# The 16 Biggest Draft Steals in NFL History

> Late-round picks and undrafted names who outlasted the men chosen ahead of them. Every matchup asks which one the league misjudged most.

*By YPB Team · Published August 3, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-16-biggest-draft-steals-in-nfl-history*

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## Current results (0 votes)

1. **Tom Brady**
   Taken 199th overall in the sixth round of the 2000 draft and went on to win seven Super Bowls.
2. **Terrell Davis**
   A sixth-round pick in 1995 who rushed for 2,000 yards in a season and won two titles in Denver.
3. **Shannon Sharpe**
   Seventh-round pick in 1990 who redefined the tight end position and reached the Hall of Fame.
4. **Richard Sherman**
   Fifth-round cornerback in 2011 who became the loudest voice of the Legion of Boom.
5. **Antonio Gates**
   Undrafted basketball player who signed with San Diego and finished as one of the best tight ends ever.
6. **Kurt Warner**
   Undrafted quarterback who stocked grocery shelves before winning an MVP and a Super Bowl with the Rams.
7. **Joe Montana**
   Third-round pick in 1979 who won four Super Bowls and never lost one.
8. **Tom Nalen**
   Seventh-round center in 1994 who anchored Denver's line through two championships.
9. **Brett Favre**
   Second-round pick traded to Green Bay for a first, where he started 297 straight games.
10. **Rod Smith**
   Undrafted receiver who caught more than 800 passes for Denver and won two rings.
11. **Priest Holmes**
   Undrafted running back who became the most productive scorer in football in Kansas City.
12. **Marques Colston**
   Seventh-round receiver in 2006 who became the Saints' all-time leading pass catcher.
13. **Bart Starr**
   Seventeenth-round pick in 1956 who won five championships and the first two Super Bowls.
14. **Roger Staubach**
   Tenth-round pick in 1964 who served in the Navy first and still made the Hall of Fame.
15. **Jared Allen**
   Fourth-round pass rusher in 2004 who finished with more than 130 career sacks.
16. **Wes Welker**
   Undrafted slot receiver who led the league in receptions three times.

Tags: usa, sports, players, nfl, nfl draft