The Biggest Steal From Every Round in NFL Draft History (2024)

NFL Analysis

7/22/24

6 min read

By Marcus Mosher

Every draft class has its fair share of steals. Some of them are more significant than others. But which player has been the biggest steal of each round? In this article, we are taking a look at Rounds 1-7 and identifying the best value from each spot.

For the purposes of this article, the later a player is picked in the round, the bigger "steal" they become. A quarterback like Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes falling to the back half of the top 10 isn't quite the same as someone falling to pick No. 32. So the later that a player was picked in a given round, the more likely that they will be named.

Positional value was considered, but quarterbacks don't make up the entire list. Without further ado, here is our ranking:

Every NFL Draft Round's Biggest Steal

Round 1: Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

Pick: No. 32, 2018 NFL Draft

Anytime you can find a franchise quarterback in Round 1, it is a massive steal. But finding a two-time NFL MVP with the final pick in Round 1 is quite impressive. Lamar Jackson was the fifth quarterback selected in the 2018 NFL Draft, behind the likes of Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, and Baker Mayfield. Josh Allen was picked at No. 7 by the Bills, but you can make a strong case that Jackson has been the best quarterback in the class.

Not only does Jackson have two MVP seasons, but his record as a starter in Baltimore is 58-19. No team in the league has had a better winning percentage than the Ravens when Jackson is on the field. Jackson has improved as a passer every season in the NFL, averaging a whopping 8.0 yards per attempt in 2023.

Jackson is one of the top five quarterbacks in the league, and it’s hard to imagine that there will ever be a better pick at No. 32 in the NFL Draft. It might feel premature, but there are only a handful of players to ever win the NFL MVP twice, and Jackson is one of them.

Round 2: Brian Dawkins, S, Philadelphia Eagles

Pick: No. 61, 1996 NFL Draft

Brett Favre and Drew Brees were considered for this spot, but both players were selected at the very top of Round 2. And while they were certainly steals relative to their draft position, let’s take a look at someone else who was drafted far later in Round 2. Our pick for that spot is Brian Dawkins, who fell to the very end of the second round during the 1996 NFL Draft.

Dawkins is widely considered one of the top five safeties in NFL history. After starting 221 games for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Broncos, he was a nine-time All-Pro selection and a four-time All-Pro nominee. He was one of the best safeties in the league for nearly two decades.

Round 3: Joe Montana, QB, San Francisco 49ers

Pick: No. 82, 1979 NFL Draft

The third round has been a rich one in terms of Hall of Fame talent. Terrell Owens, Dan Fouts, Ronde Barber, Jason Taylor, and Aeneas Williams are just a handful of the names that fell to the third round and went on to have Hall of Fame careers.

But the easy choice here is Joe Montana, who fell to pick No. 82 in the 1979 NFL Draft. Montana was the very last pick of the third round and was the fourth quarterback to be selected in his class.

Montana's resume is as impressive as anyone's in NFL history, outside of Tom Brady. He is a four-time Super Bowl winner who was outstanding in every big game. He led the league in passer rating twice and completion percentage five times.

But the most impressive stat was his regular season record with the San Francisco 49ers, an incredible 100-39. Montana is the second-best quarterback in NFL history and one of the biggest draft steals in league history.

Round 4: Jared Allen, DE, Kansas City Chiefs

Pick: No. 126, 2004 NFL Draft

Allen was the 29th player selected in the fourth round but became one of the NFL’s top pass rushers in league history. For nearly a half decade, Allen was the best pass rusher in the league and a dominant force off the edge.

He led the league in sacks twice (2007 and 2011) and finished his career with 136 sacks. While he isn’t in the Hall of Fame yet, his time will come. He was a four-time All-Pro selection and one of the most fearsome rushers in the league.

Round 5: Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

Pick: No. 165, 2016 NFL Draft

Multiple Hall of Fame players, including Mike Webster, Zach Thomas, and Kevin Greene, fell to the end of Round 5. But we are going in a different direction here, selecting Tyreek Hill. There are some good reasons why Hill fell all the way to the fifth round, but the value of the selection cannot be debated.

To say Hill is on a Hall of Fame trajectory is a bit of an understatement. In his eight seasons in the NFL, he’s made eight Pro Bowl teams and has been a first-team All-Pro selection five times. He’s dominated with multiple different starting quarterbacks, including Alex Smith, Patrick Mahomes, and now Tua Tagovailoa.

Since the 2018 season, Hill has averaged over 95 yards from scrimmage per game. Unlike most small receivers, he is also a big-time touchdown scorer, scoring 88 total touchdowns in 106 games. By the time Hill retires, he has a good chance to finish his career as a unanimous top-five wide receiver of all time.

Round 6: Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Pick: No. 199, 2000 NFL Draft

The biggest draft steal in NFL history is none other than Tom Brady, who was picked No. 199 in the 2000 NFL Draft. Brady is the undisputed greatest quarterback in NFL history, and the fact that he fell this far, given how productive he was at Michigan, is still mind-blowing.

Brady went on to play 23 seasons in the NFL, leaving the game as the all-time leading passer in terms of yards, touchdowns, wins, and, of course, Super Bowl victories.

There were certainly quarterbacks who are and were more talented than Brady, but no one will ever match his production and longevity. He remains the greatest draft steal in NFL history.

Round 7: Shannon Sharpe, TE, Denver Broncos

Pick: No. 192, 1990 NFL Draft

The recent history of seventh-round picks has not produced many great players, although the selection of Brock Purdy in the 2022 NFL Draft is one worth noting. He will enter the third year of his career in 2024, so it’s best to leave him off the list for now.

Instead, we are going with one of the top tight ends in NFL history, Shannon Sharpe, here in Round 7. Sharpe was the second-to-last pick in Round 7 of the 1990 NFL Draft, falling due to a lack of size (6-foot-2, 228 pounds). He did not play at an elite school (Savannah St.), and it was just another reason why he fell so far in the draft despite elite athleticism and receiving schools.

Sharpe would go on to make eight Pro Bowl teams and was a four-time All-Pro selection. He won three Super Bowls and finished his career with more than 10,000 receiving yards and 62 touchdowns. You can make a strong case that he is a top five tight end in NFL history.