensive lineman Joe Klecko gave the New York Jets 11 quality seasons and excelled in numerous roles. He would earn four Pro Bowl invitations over a five-year span from 1981-85. One came at defensive end, another was for his play at nose tackle and the other two at defensive tackle.
Teaming with Marty Lyons, Abdul Salaam and Mark Gastineau, the quartet became known as the “Sack Exchange” and the group made life difficult for opposing quarterbacks. But it was Klecko’s versatility that made it all work so well.
Honorable Mention
S Kerry Rhodes
Round and Year: 4 (2005); Overall Selection: 123; School: Louisville
Oakland Raiders: CB Lester Hayes
24 of 32
Round and Year: 5 (1977)
Overall Selection: 126
School: Texas A&M
Fans of the Silver and Black will recall plenty of stickum when it came to Hall of Fame wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff and five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Lester Hayes.
You have to figure it had to help. But let’s not take away from either's accomplishments. Hayes would play 10 seasons with the franchise and total 39 interceptions—returning four for touchdowns.
He picked off 13 passes in 1980 (tied for the second-most in a season in NFL history), a season that saw the Oakland Raiders knock off the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV.
Three years later, the team was in Los Angeles but getting ready to win another Lombardi Trophy. Hayes and Hall of Fame teammate Mike Haynes were stifling in a 38-9 Super Bowl XVIII victory over the explosive Washington Redskins.
A four-time Hall of Fame finalist, could the former Texas A&M product be Canton-bound down the road?
Yes, the Raiders did select Auburn running back Bo Jackson in the seventh round in 1987. But remember that he was actually the first overall pick one year earlier by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and never signed with the franchise.
Honorable Mention
T Art Shell
Round and Year: 3 (1968); Overall Selection: 80; School: Maryland State
Philadelphia Eagles: DE Clyde Simmons
25 of 32
Round and Year: 9 (1986)
Overall Selection: 233
School: Western Carolina
How’s this for a defensive stretch? Defensive end Clyde Simmons started 64 games for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1989-92. He totaled an impressive 55 sacks and was twice named to the Pro Bowl over that four-year span.
Those are tremendous numbers for any player, much less a ninth-round draft choice.
The former Western Carolina product was part of a fabled defensive front in the City of Brotherly Love. Teamed with the likes of Reggie White, Jerome Brown, Mike Golic and Mike Pitts, this group dominated in the late-'80s and early '90s.
Simmons would play for four more teams and finish with 121.5 career sacks, the vast majority of those (76) during his days with the Birds.
Honorable Mention
WR Harold Carmichael
Round and Year: 7 (1971); Overall Selection: 161; School: Southern
Pittsburgh Steelers: DE L.C. Greenwood
26 of 32
Round and Year: 10 (1969)
Overall Selection: 238
School: Arkansas-Pine Bluff
We only see stifling defense on occasion these days in the NFL.
Back when the rules were a lot different, there were front fours with monikers such as the “Fearsome Foursome” and the “Purple People Eaters.”
There was also the “Steel Curtain” of the 1970s. The Pittsburgh defensive line included tackles “Mean” Joe Greene and Ernie Holmes and ends Dwight White and L.C. Greenwood. The latter was a lanky 6’6”, 245-pound specimen who was hard to avoid and even more difficult to throw over.
There are no official sack numbers for the former 10th-round pick, who passed away in September 2013. Greenwood was a six-time Pro Bowler and a Hall of Fame finalist on six occasions.
By the way, it may not be long before All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown (a sixth-round pick in 2010 from Central Michigan) makes his way into this discussion.
Honorable Mention
WR John Stallworth
Round and Year: 4 (1974); Overall Selection: 82; School: Alabama A&M
San Diego Chargers: S Rodney Harrison
27 of 32
Round and Year: 5 (1994)
Overall Selection: 145
School: Western Illinois
Now known for his NFL analyst work on NBC, safety Rodney Harrison enjoyed quite a 15-year playing career.
A fifth-round pick by the San Diego Chargers 22 years ago, the Western Illinois product spent the first nine years with the Bolts, totaling 26 interceptions and 21.5 sacks, a pair of Pro Bowl invitations and an appearance in Super Bowl XXIX.
Cast off by the Chargers during the 2003 offseason, the New England Patriots signed the veteran defender and he played six more seasons for Bill Belichick. He was part of a pair of NFL championship teams his first two years with the franchise and earned First-Team All-Pro honors in his debut campaign in Foxborough.
Honorable Mention
RB Marion Butts
Round and Year: 7 (1989); Overall Selection: 183; School: Florida State
San Francisco 49ers: WR Dwight Clark
28 of 32
Round and Year: 10 (1979)
Overall Selection: 249
School: Clemson
It has been more than three decades since San Francisco wide receiver Dwight Clark made “The Catch.”
Of course, there was also someone throwing him the ball. Joe Montana was the Niners’ third-round pick in 1979, seven rounds and 167 selections ahead of Clark.
That’s why the former Clemson wideout gets the nod over one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history when it comes to the 49ers’ biggest draft steal. Clark would play nine seasons for Hall of Fame head coach Bill Walsh, totaling 506 catches for 6,750 yards and 48 touchdowns.
He was also a pivotal part of the franchise’s first two Super Bowl squads, which were capped off with wins over the Cincinnati Bengals (XVI) and Miami Dolphins (XIX), respectively.
Honorable Mention
QB Joe Montana
Round and Year: 3 (1979); Overall Selection: 82; School: Notre Dame
Seattle Seahawks: CB Richard Sherman
29 of 32
Round and Year: 5 (2011)
Overall Selection: 154
School: Stanford
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman comes off a season in which he totaled a career-low two interceptions. That didn’t prevent him from being named to the Pro Bowl for the third consecutive year.
The three-time First-Team All-Pro has paid big dividends for a team that has allowed the fewest points in the NFL each of the past four seasons. Not coincidentally, Sherman has started all 64 contests over that span.
His 26 career interceptions in five seasons already rank fifth in franchise history.
The Seahawks have had plenty of success in the later rounds of the draft in recent years. That includes fifth-round safety Kam Chancellor (2010) and third-round signal-caller Russell Wilson (2012). But the team’s honorable mention in this category dates back to a player chosen 25 years ago.
Honorable Mention
DE Michael Sinclair
Round and Year: 6 (1991); Overall Selection: 155; School: Eastern New Mexico
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: S John Lynch
30 of 32
Round and Year: 3 (1993)
Overall Selection: 82
School: Stanford
A finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame each of the last three years, safety John Lynch will eventually take his place in Canton one day along with former teammates Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks.
He was a five-time Pro Bowler with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and named to four more Pro Bowls as a member of the Denver Broncos. He picked off 23 passes in his 11 seasons with the Bucs. Meanwhile, 31 of Lynch’s career 35 takeaways (26 interceptions, nine fumble recoveries) came with his original team.
Four years later, the Buccaneers would again hit a home run in the third round of the draft. But the choice here is the former Stanford University performer.
Honorable Mention
CB Ronde Barber
Round and Year: 3 (1997); Overall Selection: 66; School: Virginia
Tennessee Titans: S Ken Houston
31 of 32
Round and Year: 9 (1967)
Overall Selection: 214
School: Prairie View A&M
This Houston had no problem when it came to dominating the opposition.
As previously noted, the common draft era began in 1967. That year, the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans) opted for Prairie View A&M defensive back Ken Houston in the ninth round.
Talk about paying off with dividends: In six seasons with the franchise, he intercepted 25 passes and returned nine of those thefts for scores.
In 1973, the future Hall of Famer (and ironically, a pick) was dealt to Washington for five players. He responded with 24 more interceptions (zero touchdowns) in eight seasons with the Redskins. In 14 NFL seasons, he picked off 49 passes and was named to the Pro Bowl 12 times.
Honorable Mention
WR Curtis Duncan
Round and Year: 10 (1987); Overall Selection: 258; School: Northwestern
Washington Redskins: DE Dexter Manley
32 of 32
Round and Year: 5 (1981)
Overall Selection: 119
School: Oklahoma State
Individual sack totals did not become an NFL statistic until 1982. The previous year, the Washington Redskins used a fifth-round selection on Oklahoma State defensive end Dexter Manley.
He would play for the team for nine seasons. Over that span, he officially accumulated 91 sacks, plus whatever he totaled his rookie campaign. The 6’3”, 253-pound force was a member of three Super Bowl squads and won two Lombardi Trophies (XVII and XXII).
Manley’s career ended with very brief stints with the Cardinals and Buccaneers, totaling 6.5 sacks in 14 games with the latter in 1991.
Honorable Mention
QB Mark Rypien
Round and Year: 6 (1986); Overall Selection: 146; School: Washington State
Unless otherwise noted, all player and team statistics come from Pro Football Reference and ESPN.com. All player ratings courtesy of Pro Football Focus. Additional statistical support was provided by NFL.com and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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