Very careful during the three days of the NFL Draft, with many players not drafted after the annual selection meeting is completed. Most undrafted free agents are lottery tickets, many of which should not pass training camp.
Other undrafted free agents then become quality NFL players over the years, creating their own mark in the league. Undrafted doesn’t mean players don’t have a chance for a successful career, and does not discourage players from chasing their dreams. Some undrafted players have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, even though their journey to Canton was significantly different from those drafted.
Who is the best player in undrafted NFL history? This list is derived from Common-Draft Era (since 1967) and includes active players (though that player is not yet on contract for the 2025 season). All players on this list will be inducted into the Hall of Fame or one day enshrine the Canton.
Players worthy of honorable mention: Rod Smith, Priest Holmes, Dave Krieg, Jesse Tugle, Jeff Saturday, Tony Romo, Wes Welker, Eugene Robinson, Joe Jacoby, Everson Walls, Jim Langer, Justin Tucker.
There was a special mention of the undrafted Dick “Night Train” lane in 1952, intercepting the NFL twice. Lane finished with 68 career intercepts and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The first team of three is one of the biggest defensive backs in NFL history.
10. Drew Pearson (Cowboys; 1973-1983)
One of the best wide receivers of his time, Pearson was Tulsa’s undrafted free agent in 1973. Former quarterback Pearson, who converted to a wide receiver in college, won three first team All-Pro selections in his first five seasons in the league.
A member of the 1970s All-Decard team, Pearson was the best receiver on the Cowboys Super Bowl XII Championship team (leading the league to receive yards that season). He finished with 7,822 yards and 48 touchdowns in 11 seasons with 489 catches, earning three first-team All-Pros and three Pro Bowl selections.
Pearson was finally selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021. He had the most yards in the league from 1973 to 79 (5,713).
Arguably the best undrafted free agent linebacker, Harrison was the anchor of Steelers’ defense in the late 2000s. Harrison, the 2008 Associated Press defensive player of the year and two first-time team All-Pro, led the NFL in a forced fumble in 2008 (7), earning a 100-yard intercept return from Kurt Warner before halftime in the Super Bowl XLIII.
A former walk-on in Kent, Harrison went in and out of the Steelers’ training squad and was actually signed by the Ravens before returning to Pittsburgh in 2004. He didn’t become a starter until he was 29 years old as Mike Tomlin nominated as a starter in place of Joey Porter (released).
Harrison is second on the Steelers’ best sack list of all-time (84.5), finishing with 811 tackles and 34 forced fumbles over his 16-year career.
Peters is tied up in the Hall of Fame when he finally decides to retire (he’s only 41 years old and has a left tackle). Peters, the first team All-Pro of the two innings and a member of the all-decade team in the 2010s, dominated with left tackles in Buffalo and Philadelphia. They won the nine consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2007 to 2016.
Undrafted as a tight end from Arkansas, Peters converted to the offensive line during his rookie season and became a starter in 2005. Only five tackles in NFL history have been chosen for the Pro Bowl more than Peters.
Peters has just retired from this past season and is tied up by Canton Shamway. He is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2030.
He was an undefeated member of the 1972 Dolphin, one of the best interior linemen of the 1970s, and was not a Miami right guard for 12 years. He won five consecutive first team full follow selections from 1971 to 1975, and won two Super Bowls with Dolphins.
Not drafted by Bethun Cookman by the Chargers in 1967, Little was traded for Dolphins in 1969 and began running as one of the game’s most intimidating linemen. The dolphin leadman did not sweep alongside Mercury Morris and Larry Chizonka’s lead blockers (in 1972, the dolphin rushed for the then-NFL record 2,960 yards).
He rarely won five Pro Bowl selections in his career, and was a member of the All-Decard team in the 1970s. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.
Perhaps the most clutch kicker in NFL history, Vinatieri scored a game-winning field goal in the Super Bowl XXXVI and Super Bowl XXXVIII in the final seconds, sealing off the Patriots’ two championships. He led the league three times in field goal percentage, winning three first-team All-Pros and three Pro Bowl selections.
A member of the 2000s All-Decard team and named the NFL’s 100 best player list, Vinatieri is the first in NFL history to have career points (2,643) and field goals (599).
Vinatieri is a four-time Super Bowl champion and was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2025 (he was not selected in the first year of qualification. He only missed 19 games in his career as he was not drafted from South Dakota.
Gates, a former Kent basketball player, was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2003 after giving football (he never played college football). The Chargers quickly signed the gates after training with 20 teams, with the rest being history.
Gates won three first-team All-Pro Selections and eight Pro Bowl nods in his 16-year career. He spent two 1,000-yard seasons and four double-digit touchdown seasons. The final season came in 34.
Among tight ends, Gates always receives the third time with a touchdown (116) and a third yard (11,841). They are only tracking Tony Gonzalez and Jason Whitten. Gates is one of the most closely-closed ends in NFL history and was led to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2025.
4. Donnie Shell (Stealers; 1974-1987)
One of the underrated stars of the 1970s “steel curtain” defense, Shell was not drafted from South Carolina in 1974. Shell was not part of the draft class that produced Mike Webster, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth and Jack Lambert that year, but was inducted into the Hall of Fame along with the group.
A three-time first-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection, Shell was one of the top playmaking safes in football from 1978 to 1982, earning 25 of 51 career interceptions. The third shell in Steelers history is Intercept’s history and the second in the team history of Funble Recoveries (19).
Shell is one of the greatest defensive players in franchise history.
3. Warren Moon (Oilers, Vikings, Seahawks, Chief, 1984-2000)
One of the biggest passersby of his time, Moon led the NFL in passing yards twice, making nine Pro Bowls. The moon was third in passing yards (49,325) and fourth in passing touchdowns (291) who retired in 2000, and could have been high if NFL scouts lacked a rating on whether Moon could play the position.
If he stuck to guns, the moon stayed at quarterback and was not drafted. He chose to sign with Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League and won five straight grey cups. Moon didn’t enter the NFL until he was 28, but he led the league twice by passing yards, passing yards three times per game, and then three times in a fourth quarter comeback.
Moon was selected for the Hall of Fame in 2006. He is one of the best deepball quarterbacks in NFL history and shines with his run-and-shoot offense.
2. John Randle (Vikings, Seahawks, 1990-2003)
One of the biggest defensive tackles in NFL history, Randle was not selected in any of the 12 rounds of the 1990 NFL Draft. The Vikings got a chance at Randle from Texas A&M Kingsville, rewarding in six consecutive first-team all-progressions from 1993-98. Randle had double-digit bags in nine seasons of eight seasons, from 1992 to 2001 and nine seasons of ten (he led the NFL with the Sacks in 1997).
A selection of an all-decade team in the 1990s, Randle tracks only career sacks Alanpage with defensive tackles. His eight double-digit sack season by defensive tackles is the most in NFL history, with his six first-team All-Pro selections only Bobrilly and Randy White being the most in his position.
Randle was selected for the Hall of Fame in 2010.
The best of the undrafted free agent was Warner, the two NFL MVP and Super Bowl XXXIV MVP in 1999, leading the Rams to their first Super Bowl title. Warner led the NFL in completion percentage with three consecutive seasons, two touchdown passes and one passing yard. Since 2001, Warner has been awarded two league MVP awards and has been selected for three Pro Bowls.
Warner was the NFL’s best quarterback in that three-year stretch, setting a record of overtaking yards in the Super Bowl (414) and most completed with no intercept (45). As 2008 was his fourth and final Pro Bowl appearance, he took the Cardinals to his first Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XLIII. Taking the Rams and Cardinals to the Super Bowl is part of what won Warner in the Hall of Fame, despite having only 32,344 yards and 208 touchdowns.
Warner was not drafted from northern Iowa in 1994. Because the Packers gave him a shot and created a roster with Brett Fabre, Mark Brunel and Ty Dettmer. After not making the Packers, Warner began to shine from the Arena Football League’s Iowa Barn Stormer and the sparkling shelves. Warner signed with the Rams in 1997 and was soon assigned to the Admiral Amsterdam of NFL Europe, earning a three-time string job in 1998.
After Trent Green was injured in 1999, the Rams gathered around 28-year-old Warner to lead the league in completion rates, touchdown passes and passerby ratings on their way to league MVP. The quarterback of “The Greatest Show on Turf” led the Rams to Super Bowl XXXIV, completing one of the best stories in league history.
Warner is an undrafted free agent and it’s hard to believe he’s taken one of the most unlikely paths to stardom in any sport.
