Every year, the NFL Draft provides fans with a high-stakes gambling affair full of drama, promises, confusion, and upsets. With millions of dollars on the line and the potential to make or break a trip to the promised land, front office members of each of the 32 NFL teams bet on a fresh face to change their fortunes.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the NFL Draft is not an exact science as players and their respective teams resemble “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”. Some are drafted in the right spot and fit the team perfectly, some are drafted too high and do not live up to expectations and some spend the night dropping down the draft order before eventually (if they are lucky) landing somewhere. For fans north of the border who track the draft on Canadian sports betting apps, the slide can be nearly as upsetting as it is for the players themselves.
This year’s headline slide came courtesy of Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Once thought to be a top-10 pick by pundits, mock drafts, and fans, many, including obviously Sanders, were shocked when he fell all the way to the 5th round. Selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 144th pick, only time will tell if Sanders’ slide was warranted or if some GMs and scouts will be looking for new jobs. While everyone awaits Sanders’ fate, here’s a look back at five of the most memorable and dramatic draft day slides in NFL history.
5 Insane Draft Day Slides
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Aaron Rodgers (2005)
Expected by many to be selected first overall by his hometown team, the San Francisco 49ers, Aaron Rodgers found himself sitting awkwardly in the green room as 23 teams passed him over. With the 49ers deciding to go with Alex Smith, Rodgers had to wait until the Green Bay Packers nabbed him with the 24th pick. Smith had a decent 14-year career, earning three Pro Bowl honors. Rodgers, on the other hand, is in conversation for one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
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Laremy Tunsil (2016)
Originally predicted to be a top-five pick, if not the first overall, offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil saw his draft day turn for the worse, thanks to social media. Just minutes before the 2016 NFL Draft, a video was leaked of Tunsil wearing a gas mask bong. In what may be the wildest, most chaotic moment in draft history, Tunsil slid from his projected place in the draft order to the thirteenth spot. After three seasons with the Miami Dolphins, Tunsil ran off five straight Pro Bowl worthy years with the Houston Texans before landing with the Washington Commanders.
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Dan Marino (1983)
The 1983 draft class was full of surefire bets at the quarterback position; John Elway, Jim Kelly, Todd Blackledge, Ken O’Brien, Tony Eason, and Dan Marino were predicted to be stars at the next level based on their college resume. While Blackledge, O’Brien, and Eason did not pan out, Elway, Kelly, and Marino carved out Hall of Fame careers. Of the group, many predicted Marino to be selected first, but rumors about his college behavior, including drug use, led to a free fall to the 27th pick by the Miami Dolphins. While he did not win a Super Bowl, Marino’s individual performances and stats made him one of the greatest quarterbacks ever.
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Brady Quinn (2007)
From college golden boy to NFL bust, the Notre Dame quarterback was highly touted entering the 2007 draft. Expected to be a top ten pick, cameras kept their eye on Brady Quinn as he plummeted to the 22nd pick. It became clear that NFL teams knew something more than media and fans did, as Quinn struggled to replicate the same level of performance on the NFL level. Quinn cost the Cleveland Browns a first and second-round pick, a heavy load for a player who wound up not living up to the hype.
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Tom Brady (2000)
Before he became arguably the greatest NFL quarterback in history, Tom Brady was seen as an above-average quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines. Yes, he led them to two Bowl victories and finished top five in a number of categories, but he wasn’t Tom Brady. With a less-than-impressive showing at the NFL Combine, Brady’s stock dropped significantly. While he figured that at worst he would be a second or third round pick, Brady was forced to wait until the sixth round of the 2000 draft before the New England Patriots selected him with the 199th pick. Let us remember that Chad Pennington, Giovanni Carmazzi, Chris Redman, Tee Martin, Marc Bulger, and Spergon Wynn were all drafted before three-time MVP and seven-time Super Bowl champion.
The NFL draft is as much about uncertainty as it is about talent. These five dramatic slides show how quickly fortunes can change, whether from last-minute rumors, off-field concerns, or just misjudged potential. Some players turned their fall into fuel, while others never recovered.
Main photo credit: © Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
