Rarely do fifth-round picks become superstars in the NFL, but finding one can make a huge difference for a franchise. These 25 fifth-round picks returned enormous value for their teams.
It's still early, but Kittle is on an all-time trajectory three seasons into his career. He made the Pro Bowl in 2018 and 2019 with 1,000 yard seasons and has also established himself as an elite blocker for the 49ers. Kittle wasn't considered much of a pass catcher at Iowa but has since proved his worth as an all-around tight end.
Hill fell to the fifth round in 2016 due to off-field issues but has successfully transitioned into an elite wideout due to his track and field speed. He's made the Pro Bowl in all four of his NFL seasons for the Chiefs out of West Alabama.
Diggs, out of Maryland, continues to ascend through five seasons. While he's yet to make a Pro Bowl, Diggs has surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in back-to-back years and fetched a first-round pick from the Bills when he was traded after the 2019 season.
Sherman has put together a Hall of Fame resume, and it didn't take long for the former fifth-round pick out of Stanford to make an impact with Seattle. He's made five Pro Bowls in nine seasons between two franchises.
Listed as a wide receiver on the roster, Slater, out of UCLA, has only one career catch. However, he's made eight Pro Bowls as a special teams ace for the Patriots.
Williams was loyal to the Bills over 13 often painstaking seasons, making six Pro Bowls during his career. The defensive tackle retired after 2018 with 48.5 career sacks, finishing his career as one of the best fifth-round values ever out of LSU.
Drafted out of Cincinnati, Cole played 12 NFL seasons and made two Pro Bowls. He finished with double-digit sacks four times and ended his career with 90.5 QB takedowns.
Mathis spent his entire 14-year career with the Colts and had a long prime. The Alabama A&M alum made the Pro Bowl five times, and his best season was 2013 at age 32 with a league-leading 19.5 sacks and 10 forced fumbles.
Glover was one of the game's top interior pass rushers during his career, making six Pro Bowls and leading the NFL with 17 sacks in 2000. He had 83.5 sacks in 13 seasons for the Saints, Cowboys and Rams after his college career at San Diego State.
An undersized linebacker out of Texas Tech, Thomas made the Pro Bowl seven times in 13 seasons. He led the league in tackles twice and retired with 1,734 tackles for his career.
Horn was a role player in four seasons with the Chiefs before he joined the Saints and became a star in 2000. He made four Pro Bowls in five seasons but is best remembered for his cell phone celebration.
Harrison developed a reputation during his career as a dirty player, but he also became a two-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champ between 15 seasons with San Diego and New England. The Western Illinois alum is now a studio analyst for NBC's "Football Night in America."
Brunell sat on the bench after he was drafted by Green Bay out of Washington, and then he was traded to the Jaguars in 1995. He became an excellent find, making three Pro Bowls and leading the young franchise to four straight winning seasons, from 1996-1999. His time in Jacksonville eventually wore out, and he spent his twilight years with Washington, New Orleans and the Jets.
Cox made the Pro Bowl three times with Miami early in his career after being drafted from Western Illinois. He played for four more teams after leaving the Dolphins, and his career lasted a total of 12 seasons with 51.5 sacks.
Dishman played most of his career with the Oilers, garnering All-Pro honors in 1991. He made his second Pro Bowl with Washington in 1997 and also played on the Chiefs and Vikings rosters before his career concluded in 2000. The cornerback was a fifth-rounder out of Purdue in 1988.
Nickerson played six seasons in Pittsburgh before his career got a real jump-start in Tampa Bay. He made five Pro Bowls as a Buc and still holds the NFL record in single-season tackles after accumulating 214 tackles in 1993. He's certainly in the conversation as one of the best middle linebackers of his era over a 16-year career.
Walker started his professional football career in the USFL, but he was drafted in the fifth round by the Cowboys in 1985 as the competing league started to have financial trouble. He arrived to the NFL one year later and would turn into a star, making two Pro Bowls and rushing for 1,514 yards in 1988. The rebuilding Cowboys traded Walker to Minnesota the following year for one of the biggest hauls in NFL history, a trade that eventually set up the franchise for a dynasty in the 1990s. Walker did play 12 years in the NFL.
Greene took some time to develop but eventually became one of the NFL's top pass rushers after his time at Auburn. He made five Pro Bowls and recorded 160 sacks during his 15-year career with the Rams, Steelers, Panthers and 49ers.
Hayes had a great run with the Raiders, playing 10 seasons and making five consecutive Pro Bowls from 1980-1984. The Texas A&M alum was the 1980 Defensive Player of the Year and won two Super Bowls.
Webster was one of four Hall of Famers in Pittsburgh's legendary 1974 draft, emerging as one of the league's best centers after playing college ball at Wisconsin. He made nine Pro Bowls during his 17-year Hall of Fame career.
LeBeau is best known now as a legendary defensive coordinator, but he also made the Hall of Fame as a player. He was drafted out of Ohio State by the Browns in 1959 but was cut in training camp. He eventually found his way to Detroit, playing 14 seasons for the Lions and making three Pro Bowls.
Jordan began his career with the Browns but found most of his success with the Packers. He was a five-time All-Pro in Green Bay, and the Virginia alum was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Drafted out of Maryland, Jones made seven Pro Bowls with the Bears and played 13 NFL seasons. He was enshrined in Canton in 1991.
Seth Trachtman is a fantasy sports expert and diehard Kansas City Chiefs fan. He doesn't often Tweet, but when he does, you can find him on Twitter @sethroto.
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