By JACKSON WANG
Executive Editor
Each year, NFL experts, players, coaches, and diehard fans spend hours discussing which college football athletes will be selected in the first round. Now, this can be a very tough decision for NFL teams, especially when they are investing time and millions of dollars into a kid that’s just legal enough to drink alcohol. But every year, fans and NFL teams always forget about the importance of late round draft picks. The seventh round can either be just a throw away for most teams, or a chance to draft a hall of famer. Here’s my list for the ten greatest seventh round draft picks of all-time:
10. Gary Anderson- Kicker
And you thought Brett Favre was too old to be playing in the NFL, by the time Gary Anderson retired at age 44, he was the only player left to wear a helmet with a single bar facemask. For a guy who was selected by the Steelers out of Syracuse in the seventh round of the 1982 draft, he did pretty good for himself in his 23-year career in which he scored a then-record 2,434 points. He was also the first kicker to have a perfect regular season in 1998. But Vikings’ fans will remember Anderson as the one that kicked the Vikings’ out of the Super Bowl.
9. T.J. Houshmandzadeh- Wide Receiver
For a seventh round draft pick, T.J. Houshmandzadeh has done his job well. He had strong years in Cincinnati, which he played with Chad Ochocinco and Carson Palmer. Houshmandzadeh even earned a spot on the Pro Bowl team in 2007 and set a Bengal’s franchise record with 112 catches that season. But that’s where T.J. “who’s your momma” legacy ends. He’ll be more remembered as the wide receiver that had a rat tail with a really hard last name to pronounce than his subpar career.
8. Michael McCrary- Defensive End
Most undersized defensive players go undrafted and go find work playing football in the CFL. But not McCrary, the Ravens took a chance drafting him with their seventh round pick and they didn’t regret it. Before Ray Lewis came into the picture for Baltimore, McCrary was one of the NFL’s most feared pass rushers. McCrary would earn himself two trips to Hawaii and a spot in the Baltimore Raven Ring of Honor.
7. Marques Colston- Wide Receiver
Coming out of Hofstra University, some wonder if Colston should stick at tight end, which he played while in college, or switch to wide receiver. And that was even if a team thought he could play in the NFL. Well, the New Orleans Saints not only believed he could play in the pros, but also be one of their starting receivers. In Colston’s seven year career with the Saints, he’s made the front office look like geniuses, averaging over 1,000 yards per season in his career and winning a Super Bowl ring.
6. Brock Marion- Safety
While Brock Marion was patrolling the secondary for the Dallas Cowboys in the mid-1990s, it became a no fly zone for opposing teams. Marion intercepted 20 passes and recorded nearly 400 tackles in his six seasons with the Cowboys. His resume also includes three Pro Bowl appearances and two Super Bowls. Not bad for a guy drafted in the seventh round from the University of Nevada.
5. Donald Driver- Wide Receiver
Most track and field athletes think they can play in the NFL because of their speed. Only few have done, including Donald Driver. At age 37, he was still going strong, adding more impressive stats to his already great career, until he announced his retirement earlier this year at age 38. In his career, Driver’s been to the Pro Bowl four-times, a Super Bowl champion, and a Dancing With The Stars winner. Drafted out of Alcorn State University in 1999, Driver wasn’t the best at first. But once he got his opportunity to shine, he took full advantage.
4. Eric Martin- Wide Receiver
I think we’re starting to see a trend here and maybe NFL teams have already noticed it. Draft wide receivers in the seventh round because they tend to do well. The Saints learned this trick when they drafted Eric Martin in the seventh round in 1985, which could have had little influence on taking a chance with Colston in 2006. Martin had an outstanding career at LSU, and carried that success down Interstate-10 to New Orleans. During his tenure with the Saints, Martin became New Orleans’ all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards, while leading Saints to their first playoff appearance in 1987.
3. Tom Nalen- Offensive Line
Coming out of Boston College, Tom Nalen received multiple awards, which included third-team Associated Press All-America, second-team All-Big East and first-team ECAC. He was ignored by many NFL teams until the Denver Broncos took him in the seventh round. During his time in Denver, Nalen has been a five-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro, and a two-time Super Bowl champion. Not to mention, six different running backs ran for over 1,000 yards behind Nalen and his offensive lines.
2. Adam Timmerman- Offensive Line
The big boys are getting some respect on this list. Adam Timmerman was not known by many people coming out of South Dakota State. He was a quiet guy that could pancake anyone within his arm’s reach. Timmerman jumped around a bit from team to team, but still played with great love for the game. In his 12 seasons in the NFL, he’s won two Super Bowls, four NFC Championships, and has made it to the Pro Bowl twice. Pretty good for a guy who finished eighth in the Iowa State track meet on the 110 meter high hurdles as a senior.
1. Shannon Sharpe- Tight End
You can make an argument and say Shannon Sharpe is greatest tight end of all-time. Here’s why: Sharpe set records for receptions with 815, 10,060 receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, 62, which Tony Gonzalez would break later on. Also, he’s been an eight-time Pro Bowler, four-time first team All-Pro, and a three-time Super Bowl champion. That’s pretty good for someone who was overshadowed by his old brother, Sterling Sharpe, who played for the Packers. And one more thing, he came from a Division II college called Savannah State, where he played not only football but also basketball and ran track.
