The NFL’s supplemental draft is set to return on July 11 for the first time in four years, giving all 32 teams a chance to surrender future draft picks in exchange for prospects deemed ineligible for April’s traditional draft. Although the 1980s saw more than a dozen players enter the NFL via this process, including future Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter and Pro Bowl quarterback Bernie Kosar, more recent decades have seen fewer teams gamble on supplemental picks.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the most notable supplemental draft picks of the last 20 years:
Year: 2006 | Round: 3rd | Team: Bengals | Position: OLB
Dismissed by Virginia ahead of his senior college season, Brooks spent two seasons with the Bengals before latching on with the 49ers. He made an instant impact as a rotational stand-up pass rusher, then became a full-time starter in his fifth NFL season. Brooks closed his career on a one-year stint with the Packers, but only after racking up 51.5 sacks over eight years in San Francisco — the third-most sacks by anyone in 49ers history, behind only Hall of Famers Bryant Young and Charles Haley.
Year: 2011 | Round: 3rd | Team: Raiders | Position: QB/WR
An Ohio State star who withdrew from the university amid a school scandal involving NCAA violations, Pryor saw little action as a utility-type player in his first two seasons, then flashed his rushing abilities in nine uneven starts at QB in 2013, including with a 99-yard touchdown run against the Steelers. But he enjoyed a breakout two years later, fully converting to wide receiver and leading the Browns with 77 catches for 1,007 yards. He finished his career making limited appearances for Washington, the Jets and Bills.
Year: 2012 | Round: 2nd | Team: Browns | Position: WR
Suspended at Baylor for repeat substance-abuse violations, Gordon was an instant success in the NFL, debuting with 50 catches for 805 yards, then leading the entire league with 1,646 yards in a 2013 All-Pro campaign. Averaging almost 19 yards per catch with nine TDs, he looked like an explosive building block for Cleveland at just 22. Additional drug-policy violations — and resulting indefinite suspensions — cost him all but 10 games over the next four years. Gordon briefly resurfaced as a downfield threat for the Patriots in 2018, only to face additional suspensions and play sparingly for the Seahawks, Chiefs and Titans through 2022. He currently plays for the Seattle Sea Dragons of the revived XFL.
Year: 2019 | Round: 5th | Team: Cardinals | Position: S
After three years at Washington State, Thompson joined Arizona and needed just several weeks to become a starting safety opposite Pro Bowler Budda Baker. An ankle injury limited him to just five games in 2020, but he’s since settled in as a regular piece of the team’s secondary, totaling 231 tackles, 15 pass deflections and four interceptions since 2021.
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Author: Cody Benjamin
July 6, 2023 | 9:41 am
