Draft bust A
draft bust is a highly touted or highly selected draftee who does not meet expectations. This can be for a variety of reasons such as being unable to adjust to the professional level or if their career was derailed by injuries or personal issues. A player is also regarded as a bust if more successful players are drafted after them.
NFL 1st-round, 2nd-round, & 3rd-round picks are considered high draft picks who are drafted to be long-term starters for the team that drafts them. NFL players who are drafted in this range and fail to develop into starters for their original team are thus considered busts. This label particularly applies for 1st-round picks, who are considered to be premium talents. One of the most frequently cited examples of a draft bust in the NFL is
Ryan Leaf, who was selected second overall in the
1998 NFL draft by the
San Diego Chargers, after the
Indianapolis Colts had selected future Hall of Famer
Peyton Manning. The Chargers had chosen Leaf over future Hall of Famers
Charles Woodson,
Randy Moss, and
Alan Faneca, as well as six future
Pro Bowlers. Despite being described as being equal in talent to Manning prior to the draft, Leaf only managed to play two seasons with the Chargers and start 18 games (winning only four) for them before being released in 2000. Leaf played only three further games for the
Dallas Cowboys, and was out of the league by 2002.
Tony Mandarich and
JaMarcus Russell, two other frequently cited draft busts, are examples of players whose status as busts are amplified by their placements in the draft: • Mandarich is the only top-five pick from the
1989 NFL draft who is not in the Hall of Fame, having been selected second overall by the
Green Bay Packers after the
Dallas Cowboys selected
Troy Aikman, with the subsequent three picks being
Barry Sanders,
Derrick Thomas, and
Deion Sanders. The Packers also passed on Hall of Famer
Steve Atwater as well as six future Pro Bowlers to select Mandarich. • Russell was selected first overall in the
2007 NFL draft by the
Oakland Raiders, with the next two picks being Hall of Famers
Calvin Johnson and
Joe Thomas. The Raiders also passed on Hall of Famers
Darrelle Revis and
Patrick Willis as well as Pro Bowlers
Adrian Peterson,
Marshawn Lynch,
Eric Weddle,
Ryan Kalil,
Greg Olsen,
Joe Staley, and
Marshal Yanda to select Russell. Like Leaf, Russell was released by the Raiders after three seasons and was out of the league by 2010. Mandarich later managed to become a serviceable offensive lineman for the
Indianapolis Colts after being released by the Packers in 1992, but ultimately never lived up to his draft position. Other frequently cited examples include: •
Art Schlichter (QB) – Schlichter was selected 4th overall by the
Baltimore Colts in the
1982 NFL draft, selecting him over Hall of Famers
Marcus Allen,
Mike Munchak,
Andre Tippett, and
Morten Andersen as well as Pro Bowlers
Jim McMahon,
Gerald Riggs, and
Mike Quick. Schlichter's gambling addiction ultimately derailed his career and was out in the NFL after just 3 seasons. •
Todd Blackledge (QB) – Blackledge was selected 7th overall by the
Kansas City Chiefs in the
1983 NFL draft, selecting him over Hall of Famers,
Bruce Matthews,
Jim Kelly,
Dan Marino, and
Darrell Green, as well as Pro Bowlers
Joey Browner, and
Roger Craig. Blackledge spent most of his career as a backup QB and was out of the NFL by 1990. •
Andre Wadsworth (DE) – Wadsworth was selected third overall by the
Arizona Cardinals in the
1998 NFL draft, the Cardinals selected him over Hall of Famers
Charles Woodson,
Randy Moss, and
Alan Faneca, as well as All-Pros
Keith Brooking,
Flozell Adams,
Patrick Surtain, and
Olin Kreutz. Wadsworth only played three seasons with the Cardinals before the team released him after going through career ending surgery although in 2007 Wadsworth tried to return to the NFL to no avail. •
Akili Smith (QB) – The
New Orleans Saints had offered the
Cincinnati Bengals nine future draft picks in exchange for their No. 3 first-round pick in the
1999 NFL draft. The Bengals declined the offer and selected Smith. •
Lawrence Phillips (RB) – The
St. Louis Rams traded Hall of Famer
Jerome Bettis to the
Pittsburgh Steelers believing that Phillips could better fill the position. While Phillips was regarded as a highly-talented player, his off-field issues derailed his career. •
Todd Marinovich (QB) – Remembered for both his unorthodox upbringing and being selected ahead of Hall of Famer
Brett Favre. •
Tim Couch (QB) – Selected first overall by the expansion
Cleveland Browns in the
1999 NFL draft over future six-time Pro Bowler
Donovan McNabb, who was selected second overall by the
Philadelphia Eagles, also Hall of Famers
Edgerrin James,
Champ Bailey, as well as All-Pros
Torry Holt,
Chris McAlister,
Daunte Culpepper,
Jevon Kearse,
Al Wilson, and
Joey Porter. Couch only played 4 seasons with the Browns before being released. Couch would leave the NFL by 2007. •
Courtney Brown (DE) – The
Cleveland Browns with the first overall pick for the second consecutive year the Browns picked Courtney Brown at the
2000 NFL draft who turned out to be a bust like
Tim Couch. The Browns selected him over Hall of Famer
Brian Urlacher and All-Pros
Chris Samuels,
John Abraham,
Julian Peterson,
Shaun Alexander, as well as Pro Bowlers
LaVar Arrington,
Jamal Lewis,
Thomas Jones,
Bubba Franks, and
Keith Bulluck and as well with a future hall of famer
Tom Brady. Courtney Brown only spent 5 seasons with the Browns before the Browns released him; he would leave the NFL after 6 seasons. •
Charles Rogers (WR) – The
Detroit Lions selected
Charles Rogers at second overall in the
2003 NFL draft over Hall of Famers
Andre Johnson and
Troy Polamalu, as well as All-Pros
Kevin Williams,
Terrell Suggs,
Nnamdi Asomugha,
Lance Briggs,
Jason Witten, and Pro Bowlers
Anquan Boldin,
Jordan Gross. Rogers would only play 15 games and was out of the league after three seasons. •
Robert Gallery (OT) – The
Oakland Raiders selected
Robert Gallery at second overall at the
2004 NFL draft the Raiders selected him over All-Pros
Larry Fitzgerald,
Philip Rivers,
Ben Roethlisberger,
Vince Wilfork,
Steven Jackson,
Chris Snee, also Pro Bowlers,
DeAngelo Hall,
Jonathan Vilma,
Tommie Harris,
Bob Sanders, and
Darnell Dockett. Gallery was considered pre-draft to be one of the best Offensive
Tackle prospects but Gallery struggled at Tackle before moving to
Guard after three seasons at Tackle where he became a serviceable Guard, Gallery would eventually leave the
NFL by 2012 Gallery never lived up to expectations of being a highly touted Offensive Tackle at his high draft pick position. •
Trent Richardson (RB) – The
Cleveland Browns traded four draft picks to the
Minnesota Vikings for their third overall pick in the
2012 NFL draft, picking Richardson over
Luke Kuechly,
Stephon Gilmore,
Fletcher Cox,
Chandler Jones,
David DeCastro,
Harrison Smith, and
Bobby Wagner. Richardson spent less than two seasons with the Browns before being traded to the
Indianapolis Colts. He never lived up to his draft position and left the NFL after five seasons. •
Justin Gilbert (CB) – The
Cleveland Browns traded up to the 8th overall pick in
2014 NFL draft to select Gilbert, passing on
Anthony Barr,
Odell Beckham Jr.,
Aaron Donald,
Zack Martin,
C. J. Mosley,
Derek Carr,
DeMarcus Lawrence,
Davante Adams, and
Jarvis Landry. Gilbert would only play 23 games with 3 starts over two seasons, recording 39 tackles and one interception, before being traded to the
Pittsburgh Steelers. He was released a year later and left the league after being suspended for violating the NFL's drug policy. the Bears selected him over future All-Pros
Christian McCaffrey,
Patrick Mahomes,
T.J. Watt,
Budda Baker,
George Kittle, also Pro Bowlers
Jamal Adams,
Marshon Lattimore,
Deshaun Watson,
Dalvin Cook,
Alvin Kamara,
Cooper Kupp, and
Trey Hendrickson. Despite being named in the Pro Bowl in
2018 Trubisky would only last four seasons with the Bears before leaving for free agency to join the
Buffalo Bills in 2021. Trubisky was largely a bust because of his inconsistent play and his failure to live up to expectations of a second overall pick quarterback. •
Trey Lance (QB) – The
San Francisco 49ers traded three first round picks and a second round pick to the
Miami Dolphins in exchange for their third overall pick in the
2021 NFL draft so they could draft Lance. Lance would only play in eight games over two seasons for the 49ers before being traded to the
Dallas Cowboys after the emergence of
Brock Purdy, the
Mr. Irrelevant of the
2022 NFL draft, as the team's starter. In his second season, he was benched twice and demoted to third string by the end of the season. In his third year, the Jets traded for
Aaron Rodgers, but an early injury to Rodgers thrust Wilson back in the lineup. However, he was subsequently benched again midseason and traded to the
Denver Broncos after the season where he served as the team's third-string quarterback. He is considered among the biggest busts in NFL history. •
Anthony Richardson (QB) Richardson was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts with the fourth overall pick in the
2023 NFL draft, over future Pro Bowlers
Devon Witherspoon,
Bijan Robinson,
Jalen Carter,
Jahmyr Gibbs,
Jaxon Smith-Njigba,
Zay Flowers, and
Puka Nacua. He only played four games in his rookie season before missing the rest of the season with an
AC joint injury. In his next season, he missed the first six weeks due to injuries. In his first game of the season, he took himself out of the game for a play that prompted him to be benched for two games. He finished the season with a 6-5 record, but threw 12 interceptions over 8 touchdowns and only completed 47.7% of his passes. The Colts later signed
Daniel Jones who beat Richardson as the starter. After Jones suffered an Achilles injury, Richardson was already hurt with an orbital fracture, meaning the Colts would have to look elsewhere for a starting quarterback. After the 2025 season, the Colts let Richardson seek a trade.
NBA In the NBA, one of the most well-known example of a draft bust is
LaRue Martin, who was selected first overall in the
1972 NBA draft by the
Portland Trail Blazers: the Trail Blazers passed on
Hall of Famers Bob McAdoo,
Paul Westphal, and
Julius Erving to select Martin. Despite being seen as an excellent prospect, Martin had a career average of only 5.3 points per game, and was out of the NBA by 1977. Another well-known example is
Sam Bowie: while proving to be a serviceable though injury-prone player, Bowie was haunted by being drafted second overall by the Trail Blazers in the famously talent-rich
1984 NBA draft. Hall of Famer
Hakeem Olajuwon was the first pick, while the Trail Blazers passed on Hall of Famers
Michael Jordan,
Charles Barkley, and
John Stockton to select Bowie. Other notable examples include: •
Jon Koncak, in
1985, who was selected by the
Atlanta Hawks fifth overall, ahead of Hall of Famers
Chris Mullin,
Karl Malone, and
Joe Dumars; as well as other notable players
Detlef Schrempf,
Charles Oakley,
A.C. Green, and
Terry Porter. Although Koncak played in the NBA for over a decade, he never lived up to expectations of being a fifth overall pick and is infamous for his six year contract known as the “Jon Contract” in 1989 which made him one of the highest paid players at the time despite him being a bench player. •
Todd Fuller, in
1996, who was selected by the
Golden State Warriors eleventh overall in a highly talented 1996 draft, ahead of Hall of Famers
Kobe Bryant and
Steve Nash as well as other notable players
Peja Stojaković,
Jermaine O'Neal, and
Žydrūnas Ilgauskas. •
Michael Olowokandi, in
1998, who was selected by the
Los Angeles Clippers first overall, ahead of Hall of Famers
Vince Carter,
Dirk Nowitzki, and
Paul Pierce. •
Frédéric Weis, in
1999, who was selected by the
New York Knicks in the first round, ahead of Hall of Famer
Manu Ginóbili, as well as other notable players
Ron Artest and
Andrei Kirilenko, but never played in the NBA. •
Kwame Brown, in
2001, who was selected by the
Washington Wizards first overall, ahead of Hall of Famers
Pau Gasol and
Tony Parker as well as other notable players
Tyson Chandler,
Joe Johnson,
Zach Randolph, and
Gilbert Arenas. •
Nikoloz Tskitishvili, in
2002, who was selected by the
Denver Nuggets fifth overall, ahead of
Amar'e Stoudemire,
Caron Butler,
Tayshaun Prince, and
Carlos Boozer. •
Greg Oden, in
2007, who was selected by the
Portland Trail Blazers first overall, ahead of
Kevin Durant,
Al Horford,
Joakim Noah, and
Marc Gasol. •
Evan Turner, in
2010, who was selected by the
Philadelphia 76ers second overall, ahead of
DeMarcus Cousins,
Gordon Hayward and
Paul George. •
Derrick Williams, in
2011, who was selected by the
Minnesota Timberwolves second overall, ahead of
Kemba Walker,
Klay Thompson,
Kawhi Leonard,
Jimmy Butler and
Isaiah Thomas. •
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, in
2012, who was selected by the
Charlotte Bobcats second overall, ahead of
Bradley Beal,
Damian Lillard,
Draymond Green and
Khris Middleton. •
Anthony Bennett, in
2013, who was selected by the
Cleveland Cavaliers first overall, ahead of
Victor Oladipo,
Giannis Antetokounmpo and
Rudy Gobert. •
Dragan Bender, in
2016, who was selected by the
Phoenix Suns fourth overall, ahead of
Domantas Sabonis,
Pascal Siakam,
Jamal Murray,
Ivica Zubac, and
Malcolm Brogdon. •
Marvin Bagley III, in
2018, who was selected by the
Sacramento Kings second overall, ahead of
Luka Dončić,
Jaren Jackson Jr.,
Trae Young,
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and
Jalen Brunson. •
James Wiseman, in
2020, who was selected by the
Golden State Warriors second overall, ahead of
LaMelo Ball,
Tyrese Haliburton,
Tyrese Maxey, and
Jaden McDaniels.
MLB Notable players widely considered draft busts include
Steve Chilcott (1966),
Brien Taylor (1991), and
Brady Aiken (2014), all of whom were 1st overall draft picks who never reached the majors. A well-known example is pitcher
David Clyde, the first overall pick in the
1973 draft by the
Texas Rangers. Despite being only 18 years old at the time of his selection, the Rangers called-up Clyde directly to the majors instead of developing him in the minors. After 2 mediocre seasons with the Rangers, Clyde was sent down to the minors and would not return to the majors until 1978 after he was traded to the
Cleveland Indians. After 2 seasons with the Indians, Clyde retired at only 26 years old due to shoulder injuries. Clyde's career made him the "poster-boy" for bringing up young players prematurely. The Rangers passed on future Hall of Famers
Robin Yount,
Dave Winfield, and
Eddie Murray to take Clyde.
Matt Bush (2004), another 1st overall pick, dealt with legal troubles culminating in incarceration and waited nearly 12 years to make the major leagues, eventually doing so as a middle relief pitcher in 2016. Pitcher
Mark Appel, the first overall pick in
2013, stepped away from baseball after 2018 due to repeated struggles on the mound. He returned to the game in 2021, but did not make his major league debut until the
2022 season for the
Philadelphia Phillies, appearing in only six games and has not pitched in the majors since.
NHL A notable draft bust was
Alexandre Daigle (
1993 Draft), who is notable for saying "I'm glad I went number one, cause no one remembers number two" upon being drafted by the
Ottawa Senators. The number two selection that year happened to be eventual
Hockey Hall of Fame inductee
Chris Pronger, and the Senators also missed out on Hall of Famer
Paul Kariya who went 4th overall. Other players cited as major draft busts include: •
Greg Joly, who was selected
1st overall in 1974 by the
Washington Capitals, spent the majority of his career in the
minor leagues. •
Gord Kluzak, who was selected
1st overall in 1982 by the
Boston Bruins, had an injury-plagued career playing only one full season throughout his nine years in the NHL. •
Alek Stojanov, who was selected
7th overall in 1991 by the
Vancouver Canucks, was an
enforcer with scoring ability who lost scoring touch due to injury before his first NHL game. He also became known for the weaker piece involved in one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history, when the Canucks traded him to the
Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for eventual All-Star forward
Markus Näslund. •
Patrik Štefan, who was selected
1st overall in 1999 by the
Atlanta Thrashers, had an injury-plagued, seven season career. The
Vancouver Canucks, with whom the Thrashers had swapped a pick with to choose Štefan, then chose all-star and eventual Hall of Famers
Daniel Sedin and his twin brother
Henrik at second and third overall respectively. •
Pavel Brendl, who was selected 4th overall in 1999 by the
New York Rangers, signed in Europe after playing with three different NHL teams in parts of four seasons. •
Rick DiPietro, who was selected
1st overall in 2000 by the
New York Islanders, had eventual career ending injuries which started in his second season of a groundbreaking 15-year contract, and played only 50 games thereafter. •
Petr Taticek, who was selected
9th overall in 2002 by the
Florida Panthers, spent the majority of his underperforming North American career in the minors, and only played three NHL games with the Panthers. Afterwards, he spent the remainder of his career between the
Kontinental Hockey League and various European leagues. •
Hugh Jessiman, who was selected
12th overall in 2003 by the
New York Rangers, played all but two games of his North American career in the minors. Many players selected after Jessiman would go on to have substantial NHL careers, such as Hall of Famer
Shea Weber as well as all-stars
Dustin Brown,
Brent Seabrook,
Zach Parise,
Ryan Getzlaf,
Brent Burns,
Ryan Kesler,
Mike Richards,
Corey Perry, and
Patrice Bergeron. •
Nikita Filatov, who was selected
6th overall in 2008 by the
Columbus Blue Jackets, spent the majority of his North American career in the minors, playing only 53 NHL games. Glennie was selected ahead of all-stars
Chris Kreider,
Kyle Palmieri, and
Ryan O’Reilly. •
Nail Yakupov, who was selected
1st overall in 2012 by the
Edmonton Oilers, returned to the Kontinental Hockey League after playing with three different NHL teams over six seasons. Reinhart, along with Yakupov, was selected ahead of all-stars
Morgan Rielly,
Hampus Lindholm,
Filip Forsberg, and
Andrei Vasilevskiy. •
Zachary Senyshyn, who was selected
15th overall in 2015, by the
Boston Bruins, spent the majority of his North American career in the minors, while playing only 16 NHL games before leaving North America in 2023. Senyshyn was selected ahead of all-stars
Mathew Barzal,
Kyle Connor,
Thomas Chabot,
Brock Boeser,
Travis Konecny, and
Sebastian Aho. •
Olli Juolevi, who was selected
5th overall in 2016 by the
Vancouver Canucks, spent the majority of his injury-plagued North American career in the minors, playing only 41 NHL games before returning to his native
Finland to play in the
SM-liiga. Juolevi was selected ahead of all-stars
Matthew Tkachuk,
Clayton Keller,
Charlie McAvoy,
Tage Thompson,
Jordan Kyrou, and
Alex DeBrincat. •
Nolan Patrick, who was selected
2nd overall in 2017 by the
Philadelphia Flyers, had an injury plagued 6 year NHL career before he left the NHL in 2023. Patrick was selected ahead of all-stars
Miro Heiskanen,
Cale Makar,
Elias Pettersson,
Nick Suzuki,
Robert Thomas,
Jake Oettinger, and
Jason Robertson.
Australian Football League Examples of draft busts include
Scott Gumbleton and
Mitch Thorp. Gumbleton and Thorp were selected with the second and sixth picks respectively in the
2006 AFL draft; their clubs,
Essendon and
Hawthorn, passed on future
All-Australian players
Travis Boak,
Joel Selwood,
Ben Reid,
James Frawley,
Jack Riewoldt,
Shane Edwards,
Todd Goldstein,
Bachar Houli and
Robbie Gray to draft them. Thorp managed only two games in three years with Hawthorn before being delisted, while Gumbleton managed only 35 games in six years with Essendon before being traded to
Fremantle, after which he retired without playing another game.
Draft steal Conversely, a player who was drafted at a low spot or in later rounds and is expected to have little success yet goes on to have a stellar and productive career is known as a
draft steal.
MLB Mike Piazza, who went on to become one of the best catchers of the 1990s, a 12-time
MLB All-Star selection and a
Hall of Famer, was chosen in the 62nd round (1390th overall) of the
1988 MLB draft and was selected only as a favor to
Tommy Lasorda (whose team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, drafted Piazza): to further put the pick in historic perspective, the MLB draft is now much shorter, having most recently been reduced from 40 rounds to 20 in 2021.
José Bautista was selected in the 20th round, 599th overall by the
Pittsburgh Pirates in
2000. Although his major league career started off slowly in 2004, Bautista, after being traded to the
Toronto Blue Jays in 2008, experienced a breakthrough season in 2010. He led the majors in
home runs in 2010 and 2011 and would make the American League All-Star Team six consecutive seasons from 2010-2015.
NFL One of the most notable examples is
Tom Brady, who was drafted late in the sixth round (at 199th overall pick) of the
2000 NFL draft by the then-mediocre
New England Patriots only as a fourth-string backup
quarterback, but went on to have a two-decade career winning seven
Super Bowls (six with the Patriots and one with the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers), five
Super Bowl MVPs, and three
NFL MVPs, setting the all-time records for wins, passing yards, completions, and touchdowns in the process. Similarly, two-time
Super Bowl champion
Roger Staubach was a tenth-round pick in both the AFL and NFL drafts, largely due to having a four-year commitment to serve in the
U.S. Navy.
Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterbacks that were draft steals include
Johnny Unitas, who was drafted in the ninth round of the
1955 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who cut him at the end of the team's training camp, while
Bart Starr, a two-time Super Bowl MVP and five-time championship winner, was the 200th overall pick
in 1956 due to concerns about back injury problems.
Joe Montana and
Dan Fouts were third-round selections, with Montana slipping due to an average combine performance. Wide receiver
Terrell Owens was selected in the third round (89th overall) by the
San Francisco 49ers in
1996. Owens went on to play 17 seasons in the NFL and became a six-time
Pro Bowler and a five-time
All-Pro and led the NFL in touchdown receptions three times. Owens was inducted into the
Hall of Fame in 2018 and is widely considered one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history. Also in the 1996 draft,
linebacker Zach Thomas, who was considered too "small", "short", and "unathletic" to play the linebacker position at the pro level, was selected in the fifth round with the 154th overall pick by the
Miami Dolphins. He would go on to be one of the best and most consistent linebackers of his era, anchoring a Top 10 ranked Miami defense in eight out of his 12 years in Miami, while being selected to seven Pro Bowls, five first team
All-Pro selections, and the
NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. Thomas was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023. The
2017 NFL draft has seen two draft steals emerge. Wide receiver
Cooper Kupp, who was selected in the third round (69th overall) by the
Los Angeles Rams, has the most receptions, touchdown catches, and receiving yards of any wide receiver or player drafted in 2017 (as of the conclusion of the 2022 NFL season), including the six wide receivers that were drafted ahead of him. Furthermore, in 2021, Kupp won the receiving triple crown, AP Offensive Player of the Year Award, and
Super Bowl LVI MVP in what is regarded as one of the greatest seasons by a wide receiver in NFL history.
Tight end George Kittle was selected in the fifth round (146th overall) by the
San Francisco 49ers. As of the end of the
2024 NFL season, Kittle has been selected to six
Pro Bowl teams and five
All-Pro teams and was a key piece in the 49ers reaching Super Bowls
LIV and
LVIII. Wide receiver
Tyreek Hill, was selected in the fifth round (165th overall) of the
2016 NFL draft by the
Kansas City Chiefs, has been named to eight Pro Bowls, six with Chiefs two with the Dolphins, was included in the
NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, was a 4 time
All-Pro receiver from 2018 to 2023 and also an
All-Pro first-team punt returner in his rookie year in 2016, led the Chiefs to their first Super Bowl win in 50 years
Super Bowl LIV and was the key member to the Chief's dynasty until he was traded in 2022 to the
Miami Dolphins.
Antonio Brown was drafted 195th overall by the
Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010 but was an
All-Pro receiver from 2013 to 2018, before being traded to the
Oakland Raiders in 2019 (later getting released by them and the
New England Patriots over accusations of sexual assault). Brown would eventually help the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers win
Super Bowl LV.
Cornerback Richard Sherman was selected in the 5th round, 154th overall by the
Seattle Seahawks in the
2011 NFL draft. In his eleven year career, Sherman was selected to five
All-Pro and five
Pro-Bowl teams. Sherman also helped the Seahawks reach Super Bowls
XLVIII and
XLIX with the Seahawks winning the former. After signing with the
San Francisco 49ers in 2018, Sherman helped them reach
Super Bowl LIV. Also taken in 2011 was
center Jason Kelce who was selected in the sixth round, 191st overall by the
Philadelphia Eagles. Kelce went on to play thirteen seasons with the Eagles, being selected to seven
Pro Bowl teams and six
All-Pro teams, and is widely considered one of the greatest centers in NFL history. Kelce also helped the Eagles reach two
Super Bowls and won
Super Bowl LII. Similarly, Jason's brother
Travis was a third-round selection by the
Kansas City Chiefs, but went on to become a seven-time All-Pro while setting multiple receiving records for the tight end position and helping the Chiefs win Super Bowls
LIV,
LVII, and
LVIII. Wide receiver
Amon-Ra St. Brown was drafted in the fourth round at 112th overall of the
2021 NFL draft by the
Detroit Lions. St. Brown played a key part in the rebuilding of the Lions organization, led by head coach
Dan Campbell, that turned them from a struggling team into a
Super Bowl contender. Quarterback
Brock Purdy was selected
last overall in the
2022 NFL draft by the
San Francisco 49ers. Initially a third-string backup, he eventually was moved to starter after injuries to
Trey Lance and
Jimmy Garoppolo. Purdy has since led the 49ers to an NFC Championship Game in and an appearance in
Super Bowl LVIII in , leading the NFL in
passer rating, garnering a Pro Bowl spot, and being an MVP finalist in the latter season.
NBA Manu Ginóbili, a key contributor to four
San Antonio Spurs championships in the 21st century, was the next-to-last pick (57th) in the
1999 NBA draft. He was also the centerpiece of
Argentina's national team in the
2004 Summer Olympics, where he led his country to a gold medal and was named the
MVP of the tournament. Another notable draft steal is
Isaiah Thomas, who was selected as the 60th and last pick in the
2011 NBA draft, but emerged as an All-Star in 2017 and led the Boston Celtics to the first seed in the Eastern Conference that same year. He also finished 5th in MVP voting in 2017 with an average of 28.9 points and 5.9 assists.
Draymond Green, who was selected as the 35th pick in the
2012 NBA draft, was a key contributor to the
Golden State Warriors winning four championships. Green has been named to multiple All-Star selections and also won the
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2017.
Nikola Jokić, a Serbian who was selected by the
Denver Nuggets as the 41st pick in the
2014 NBA draft, remained in Europe for the 2014–15 season to develop his skills before arriving in the NBA in 2015. In his second season, he quickly became a solid post playmaker, averaging about 16.7 ppg, 4.9 apg, and 9.8 rpg. He was also named to the All-NBA Team in both 2019 (first team) and 2020 (second team), and won
league MVP in 2021, 2022 and 2024 while leading the Nuggets to their first championship in
2023. He was the first 2nd round pick to win MVP since
Willis Reed in 1970; the latter was the 8th pick in the
1964 NBA draft. Jokić was also a crucial member of
Serbia's national team in the
2016 and
2024 Summer Olympics, where he won silver and bronze medals respectively.
DeAndre Jordan, who was selected as the 35th pick in the
2008 NBA draft, was named All-NBA three times in his career, with three straight selections from 2015 to 2017, including a first team appearance in 2016, was selected to back-to-back All-Defense teams in 2014-15 and 2015-16, became an All-Star in 2017 and led the league in rebounding two years in a row (2014, 2015). He became a significant contributor of the "
Lob city Clippers" era for the
Los Angeles Clippers, along with
Blake Griffin and
Chris Paul. Jordan would win alongside Jokić and the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals.
Kyle Korver, who was selected as the 51st pick in the
2003 NBA draft, went to have a successful 17-year career in the NBA. He was an All-Star in 2015 and is one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in league history,
ranking eighth all-time in 3-point field goals made with 2,450.
Jordan Clarkson, who was selected as the 46th pick in the
2014 NBA draft, won the
NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award with the
Utah Jazz in 2021.
Malcolm Brogdon, who was the 36th pick in the
2016 NBA draft, won the
Rookie of the Year award in 2017 and became a member of the exclusive
50–40–90 club in 2019. He also won the
NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2023.
Jalen Brunson, who was selected as the 33rd pick in the
2018 NBA draft, went on to have a breakout year in 2024, making his first All-Star and All-NBA team and led the Knicks to 2nd place in the Eastern Conference.
Marc Gasol was selected as the 48th pick by the
Los Angeles Lakers in the
2007 NBA draft, but was traded to the
Memphis Grizzlies in a package that sent his older brother
Pau to the Lakers. Like his brother Pau, he became an elite rim protector who could pass, shoot, and score efficiently in the post, and later in his career became an example of a "stretch five", a center capable of effective scoring from
three-point range. He was also the 2013
NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and he helped the
Toronto Raptors win their first championship in 2019.
NHL The
1984 NHL entry draft is noted for the unusually high number of future Hall of Famers picked, particularly in lower rounds:
Patrick Roy, the only player with three
Conn Smythe trophies, was drafted 51st in the third round;
Brett Hull, the fifth highest goal scorer of all time, was drafted 117th in the sixth round; and
Luc Robitaille, who retired as the highest-scoring left winger in the NHL, was drafted 171st in the ninth round. Hall of Famer
Doug Gilmour was drafted by the
St. Louis Blues in the seventh round, 134th overall at the
1982 NHL entry draft; during his career he scored over 1,400 points, won a
Stanley Cup and
Frank J. Selke Trophy.
Pavel Datsyuk, drafted 171st in the
1998 NHL entry draft, won two Stanley Cups and is considered one of the most talented NHL players of all-time. The
Detroit Red Wings have drafted
Nicklas Lidström (53rd in
1989),
Sergei Fedorov (74th in 1989),
Vladimir Konstantinov (221st in 1989),
Tomas Holmström (257th in
1994) and
Henrik Zetterberg (210th in
1999) in later rounds, all of whom contributed to one or more of the four Stanley Cup wins, between 1997 and 2008, by the Red Wings. The
Edmonton Oilers dynasty that won 5 Stanley Cups between 1984 to 1990 had several notable draft steals, drafting
Mark Messier (48th in
1979),
Glenn Anderson (69th in 1979),
Jari Kurri (69th in
1980),
Andy Moog (132nd in 1980),
Steve Smith (111th in
1981), and
Esa Tikkanen (80th in
1983). All of whom contributed to 1 of the 5 Stanley Cup wins between 1984 to 1990.
Vezina Trophy winners
Dominik Hašek (drafted 199th in
1983),
Tim Thomas (drafted 217th in 1994),
Miikka Kiprusoff (drafted 116th in
1995),
Ryan Miller (drafted 138th in 1999),
Henrik Lundqvist (drafted 205th in
2000),
Pekka Rinne (drafted 258th in
2004),
Braden Holtby (drafted 93rd in 2008),
Connor Hellebuyck (drafted 130th in 2012),
Linus Ullmark (drafted 163rd in 2012), and
Igor Shesterkin (drafted 118th in 2014) were considered some of the best goalie draft steals, with Thomas winning the
Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the
2011 Stanley Cup playoffs while being the lowest-drafted player to win the award and setting a league record for the most saves by a goaltender in a single postseason.
Pavel Bure was drafted by the
Vancouver Canucks in the 6th round, 113th overall, at the
1989 NHL entry draft. Due to international transfer disputes which prompted the Canucks to draft Bure later, he had his rookie season two seasons later in
1991, where he would win the
Calder Memorial Trophy for being the most outstanding rookie of that season. Later in his career, Bure won the
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for being the leading goal scorer in
2000 and
2001.
Dave Taylor was drafted by the
Los Angeles Kings in the 15th round, 210th overall, at the
1975 NHL amateur draft. Taylor would have a productive 17 season career in the NHL as part of the
Triple Crown Line, and still holds the record for being the lowest drafted player to score more than 1,000 points in the NHL.
Theoren Fleury was drafted by the
Calgary Flames in the 8th round, 166th overall, at the
1987 NHL entry draft, then scored over 1,000 points, while playing 1,000 games in the NHL between 1989 and 2003.
Daniel Alfredsson was drafted by the
Ottawa Senators in the 6th round, 133rd overall, at the
1994 NHL entry draft, in Alfredsson near 20 year career he recorded over 1,000 points and played in over 1,000 games, and help lead the Senators to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in
2007. who was drafted with pick 36 in the
2001 AFL draft. Mitchell went on to become a four-time premiership player, a premiership captain with Hawthorn in 2008, a
2012 Brownlow Medalist, a three-time
All-Australian, a five-time
Peter Crimmins Medallist and the 2003
AFL Rising Star. Another example of a draft steal in the AFL is former
Essendon midfielder
James Hird, who was drafted with pick 79 in the
1990 AFL draft. Hird went on to become a two time premiership player, a premiership captain in 2000, the
1996 Brownlow Medalist, the 2000
Norm Smith Medallist, a five-time
All-Australian, a five-time
W. S. Crichton Medalist, and a member of the Essendon Team of the Century and the
Australian Football Hall of Fame. Another notable AFL draft steal is
Collingwood midfielder
Dane Swan, and
Derrell Robertson, a man who was mistakenly drafted by the
Ottawa Rough Riders in the 1995 CFL Dispersal Draft for the
Las Vegas Posse after his death in the previous year. ==See also==