The goal of the NFL Draft is to find young talent to improve your roster. While most teams do that with their first or second round pick, it’s the teams that find players in the later rounds that find the most success in the NFL.

Tom Brady was a sixth-round draft pick; Joe Montana wasn’t taken until 82nd overall. Both of these players went on to lead their teams to multiple Super Bowls. Grabbing star players in the first round is expected, but teams that find superstars later find more success.

Over the last decade, the NFL has seen plenty of talent rise from the late rounds. What recent drafts have had the greatest steals?

10. 2025: Harold Fannin Jr. (Round 3, Pick 67)

Harold Fannin Jr. was the Cleveland Browns‘ leading receiver in his rookie season. Despite sharing snaps with established tight end David Njoku, Fannin was the best playmaker for the Browns and established himself as one of the top tight ends in the NFL.

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As a rookie, Fannin logged 72 receptions for 731 yards and 6 touchdowns. With Cleveland set to lose Njoku in free agency, Fannin will get TE1 snaps in the future and prove himself as one of the league’s top tight ends.

Honorable Mention: Tyler Shough (Round 2, Pick 40)

9. 2024: Bucky Irving (Round 4, Pick 125)

Running back is one of the best positions to hit on in the late rounds of the draft. Bucky Irving was that for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2025 NFL draft.

As a rookie, Irving only started in three games and appeared in 17. Despite not being a starter for the majority of the season, Irving logged 1,122 yards and 8 touchdowns.

The former fourth-round pick had a down year in 2025. He dealt with injuries throughout the year and only averaged just 3.4 yards per carry. Despite his struggles, he was still able to log 865 total yards from scrimmage and 4 touchdowns.

Honorable Mention: Cooper DeJean (Round 2, Pick 40)

8. 2020: Jalen Hurts (Round 2, Pick 53)

Jalen Hurts thought he was going to hear his name called in round one of the 2020 draft, but a loaded quarterback class saw a drop to Day 2. While going in the second round isn’t the worst case in the world, Hurts has outplayed his second-round selection.

The five-year quarterback started his career as a backup. Wentz was just a couple of seasons out from leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a 13-3 record before suffering a terrible ACL injury. Despite bringing the Eagles to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons afterwards, Philadelphia was eyeing Wentz’ replacement.

The Eagles’ selection of Hurts was a surprise, with many criticizing the pick. But it has clearly paid off as Hurts has led Philadelphia to two Super Bowl appearances in his five seasons as a starter, including winning it all in 2024.

Hurts was the fifth quarterback drafted in 2020, but the first to make it to a Super Bowl.

Honorable Mention: Antoine Winfield Jr. (Round 2, Pick 45)

7. 2021: Amon-Ra St. Brown (Round 4, Pick 112)

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has developed into one of the best wideouts in the NFL. Despite only starting in nine games as a rookie, St. Brown logged 90 receptions and 912 yards.

He hasn’t slowed down any since either. St. Brown has logged four straight 1,000-yard seasons and has earned a total of 6,252 receiving yards in his career. The former fourth-round pick has the fourth-most receiving yards since 2021.

St. Brown has been a core piece of the Lions’ turnaround. After Detroit traded away Matthew Stafford, many thought they would be entering a major rebuild. Instead, the Lions built around Goff and paired him with St. Brown, and the two have been one of the league’s best connections since.

In five seasons, St. Brown has been named to four Pro Bowls, a 2x First-Team All-Pro, and a Second-Team All-Pro.

Honorable Mention: Creed Humphrey (Round 2, Pick 63)

6. 2019: Maxx Crosby (Round 4, Pick 106)

It didn’t take long for defensive end Maxx Crosby to make a name for himself. The former fourth-round pick logged 10 sacks as a rookie, earning his respect in the league.

Crosby has been one of the most dominant pass rushers in recent years, being named to the Pro Bowl in each of the last five seasons and being named Second-Team All-Pro twice.

Much like he was in the draft, Crosby has been overlooked in his career. His loyalty to the Las Vegas Raiders has kept his impressive career mostly quiet despite logging 69.5 sacks since being drafted, ranking the sixth most in that span.

Crosby is set to hit free agency for the first time in his career, and every team is attempting to snag the elite defensive end off the market.

Honorable Mention: Terry McLaurin (Round 3, Pick 76)

5. 2018: Fred Warner (Round 3, Pick 70)

The 49ers got the steal of the draft in back-to-back years.

In eight seasons, Fred Warner has built a Hall of Fame career at middle linebacker. Warner has been named to four Pro Bowls and made First-Team All-Pro four times in his career. The veteran linebacker combines the leadership and mindset of old school linebackers, but has the athleticism of new age linebackers.

Warner was a third-round pick, and while it isn’t rare for third-rounders to build strong careers, Warner has exceeded expectations. The eight-year veteran has been at the top of his position in the league for many years now and is a core piece to San Francisco’s success.

Honorable Mention: Lamar Jackson (Round 1, Pick 32)

4. 2023: Puka Nacua (Round 5, Pick 177)

The Rams took a shot on Puka Nacua in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and it ended up being a record-breaking selection.

In his rookie season, Nacua logged 1,486 yards, setting the rookie record. The former fifth-round pick’s quick development allowed Los Angeles to move on from Cooper Kupp just threeyears out of his triple crown season.

Since entering the league, Ja’Marr Chase is the only receiver to log more receiving yards than Nacua. With his emergence since entering the league, Nacua is set to reset the receiver market in the 2026 offseason with a massive contract.

Honorable Mention: Sam LaPorta (Round 2, Pick 34)

3. 2016: Dak Prescott (Round 4, Pick 135)

The Dallas Cowboys drafted Dak Prescott in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. Seven quarterbacks were selected before Prescott, yet he’s had a better career than all of them.

The most notable quarterbacks taken in 2016 were Jared Goff and Carson Wentz. Wentz had a strong start to his career, but faded out after his rookie contract. Goff revived his career in Detroit after a downward trajectory with the Los Angeles Rams. But only Prescott has stayed consistent and remained on the team that drafted him.

Prescott has logged over 35,000 passing yards in his career and thrown for 243 touchdowns. In his 10 seasons, the veteran quarterback has been named to four Pro Bowls and finished as an MVP candidate twice.

Prescott came in at a perfect time for the Cowboys, as Tony Romo was on his way out. The former fourth-round pick took the keys to the offense early and never turned back, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year and leading Dallas to the playoffs five times.

Honorable Mention: Tyreek Hill (Round 5, Pick 165)

2. 2017: George Kittle (Round 5, Pick 146)

Tight ends being the gem of the draft isn’t uncommon. The position is often overlooked, and these players often find the right fit.

But George Kittle turned being a fifth-round pick into one of the greatest tight end careers of all time. In nine seasons, Kittle has logged over 8,000 receiving yards, ranking him 10th among tight ends in NFL history.

Kittle’s fit with the San Francisco 49ers was perfect. Since entering the league, Kittle has dealt with struggling quarterbacks. And what’s a struggling quarterback’s best friend? A tight end. The veteran tight end’s athleticism, along with reliable hands, made him the favorite target in San Francisco.

By the time the 49ers found a quarterback, Kittle had already solidified himself as the top tight end in the league.

Honorable Mention: Cooper Kupp (Round 3, Pick 69)

1. 2022: Brock Purdy (Round 7,  Pick 262)

When you talk about draft steals, none other beats out going from Mr. Irrelevant to a franchise quarterback.

The 49ers make their third appearance on the list, this time with one of the biggest draft steals of all time. Brock Purdy was one selection away from going undrafted.

San Francisco thought they found their franchise quarterback the year before with the third overall pick and only took Purdy as insurance. But as Trey Lance struggled and Purdy started to stand out, he earned the chance to start as a rookie, and never looked back. The seventh-round selection went 5-0 in his rookie year, leading them to the NFC Championship.

Despite dealing with injuries, Purdy has led San Francisco to a 30-15 record as a starter and multiple playoff appearances. His pairing with Kyle Shanahan has been a match made in heaven, and fortunately for the 49ers, it didn’t take a significant draft pick.

Honorable Mention: Tariq Woolen (Round 5, Pick 153)