usatales.com
  • Cities
  • Featured
  • Lifestyle
    • Entertainment
    • Fashion
    • Health
    • Relationships
  • News
  • Outdoors
  • Productivity
  • Tech
  • Things to Do

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

What's Hot

Sports Betting In The United States: A General Overview 

September 27, 2023

Overwater Bungalows Mexico – 5 Facts to Know

September 27, 2023

Top 5 Things to Do at Congaree National Park

September 26, 2023
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
  • Home
  • About
  • Get In Touch
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
usatales.comusatales.com
  • Cities
  • Featured
  • Lifestyle
    • Entertainment
    • Fashion
    • Health
    • Relationships
  • News
  • Outdoors
  • Productivity
  • Tech
  • Things to Do
usatales.com
Home»Outdoors»5 Most Interesting NFL Draft Picks in History
Outdoors

5 Most Interesting NFL Draft Picks in History

soubhikBy soubhikSeptember 7, 2022Updated:June 5, 2023No Comments6 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
American football player in game. Night stadium lights.
American football player in game. Night stadium lights. Source: Depositphotos
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Pinterest Email

The NFL has a long-standing history of picking some of the best players. The NFL draft picks began in 1936, and we have countless sportsmen who climbed the ladder of success. For example, Peyton Manning is said to be the top NFL draft pick in history who played in 14 Pro Bowls. He is also the proud winner of 5 NFL MVP awards.

However, the best performers may not always be the most interesting. So, we thought of finding out some of the most interesting and unique NFL picks in its history. 

So, let’s start with the unique player ever. 

Table of Contents

  • Chuck Bednarik
  • Christian Ponder
  • Rickey Dudley
  • Terry Bradshaw
  • John McCargo
  • Final Thoughts

Chuck Bednarik

Chuck Bednarik played for the Eagles from 1949 to 1962 and has an amazing story behind him. He is among the oldest NFL players to be drafted at the age of 25. What was the reason behind such a late draft?

Chuck went to fight in World War II after he graduated from high school. It was only after the war he could join college to continue his education. As a result, he is the oldest NFL pick but performed like a star on the field. 

He ruled the rankings for 14 years and skipped only 3 matches out of 172. Moreover, he took charge of two positions on the team, starting center and starting linebacker. He was famous for his tackles and sending players down to the ground. 

The most notable was in 1960 when Chuck sent Frank Gifford to the ground with his tackle. Gifford took 18 months to recover from the hit and play in the NFL again. 

Chuck also has the honor of being chosen 8 times for the Pro Bowl. 

Christian Ponder

Christian Ponder was the 2011 NFL draft pick for the Minnesota Vikings. However, most people thought he was a waste of money when other notable players were up for selection. There were Andy Dalton and Ryan Mallett, both known for their prowess. 

 

Why did experts make such a conclusion about Ponder?

 

The story goes back prior to the NFL 2011 season. Ponder was infamous for getting injured in the fields around Florida. So, most experts didn’t even include him in the first-round pick. Additionally, others thought he would never be a choice for Day 1 picking. 

 

However, the Vikings were short of a quarterback even though they had Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert on the team. They chose to try their luck on Ponder, who didn’t fail to impress them. 

 

He was quite an offensive player during his career and participated in playoffs in 13 games. Moreover, he has several awards to his name, like the Bobby Bowden Award and James Tatum Award.

 

Rickey Dudley

 

Rickey Dudley was the 9th pick by the Oakland Raiders in 1996. He played as a tight end, but not many thought he would have a bright career. It was not the convention at that time to select a college player with a basketball history. 

 

Yes, that’s right! Dudley played for the Ohio State Buckeyes as a forward in his college days. However, his basketball career didn’t turn out to be too impressive. Therefore, he tried his hands at football under John Cooper, with a year to spare before the 1994 season. 

However, Dudley was a star athlete and proved his worth. In his second college season, Dudley had 575 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 37 catches to his name. Finally, he made it to the Oakland Raiders, where he participated in 9 NFL seasons.

Dudley made his way into more teams during his career. The list includes Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns. Moreover, he was declared the winner of Super Bowl XXXVII.

Terry Bradshaw

Terry Bradshaw was the first overall pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1970. At that time, the Steelers were not the best team around, which many of us would find surprising.

However, luck was on their side as the Steelers had a 1-13 record at the end of the 1969 season. As a result, they had the privilege of choosing the top pick, and they signed up Bradshaw.

The move turned out to be highly successful as Bradshaw brought a new spirit to the team. The Steelers needed it badly, as they couldn’t make it to the playoffs for 22 straight years. 

Bradshaw had the reputation of having the strongest arms in the NFL. He is still famous for his iconic throw to Franco Harris, which was a 60-yard TD catch. 

Later on, Bradshaw helped the Steelers win 4 Super Bowls in 6 seasons from 1974 to 1979. He also set Super Bowl records during his career with 9 touchdowns and 932 yards. 

Bradshaw was one of the most notable contributors to the Steelers’ success. 

John McCargo

John McCargo had a sad career. The Buffalo Bills picked him in the first draft in 2006 as he graduated from North Carolina State College. 

The NFL pick went against the expectations of experts. No one even thought he would be chosen during the 1st or even the 2nd round. However, the Bills needed someone to beef up the defense and relied on McCargo. 

Unfortunately, he had to stay on injured reserve for most of the season. However, McCargo did participate in all 16 matches during the 2007 season, only to be handed over to Indianapolis Colts in 2008. But the contract was void as he couldn’t make it through the physical test.

McCargo changed teams several times and played for Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears. Sadly, his performance was not good, and teams kept dropping him repeatedly. 

McCargo also faced personal problems in his personal life later on and was even arrested in 2017. He remains one of the unique NFL picks we come across. 

Final Thoughts

The NFL picks in history have many amazing stories behind them. From fighting in World War to changing sports, these incidents are a part of NFL history. They all contributed to the NFL legacy, our favorite sport. Do you have any other NFL picks in mind?

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
Avatar
soubhik

Related Posts

A Day of Fun: Apple Picking in NJ

September 23, 2023

Sandy Escapes: 25 Must-Visit Beaches in Florida

September 21, 2023

South Padre Island: Beach Bliss and Watersports

September 20, 2023

Your Passport to Adventure: Travel Planning Artistry

September 20, 2023

10 Best National Parks in Ohio Perfect for a Getaway!!

September 17, 2023

Holsters Unveiled: A Close Look at the PSA Dagger Holster Options

September 17, 2023
Add A Comment

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

We love some items. And we may ask that you try them out too. Should you buy, we may earn a small bit of commission. Don't worry - you won't be paying any extra. You will spend only what you would have done otherwise. Just that we might end up earning a few dollars - that will help us keep the site running!

USA Tales

Email - support@icymedia.ca

Don't Miss

Sports Betting In The United States: A General Overview 

By The USA Tales TeamSeptember 27, 2023

Widely surging in popularity, sports betting has been increasingly making a bigger and bigger impact…

Overwater Bungalows Mexico – 5 Facts to Know

September 27, 2023

Top 5 Things to Do at Congaree National Park

September 26, 2023

10 Stunning Places to Explore in Oregon Coast Camping

September 26, 2023
Stay In Touch
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
Our Picks

Connective E-Commerce: 3 Best Beginner Stratergies You Should Know

September 19, 2023

10 Best Boxing Gym Chicago Has to Offer

September 13, 2023

What Is CRM Healthcare? A Complete 9-Way Guide

September 8, 2023

Efficiency in Action: Case Studies and Examples of Successful Project Management

September 6, 2023
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
  • Home
  • About
  • Get In Touch
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2023 USA Tales.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy