ESPN names the 10 biggest NFL Draft steals of the last decade

[kkuenn 3,597]

https://www.on3.com/pro/news/espn-names-the-10-biggest-nfl-draft-steals-of-the-last-decade/

 

Subscribe

login

 

ESPN names the 10 biggest NFL Draft steals of the last decade

Grant Grubbs•06/29/23

Photo by David Becker | Getty Images

Is there anything better than an underdog story? Thanks to the NFL Draft, football is full of them. ESPN just released its 10 biggest draft steals of the past decade.

Although the list does not include a single player drafted in the first round, many of the names are synonymous with the NFL. Teams overlooking future stars isn’t a new trend. In reality, many of the greatest players of all time were never expected to be more than a name on a roster.

Look at Joe Montana, who was drafted in the third round of the 1979 NFL Draft before becoming a four-time Super Bowl Champion. Or, perhaps look back further to a player like Johnny Unitas, who was drafted in the ninth round before eventually headlining the NFL Hall of Fame.

Of course, the most successful draft steal ever is also the most successful football player of all time: Tom Brady. The seven-time Super Bowl champion was drafted in the sixth round with the No. 199 overall pick. Brady is seemingly thankful for what the adversity taught him.

You may also like

BREAKING: Georgia overcomes Oklahoma for elite DL prospect

LOOK: Sabrina Ionescu lands cover of NBA 2K24 WNBA edition

O/NSO: The decision-makers edition

“Everyone comes up against challenges,” Brady wrote in a 2020 essay for The Players’ Tribune. “Whether they’re physical, mental or emotional, they’re part of everyone’s lives. I’m no exception.”

Exception is an important final disclaimer for this list. Not only did the players on ESPN’s list have to be drafted outside of the first round, but they “must have been drafted at least 15 spots — roughly half a round — later than [they] should have been, and that’s just the floor for the exercise.”

Additionally, ESPN’s Matt Miller and Jordan Reid did not include any players drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft since obviously, they have not had the chance to prove their draft placement wrong. With that said, let’s dive into the 10 names below.

 

ESPN’s 10 biggest draft steals of the past decade

1. Travis Kelce, TE — Drafted No. 63 in 2013 (Kansas City Chiefs)
2. Tyreek Hill, WR — Drafted No. 165 in 2016 (Kansas City Chiefs)
3. Davante Adams, WR — Drafted No. 53 in 2014 (Green Bay Packers)
4. Cooper Kupp, WR — Drafted No. 69 in 2017 (Los Angeles Rams)
5. Derrick Henry, RB — Drafted No. 45 in 2016 (Tennessee Titans)
6. Dak Prescott, QB — Drafted No. 135 in 2016 (Dallas Cowboys)
7. Stefon Diggs, WR — Drafted No. 146 in 2015 (Minesota Vikings)
8. George Kittle, TE — Drafted No. 146 in 2017 (San Francisco 49ers)
9. Fred Warner, LB — Drafted No. 70 in 2018 (San Francisco 49ers)
10. Jalen Hurts, QB — Drafted No. 53 in 2020 (Philadelphia Eagles)

[West 6,713]

Patrick Mahomes.....Number 10 pick...Best Player of All Time....

[kkuenn 3,597]

1 hour ago, West said:

Patrick Mahomes.....Number 10 pick...Best Player of All Time....

These are players not selected in the 1st round though

[mex 65,581]

How the fuck is Derrick Henry on that list.

Yeah, he's a good RB who gains yards in a run-heavy offense. But he's a 'steal' in the early 2nd round? 

Lunacy.

[dhitter 1,424]

2 hours ago, mex said:

How the fuck is Derrick Henry on that list.

Yeah, he's a good RB who gains yards in a run-heavy offense. But he's a 'steal' in the early 2nd round? 

Lunacy.

Especially when you factor in that the RB position is not valued the way others are. 

[kccrow 529]

So, the list doesn't include but one defensive player and is littered with players that went high 2nd or very high 3rd at positions that normally have good players come from that range? I'm not sure I agree with this.

I'd start with eliminating the ones I have crossed off below:

1. Travis Kelce, TE — Drafted No. 63 in 2013 (Kansas City Chiefs) Too high for a TE imo
2. Tyreek Hill, WR — Drafted No. 165 in 2016 (Kansas City Chiefs)
3. Davante Adams, WR — Drafted No. 53 in 2014 (Green Bay Packers) A bit too high for a WR imo
4. Cooper Kupp, WR — Drafted No. 69 in 2017 (Los Angeles Rams) Not as consistent as McLaurin imo
5. Derrick Henry, RB — Drafted No. 45 in 2016 (Tennessee Titans) Far too high for a RB
6. Dak Prescott, QB — Drafted No. 135 in 2016 (Dallas Cowboys)
7. Stefon Diggs, WR — Drafted No. 146 in 2015 (Minnesota Vikings)
8. George Kittle, TE — Drafted No. 146 in 2017 (San Francisco 49ers)
9. Fred Warner, LB — Drafted No. 70 in 2018 (San Francisco 49ers) Too high for a LB imo
10. Jalen Hurts, QB — Drafted No. 53 in 2020 (Philadelphia Eagles) 

I'd argue the replacements should be: RB Aaron Jones (182), DE Danielle Hunter (88), WR Terry McLaurin (76), LB Foyesade Oluokun (200), and FS Justin Simmons (98).

Obviously you can give it your own spin but if the list looked more like this I'd feel it was more respectable:

1. WR Tyreek Hill (165)
2. DE Danielle Hunter (88)
3. WR Stefon Diggs (146)
4. FS Justin Simmons (98)
5. QB Dak Prescott (135)
6. WR Terry McLaurin (76)
7. RB Aaron Jones (182)
8. LB Foyesade Oluokun (200)
9. TE George Kittle (146)
10. QB Jalen Hurts (53)

[Thegoatee 1,780]

Tyreek is a steal because he kneecapped his draft potential by doing terrible things off the field.

Good to know the best blocking TE in the history of football is on the list too.

[West 6,713]

Spot on regarding Tyreek.

 

[sith13 1,746]

Mahomes at #10 for just a couple 1st round picks to trade up is the greatest steal of the last decade and likely second to Brady in all time. 

[kccrow 529]

10 hours ago, sith13 said:

Mahomes at #10 for just a couple 1st round picks to trade up is the greatest steal of the last decade and likely second to Brady in all time. 

It's pretty much impossible for a 1st round pick to be a steal no matter how you might want to try to spin it. 

It's really pushing it to call a 2nd rounder a steal and really I'd only consider QBs.