The best seventh-round draft picks in the history of every NFL franchise

The only Hall of Famer the Cardinals franchise has selected in the seventh round, Wilson had an outstanding 13-year playing career. He was an eight-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro with 52 career interceptions. He later made an impact in the Cardinals front office, serving in roles as Director of Pro Personnel and VP/General Manager.

Anderson's prime was short, but he rushed for over 1,000 yards four times and was the league's top back in 1998. During that illustrious season, Anderson had an incredible 410 carries for 1,846 yards and 14 touchdowns, helping lead the team to the Super Bowl. Anderson spent eight seasons with the Falcons.

Despite their draft success, Baltimore has yet to find much in the way of production from the seventh round. Recent exceptions include Sieler and safety Geno Stone. Sieler was let go by Baltimore in his second season, but he's found a role with Miami, including back-to-back 10 sack seasons in 2023 and 2024.

Anderson was selected by Buffalo out of Syracuse in 1982 but never actually played in a regular-season game with the team. He did tag along with the Steelers for his first 13 seasons and then had stints with the Eagles, 49ers, Vikings, and Titans over an incredible 23-year career. When all was said and done, Anderson made four Pro Bowls and ranks third all-time in points scored.

An undersized defensive back at 5-foot-9, Munnerlyn overcame his lack of size to become a solid NFL player for 10 seasons. He spent seven seasons in Carolina and enjoyed a stint in Minnesota. Munnerlyn finished his career with 529 tackles and 12 interceptions.

Fortunato played 12 seasons with the Bears, making five Pro Bowls and a streak of three consecutive All-Pro seasons from 1963-65. He was also the captain of the Bears' defense when they won the 1963 NFL Championship.

Modern NFL fans might point to T.J. Houshmandzadeh as Cincinnati's best seventh-round success story, but Parrish earned more accolades over a 13-year career that included eight Pro Bowls. He spent eight seasons in Cincinnati before going to Washington and Buffalo to finish his career.

Incredibly, the Browns selected Hall of Famers in the seventh round in back-to-back years with Hickerson and Bobby Mitchell (1958). Hickerson played his entire career in Cleveland, making six Pro Bowls and being named an All-Pro three times over 16 seasons. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.

Much of the Cowboys' success in the 1970s was due to seventh-round picks Bob Hayes (1964) and Wright. Wright won two Super Bowls with the team as their starting right tackle and had a streak of six consecutive Pro Bowls from 1971-76. The converted tight end played 13 seasons in Dallas.

Sharpe was considered too small for a tight end at 6-foot-2, but he proved the doubters wrong after an excellent college career at Savannah State. He became one of the best receiving tight ends in league history with over 10,000 yards over 14 seasons, and he was an eight-time Pro Bowler with three Super Bowl rings. These days, Sharpe continues to make headlines as a sports commentator. Denver took center Tom Nalen in the seventh round four years after selecting Sharpe. That pick was nearly as fruitful as Nalen was a five-time Pro Bowler in 14 seasons.

Schmidt had a Hall of Fame career in Detroit over 13 seasons. His resume includes 10 Pro Bowls, eight All-Pro designations, and two NFL Championships.

Green Bay's success in the 1990s and 2000s was partly due to great drafting, including Driver and Adam Timmerman (1995) in the seventh round. Driver was the top receiver for years with both Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, with seven 1,000-yard seasons and three Pro Bowls over 14 years.

The Texans have had limited draft success in their brief history, including the seventh round. Newton was a diamond in the rough for the franchise, starting at right tackle for four seasons. He appeared in an NFL game in seven seasons after being drafted out of Arkansas State.

The Colts got more than expected from Miller over 10 seasons. The defensive tackle made three Pro Bowls and had 52 career tackles.

Clark blossomed into a solid NFL starter, playing 11 years with five different teams. His most notable contribution came with the Raiders in 2004-05, recording over 100 tackles in consecutive seasons. He started 102 games for his career.

The Chiefs got solid rookie contributions from seventh-round picks Isiah Pacheco and Jaylen Watson in 2022, but they have a long way to go to match Bobby Bell's career. The Hall of Famer spent 12 seasons in KC, making nine Pro Bowls and being named All-Pro six times.

Jackson played only four NFL seasons, but his legend is still well-known. Jackson was initially selected in the first overall by the Buccaneers in 1986 but refused to sign with the team. The Raiders took a flier on Jackson the following year, and he gave them an electrifying four seasons while also playing in MLB for the Royals. Jackson averaged 5.4 yards per carry for his career and made the Pro Bowl in his final season. Unfortunately, a major hip injury ended his football career.

A bruising back, Butts played seven NFL seasons after being a seventh-round pick. Five of those seasons came with the Chargers, as Butts made two Pro Bowls and led the NFL with 87.5 yards rushing per game in 1990.

Meador was a steal for the Rams in 1959. He was a regular starter every year of his 12-year career, making the Pro Bowl six times with 46 career interceptions. More recently, Harvard alum and seventh-rounder Ryan Fitzpatrick had a notable career after his first two seasons with the Rams, playing for 17 years and starting 147 games at quarterback.

It's hard to make a bigger impact than Scott did as a seventh-round pick. He made five Pro Bowls, won two Super Bowls, and was the Super Bowl VII MVP for the Dolphins. Scott played nine seasons, concluding his career after three years in Washington.

Jordan had an outstanding 13-year career in Minnesota. He made six consecutive Pro Bowls from 1986-91, with his career year coming at the start of that streak tallying 58 catches for 859 yards and six touchdowns. Jordan's son, Cameron Jordan, has had quite the NFL career as a defensive end for New Orleans after being selected in the first round in 2011.

A quarterback at Kent State, Edelman eventually became Tom Brady's go-to receiver in New England. While Edelman never made a Pro Bowl, he reached 1,000 yards receiving three times and was a three-time Super Bowl winner along with MVP of Super Bowl LIII. He retired after 12 seasons.

Colston was never the fastest receiver, but the Hofstra alum won his fair share of jump balls with his 6-foot-4 frame. He made an immediate impact with over 1,000 yards receiving in his rookie season and finished his 10-year career with six 1,000-yard seasons. Colston was also an excellent red zone target, scoring 72 touchdowns in his career.

Bradshaw's prime was brief, but he made a big impact for the Giants. The Marshall alum won two Super Bowls with the team and had two 1,000-yard rushing seasons as their starting running back. Bradshaw's career lasted nine seasons, with the last three in Indianapolis.

Ferguson never made a Pro Bowl, but he had a memorable 13-year career with the Jets, Cowboys, and Dolphins. He started 127 games with 503 tackles and 21.5 sacks.

Carmichael qualifies as one of the best seventh-round picks ever, putting together a Hall of Fame career that included four Pro Bowls in 14 seasons. The 6-foot-8 wideout started his career as a tight end, but he was nearly unstoppable at wide receiver with nearly 9,000 career receiving yards and 79 touchdowns.

A fan favorite in Pittsburgh over 13 seasons, Kiesel was one of the unsung heroes of the 2000s Steelers defenses. He started 114 games for his career, recording 30 sacks and making the Pro Bowl in 2010.

It hasn't taken long for Purdy to emerge as the best seventh rounder in 49ers history. He went 5-0 as the starter during his rookie season, and was in the running for MVP in his first full season. Seemingly the sky is the limit for Purdy under head coach Kyle Shanahan.

McCrary was slow to develop until his fourth season when he recorded 13.5 sacks as a starter for the Seahawks. He signed with Baltimore in 1997, recording 51 sacks in six seasons with the team and making two Pro Bowls. McCreary finished his 10-year NFL career with 71 sacks.

Swayne made a limited contribution in four seasons with the Bucs, but he went on to win three Super Bowls. He is one of the only players in league history to start a Super Bowl for three teams: the Chargers, Broncos, and Ravens. Swayne played 15 seasons for five different franchises.

Finnegan was drafted out of Samford in 2006 and had a strong 10-year career with the Titans, Rams, Dolphins, and Panthers. He was an All-Pro and Pro Bowler for Tennessee in 2008 and recorded 18 interceptions in his career.

Frerotte had a solid 15-year NFL career despite being picked in the seventh round out of Tulsa. He started 93 games in his career, including stops with seven franchises. He was a Pro Bowler as Washington's starter in 1996.