2011 NFL Draft: Diamonds in the Rough: 10 Undrafted Players Who Star in the NFL
Leading up to the NFL Draft, all of the talk is about who will go in the first round and even moreso, who will be the number one pick.
This isn't entirely unreasonable as it is generally the early picks who have the greatest impact on their teams.
It is also common for people to discuss who may be "sleeper" picks, or in other words who may get drafted in later rounds that will still have a great impact on their teams.
However, the topic that is almost never covered is who will not get drafted at all that will still have a stellar career. These are the players that get overlooked but refuse to take no for a answer and work their way into a quality career and sometimes even the Hall of Fame.
This includes the likes of Kurt Warner, Warren Moon and John Randle. In fact, there are fourteen players who have entered the Hall of Fame despite being undrafted.
It is interesting to notice that most of these players ended up on teams that were extremely competitive—which just goes to show you that quality organizations find quality players anywhere.
In honor of those who will get overlooked in this year's draft here are the ten best active players in the NFL that did not get drafted.
Antonio Pierce, Arizona
1 of 10
Antonio Pierce was originally signed by the Arizona Cardinals, but ended up starting his playing career with the Washington Redskins.
However, it wasn't until he joined the New York Giants that he really came to the forefront. He was the heart and soul of the Super Bowl XLII champs.
In nine years he has accumulated 686 tackles, 7 interceptions and 36 pass deflections.
Josh Cribbs, Kent State
2 of 10
Josh Cribbs is one of those few players that was willing to change positions if that is what it took to play in the NFL.
At Kent State he was a quarterback, but he has become quite the return specialist for the Cleveland Browns, who were willing to give his athletic ability a chance.
In 6 seasons Cribbs has accumulated 7,863 return yards, averaging 25.8 yards per return. That means that even if he catches the ball five yards deep in the endzone it is still almost worth a chance for him to bring it out.
He has also returned 8 kickoffs for a touchdown and two more punt returns for touchdowns.
Tony Romo, Eastern Illinois
3 of 10
When the Cowboys originally signed Tony Romo they didn't expect him to be their starter, but in just a few short years that is exactly what he has become.
There is much debate over Romo's shortcomings, but it is hard to argue against his efficiency. At 95.5, his passer efficiency rating is amongst the top five of all time.
He has also accumulated 16,650 yards and a 64.1 completion percentage.
If he was as concerned about football as he was about his celebrity status who knows how good he could be?
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Ryan Grant, Notre Dame
4 of 10
After one season with the New York Giants, Grant exploded onto the scene with the Green Bay Packers where he has accumulated 3,457 yards, despite missing the 2010 season.
He had back-to-back seasons of over 1,000 yards and averages 4.4 yards per carry. He has also contributed 23 touchdowns to a team that really needed a quality running game.
Grant is also the only player on my list that came from a major school with a legitimate football history.
James Harrison, Kent State
5 of 10
James Harrison is the second of three players from Kent State on the list, which suggests that maybe scouts should spend a little more time looking around that campus.
In seven seasons with the Steelers, Harrison has accumulated 488 tackles, 49 sacks, 5 interceptions and 25 forced fumbles.
He was also the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year. In that season he tallied 101 tackles, 16 sacks, 7 forced fumbles and one interception for good measure.
Jeff Saturday, North Carolina
6 of 10
That's right, I am putting a center on this list. There is no real way to quantify the value of any offensive lineman, but I would be willing to bet that Peyton Manning understands just how important Jeff Saturday has been to the Colts.
In his 12 seasons in Indianapolis Saturday has been a pillar of stability for his team. Quality offensive lineman are almost always overlooked in the spotlight, but Saturday is one who definitely deserves some recognition.
London Fletcher, John Carroll
7 of 10
London Fletcher has played with three different teams during his 13-year career, but he has had an impact no matter where he has been.
In those 13 seasons he was responsible for 1630 tackles, 32.5 sacks, 71 pass deflections, 16 interceptions and 15 forced fumbles.
Maybe the most impressive statistic is that Fletcher led the NFL in tackles during the decade of the 2000s.
Antonio Gates, Kent State
8 of 10
Antonio Gates is the third player from Kent State and arguably the most interesting story. Not only was Gates not drafted, he didn't even play football.
That's right, he was a basketball player.
You may never have guessed that since he has become on of the best tight-ends in the game, but he was a star on the hardwood long before he hit the gridiron.
In Gates's eight seasons in San Diego he has accumulated 7,005 yards, 69 touchdowns and a staggering 13.2 yards per catch.
Wes Welker, Texas Tech
9 of 10
Wes Welker has developed into Tom Brady's favorite target and arguably the most important player in the Patriots' offense after Brady.
Most people don't realize that he was undrafted and actually spent some time with the Chargers and Dolphins before making the move to New England.
Welker has already tallied 5,657 yards, 528 receptions and averages 10.7 yards per catch.
He has also had three seasons with over 1000 yards receiving and 100 receptions.
Adam Vinatieri, South Dakota State
10 of 10
A center and now a kicker? You better believe it.
One could argue that no undrafted player has had more impact on his team than Adam Vinatieri. He spent 10 years with the Patriots before moving to Indianapolis for the past five seasons.
During those 15 seasons Vinatieri has tallied 364 field goals and has only had his field goals blocked 6 times.
He has also contributed 565 points to his team through extra points. In 15 seasons he has only missed extra points 10 times and had an extra point blocked eight times. He also had 8 seasons in which he was perfect on the short kicks.
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.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
