7 Disparaged NFL, NBA Draft Prospects Who Beat the Slander

Only in the rarest of cases will an aspiring professional athlete be considered a perfect prospect. Criticism on a player's scouting report is a regular sight.

But those opinions can be proved wrong in major ways.

For example, Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson left Louisville under the cloud of some analysts saying he might be better off as a running back or wide receiver. All he's done in the NFL is develop into an elite quarterback with multiple MVP awards.

The list is focused on NFL and NBA players who, since 2000, have shattered pre-draft concerns and become superstars.

Stephen Curry (2009)

Tim Heitman/NBAE via Getty Images

Stephen Curry made a name for himself during an incredible four-game stretch in the 2008 men's NCAA tournament. His ridiculous shooting range propelled Davidson to the Elite Eight.

One year later, he entered the NBA draft amid concerns about a skinny frame that could be troublesome when attacking the basket and overall on defense. He didn't fit the classic mold of a pass-first point guard. "Will have to adjust to not being a volume shooter," his scouting report on NBAdraft.net read.

Fast-forward to today, and he's literally changed the sport.

The league's emphasis on three-pointers, for better or worse, is a direct product of Curry's impact. Nobody in history has ever blended volume and efficiency from the perimeter like him.

Throughout his 16 seasons with the Golden State Warriors, Curry has earned two MVPs and four championships.

Kawhi Leonard (2011)

Rich Storry/Getty Images

Everyone knew Kawhi Leonard would play defense. The big question was whether he would be able to hang offensively.

In two seasons at San Diego State, he shot a paltry 25 percent from beyond the arc. Leonard had a long, slow motion that resulted in his very limited range, and he wasn't a dangerous finisher at the rim.

"Does not have one aspect offensively that stands out or which allows him to consistently score the ball," NBADraft.net said.

That refrain, a popular one in draft circles, vanished as Leonard grew on the San Antonio Spurs. He steadily added a reliable mid-range game, ultimately developing into an effective scorer from anywhere who could also be trusted to take threes at a high volume.

As a result, Leonard is a six-time All-NBA player, two-time champion and two-time Finals MVP in addition to his seven All-Defense and two Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Aaron Donald (2014)

Robert Gauthier/Getty Images

Whew, buddy, did Aaron Donald get the last laugh.

"Donald will never be mistaken for a two-gap run stuffer," SBNation, among many others, wrote about him. "He struggles to hold his ground against multiple blockers and will get overpowered." Much of that belief stemmed from Donald, a defensive tackle, being undersized for his position at 6'1" and about 280 pounds.

In his 11 seasons on the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams, the perceived weakness hardly could've been more inaccurate.

Donald commanded double- and triple-teams and often wrecked them anyway. Stop the run, collapse the pocket, wreak havoc and repeat. He racked up 176 tackles for loss and 111 sacks in a stellar 10-year career with the Rams.

Along with Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2014, Donald secured first-team AP All-Pro recognition eight times and three Defensive Player of the Year awards.

Nikola Jokic (2014)

AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post

Ten seasons into his already legendary NBA career, Nikola Jokic still doesn't really make sense.

Look at the 6'11", 284-pound center, and he certainly doesn't match the stereotype of a chiseled pro athlete. He's not particularly quick or explosive, two glaring negatives in his draft year.

"Jokic's upside isn't too spectacular because he's a below-average athlete, so he'll have to focus on utilizing his skill set and operating as an efficient shooter and passer within a system," B/R wrote in 2014.

Turns out, Jokic is the system.

After a few seasons in a complementary role, he put together a breakout year in 2018-19 and hasn't slowed. Jokic's range and efficiency have soared, along with his powerful rebounding presence and truly spectacular vision and creativity as a passer. He's on the verge of averaging a triple-double for an entire year.

Jokic, a six-time All-NBA player and three-time MVP, keyed the Denver Nuggets' run to a title in 2023.

Josh Allen (2018)

Kathryn Riley/Getty Images

Josh Allen showcased an absolute rocket-launcher of a throwing arm during his time in college.

Velocity, though, is simply one part of a much larger story.

In two seasons as QB1 at Wyoming, Allen completed just 56.0 and 56.3 percent of his passes. The history of the NFL didn't look fondly on players who never hit 60-plus percent in college. Allen's tendency to bail out of the pocket and propensity for highlight-reel risks made his scouting reports full of unnerving notes.

Allen had a challenging start to his NFL career, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns as a rookie and still not reaching 60-plus percent completions in his first two years.

But he flipped a heckuva switch in 2020.

Allen's completion rate skyrocketed to 69.2 percent with dramatic gains in per-pass average. He's maintained that efficiency for a half-decade, turned the Buffalo Bills—the five-time reigning AFC East champion—into an annual contender and recently won his first MVP after notching three previous top-five finishes.

Lamar Jackson (2018)

Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Leading up to the 2018 draft, former NFL general manager Bill Polian said Lamar Jackson should switch to receiver. Also, a scout from the Los Angeles Chargers felt the same.

Yeah, quite a whiff.

That sentiment was partially a credit to Jackson's electrifying ability as a runner, sure. However, don't confuse that sentence as a positive spin for a bad take. Plenty of analysts shared a lack of belief in his ability to develop into an NFL-caliber passer.

Seven seasons into his career, the Baltimore Ravens are thriving because of his all-around excellence.

Jackson's trophy case includes two MVPs, among more accolades. He legitimately could (should?) have a third, considering he earned first-team All-Pro honors over Allen in 2024.

C.J. Stroud (2023)

Brandon Sloter/Getty Images

The history of Wonderlic and S2 cognition tests hold a controversial place in NFL draft lore.

How much stock do you put into those analyses? The methods of trying to measure intelligence are imperfect in many ways, yet they're not entirely devoid of value.

Failing to strike a fair and proper balance led to an unnecessary storm around C.J. Stroud in 2023.

“Stroud scored 18. That is like red alert, red alert, you can’t take a guy like that. That is why I have Stroud as a bust," the executive told GoLongTD. "That in conjunction with the fact, name one Ohio State quarterback that’s ever done it in the league.”

As a rookie, Stroud catapulted the Houston Texans from 3-13-1 in the year before his arrival to 10-7 and a division title. He earned AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, then followed that up with another 10-win campaign and AFC South crown in 2024. Houston won a playoff game in both seasons.