15 Greatest NFL Draft Steals of All-Time
By Daniel Tran
7. Roosevelt Brown
Time to take a trip in the way, way back machine. Roosevelt Brown was an offensive tackle that earned Black All-American Honors at Morgan State before the Civil Rights Movement could fix even awards from being segregated. Being from a small school, and game tape being nearly nonexistent, Brown dropped all the way to the 27th round of the 1953 NFL Draft before the New York Giants picked him.
He may not have been the biggest name coming out of college, but his physical tools and willingness to work hard caught the attention of head coach Steve Owen who would eventually start him at left tackle – a position he would hold for the next 13 years. He had quick feet, which allowed him to get to the outside and block for running backs coming out of the backfield, and he could stay with quick outside rushers in pass protection.
In that time, Brown was selected to nine Pro Bowls and appeared in six NFL Championship games, winning one in 1956. After retiring, he was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1975 along with George Connor, Dante Lavelli, and Lenny Moore.
In terms of NFL Draft steals, it doesn’t get much deeper than Brown in the 27th round.
Next: Roger Staubach