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Every NFL Draft, some players fly under the radar and go undrafted. Some of those players go on to have Hall of Fame careers and some never amount to much in the NFL, to put it bluntly. However, there have been plenty of diamonds in the rough and we’re going to break down some of the most influential and best undrafted players to ever strap on the pads in NFL history.
James Harrison is known for being a mainstay of the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker room from 2004 to 2012. Harrison is also known for having one of the greatest touchdowns in Super Bowl history. He intercepted Kurt Warner at the goal line and returned it 100 yards for the score. That was a truly memorable play that will never be forgotten and was one of the reasons the Steelers won that Super Bowl.
The rest of Harrison’s career was great as well, winning a total of two Vince Lombardi Trophies in his 15-season career along with being a four-time All-Pro player and voted to the Pro Bowl five times.
Jason Peters has had a long and great career. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills in 2004, has yet to retire, and is currently playing with the Seattle Seahawks. Peters flew under the radar in the draft process because he played mostly tight end at college. He decided to switch positions heading into the draft process to offensive lineman, which was the best decision he could have ever made. Peters was a solid player for the Bills for four seasons, but he really took off when he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. He played for the Eagles from 2009 to 2020.
During his career, Peters won a Super Bowl while also being a six-time All-Pro and was voted to the Pro Bowl nine times. He was also voted to the NFL All-decade team for the 2010s. Jason Peters is a walking Hall of Famer.
People are going to laugh that a kicker made this list because most kickers go undrafted. Well, Adam Vinatieri is considered to be the greatest kicker of all time. Or, at the very least, he is the most clutch kicker of all time. He leads all kickers in Super Bowl-winning kicks with three throughout his long 24-year career.
Vinatieri is well known for kicking the game-winning field goal in the ‘Tuck Rule’ game in the snow. That is one of the most memorable moments in NFL history. However, Vinatieri actually had a longer career in Indianapolis than he did in New England. He won three of his four Super Bowls with the Patriots but also won one with the Colts.
During the 24-year career of Vinatieri, he was a three-time All-Pro, three-time Pro Bowler and a member of the 2000s All-Decade team. His most prestigious record of them all is that he is the NFL all-time leader in points scored with 2,673.
Antonio Gates is simply the greatest tight end ever to go undrafted. He did it with one franchise as well in the Chargers. Gates has one of the more unusual stories for any of these players on this list.
The story is that Gates wanted to play both football and basketball at Michigan State but found out that was not possible. He then transferred to Eastern Michigan and decided to just concentrate on basketball. He eventually transferred out of there to the College of the Sequoias, a Junior College. Gates eventually transferred to Kent State where he put together a wonderful college basketball career to the point Kent State retired his number. He was then told by scouts that he was too much of a tweener to be on NBA Draft radars. He was then contacted by numerous NFL teams, leading to a tryout with the Chargers, where he ultimately signed.
Gates went on to play 16 seasons with the Chargers. During those seasons, he was a six-time All-Pro and was voted to the Pro Bowl eight times. He was also a member of the 2000s All-Decade Team. Gates had a terrific career for a guy who didn’t play college football.
Moon’s career is unique, not only because of his skill and longevity in the NFL but also because he spent six seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) where he was a dominant force, winning five Grey Cups.
When he finally made it to the NFL, Moon played 17 seasons, most notably with the Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, and Kansas City Chiefs. He threw for over 49,000 yards and 291 touchdowns, and his nine Pro Bowl selections are a testament to his consistency and ability to perform at a high level.
However, Moon’s legacy in the NFL was hindered by playoff struggles as he never made it past the Divisional Round. Still, Moon deserves more respect for his incredible durability and sustained excellence over two decades in professional football.
Kurt Warner’s career arc is nothing short of a Hollywood script (which is probably why they made a movie about it). After going undrafted, Warner spent time in the Arena Football League (AFL), where he played for the Iowa Barnstormers. He finally got his NFL shot with the St. Louis Rams in 1999, where he was thrust into the starting role after a season-ending injury to starting QB Trent Green.
Warner’s performance that season was nothing short of legendary. He led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory, was named Super Bowl MVP, and also took home the NFL MVP award. Under Warner’s leadership, the Rams’ offense became known as “The Greatest Show on Turf,” a high-powered unit that set the NFL on fire. Warner’s precision passing, quick decision-making, and ability to deliver in clutch moments were on full display during that period.
Warner would win a second MVP in 2001 and continue to lead the Rams to the playoffs, but his career took a downturn due to injuries and inconsistent play in the mid-2000s. Many wrote him off as a has-been by 2004, but Warner redefined the latter part of his career with the Arizona Cardinals. In 2008, he took them to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance.
Warner’s stats are among the best in NFL history, ranking in the top 10 for passing yards and touchdowns. His two MVP awards, Super Bowl victory, and Super Bowl MVP trophy make him one of the most accomplished quarterbacks of his era and the most accomplished undrafted quarterback ever.
Dylan has had a love for sports since he was a kid. Four years ago, he decided to dive into the sports content-creating industry specializing in Fantasy Football, NFL and NBA. He has since had his work published on sites that include Fantasy Alarm, Fansided, and Fantasy Six Pack.