The "Draft steal" term has been used in the NFL to refer to a player who was lowly regarded in a draft but went on to have unprecedented success.
In the NFL, Tom Brady best exemplifies the term, rising from obscure near-200ish pick to arguably the greatest player in league history with seven Super Bowl titles (more than any team), five game MVP awards, and a whole host of accolades and records.
However, he's not the only player in the 21st century to massively subvert expectations and achieve greatness. These five players have become the most shocking revelations of the Draft's last 10 editions.
5) Maxx Crosby (106th overall in 2019)
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Maxx Crosby is one of the most prominent defensive ends in the league right now. On the field, he's a monstrous tackler who strikes fear into the hearts, minds and bodies of many an offense - especially when it comes to tackles for loss.
He has been a Pro Bowler twice and an All-Pro thrice. Off it, he's an unusually named, heavily tattooed ex-alcoholic who has since become a highly regarded recovery advocate.
However, no one would have expected that of him in 2019. He had played for Eastern Michigan, a largely unknown Mid-American Conference school; and that was not to mention said alcoholism.
Yet Crosby became one of the few good things to come out of the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders' much-maligned Jon Gruden/Mike Mayock era.
4) Aaron Jones (182nd overall in 2017)
The ground game has not usually been a focal point of the Green Bay Packers' offense.
However, Aaron Jones was shaping up to be their new cornerstone in that regard before his sudden release in 2024, especially after he burst onto the scene in 2019 and 2020 with the first two of three thousand-yard seasons, a rushing TD title, and a Pro Bowl appearance.
It's not bad for someone who played collegiately for the woeful University of Texas at El Paso Miners.
3) George Kittle (146th overall in 2017)
Iowa has a reputation as a "tight end factory" for the NFL. Starting from Jonathan Hayes and going all the way to Sam LaPorta, the Hawkeyes have had a reputation for creating, at worst, decent performers at the position.
However, none shine brighter than George Kittle. One of the first 10 draft picks of general manager John Lynch, he has since become a vital cog in coach Kyle Shanahan's offense, reaching two Super Bowls and being named an All-Pro and Bro Bowler multiple times - quite the resume for a fifth-round pick.
2) Tyreek Hill (165th overall in 2016)
Speaking of Super Bowls, here's the only member of this group to win one. Tyreek Hill had not been exactly the most prolific wideout in college, having mainly payed for lower-tier schools and even being dismissed from Oklahoma State (his only time in an FBS school) for domestic violence, hence his low draft position.
However, the Kansas City Chiefs found a dynamo, and he greatly rewarded them, helping them win Super Bowl LIV alongside Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
In 2022, Hill was traded to the Miami Dolphins, where he has somehow only gotten better, coming close to hitting 2,000 yards in his two seasons there - albeit never making it past the Wild Card Round.
1) Brock Purdy (262nd overall in 2022)
Brock Purdy. The man, the myth, the legend. Has there ever been a more successful Mr. Irrelevant than the San Francisco 49ers' current starting quarterback?
His selection out of Iowa State is even more noteworthy - the pick used on him was compensatory in nature, one the 49ers received in 2021 in exchange for losing backup passer CJ Beathard to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Initially sitting behind Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance, Purdy took the reins after both men suffered season-ending injuries. The rest as, they say, is history.
