Top 5 biggest steals in the last 5 NFL Drafts

The NFL Draft is one of the most critical days in the league calendar, as franchises can be altered by making or missing a pick. Hours go into assessing the perfect selection for the draft, and these are some things that casual NFL fans need to pay attention to.

With the 2023 NFL Draft fast approaching, let's look at five of the biggest deals since the 2018 NFL Draft:

These picks possibly earned the GMs that made them a raise, and deservedly so. It's not every day you hoodwink thirty-one franchises and come off with a prospect like the following.

5. Orlando Brown Jr. - 2018 NFL Draft, Round 3 (83rd Overall)

The fact that Orlando Brown Jr. has played like a top-five pick rather than a third-round selection has earned him a spot on our list. While he has moved around the league a fair bit, having represented two franchises and is about to play a third, he has added value to each team he has played for.

Furthermore, he has four Pro Bowls, a Super Bowl ring and countless game-altering plays to further reinforce his legacy. What the versatile offensive weapon has achieved in a five-year NFL career is remarkable.

4. DK Metcalf - 2019 NFL Draft, Round 2 (64th Overall)

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf looks like he was built in a lab, and alongside Tyler Lockett, he makes up one of the most feared wide receiver duos in the NFL. Metcalf was selected in the mid-second round of the 2019 Draft as the Seahawks pulled off yet another steal. Metcalf was fantastic as a rookie, producing 900 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowler in 2020, where he racked up 1,303 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.

Yes, DK has not been available since his Pro Bowl season in 2020, but he still puts up monster performances anytime he steps on the Gridiron. It's absurd to think he was the ninth receiver off the board in 2019.

3. L'Jarius Sneed - 2020 NFL Draft, Round 4 (138th overall)

Sneed was a steal, selected by the reigning Super Bowl champs, the Kansas City Chiefs, with the 138th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Louisiana Tech alum has been immense in Kansas, racking up career stats of 225 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, eight interceptions, and 26 pass deflections. He has been a mainstay with the Chiefs since 2020, and the highlight of his career so far has been his stellar Super Bowl LVII performance which helped the Chiefs to their second Super Bowl in four seasons.

2. Fred Warner - 2018 NFL Draft, Round 3 (70th Overall)

The San Francisco 49ers snapped up BYU alum linebacker Fred Warner in the third round of the 2018 Draft. This came after the prospect surprisingly fell into the third round of that Draft, despite being a projected second-round pick. The 49ers are known for their savvy moves in the draft, and their pickup of Warner was no different.

Since being drafted, Warner has made two Pro Bowls, been selected to the All-Pro team twice, and has become a crucial part of San Francisco's gritty defense. The 49ers are a regular postseason threat in today's NFL and it's only a matter of time before Wagner and his teammates get their hands on the big one.

1. Lamar Jackson - 2018 NFL Draft, Round 1 (32nd Overall)

The Baltimore Ravens traded back into the first round in 2018 to select Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jackson was the fifth QB selected in that year's draft, and simply put, the Ravens fleeced the entire league with this selection.

Jackson became the youngest NFL regular-season MVP just a year after being drafted. He did so convincingly, no less, becoming only the second player ever to win the MVP Award unanimously. He has also been selected to two Pro Bowls, the NFL All-Pro First team and has led the Ravens to winning seasons every year he has started. It remains to be seen whether Jackson will remain in Baltimore past this year's draft, but whatever happens, he's arguably the biggest draft steal of the past half-decade.