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With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, NFL fans and fantasy football gamers alike are excited to see where top prospects like Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, Brock Bowers, and Drake Maye land. Every first-round draft class yields at least a few superstar players, so the first 32 picks are undoubtedly the most exciting.
However, franchises can separate themselves by finding diamonds in the rough and landing late-round sleepers who go on to shatter the expectations based on their draft capital. Teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers have found success in the later rounds of drafts in recent years, so it's no surprise both squads had strong offenses and defenses in their Super Bowl LVIII clash.
In this article, we'll look back at the last nine draft classes and rank the top picks from Rounds 5, 6, and 7. Let's dive in!
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Honorable Mentions
- Quandre Diggs, Detroit Lions - Sixth Round (2015)
- Matt Milano, Buffalo Bills - Fifth Round (2017)
- Jordan Mailata, Philadelphia Eagles - Seventh Round (2018)
- Dre Greenlaw, San Francisco 49ers - Fifth Round (2019)
- Talanoa Hufanga, San Francisco 49ers - Fifth Round (2021)
- Trey Smith, Kansas City Chiefs - Sixth Round (2021)
- Riq Woolen, Seattle Seahawks - Fifth Round (2022)
- Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs - Seventh Round (2022)
10) DaRon Bland, Dallas Cowboys
Draft Year: 2022
Draft Position: Fifth Round (167 Overall)
Accolades With Team: One All-Pro, One Pro Bowl
In 2023, Bland set the NFL record for single-season pick-sixes (five). The 24-year-old stepped in and delivered big-time for a Dallas defense that played most of the season without star cornerback Trevon Diggs (torn ACL). Although Bland only has one season of excellence on his resume, he's done enough to be on this list.
BLAND DID IT AGAIN!!! HISTORY!!!
📺: #WASvsDAL on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/N5H8Nc0xKc pic.twitter.com/tImqViPSlg— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2023
9) Matthew Judon, Baltimore Ravens
Draft Year: 2016
Draft Position: Fifth Round (146 Overall)
Accolades With Team: Two Pro Bowls
Although Judon has been known for his red-sleeved look with the New England Patriots lately, he got things started off in Baltimore. He totaled 34.5 sacks in five seasons with the Ravens, which is about as good as you can hope for when you press the draft button on an edge defender in the fifth round.
8) Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
Draft Year: 2022
Draft Position: Fifth Round (164 Overall)
Accolades With Team: One All-Pro, One Pro Bowl
Williams was rumored to be a potential second-round or third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame, but his 40-yard dash time of 4.65 led NFL teams to avoid him in the early rounds. The Rams stopped the bleeding in the fifth round, and they reaped the rewards in Williams' sophomore campaign.
Kyren Williams jumps into the end zone then jumps into stands to celebrate with the Rams fans
📺: #LARvsAZ on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/1dOevJjoZZ pic.twitter.com/UxxKvm5ByK— NFL (@NFL) November 26, 2023
The 23-year-old rushed for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns and caught 32 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns in just 12 games last season. He led the NFL in rushing yards per game (95.3). Not bad for an afterthought on draft night.
7) Grady Jarrett, Atlanta Falcons
Draft Year: 2015
Draft Position: Fifth Round (137 Overall)
Accolades With Team: One All-Pro, Two Pro Bowls
Jarrett posted just 5.5 sacks in four years at Clemson, so he wasn't viewed as a premium prospect in the 2015 class. After a quiet first few NFL seasons, he delivered four sacks and 15 tackles for loss in his 2017 campaign. He then racked up 13.5 sacks over the next two years, and he's now considered one of the game's best interior defensive linemen.
After making a base salary of under $700,000 through his first four seasons, he earned $15.2 million on the franchise tag, then signed a four-year, $68 million deal ahead of the 2019 season. Almost all the studs at the defensive tackle spot were first- or second-round picks, making Jarrett's breakout story even more incredible.
6) Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers
Draft Year: 2017
Draft Position: Fifth Round (182 Overall)
Accolades With Team: One Pro Bowl
Jones played his college ball at the University of Texas at El Paso and didn't amaze scouts with his predraft athletic testing, so he was a fifth-round draft choice in 2017. Early in his NFL career, he was stuck sharing a role with Jamaal Williams, but his explosiveness and upside were evident. Despite his small workload, the Georgia native averaged 5.5 yards per carry and totaled 13 touchdowns in his first two pro seasons. Fantasy football fans likely remember banging the table for him to get more touches.
AARON JONES' THIRD TOUCHDOWN.
📺: #GBvsDAL on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/Ut3BRhC2CE pic.twitter.com/5ud5g9XHq2— NFL (@NFL) January 14, 2024
Fast forward a few seasons later, and he became the primary back in Aaron Rodgers' offense. He now has three 1,000-plus-yard rushing seasons on his resume, and he scored at least 10 touchdowns in the 2019, 2020, and 2021 campaigns. It will be interesting to see how he looks as a new member of the Minnesota Vikings.
5) Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings
Draft Year: 2015
Draft Position: Fifth Round (146 Overall)
Accolades With Team: N/A
While there's a compelling argument that Diggs should be higher on this list, it's worth noting that he did not make a Pro Bowl roster while he was a Minnesota Viking. Either way, he vastly exceeded expectations and delivered three seasons of at least 900 receiving yards in a Viking uniform. He also delivered the game-winning touchdown to send the Case Keenum-led Vikings to the 2017 NFC Championship Game.
One year ago today... @casekeenum. @StefonDiggs. @Vikings.
MINNEAPOLIS MIRACLE! 😱 (via @NFLThrowback) pic.twitter.com/9MmZV5U53h
— NFL (@NFL) January 14, 2019
As a bonus, the Vikings eventually traded Diggs away for a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft -- which turned out to be Justin Jefferson. Diggs has been one of the NFL's best wideouts over the last four seasons with Buffalo, and he'll now be catching passes from rising star quarterback C.J. Stroud in Houston.
4) George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
Draft Year: 2017
Draft Position: Fifth Round (146 Overall)
Accolades With Team: Four All-Pros, Five Pro Bowls
Kittle spent five years at Iowa and only caught 48 passes for 737 yards and 10 touchdowns. It's no surprise why he fell to Day 3 of the 2017 NFL Draft, but he has made 31 organizations regret it. After a modest 515 receiving yards as a rookie, Kittle exploded onto the scene with 1,377 yards in Year 2.
Since then, he has two additional 1,000-plus-yard seasons in his career, and he caught 11 touchdowns in 2022. Oh yes, and he's by far the best blocking tight end in the league.
3) Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
Draft Year: 2023
Draft Position: Fifth Round (177 Overall)
Accolades With Team: One All-Pro, One Pro Bowl
After just one NFL season, Nacua takes the No. 3 spot on this list. The BYU product set NFL rookie records for receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) in 2023, and he posted a whopping 181 receiving yards in his playoff debut for the Rams.
A 50-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Puka Nacua!! pic.twitter.com/0LZl6VgSI5
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) January 15, 2024
This all came out of nowhere, considering his draft capital and the fact that he never produced more than 805 yards in any of his four collegiate seasons. Nacua appears to be on the fast track to being considered one of the best wideouts in the game -- and that will come with a hefty payday down the road.
2) Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Draft Year: 2022
Draft Position: Seventh Round (262 Overall)
Accolades With Team: One Pro Bowl
Regardless of your opinion on Purdy and how much credit he should get for the success of the 49ers offense, it's impossible to deny what he has done is impressive. The Iowa State alum was the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, meaning he was realistically never supposed to see the field. It took lower-body injuries to Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance for him to get a chance to play.
Fast forward two years later, and Purdy has compiled a 17-4 record as a starter with 44 passing touchdowns to just 15 interceptions. He has four playoff wins on his resume and battled Patrick Mahomes in a tight Super Bowl LVIII loss. Incredibly, he is making less money than backups like Skylar Thompson, Logan Woodside, and Kellen Mond. When he's due for a contract in the 2025 offseason, expect him to fetch north of $40 million per season.
1) Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
Draft Year: 2016
Draft Position: Fifth Round (165 Overall)
Accolades With Team: Four All-Pros, Six Pro Bowls
Of all the great late-round picks over the last few years, Hill takes the cake as the top draft-day steal. Hill spent time at Garden City Community College, Oklahoma State, and West Alabama during his collegiate career, and he never eclipsed 800 receiving yards in a single season. However, he flashed speed, so Andy Reid and Co. took a chance on him in Round 5.
In six seasons with Kansas City, he racked up 479 catches for 6,630 yards and 67 touchdowns. He added 11 more touchdowns as a rusher and returner. His breakout seasons came at a perfect time when Patrick Mahomes took over command of the Chiefs offense, and he is a key piece of the start of the Kansas City dynasty.
17 total touchdowns for Tyreek Hill this past season 🐆 pic.twitter.com/aFXQczIe3G
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 22, 2021
Although he did not stay with the organization beyond the 2021 season, the Chiefs collected five draft picks to send him to Miami.
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