The Best Late Round Draft Picks in the NFL
The NFL Draft's final rounds rarely make headlines, but they've produced some of the league's most accomplished players. While first-rounders get the big headlines and even bigger paychecks, the teams that find value in the late rounds often benefit the most in the long run. These picks arrive with minimal expectations and smaller price tags, yet many have built careers that pass those of higher-rated prospects.
Below, we break down the best late draft picks in the NFL who made front offices look foolish for passing on them. You'll find players who were overlooked on draft day but went on to earn Pro Bowl selections, championship rings, and Hall of Fame recognition. The examples span different eras and positions, focusing on what made these players exceptional and why their draft position made their success even more remarkable.
Tom Brady (6th Round, 2000)
Brady, one of the best late-round NFL draft picks, was selected 199th overall in the 2000 draft by New England after a quiet college career at Michigan. He spent his college years fighting for playing time, and his physical stats at the combine were pretty middle-of-the-pack.
When he met Patriots owner Robert Kraft, he called himself the best decision the organization would ever make. That claim seemed absurd for a sixth-round quarterback, but an injury to Drew Bledsoe gave Brady his chance in 2001. He took the starting job and led New England to a Super Bowl title in his first season as a starter.
Seven Super Bowl titles, five Super Bowl MVP awards, and three regular-season MVP honours have established him as the most decorated player in the sport. Even after 23 seasons, he was still the best player on the field, refusing to let age catch up to him. Brady spent two decades punishing the teams that skipped him, turning his late-round selection into the NFL's ultimate 'what if’.
Terrell Davis (6th Round, 1995)
Terrell Davis was selected in the sixth round in 1995, 196th overall. Coming out of Georgia as an undersized running back, Davis had an impressive college record but a concerning injury history that dropped him down draft boards. Denver drafted him as an afterthought, but Davis had no intention of sitting on the bench. By year two, he’d forced his way into the lineup and become the heart of the Broncos' offence.
Davis won back-to-back Super Bowls with Denver in 1997 and 1998, earning MVP honours in Super Bowl XXXII. His 1998 season produced 2,008 rushing yards, making him just the fourth player to reach that mark. He won the NFL MVP that year and earned three consecutive first-team All-Pro selections from 1996 to 1998. Davis led the league in rushing touchdowns three times and rushed for over 1,500 yards in four straight seasons. His knees gave out after seven years, but at his best, he was as good as anyone to ever play the game.
Shannon Sharpe (7th Round, 1990)
Denver selected Sharpe 192nd overall in 1990 out of Savannah State. Scouts viewed him as too big for receiver and too small for tight end, which dropped him to the seventh round. The Broncos took a chance on the undersized prospect and paired him with John Elway. He started as a reliable pair of hands and grew into one of the most dominant stars the position had ever seen.
Sharpe caught 815 passes for over 10,000 yards across 14 seasons and won three Super Bowl rings by the end of his career. He earned eight Pro Bowl selections and retired holding most career receiving records for tight ends. By the time he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011, Sharpe had proven he could do it all. He was one of the best late-round draft picks in NFL and the most complete tight ends ever, a stinging reminder to every team that passed on him 191 times.
Richard Dent (8th Round, 1983)
In 1983, Dent slid all the way to the 203rd pick before Chicago finally ended his wait. Dent played at Tennessee State and showed pass-rushing ability, but teams questioned his size and level of competition. The Bears took him in the eighth round, and he became critical to their success in the 1980s. Dent developed under defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan's 46 defence and turned into the most feared pass rusher on the legendary ’85 Bears.
Dent recorded 34.5 sacks from 1984 to 1985, posting 17 in each season. He led the NFL in sacks during the 1985 championship run and won Super Bowl XX MVP with 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He finished his career with 137.5 sacks, ranking in the top five all-time when he retired. Dent made four Pro Bowls and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.
Antonio Brown (6th Round, 2010)
Pittsburgh selected Antonio Brown in the sixth round, 195th overall, of the 2010 draft. Coming out of Central Michigan, he was viewed as a productive college receiver from a smaller program, with teams unsure how his game would carry over. Scouts were worried he was too small and lacked the focus for the pros, but the Steelers took a gamble anyway. It paid off when he turned into one of the most dominant players they'd ever seen.
Brown earned four First-Team All-Pro selections and led the NFL in receptions and receiving yards multiple times. Across the 2014 and 2015 seasons, he totalled 265 catches for 3,532 yards and 23 touchdowns, a level of output rarely matched. From 2013 to 2018, he recorded six straight seasons with at least 100 catches and 1,000 yards. His play powered Pittsburgh’s offence during regular playoff appearances. Off-field issues eventually ended his run with the team, but the return on a sixth-round pick remains clear.
Marques Colston (7th Round, 2006)
In 2006, the New Orleans Saints found Marques Colston at the end of the draft. He was selected in the seventh round, 252nd overall, three picks away from the final selection of the year. Coming from Hofstra University, a small program that later dropped football, he drew league-wide attention. The Saints took a chance on the 6'4 receiver, and he didn't waste a second proving them right. As a rookie, he cleared 1,000 receiving yards and entered the Offensive Rookie of the Year discussion.
Colston became the most productive receiver in franchise history. Across ten seasons in New Orleans, he delivered six 1,000-yard campaigns and finished with 711 catches and 9,759 yards. He and Drew Brees instantly clicked and formed a partnership that drove the team through its most successful era. In 2009, he led the team in receiving and helped bring a Super Bowl trophy home to New Orleans.
Donald Driver (7th Round, 1999)
In 1999, Green Bay used a compensatory seventh-round pick, 213th overall, on a little-known wide receiver from Alcorn State. He arrived with little attention, a former track athlete whose game was still developing, but he eventually became one of the franchise’s most trusted players. It took a while for him to get his shot, but he eventually became the one player Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers knew they could always count on.
Over 14 seasons in Green Bay, Driver caught 743 passes and finished with more than 10,000 receiving yards. He produced seven 1,000-yard seasons and remained a steady part of the offence deep into his career. His contributions helped the Packers win Super Bowl XLV, with Driver still involved during that championship run. At one stage, he held the team records for receptions and receiving yards.
Zach Thomas (5th Round, 1996)
Miami hit the jackpot in 1996 when they found Zach Thomas. He was taken in the fifth round, 154th overall, and arrived with a lot to prove to the rest of the league. Scouts dismissed him as too small and too slow, convinced a 5'11 linebacker could never survive in the NFL. Miami had already selected another player at the position, so expectations were limited to a possible special teams role. What did not show up in testing was his preparation and feel for the game, which stood out quickly in camp and earned him a starting role as a rookie.
Over the next 12 years, he became the face of the Miami defence, proving his doubters wrong with seven Pro Bowls. He led the league in tackles twice and finished with more than 20 sacks, along with 17 interceptions. During the late '90s and early 2000s, Miami built its toughest defences around the one man they knew they could always count on. When his career ended, he became one of the most impactful defenders in franchise history, a reputation later confirmed by his 2023 Hall of Fame induction.
Richard Sherman (5th Round, 2011)
The best late-round find from the 2011 draft came out of Seattle’s fifth-round selection. Sherman was taken 154th overall, a converted wide receiver from Stanford with size and intelligence, but still viewed as raw at cornerback. Some teams questioned his technical skills and personality, but Seattle saw a talented defender who fit its young roster. By his second season, he had claimed a starting role and developed a reputation as a hard-hitting corner who never backed down from a fight.
Sherman became the face of Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” and helped deliver a Super Bowl XLVIII win in his third season. He led the league in interceptions that year and collected three First Team All-Pro selections with five Pro Bowl nods during his time.
Jason Kelce (6th Round, 2011)
Offensive linemen can be late-round steals, and Philadelphia found one with Jason Kelce. He sat through five rounds and 190 picks before the Eagles finally snagged him in the sixth round. Considered undersized for a center at roughly 280 pounds and a former walk-on at Cincinnati, he was far from a typical prospect and came dangerously close to missing the draft altogether. He won the starting center job in training camp as a rookie, relying on quickness and football IQ rather than size.
Over the past decade, Kelce has built a Hall of Fame-level reputation and led the offensive line during the Super Bowl LII win, earning six First Team All-Pro selections, the most ever for a center with a championship. He also made seven Pro Bowls and delivered durability, once starting more than 140 straight games.
Kevin Greene (5th Round, 1985)
One of the best defensive players to fall into the later rounds was Kevin Greene, taken by the Los Angeles Rams in the fifth round, 113th overall, of the 1985 draft. A tweener defensive end and linebacker from Auburn, he did not become a full-time starter until his senior year. The league didn't know what to make of him, so the Rams took their time, letting him learn from the sidelines until he finally earned his first start in year four. Once he finally got on the field, he let his play do the talking.
Greene played 15 NFL seasons and finished with 160 sacks, still the third-highest total in league history. He recorded ten seasons with double-digit sacks and earned five Pro Bowl selections with two First Team All-Pro honours. His first eight years came in Los Angeles, including seasons with 16.5 sacks.
Kam Chancellor (5th Round, 2010)
Rounding out the list is another member of Seattle’s Legion of Boom, Kam Chancellor, drafted in the fifth round (133rd overall) in 2010. He was a massive, hard-hitting safety out of Virginia Tech, but many teams feared he was too slow to cover the whole field. While other teams saw his flaws, Seattle saw the perfect partner for Earl Thomas, and by 2011, he had locked down his spot as the starting strong safety.
Over his career in Seattle, Chancellor became associated with the defence’s identity. He earned four Pro Bowl selections and two second-team All-Pro honours while helping the team reach two Super Bowls and win one. During their 2013 championship run, he stepped up exactly when the team needed him, making huge plays to stop the run and shut down the pass.