15 Greatest NFL Draft Steals of All-Time

Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass against the Seattle Seahawks in the second quarter in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass against the Seattle Seahawks in the second quarter in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; A general view of the stage and podium before the start of the 2014 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

With the 2015 NFL Draft approaching, let’s look back some of the most surprising players to find success after the draft.


Over 400 players are entering the 2015 NFL Draft. Only 256 will be selected and guaranteed an offseason roster spot once training camp opens in the middle of July. With so many players to account for and only so many personnel scouts to do the necessary research work, players routinely fall between the cracks for NFL teams.

Many times a player is at the mercy of what teams are in need of and they lose draft position. Other times, players don’t pass the super scientific “eye test” and are immediately written off as not top-level NFL players. Such is the life of an NFL prospect that did not go to a big school or display the prototypical physical traits of an NFL player.

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Because of this, many talented NFL players find themselves slipping into the middle or even back end of the NFL Draft, overlooked by a number of teams in lieu of bigger names or players that physically fit the mold of an NFL player better.   Fortunately for these ovrshadowed players, they do eventually get picked, just not where they probably should have gone in their mind, which works out beautifully for fans.

Nothing is more entertaining to watch than a motivated NFL player with something to prove. These competitive athletes are some of the biggest and strongest humans on the planet and to see them enraged and flying around the field like a missile over a slight like falling draft position, which costs some players millions of dollars, is a sight to see.

Becoming a great player in the NFL is not solely based on your talent. It is about hard work and taking advantage of the opportunity you are given, no matter where you went in the draft. Here are the players that seized that opportunity to become great despite being overlooked for so long in the NFL Draft.

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