NFL Draft 2011: The 6 Best Late-Round Picks Since Tom Brady
The annual NFL draft is one of the most exciting times of the year for football fans, as we all tune in to see what the future of the league will look like. However, even the most enthusiastic of us start to tune out by the time the later rounds come up. We all know the chances of finding a keeper there are slim.
Every once in a while, though, a player will slip to the end of the draft only to prove everyone wrong. We all know about Tom Brady, a sixth-rounder who has gone on to become one of the greatest quarterbacks ever for the New England Patriots.
But what about the decade since?
These are, in reverse order, the post-Brady Six: the Round 6 and 7 gems drafted from 2001 on.
Honorable Mention
1 of 7
The following players, excellent as they are, just missed the cut.
Andy Lee, P, Pittsburgh
Drafted in sixth round (188th overall) in 2004 by San Francisco 49ers
The single toughest omission from my top six, Andy Lee has become one of the league’s finest punters, making the Pro Bowl twice. However, I had to leave him out because of the position he plays. It’s not that I don’t think punters are important; rather, they’re not drafted highly like most other positions, so it’s not unusual to see a good one drop to the later rounds. Still, I’d say the 49ers feel pretty good about this decision.
Anthoine Bethea, S, Howard
Drafted in sixth round (207th overall) in 2006 by Indianapolis Colts
Another two-time Pro Bowler, Antoine Bethea is an athletic and versatile safety who has helped the Colts secondary weather the constant injuries to Bob Sanders. Bethea and the Colts won the Super Bowl in his rookie year.
Derrick Ward, RB, Ottawa (Kansas)
Drafted in seventh round (235th overall) in 2004 by New York Jets
Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, Marshall
Drafted in seventh round (250th overall) in 2007 by New York Giants
A pair of running backs who have provided solid rotational production and helped the Giants win the Super Bowl.
Pierre Garcon, WR, Mount Union
Drafted in sixth round (205th overall) in 2008 by Indianapolis Colts
The second Colt on this list, Pierre Garcon has provided a good deep threat for Peyton Manning.
Steve Johnson, WR, Kentucky
Drafted in seventh round (224th overall) in 2008 by Buffalo Bills
A very solid receiver who emerged as a favorite target of Ryan Fitzpatrick this past season.
Cortland Finnegan, CB, Samford University
2 of 7
Drafted in seventh round (215th overall) in 2006 by Tennessee Titans
Love him or hate him, you can’t deny his talent.
Passed over by everyone many times over in the draft, Cortland Finnegan has shown up his doubters by developing into one of the most complete cornerbacks in the league. He is as willing to come up to the line to deliver a big hit as he is to drop back into coverage.
Finnegan’s stats look more like that of a safety with five career sacks to go along with 13 interceptions.
Some may criticize him as a dirty player, and there’s no doubt that he loves to get under his opponent's skin, as was evident from the beating he received from Texans receiver Andre Johnson. But his physical style makes him one of the most distinctive and toughest corners in the game.
Peyton Hillis, RB, Arkansas
3 of 7
Drafted in seventh round (227th overall) in 2008 by Denver Broncos
Your Madden 12 cover boy, ladies and gentlemen!
After struggling to get touches in his two years in Denver, Peyton Hillis was packaged in a trade to the Browns for quarterback Brady Quinn.
A year later, the Broncos would like to have that one back.
Hillis started the season as part of a rotation but soon took over the lion’s share of carries. It’s not hard to see why; Hillis is a punishing runner who constantly grinds out tough yardage and can contribute in the passing game as well. He finished with 1,177 rushing yards on 4.4 yards per carry, as well as 477 receiving yards. He also got into the end zone 13 times total.
Along with QB Colt McCoy and newly drafted WR Greg Little, Hillis forms the nucleus of what should be a rejuvenated offense in Cleveland.
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T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Oregon State
4 of 7
Drafted in seventh round (204th overall) in 2001 by Cincinnati Bengals
Since coming into the league in 2001, T.J. Houshmandzadeh has been one of the NFL’s most productive receivers, recording 7,091 yards on 616 receptions. His best season came in 2007, when he racked up 1,143 yards on a whopping 112 receptions—tying him for the league lead and setting a Bengals franchise record.
While Houshmandzadeh has never had blazing speed for a receiver, he has made up for it very nicely with a combination of smart route-running and exceptionally steady hands. These qualities have made him one of the league’s most reliable slot receivers.
Matt Cassel, QB, USC
5 of 7
Drafted in seventh round (230th overall) in 2005 by New England Patriots
Bill Belichick sure knows how to find quarterbacks in the late rounds.
Nobody could blame the other teams for passing up on Matt Cassel, as he hadn’t started a game since high school. However, this was not a product of Cassel’s talent level, but rather the fact that he played at a big-time program, where he was stuck behind Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart.
Cassel finally got his chance to shine in 2008, when Patriots starter Tom Brady suffered a season-ending injury in the very first game. Slated as the starter from that point on, Cassel did an admirable job filling in, throwing for 3,693 yards and 21 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. Although the Patriots missed the playoffs, Cassel led the team to an 11-5 record.
Following that campaign, Cassel was dealt to the Kansas City Chiefs. He struggled in his first year as a Chief behind some very shaky pass protection but recovered with a Pro Bowl-caliber 2010 season. Most impressively, he threw 27 touchdowns to just five interceptions.
Cassel has been at the core of Kansas City’s revival and should continue to lead the team into contention.
Marques Colston, WR, Hofstra
6 of 7
Drafted in seventh round (252nd overall) in 2006 by New Orleans Saints
It’s almost mind-boggling to think that a receiver as talented as Marques Colston fell this far. He was not a raw prospect who needed to be developed—he contributed from day one.
A big target with excellent athleticism and fluidity, Colston was inserted into the lineup from the very first week of his rookie year, establishing an instant rapport with quarterback Drew Brees. He finished the season with 1,038 yards on 70 catches.
He didn’t let up either, contributing over 1,000 yards in four of his five seasons with the team thus far. The lone exception was an injury-marred 2008.
This is especially impressive in the New Orleans offense, where the ball is distributed between many different receivers, and there is no doubt now that he is one of the top receivers in the league.
More importantly, he helped the Saints win their first Super Bowl in franchise history.
Jay Ratliff, NT, Auburn
7 of 7
Drafted in seventh round (224th overall) in 2005 by Dallas Cowboys
A virtual afterthought in the 2005 draft, Jay Ratliff has quickly risen to prominence and become one of the top nose tackles in the league.
It’s impressive enough that Ratliff has managed to totally dominate the line of scrimmage at the NFL level and become one of the league’s four or five best 3-4 nose tackles—one of the most demanding positions, where talent is tough to find.
But what really sets Ratliff apart is his ability to rush the passer out of that spot. While most nose tackles are relied on to simply hold the point against double-teams and stuff the run, Ratliff has often gone the extra mile and penetrated the opponent’s backfield, compiling 21.5 sacks since taking over the starting job in 2007.
For reference, Vince Wilfork of the Patriots only has 9.5 career sacks. Haloti Ngata of the Ravens has 12. Casey Hampton of the Steelers, a five-time Pro Bowler, only has nine.
Clearly, Ratliff is a special player for his position and should continue to dominate for years to come.
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