The Seattle Seahawks got the mother of all steals in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft when they chose Russell Wilson from Wisconsin via North Carolina State. The 75th overall pick, Wilson’s performance to date is far better than all NFL No. 75s and outdistances other sports in the slot. A look at the 75th overall picks in the NFL Drafts from 2000-19.
2000: Chris Redman
The Baltimore Ravens selected Chris Redman out of Louisville. He played four seasons with the Ravens and four with the Falcons, mainly as a backup QB. Redman made 12 starts and was 4-8.
2001: Eric Downing
Eric Downing came to the Chiefs from Syracuse. The defensive lineman lasted with KC from 2001-03 and in 2004 with San Diego. He started 13 games and had two sacks.
2002: Derek Ross
The Cowboys grabbed Derek Ross from Ohio State. The DB played parts of two seasons in Dallas, a piece with Atlanta and nine games in 2004 with Minnesota. Ross made five of his six career picks as a rookie.
2003: Seth Wand
Seth Wand came to the Texans from Northwest Missouri State. The offensive lineman played for Houston from 2003-05. He spent a bit of ’06 with the Titans and some of ’07 with the Raiders. He started 18 games.
2004: Max Starks
Max Starks was one of the better 75th overall picks. The tackle from Florida spent all but one season with the Steelers. He ended his career in St. Louis in 2013. He started 96 of the 125 games he played.
2005: Eric Green
Eric Green played college ball at Virginia Tech. The Cardinals drafted him and he spent four years in their secondary, making 33 starts and two interceptions.
2006: Jason Spitz
Jason Spitz was drafted by Green Bay from Louisville. He spent five seasons on their offensive line before moving on the Jaguars. Spitz made 45 starts.
2007: Laurent Robinson
Laurent Robinson played college ball at Illinois State and spent six seasons in the NFL. He played for four teams and made 167 catches, including 15 for TDs.
2008: Reggie Smith
Reggie Smith spent four seasons in San Francisco after being drafted from Oklahoma. The DB played in 45 games, made seven starts and had two interceptions.
2009: Robert Brewster
Dallas drafted Robert Brewster (No. 79) out of Wyoming and he played in one game.
2010: Major Wright
Major Wright had a seven-season career in the NFL, four with Chicago and three with Tampa Bay. Wright started 51 games and made nine picks, returning three for TDs.
2011: John Moffitt
John Moffitt played college ball at Wisconsin. He lasted two seasons with the Seahawks and two games with Denver. Moffitt started 15 games.
2012: Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson left North Carolina State as a graduate transfer. He headed to Wisconsin and then the Seattle Seahawks. To date, Wilson has started all 121 games at quarterback. He’s one of the best in the NFL and is completing nearly 65% of his passes.
2013: Terron Armstead
Terron Armstead came to the Saints from Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The tackle has played in 68 games, starting 64 of them.
2014: Tre Mason
Auburn’s Tre Mason is one of the sadder and scarier stories in the NFL. The RB had a strong rookie season with the Rams, rushing for 765. He then had 207 yards in 2015. However, his behavior became erratic and he refused to be in touch with the team after the second season. He had several run-ins with the law. Mason eventually became a Saskatchewan Roughrider and rushed for 803 yards in the CFL in 2018. A torn ACL derailed his career, again, and he was released this season.
2015: Garrett Grayson
Garrett Grayson is a QB from Colorado State, who lasted one game with New Orleans.
2016: Shilique Calhoun
Shilique Calhoun came to the Raiders from Michigan State and lasted three seasons with Oakland. He is currently with the New England Patriots and has made one start in 2019.
2017: Duke Riley
Duke Riley is on the Philadelphia Eagles now, having moved along from the Atlanta Falcons, who drafted him out of LSU. Riley is an OLB and has made 16 starts, none yet in Philly.
2018: Derrick Nnadi
Derrick Nnadi was drafted by the Chiefs out of Florida State. He has made 20 starts, including every game this season. He has one career sack.
2019: Jace Sternberger
The Packers drafted Jace Sternberger from Texas A&M. The tight end was placed on IR at the beginning of the season and activated on Nov. 2
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