10. Brandon Jacobs (4th Round, 2005)
Jacobs couldn’t even find playing time in his own crowded backfield in college, playing behind future stars Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams at Auburn before transferring to a smaller school. Despite rare size for a running back, most scouts saw Jacobs as more of a situational, goal line type back. Not the Giants however, who scooped him to up be the eventual successor to Tiki Barber, which he has done well, averaging 4.4 yards per carry throughout his career.
9. Brandon Marshall (4th Round, 2006)
Despite being a huge headache off the field there is no denying his production on it. Marshall is one of only five players in NFL history to catch at least 100 passes in three consecutive seasons.
8. Michael Turner (5th Round, 2004)
“The Burner” was very productive at small Northern Illinois University, and spent the first few years of his career as the backup to future hall of fame running back Ladanian Tomlinson, but it became evident early on with high production with limited carries that he was a star in the making. Now he has the spotlight to himself in Atlanta, and has taken advantage of it, reaching the 2009 Pro Bowl.
7. Aaron Kampman (5th Round, 2002)
Once viewed as a limited defensive end with little upside, Kampman has managed to rack up 54 career sacks and two Pro Bowl appearances.
6. Steve Smith (4th Round, 2001)
In 2001 three receivers went in the first 15 picks. Their names were Koren Robinson, David Terrell, and Rod Gardner, all of whom are long out of the league.
They should have been named Steve Smith.
The undersized dynamo lasted into the 4th round, proven to be a big time playmaker, and elite pass catcher, leading the league in receptions, yards, and touchdowns in 2005 and accumulating 50 touchdowns throughout his career
5. Asante Samuel (4th Round, 2003)
This 3-time pro bowler and 2-time super bowl champion emerged in 2006, his first year as a starter, intercepting 10 passed, his knack for making big plays showed up in the playoffs that year where he returned two interceptions for touchdowns. He has 35 career picks, not bad for a guy who was passed up 119 times in 2003.
4. T.J. Houshmanzadeh (7th Round, 2001)
Spent the majority of his career, including college, as the quiet compliment to Chad Johnson, who was drafted in the 2nd round the same year, but there’s no denying that Houshmanzadeh’s production stands on its own including 40 touchdowns and the league lead in receptions in 2007, far exceeding the expectations of someone taken in the last round of the draft.
3. Marques Colston (7th Round, 2006)
… Speaking of 7th round receivers, Colson came into the league in 2006 from unheralded Hofstra University, taken with the 252nd pick. He has emerged as a go-to guy throughout his brief career, including tallying the most receptions by any player in his first two seasons in the league, accumulating over 30 touchdown catches, and walking away with a super bowl ring in 2010.
2. Jared Allen (4th Round, 2004)
The Chiefs went to Jared in after he was passed on 125 times. He’s rewarded them (and the Vikings since 2008) with 72 sacks, putting him at 12th on the active list right now, but he is easily the youngest in the top 15 at 27. Allen is a perennial pro bowler and a constant threat to the quarterback
1. Tom Brady (6th Round, 2000)
Giovanni Carmazzi, Tee Martin, and Spergon Wynn.
Who are these guys you ask? Just quarterbacks taken ahead of Tom Brady in the 2001 draft,
Brady is the ultimate definition of a draft steal. Taken in the 6th round out of Michigan, a place where he didn’t even start full time, Brady was thrust into action in 2001 after an injury to incumbent starter Drew Bledsoe. He and the Patriots haven’t looked back since. The accolades are truly endless, a 3-time Super Bowl champion, 2-time Super Bowl MVP, and a league MVP in 2007. Brady is one of the most well known players in the game, and is synonymous with clutch play and winning.
Paging Spergon Wynn?
