There’s always so much hoopla surrounding the first round of the NFL Draft. The commissioner announces that the draft has begun, and fans get to see where the most highly touted prospects end up getting drafted after months of speculation. It is completely understandable.
However, it’s important to remember that the majority of NFL rosters are not made up of 1st round picks. There’s 7 total rounds and while it’s hard to get excited about the 146th overall pick, the truth is that every year, there’s diamonds in the rough that end up making a difference. The very last pick in the NFL Draft last year was starting at QB for the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game!
Let’s go over some of the best picks in rounds 4-7:
- Tom Brady, Quarterback, Round 6, Pick 199 (2000 Draft) Tom Brady is arguably the greatest quarterback in NFL history, and he was selected in the 6th round of the 2000 draft. He has won seven Super Bowls, five Super Bowl MVP awards, and three NFL MVP awards, and he has been selected to the Pro Bowl 14 times. Brady is a prime example of how a team can find a franchise quarterback in the later rounds of the draft.
- Shannon Sharpe, Tight End, Round 7, Pick 192 (1990 Draft) Shannon Sharpe was selected in the 7th round of the 1990 draft and went on to have a Hall of Fame career. He won three Super Bowls, was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times, and was named to the All-Pro team four times. Sharpe is widely regarded as one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history.
- Terrell Davis, Running Back, Round 6, Pick 196 (1995 Draft) Terrell Davis was selected in the 6th round of the 1995 draft and became one of the best running backs in NFL history. He won two Super Bowls, was named the Super Bowl MVP in 1997, and was selected to the Pro Bowl three times. Davis rushed for over 1,000 yards in four straight seasons and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
- Richard Sherman, Cornerback, Round 5, Pick 154 (2011 Draft) Richard Sherman was selected in the 5th round of the 2011 draft and quickly became one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He helped the Seattle Seahawks win a Super Bowl in 2014, was selected to the Pro Bowl five times, and was named to the All-Pro team four times. Sherman is known for his trash-talking and his ability to shut down some of the best wide receivers in the NFL.
- Antonio Brown, Wide Receiver, Round 6, Pick 195 (2010 Draft) Antonio Brown was selected in the 6th round of the 2010 draft and went on to become one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. He has been selected to the Pro Bowl seven times, was named to the All-Pro team four times, and led the league in receiving yards twice. Brown has had some off-field issues in recent years, but there is no denying his talent on the football field.
- Dak Prescott, Quarterback, Round 4, Pick 135 (2016 Draft) Dak Prescott was selected with the 135th overall pick and has gone on to be a good quarterback in the league. When starter Tony Romo got hurt in 2016 in the preseason, Prescott stepped in to lead the team to the top overall seed in the NFC as a rookie. Prescott has led the Cowboys to the playoffs 4 times, and won double digit games as a starter in all of those years. He’s also led the team to multiple division titles, selected to play in 2 Pro Bowls, and won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2016.
This is far from a complete list. This just goes to show you that even without all the fanfare, the later rounds can produce players that change the course of the entire league. This year’s draft likely won’t be any different.