Julian Edelman’s retirement marks the end of one of the most successful NFL careers in the last twelve years. A former Kent State quarterback, Edelman excelled as one of the cornerstones of the Patriots’ second-wave Super Bowl victories in the 2010s. Super Bowl LIII MVP Edelman is also one of the most prolific receivers in post-season history.
While fans and media members have already started debating Edelman’s eventual Hall of Fame status, there is no debate about his place as one of the best seventh rounds in NFL history. Here, Edelman is among the greatest seventh rounds of all time. Edelman manages to cut several productive players, including receivers Marques Colston and Donald Driver, fullback Ryan Fitzpatrick, attacking linebacker Rayfield Wright, running back Jamal Anderson, defensive back Lemar Parrish and kicker Gary Anderson.
Honorable Mention: Jake Scott, S
7th round, 159th overall selection, 1970 draft
Span: Dolphins (1970-75), Washington (1976-78)
A key member of Miami’s “No Name” defense, and Scott helped the Dolphins win the franchise’s only two Super Bowl titles. Scott was a five-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro, earning the Super Bowl MVP honor after winning two passes in Miami’s 14-7 victory over Washington in Super Bowl VII. Scott continues to intercept the Dolphins’ career leader.
Tom Nalen, C
7th round, 218th choice, draft of 1994
Team: Broncos (1994-07)
Nalen was an appetizer for 13 of his 14 seasons in Denver and anchored a Broncos offensive line that helped win the Super Bowls in the late 1990s. Nalen, a five-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro, blocked for six different runs from 1,000 yards, including Terrell Davis, who rushed for 2,008 yards during his MVP season.
Julian Edelman, WR
7th round, 232nd choice, 2009 draft
Team: Patriots (2009-20)
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Edelman ranks second in Patriots history with receptions with 670, fourth place with 6,822 receptions and ninth with 36 touchdowns. A triple champion and Super Bowl LIII MVP, Edelman’s 118 receptions after the season and 1,442 careers received after the season are second. Edelman’s 24 receptions in the Super Bowl series are fifth place. His 337 Super Bowl receptions are consistently fourth.
Harold Carmichael, WR
7th round, 161 overall, draft in 1971
Span: Eagles (1971-83), Cowboys (1984)
Position: WR
The 6-foot-8, 225-pound Carmichael was a four-time Pro Bowler as well as a member of the NFL’s All-1970 team. Carmichael was the league leader in reception and recruiting during the 1973 season and was one of the driving forces behind the Eagles ‘NFC championship team in 1980. He remains the Eagles’ leading leader in reception, yards and touchdown. He was part of the Hall of Fame’s induction class in 2020.
Bobby Mitchell, HB / WR
7th round, 84th overall selection, 1958 draft
Span: Browns (1958-61), Washington (1962-68)
While earning his first Pro Bowl in Cleveland, Mitchell’s career began when he was traded to Washington in 1962. A pro bowler in each of his first three seasons in Washington, the electric Mitchell led the NFL to receive during the 1962 and ’63 seasons. Mitchell, a member of Washington’s Ring of Fame, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Gene Hickerson, G
7th round, 78th overall selection, 1957 draft
Team: Browns (1958-73)
A key blocker for Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Brown, Hickerson was an important part of the Browns’ 1964 championship team. Hickerson, a member of the NFL All-1960 team, honored every 1965-70 Pro Bowl season. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
Jim Ringo, C
7th round, 80th overall, 1953 draft
Team: Packers (1953-63), Eagles (1964-67)
The first of two members from the 1953 draft to make this list, Ringo was part of Vince Lombardi’s first two championship teams in Green Bay. Ringo, a ten-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro, earned three of his Pro Bowls during his final four seasons in Philadelphia. A member of the NFL’s All-1960 team, Ringo, was captured in 1981 in Canton, Ohio.
Bo Jackson, RB
7th round, 183 overall, draft of 1987
Team: Raiders (1987-90)
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The 1985 Heisman Trophy winner, Jackson, was the No. 1 overall pick by the Buccaneers during the draft in 1986. But after initially transferring football to play baseball for the Kansas City Royals, Jackson was selected in the 1987 draft. , where he was picked up by the Raiders in the seventh round.
Jackson was still a force on both the grid and the diamond. The only athlete to be named an all-star in two different sports, he boasts the NFL’s longest runs during three separate seasons. A Pro Bowler in 1990 (his last NFL season), and Jackson’s career was cut short by a hip injury sustained during the playoffs over the Bengals.
Shannon Sharpe, TE
7th round, 192 overall, draft 1990
Span: Broncos (1990-99, 2002-03), Ravens (2000-01)
Probably the NFL’s biggest tighthead prop during the 1990s, Sharpe played a key role in the Broncos rugby championship teams. Sharpe, who was a pro bowler every season from 1992-98, retired as the NFL’s all-time frontrunner to receive a set point. Sharpe, a member of the NFL All-1990s team, won a third Super Bowl as a member of the 2000 Ravens. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.
Joe Schmidt, LB
7th round, 86th overall, 1953 draft
Team: Lions (1953-65)
Schmidt, a ten-time Pro Bowler and eight-time All-Pro, was part of a dominant Lions defense that also included Dick “Night Train” Lane and Dick LeBeau. Schmidt, a member of the NFL All-1950 Team, helped the Lions bring home NFL titles in 1953 and 1957. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973. Schmidt was named the All-Time Team of the NFL’s 100th birthday in 2019.
Larry Wilson, S
7th round, 74th overall, draft from 1960
Team: Cardinal (1960-72)
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A member of the NFL’s All-1960s and ’70s teams, Wilson was inducted into the NFL’s 100-year-old everyday team in 2019. The 1966 NFL Distinction Leader Wilson was named eight Pro Bowls in nine years An All-Pro every season from 1966-70. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1978. Wilson’s no. 8 jersey was retired by the Cardinals.