Greatest 3rd round NFL Draft picks ever: From John Lynch to Travis Kelce

By Jason Burgos

·Updated: April 5, 2024

When football fans watch Day 2 of the NFL Draft they often end up wondering who are the greatest 3rd round NFL Draft picks ever. Well, search no further as we take a look at the 10 best players to be selected in the Round 3 of the yearly event.

10. Pat Swilling

Before Drew Brees would become the greatest player in New Orleans Saints history, Pat Swilling built a resume that put him in the discussion as the franchise’s GOAT. The 60th pick in the 1986 NFL Draft went to five Pro Bowls and was one of the game’s best pass rushers — peaking with 17 sacks in the 1991 season.

In six seasons he had 10 or more sacks and finished with 107.5 for his career.

9. Curtis Martin

Curtis Martin is one of the rare players who is beloved by two fan bases. The New England Patriots and New York Jets veteran went to five Pro Bowls after being the 74th pick overall in the 1995 draft and during his era, he was viewed as one of the very best running backs in the sport because he could do almost everything required of a star every down back.

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8. Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson ended up being a massive steal for the Seattle Seahawks when they took him with the 75th overall pick in the 2012 draft. Over his 10 seasons in the Pacific Northwest, he would earn trips to nine Pro Bowls and take the franchise to their lone Super Bowl win in 2014. He is the greatest player in team history and owns their records for passing yards, touchdowns, and has their best record for a QB by far.

7. Jason Witten

While he may not have played a glamour position like QB, running back, or defensive end, there is a case for Jason Witten as the best player in Dallas Cowboys history. The 69th pick in the 2003 NFL Draft went to 11 Pro Bowls during his impressive career, he owns the Cowboys record for receptions and receiving yards and is second all-time in touchdowns.

Not only was he a great receiver but he was also a strong blocker and gutsy player who was often the heart of the Cowboys teams he was on.

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6. John Lynch

While Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates like Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks got a lot of attention during the team’s impressive run in the late 1990s and early 2000s, John Lynch was just as good as those two greats. The 82nd pick in the 1993 NFL Draft went to nine Pro Bowls during his career and was a versatile player who could do a bit of everything out of the secondary. That is why he is one of the greatest third-round NFL Draft picks of all time.

5. Terrell Owens

While his antics on and off the field are what most remember about Terrell Owens, he was a steal when the San Francisco 49ers used the 89th pick in the 1996 draft on Chattanooga’s greatest export. Along with being a six-time Pro Bowler Owens is one of the few players to ever earn All-Pro honors with three different teams. By the time he ended his career in 2010, he finished being third all-time in both receiving yards and touchdowns.

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4. Will Shields

Not only is Will Shields one of the greatest players in Kansas City Chiefs history, but he is in the conversation as the greatest offensive guard to ever do it. The 12-time Pro Bowler is the template for what a guard should look like and play like. The only downside of his stellar career was his awesome talents were wasted on quite a few disappointing Chiefs teams.

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3. Aeneas Williams

During another era when the Arizona Cardinals were one of the league’s laughingstocks, Aeneas Williams was a constant bright spot for the team. The 59th pick in the 1991 draft was one of the elite cornerbacks in his era as he posted eight Pro Bowls during his career and was one of the best cover men of the last 50 years.

2. Travis Kelce

Beyond being Taylor Swift’s lover a case can be made that Travis Kelce is the greatest tight end in NFL history. The 63rd selection in the 2013 NFL Draft is a nine-time Pro Bowler and may end up getting 11 or 12 before his career is over. But besides his unbelievable stats, he will go down as one of the most clutch receivers in league history and his three Super Bowl titles with the Chiefs are proof of that.

1. Joe Montana

Before Tom Brady and Peyton Manning entered the league, Joe Montana was the universal pick for the greatest QB in NFL history. That’s why it is a no-brainer that the 82nd pick in the 1979 NFL Draft is the best third-round selection of all time.

While he didn’t fill up the stat sheet like Manning or even Dan Marino, he was the ultimate winner. No player was better in the biggest moments and he was very much the Michael Jordan of the NFL because in each of his four Super Bowl appearances, he never lost.