If you’re one of those fans who tends to check out on Day 3 of the NFL Draft, this story might make you pay a little more attention when the 2024 NFL Draft reaches its final stages.
I get it. Everyone is giddy about Thursday night, when, after months of speculation and mock drafts, the first round finally plays out in real time. It’s an exciting night; one of the best nights on the NFL’s calendar. But that shouldn’t take away from the draft’s other two days, when over 200 other top college prospects realize their dreams of becoming a pro football player.
Scores of future gridiron greats were discovered late in their respective NFL drafts. We all know the story of how Tom Brady went from a sixth-round pick to the greatest quarterback of all-time. Well, what if I told you that one of his most trusted receivers was actually a seventh-round pick? In fact, the man many considered the greatest tight end prior to Brady’s former teammate, Rob Gronkowski, was also a seventh-round pick. To further drive the point home, the greatest athlete in modern times also happened to be selected in the seventh round.
Here’s how many good players have been drafted in the seventh-round. Receivers Marques Colston and Donald Driver, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, offensive lineman Rayfield Wright, running back Jamal Anderson, defensive back Lemar Parrish and kicker Gary Anderson were left off my list of the greatest seventh-round draft picks of all-time.
Who made it, you ask? Check out my list below to find out.
Honorable mentions
Tom Nalen, C
7th round, 218th pick, 1994 draft
Team: Broncos (1994-07)
A starter for 13 of his 14 seasons in Denver, Nalen anchored a Broncos offensive line that helped win back-to-back Super Bowls in the late 1990s. A five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Nalen blocked for six different 1,000-yard running backs, including Terrell Davis, who rushed for 2,008 yards during his MVP season.
7th round, 262nd pick, 2022 draft
Teams: 49ers (2002-present)
Purdy’s been excellent so far, but he’s still sitting outside of the top-10, at least for now. He’ll get there eventually if he continues to play the way he did during his first two seasons, when he was 21-6 overall as the 49ers’ starting quarterback. In 2023, Purdy built off of his impressive rookie season while nearly guiding the 49ers to the franchise’s sixth Super Bowl win.
10. Jake Scott, S
7th round, 159th…
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