The first round of the 2022 NFL Draft has concluded and we are on to Day 2. The second and third rounds will take place on Friday, April 30th. The first round is considered to produce the best future talent in the NFL. The third round doesn’t have the same reputation, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t talent in the middle of drafts. This begs the question, who is the best draft pick from the third round in NFL history?
There have been many notable third-round picks that have gone on to prolific professional careers and have become household names when discussing the NFL. QB Joe Montana, RB Brian Westbrook, QB Kirk Cousins, WR Steve Smith Sr., TEs Jason Witten and Travis Kelce, OG Marshal Yanda, RB Frank Gore, WR Hines Ward, CB Ronde Barber, and S John Lynch were all selected in the third round of their respective drafts.
There can certainly be debates about who the best ever third-rounder is with a lot of people leaning towards Montana. I’m going a different route and am going with a current player. QB Russell Wilson was drafted in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He was the sixth quarterback taken in that draft but easily leads in passing yards and touchdowns from the class. Wilson is a six-time Pro Bowler and led the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl victory in 2013. If history could re-write itself and they would’ve handed the ball off to Marshawn Lynch, Wilson would likely have a second ring. Wilson will begin the 2022 season with his second NFL team, the Denver Broncos issuing a new era in his career. Wilson has more to prove in Denver and another ring would put him up there with the all-time great.