5 biggest NFL draft steals of the last decade
With the 2022 NFL Draft due to begin on April 28, all the talk is about which prospects will go right at the top end, with almost all the buzz surrounding the first round.
While many superstars are drafted early, there are just as many players taken in the later rounds who forge excellent careers. NFL Draft analysts don't tend to focus their attention on these players, but thankfully for the teams involved, their scouting departments often find diamonds in the rough in the later rounds.
Here are five of the biggest NFL Draft steals of the last decade.
5 biggest NFL Draft steals in the last 10 years
#5 - prescott" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Dak Prescott, Round 4, Pick 135, 2016
Dak Prescott was taken in round four of the 2016 NFL Draft and almost immediately became the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys following injuries to Tony Romo and Kellen Moore.
Prescott began as the starter in Week 1 of the 2016 season. He hasn't relinquished the position since, as Romo retired at the end of Prescott's rookie season.
Since being selected by the Cowboys, Prescott has made 85 starts, winning 52, and passing for 143 touchdowns in his six seasons in the NFL. He was the eighth quarterback taken in the 2016 draft after Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, Paxton Lynch, Christian Hackenberg, Jacoby Brissett, Cody Kessler, and Connor Cook.
Prescott beat the abovementioned names to win Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2016 and has been the most successful quarterback of the lot, making two Pro Bowls (2016, 2018) so far in his career.
Dak Prescott is a true leader 🙌 https://t.co/Ux1uTB4ee6
#4 - George Kittle, Round 5, Pick 146, 2017
Tight end George Kittle was selected in round five by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2017 NFL Draft. His selection marked a turning point in the fortunes of the franchise.
Kittle was named the starter for the 49ers to begin his rookie season, but it was in his sophomore year in 2018 that people sat up and took notice of the former Iowa man.
Kittle led the league in receiving yards for tight ends with 1,377, breaking the single-season receiving yard record for tight ends. Travis Kelce broke this record in 2020. Kittle also went over 1,000 yards in 2019, as San Francisco made it to the Super Bowl before losing to Kelce and the Chiefs.
Kittle has established himself as one of, if not the, best tight ends in the NFL, having made three Pro Bowls and a first-team All-Pro selection in 2019.