Draft Weekend Steals

When discussing ‘all-time draft steals’ one must consider exactly what constitutes a steal. Naturally, first and second round players are the ones analysts have higher expectations of, and occasionally third and fourth rounders end up contributing to the team. But I’m going deeper than that. The steals on this list are all players drafted within the past ten years and were taken in the final two rounds of their respective drafts. Editors note: This list has recently been updated to include a couple of notable omissions.

Here are the top 15 value picks (6th-rounders or later) from the past ten years:

15. Marlon McCree S Jacksonville Jaguards (233rd overall in 2001)
Though McCree has bounced around and been with five different teams heading into what will be his ninth season, he has a few standout seasons to his credit and has played adequately in others. He has 16 career interceptions, including six in just his second season. With Carolina in 2005, he made a career high 88 tackles and had three picks. He also has three career sacks. There have been consistency issues at times, but for a seventh round pick, he’s been a strong value.

14. Chester Taylor RB Baltimore Ravens (207th overall in 2002)
A late sixth round acquisition, Taylor has become a contributing back in Minnesota. As mainly a backup during his first four seasons in the NFL, he averaged over four yards per carry and managed to score four touchdowns. He also showed promise as a receiving option out of the backfield, as he made 104 receptions during those seasons in Baltimore. The Vikings decided to take a chance on him as a number one back before the ’06 season, and he rewarded them with over 1,200 rushing yards and nearly 300 receiving yards in 15 games. The team couldn’t pass on the chance to take Adrian Peterson in the ’07 draft, though, and Taylor is now in a platoon. He still had 844 yards on the ground, averaging over five yards per carry, and almost matched his receiving yardage totals from the season before.

13. Antoine Bethea S Indianapolis Colts (207th overall in 2006)
In his very first season, Bethea played well enough to allow the Colts to let starting safety Mike Doss leave without much concern. Coming off of a 90 tackle season in which Bethea saw a lot of playing time because of an injury to Doss, the Colts made him the starter to open the ‘07 season. In 13 games, he made 64 tackles and added four interceptions with eight passes defensed. The safety earned a trip to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl as a backup. Not a shabby career opening for a late sixth-rounder.

12. Ephraim Salaam OL Atlanta Falcons (199th overall in 1998)
Salaam entered the NFL as a seventh-rounder at the 1998 draft and earned a starting right tackle spot before his very first season. He started all 16 games of his rookie season as his Atlanta Falcons went all the way to the Super Bowl. Salaam has started 129 of 141 games at tackle over the span on his career is currently a solid starter for the Texans. Salaam may not be a flashy player, but he has been a steady performer for each team he has played for in his eleven seasons.

11. Pat Tillman S Arizona Cardinals (226th overall in 1998)
Although he played for just four seasons, Pat Tillman made a significant impression when he was on the field. He may have lived a shorter life than many, but he was still able to fit in an NFL career worthy enough to make this list, especially when you consider where he was taken in the draft. Before he joined the military, Tillman totaled 390 career tackles, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles. His most telling stat is his 155 total tackles in the 2000 season alone. He played all out all of the time, helping to make him one of the better players at his position when he was in the league.

10. Todd McClure C Atlanta Falcons (237th overall in 1999)
Another seventh round lineman selected by the Falcons, McClure was a very late pick who had to overcome a serious knee injury early. McClure did make it back and he was able to step in and start for the Falcons for all but one game since 2000. Another unspectacular player, McClure has simply done his job well at center for a long period of time.

9. Marques Colston WR New Orleans Saints (252nd overall in 2006)
Only three players were taken after Colston, and even with advanced scouting in the modern era most players selected around that point in the draft are extremely fortunate to even make a team somewhere in the league. Not only did Colston make the team, he also was asked to start for the Saints, having the full support of head coach Sean Payton. Payton was able to get the best out of Colston, as the receiver played in 14 games and had 70 receptions for eight touchdowns and over 1,000 yards. Last season, the seventh-rounder built upon his rookie campaign with 98 receptions for 11 touchdowns and over 1,200 yards. Even if Colston never played another down, he’d be one of the NFL’s biggest bargains ever.

8. Cato June LB Indianapolis Colts (198th overall in 2003)
With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the time being, June earned his stripes in Indianapolis as he used his speed to track down offensive players with regularity and make plays against the pass. The second Colts’ pick to make this list, June saw limited action in his rookie season, but in his second season he broke through for 110 tackles and two interceptions. He played even better during his third and fourth seasons, as he registered 245 total tackles and eight interceptions in ’05 and ’06 combined; he turned two of those picks into touchdowns. He signed with Tampa Bay prior to the ’07 season and went on to make 74 tackles with an interception as well. The Buccaneers franchise hopes he can return to producing as he did in Indianapolis.

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