There were 256 picks in this year’s NFL draft. That means of all the college players that graduated or entered the NFL draft early, only 256 players were drafted by an NFL team. Of these 256 picks, roughly half of them will be contributors this season. Half of those players will be given a chance to start at some point in their careers.
Think about how hard it is to become a professional football player, then get into a game, then be able to play well enough to start. According to the NFLPA, just 0.2% of 100,000 high school players will make an NFL roster and only 256 players were drafted from over 9,000 at the college level.
Those numbers are staggering. But, what about the undrafted free agents? The players that are signed after the draft ends have an even lower chance of making an NFL roster, and if they do, it is likely on the practice squad as a body to beat up on in practice.
Undrafted free agents are already fighting against incredible odds, but the fact remains that there have been some excellent players who were undrafted. These players defied all the probabilities, all the numbers listed above, and they had a little bit of luck along the way.
Without further ado, here is the All-Undrafted Team. This is a team composed of the best players to ever play in the NFL without being drafted. Keep in mind that the draft used to be a lot more than seven rounds, so some of these players defied tougher odds than we could even imagine.
Kurt Warner, Quarterback
Warner was one of the best quarterbacks the league ever saw for a period of time in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. He was the field general for the “Greatest Show on Turf” and with his pinpoint accuracy, he turned the NFL into his own personal playground, leading the NFL in completion percentage and yards per attempt for three straight seasons.
There has been some Hall of Fame discussion for Warner, as he threw for over 32,000 yards and 208 touchdowns in his career and led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory in 1999. Warner played in the Arena Football League before coming to the NFL, and if it were not for Trent Green’s injury, none of us would have ever found out about Warner. Imagine that.
Priest Holmes, Running Back
As we all know, running backs have been relatively devalued in the last few years, but for the first 40-some years, the NFL was a run-first sport. And running backs were the guys who scored all the touchdowns. Holmes was no exception. He played 10 years in the NFL, ran for over 8,000 yards, and scored 86 touchdowns. In a two-year period, Holmes was able to score a ridiculous 51 total touchdowns for the Chiefs. Holmes ranks 48th on the all-time rushing yards list.
Rod Smith, Wide Receiver
Smith may be one of the most underrated receivers in NFL history, as he caught 849 passes for over 11,000 yards and 68 touchdowns. He is the Broncos’ all-time leading receiver and was John Elway’s favorite target in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. Smith was a three-time Pro Bowler and has the 26th-most receiving yards in NFL history.
Antonio Gates, Tight End
Antonio Gates. Photo by Robert Hanashiro, USA Today Sports Images
For those in the fantasy football generation, you must be thinking “How was Gates undrafted?” and you are not alone. In his final year in college, Gates averaged 20.6 points and 7.7 rebou…wait.
Gates was a basketball player in college for Kent State, and never played a football game until the NFL. How does that guy become a three-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler?
Brian Waters, Offensive Line
Waters was completely overlooked in the draft, and the Kansas City Chiefs lucked out by signing him out of North Texas in 2000. Waters has gone on to start in 170 games in his career, including five last season with the Dallas Cowboys. He has been named to six Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams.
John Randle, Defensive Line
Randle has the most sacks in NFL history by a defensive tackle with 137.5. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler and made the NFL’s All-Pro first team six times. Randle was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010. Not bad for a player who was “too small” to play in the NFL.
James Harrison, Linebacker
There have not been many great linebackers who went undrafted, but Harrison is the best of the bunch. He has 66 career sacks, made five Pro Bowls, and was named to the All-Pro first team twice. Harrison was not only undrafted, but he was cut four times.
Dick “Night Train” Lane, Defensive Back
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPm-6ZlTM5o
“Night Train,” as he was known during his playing career, has been debated as one of the best cornerbacks of all-time. That alone could earn him a spot on this list, but take a look at his accolades. Lane had 68 interceptions in just 157 games in his career. He also holds the record for most interceptions in a single season with 14, which he did that as a rookie in 1952. He is also considered one of the most-feared hitters in the history of the game.
Think about it this way, Lane caught 68 passes for 1,207 yards and five touchdowns in his career. As a cornerback.
Why wasn’t he drafted? The story says that he was unhappy with his job, and decided to try out to play for the Los Angeles Rams.
Adam Vinatieri, Kicker
Adam Vinatieri. Photo by Brian Spurlock, USA Today Sports Images
Vinatieri is said to be the most clutch kicker of all time, and how can that be argued? He kicked not one, but two Super Bowl winning field goals for the Patriots. Vinatieri has made seven field goals in title games, and his team has only lost one Super Bowl. When was that? In 1996, where he did not attempt a field goal. Not bad for an undrafted kicker.
Photo: NFL.com