15 Best Late Round NFL Draft Picks From the Last 20 Years

There's a pretty good chance at least one star will come out of the hundreds of players selected in the NFL Draft's forgotten rounds.

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Complex Original

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Just about every football fan watches the first night of the NFL Draft. Many watch rounds two and three as well.

Today, only the diehards remain.

Let’s face it: Even if you’re a big-time draft buff, there’s a good chance you won’t know who half the players taken on Day 3 are. Most will never become household names. Many will never even play a down in the NFL.

But there's a pretty good chance at least one star will come out of the hundreds of players selected today because we've rounded up the 15 best late round draft picks from the last 15 years. 

15. Pierre Garcon (2008) - 6th round, 205th overall

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14. Kam Chancellor (2010) - 5th round, 133rd overall

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The four-time Pro-Bowler isn’t the only “Legion of Boom” player on this list.

13. Geno Atkins (2010) - 4th round, 120th overall

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The Bengals’ nose tackle has been a staple on the team’s defense since he was drafted, making four Pro Bowl appearances.

12. Derrick Mason (1997) - 4th round, 98th overall

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Mason was one of the most underrated receivers of his generation, finishing his 15-year career with 12,601 yards receiving and 66 TDs, playing for four teams.

11. Elvis Dumervil (2006) - 4th round, 126th overall

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Dumervil has been a Pro Bowler in five of the last seven seasons and has accumulated 96 career sacks.

10. Robert Mathis (2003) - 5th round, 138th overall

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9. Matt Hasselbeck (1998) - 6th round, 187th overall

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The Packers drafted Hasselbeck to be Brett Favre’s backup in 1998. He was traded to Seattle after former Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren took the reigns of the Seahawks. He spent 10 years as their starter, and took the team to Super Bowl XL.

8. Donald Driver (1999) - 7th round, 213th overall

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The Packers’ all-time leading receiver was taken in the final round of the 1999 draft.

7. Jared Allen (2004) - 4th round, 126th overall

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Allen went from a mid-round afterthought to an elite pass-rusher in an instant, recording nine sacks as a rookie. In 2011, he had a league-leading 22, half a sack behind Michael Strahan's all-time record. 

6. Joshn Norman (2012) - 5th round, 143rd overall

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5. Brandon Marshall (2006) - 4th round, 119th overall

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Marshall wasn’t even a full-time receiver in college; he played safety part-time as well. Last season, Marshall became the first receiver in NFL history to have six 100-catch season. 

4. Zach Thomas (1996) - 5th round, 154th overall pick

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Thomas turned a Day 3 selection into a 13-year NFL career and a spot on the 2000’s All-Decade team.

3. Antonio Brown (2010) - 6th round, 195th overall

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Before becoming a living Tetris piece, the NFL’s most dominant wideout was taken at the tail-end of the 2010 draft.

2. Richard Sherman (2010) - 5th round, 154th overall

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The self-proclaimed best cornerback in the game was ranked as the 24th-best cornerback available in the 2011 NFL Draft by NFLDraftScout.com. He joined fellow late picks Russell Wilson (third round, 2012) and Chancellor as key late-round selections that were pivotal to the Seahawks’ Super Bowl XLVIII championship.

1. Tom Brady (2000) - 6th round, 199th overall

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