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Draft selection cards: a closer look
Every year during the draft, each team must fill in a draft card for each and every selection. Take a look at some of the most iconic draft cards and the stories behind them from the Pro Football Hall of Fame collection.
The 2017 draft produced two dynamic playmakers who went on to be centerpieces of their respective offenses. JuJu Smith-Schuster finished 83 yards short of the 1,000-yard mark in his rookie season, and Alvin Kamara led the NFL in yards per carry (6.1) while taking home AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
The Cowboys selected Dak Prescott with the original intention of him being a second- or third-string quarterback. What eventually happened couldn't have been foreseen: Prescott led his team to a 13-win season and the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC as a first-year starter.
In the 2015 draft, the Dolphins selected a running back that they would later trade to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. That player is running back Jay Ajayi.
In the 2014 draft, the SEC produced two first-round talents that would go on to take the NFL by storm. Odell Beckham would finish 10th in the NFL in receiving yards in his rookie campaign, and Jadaveon Clowney went on to rack up 20 sacks over his first four seasons in Houston.
The 2013 draft produced three of the top 12 receivers in the NFL during the 2017 season. DeAndre Hopkins finished sixth with 96 receptions, while Le'Veon Bell had 85 and Travis Kelce 83.
The 2012 draft produced two Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks in Round 3 alone, in Russell Wilson and Nick Foles. Each of the two won their Super Bowl with the team that drafted them.
The 2011 draft featured two of the most prominent defensive names from the past decade. One of those two players was J.J. Watt, who was selected early in the first round; the other, Richard Sherman, was selected on the final day.
Three of the most productive players from the 2010 draft were selected outside of the first round. Rob Gronkowski, Kam Chancellor and Antonio Brown have each gone on to earn multiple All-Pro honors.
In the 2009 draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected running back LeSean McCoy, and the Colts went on to select punter Pat McAfee. Since then, McCoy has been selected to six Pro Bowls with two First-Team All-Pro bids, and McAfee, although retired, allowed only seven returned punts for touchdowns over his eight-year career.
The 2007 draft produced two of the most prolific rushers in NFL history in Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch. In addition to that, the Browns selected a player who would start every game at left tackle for the next 11 seasons in Joe Thomas.
In the 2006 draft, the Saints, Panthers and Broncos each selected a skill-position player who would be a focal point of their offenses for years to come. New Orleans took Reggie Bush off the board at No. 2 overall. DeAngelo Williams and Brandon Marshall went later in the draft.
During the 2005 draft, quarterback Aaron Rodgers was drafted by the Green Bay Packers. After sitting behind Brett Favre for three seasons, Rodgers took over as the franchise quarterback in 2008, winning Super Bowl XLV two years later.
In 2004, the Cardinals and Steelers selected their all-time leading receiver and passer, respectively. Larry Fitzgerald remains on the Cardinals' roster and leads the club with 15,545 receiving yards, and Ben Roethlisberger still stands as the Steelers' QB1 with 51,065 passing yards to his name.
In the first round of the 2003 draft, the Texans selected a player who would go on to become the franchise's all-time leading receiver -- Andre Johnson. Meanwhile, the Steelers selected a safety who would spend 16 years with them, earning four First-Team All-Pro honors and two Super Bowl titles.
The Baltimore Ravens chose Ed Reed with the 24th overall pick of the 2002 draft. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler, helping the Ravens to a Super Bowl victory against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII.
In the 2001 draft, the San Diego Chargers chose Drew Brees to be their quarterback. After five years with the Chargers, Brees was traded to the Saints, where he remains their quarterback today. In that same draft, the Carolina Panthers selected wide receiver Steve Smith, who became a staple of the Panthers' offense for 13 seasons.
In the sixth round of the 2000 draft, Michigan quarterback Tom Brady was drafted by the New England Patriots. Seventeen seasons, five Super Bowl victories and three NFL MVP awards later, Brady remains the quarterback of the Patriots and is determined to play well into his 40s.
During the 1998 draft, two of football's greatest receivers were welcomed into the league. Vikings first-round selection Randy Moss would go on to have the third-most receiving yards by a rookie receiver in NFL history (1,313). Ward, meanwhile, finished his 13-year career with 12,083 receiving yards (25th all-time).
The 1997 draft saw Tony Gonzalez come off the board as the 13th overall pick. Gonzalez would go on to play 12 outstanding seasons in Kansas City and five more in Atlanta, racking up the most receiving yards by a tight end in NFL history (15,127).
