5 most touching NFL draft day moments of all-time
The NFL Draft can be an emotional event for many of the players involved, as well as their families. Prospects worked hard their entire lives and battled adversity with the dream of one day making it to the NFL. When the draft finally comes and their name eventually gets called, it can, sometimes, result in an overflowing of emotions. Here are five of the most touching moments in NFL Draft history.
5 most touching moments in NFL Draft history
#5 - Tyrann Mathieu
Tyrann Mathieu was a superstar cornerback at LSU during his college football career. He was so dominant in his play-making abilities that he was a finalist for the 2011 Heisman Trophy, which is very difficult to do as a defensive player. The concerns teams had for Mathieu leading up to the draft weren't about his production, but his overall size and his off-the-field issues.
Mathieu found himself in trouble at LSU multiple times, including for marijuana charges and illegally receiving financial benefits. He was also labeled as undersized at 5'9" and 175 pounds. Despite all of these potential red flags, the Arizona Cardinals took a chance on him with the 69th overall pick in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
#4 - Todd Gurley
Todd Gurley suffered a devastating knee injury with a torn ACL during his final college season with the Georgia Bulldogs. He is considered a generational talent at running back and was one of the highest-rated prospects of all time in the position.
After facing a torn ACL in his Junior Year, Todd Gurley entered the NFL draft and never looked back 💨
https://t.co/mox0MoCqEY
Gurley was unsure how much the injury would affect his draft stock. The Rams decided to take a risk by selecting him as the 10th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, overwhelming Gurley with a wide range of emotions.