Although teams rarely find gold in the seventh round of the NFL draft, many uncut gems have been unearthed over the years.
The benefit of selecting a player late in the NFL draft is that, compared to those selected earlier, teams can pay the player practically less. That gives teams a chance to round out the edges of their squad with inexpensive players they can develop and evaluate over time.
Athletes would prefer to be undrafted free agents rather than a seventh-round pick, as that gives them more freedom to choose where to play next. Nonetheless, many players like to see their names as draft picks.
Wideouts Marques Colston, Julian Edelman, Donald Driver, defensive lineman Jay Ratliff and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick were all selected in the seventh round. Nevertheless, Shannon Sharpe is our choice as the best seventh-round selection in league history.
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Sharpe was the first player in the position to accumulate more than 10,000 receiving yards. Nonetheless, he began his first two years with the Denver Broncos as a receiver before going through a dry period. For his third NFL season, Sharpe switched to the tight end position and received 53 throws for 639 yards, more than tripling his catch total from the previous years.
Shannon Sharpe, who was very likely the best tight end of the 1990s, was key to the Denver Broncos' achievement, which resulted in consecutive Super Bowl triumphs.
He played in the Pro Bowl from 1992 to 1998 and left the league as the tight end with the most receiving yards in NFL history. Sharpe was a part of the NFL's All-1990s team and went on to win a third Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000. In 2011, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Who is the best 7th-round quarterback pick in NFL history?
Rankings of the top selections in the NFL draft's seventh round would only be fair with Ryan Fitzpatrick's inclusion.
Fitzpatrick has had one of the most intriguing stints, lasting over 16 years and nine different teams. He had 147 career starts, throwing for 34,990 yards and 223 TDs.
Fitzpatrick unquestionably the most effective seventh-round quarterback in NFL history. He entered the league as a professional player in 2005 as a St. Louis Rams draft pick. He played 166 games in the league, with 147 starts. No other quarterback selected in the seventh round has started over 93 games.
He was renowned for his brilliance, durability and gunslinger mindset, which enabled him to play until his 39th birthday.
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