For some NFL prospects, draft day is a dream come true. For others, it’s a humbling experience played out in real time on national TV. No matter how talented or decorated a player might be, there’s no guarantee when, or even if, they’ll hear their name called.
When expectations are sky-high, a draft-day slide can quickly turn into one of the most dramatic moments of the entire weekend. Most recently, we’ve seen Shedeur Sanders’ draft stock tank in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Over the years, we’ve seen elite prospects tumble down the board for reasons ranging from injuries and off-field questions to just plain bad evaluations. Some proved the doubters wrong, while others never found their footing.
These are 10 of the most unforgettable NFL Draft slides the NFL has ever seen.
Honorable Mention: Johnny Manziel (2014), Thurman Thomas (1988), DK Metcalf (2019), Dez Bryant (2010)
1) Shedeur Sanders (2025)
Shedeur Sanders’ free-fall in the 2025 NFL Draft takes the cake as the most puzzling situation we’ve ever seen. Heading into the draft process, many viewed Sanders as one of the top two quarterback prospects in the class, alongside Cam Ward. The latter went No. 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans. Sanders, on the other hand has yet to be selected heading into Day 3.
The Colorado product and son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders was a projected top-10 pick, but we’ve seen his draft stock plummet recently. However, no one could’ve predicted this outcome. Multiple quarterback-needy teams, including the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, and Las Vegas Raiders have passed on Sanders.
"Frankly, I'm stunned. I don't have a good explanation for why Shedeur Sanders has not heard his name called."@FieldYates reacts to Shedeur Sanders not getting selected after round 3 of the draft. pic.twitter.com/QUgvN0Fnpo
— ESPN (@espn)
Reports surfaced about some teams being turned off by Sanders during the interview process. From a pure football perspective, not much can be said to justify one of the perceived top signal-callers in a weak class still being on the board.
2) Aaron Rodgers (2005)
Aaron Rodgers experienced arguably the most memorable and dramatic draft slide in NFL history. Entering the 2005 NFL Draft, he was widely projected as a top pick, even considered a strong candidate to go No. 1 overall to his hometown San Francisco 49ers. Instead, the 49ers passed on Rodgers in favor of Utah quarterback Alex Smith, and from there, the wait became excruciating.
As team after team addressed other needs, Rodgers sat in the Green Room in New York City for hours, his frustration visible with each passing pick.
Rodgers later described the night as one filled with “disappointment and embarrassment,” especially given his belief that he was more talented than many of the players taken ahead of him. It wasn’t until the Green Bay Packers selected him at No. 24 overall that his slide finally ended.
Ironically, that landing spot only deepened the mystery of the night, as it placed him behind legendary quarterback Brett Favre for the next three seasons. But once Rodgers got his chance, he delivered in spectacular fashion — capturing a Super Bowl and winning four MVP awards, proving every team that passed on him wrong.
3) Laremy Tunsil (2016)
Laremy Tunsil’s 2016 draft night slide is one of the most shocking and chaotic moments in NFL Draft history. Projected as a consensus top-five pick, Tunsil’s stock took a dramatic hit just minutes before the draft began when a video surfaced on his hacked Twitter account showing him smoking marijuana through a gas mask.
The timing couldn’t have been worse, as teams were left scrambling to verify what they were seeing, and the uncertainty led to some franchises, including the Ravens and Titans, passing on him in favor of other offensive tackles. The incident came on top of preexisting concerns surrounding Tunsil, including a domestic incident with his stepfather that led to an NCAA suspension while at Ole Miss. Despite those issues, he remained a highly regarded talent — arguably the best offensive lineman in the class.
Eventually, the Miami Dolphins stopped his fall at No. 13. Tunsil has since addressed the situation with honesty, reflecting on how it shaped him. “It just showed everyone I do make mistakes, but that’s not who I am,” he said. “I want the gold jacket. I want to be known as one of the best ever.” Tunsil is now a 5-time Pro Bowl selection.
4) Dan Marino (1983)
Dan Marino’s fall in the 1983 NFL Draft remains one of the most surprising slides in league history. Entering the draft, Marino was considered one of the top quarterback prospects and had been projected by many to go early in the first round. However, a dip in performance during his final season at Pitt, combined with swirling — and ultimately unproven — rumors about drug use, sent teams into a tailspin of doubt. The rumors initially centered around partying and escalated in nature despite a lack of credible evidence.
As the night went on, five other quarterbacks were taken ahead of Marino, and his wait continued well into the back half of the first round. The Miami Dolphins eventually took a chance and selected him at No. 27 overall. It turned out to be one of the greatest steals in draft history, as Marino would go on to have a Hall of Fame career and become one of the most prolific passers the game has ever seen.
5) Randy Moss (1998)
Randy Moss entered the 1998 NFL Draft as one of the most electrifying prospects the league had ever seen. After two record-breaking seasons at Marshall, his speed, size, and pure playmaking ability made him a projected top-three pick behind quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf. However, off-field concerns ultimately caused a dramatic slide.
Moss had a well-documented history of legal and disciplinary issues, including a high school fight that led to jail time and cost him a scholarship to Notre Dame and a failed drug test at Florida State, which resulted in his dismissal from the program.
Despite his dominance at Marshall, many NFL teams were wary of the potential character risks. Moss addressed those concerns head-on, famously warning that any team passing on him would regret it. He was right. Twenty teams did, allowing the Minnesota Vikings to steal him with the 21st overall pick. Moss responded with one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL history and a Hall of Fame career, proving that his talent was too great to overlook.
6) Brady Quinn (2007)
Brady Quinn’s draft day tumble in 2007 is undoubtedly one of the most memorable. After a decorated career at Notre Dame that included a Maxwell Award and a third-place Heisman finish, Quinn was widely projected to be a top-10 pick. Some even believed he could go as high as No. 3 to the Cleveland Browns. When the Browns opted for offensive tackle Joe Thomas instead, Quinn turned his attention to the Miami Dolphins at No. 9.
Quinn had a strong workout with Miami, and he said his college coach even received a Dolphins hat from someone inside the organization — a sign it seemed like a sure thing. Miami stunned everyone by taking wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., triggering a steep fall for Quinn. As cameras captured his long, awkward wait in the Green Room, the hours dragged on until the Browns traded back into the first round to select him at No. 22.
Unlike many other draft fallers, Quinn didn’t have character concerns or injuries working against him. Teams simply didn’t believe he was worth a top pick. In hindsight, their evaluations proved correct, as Quinn struggled to find success in the NFL and never developed into a consistent starter.
7) La’el Collins (2015)
La’el Collins’ draft slide in 2015 is one of the most bizarre and unfortunate in recent memory, not because of talent concerns, but due to circumstances entirely out of his control. Projected as a first-round pick, Collins saw his draft stock collapse just days before the event when Baton Rouge police announced they wanted to question him in connection to the murder of a pregnant woman, Brittney Mills. Though authorities repeatedly stated Collins was not a suspect, the timing couldn’t have been worse.
Franchises were understandably hesitant to take a risk with so little time to verify the details. Collins, who had been invited to attend the draft in Chicago, returned to Louisiana in hopes of clearing his name. His representatives tried multiple tactics, including requesting his removal from the draft altogether and threatening he would sit out the season and re-enter in 2016. Neither worked. Despite being a top talent, Collins went undrafted. He was later cleared of any wrongdoing and signed with the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent.
Collins’ draft slide remains a cautionary tale of how fast off-field narratives, true or not, can alter a player’s draft fate.
8) Warren Sapp (1995)
Warren Sapp was one of the most dominant defensive prospects in the 1995 NFL Draft, and he was expected to be selected within the top five. But despite his undeniable talent, off-the-field concerns caused a surprising slide on draft day. Reports surfaced shortly before the draft that Sapp had tested positive for marijuana multiple times while at the University of Miami. Though Sapp denied the allegations, the damage was done. Teams grew hesitant, and his stock took a major hit.
Once seen as a surefire top pick, Sapp ultimately fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 12 overall. The slide cost him millions and negatively impacted his reputation in the short term, but the Bucs reaped the rewards. Sapp went on to become a cornerstone of their defense, a Super Bowl champion, and a Hall of Famer.
9) Lamar Jackson (2018)
Lamar Jackson’s fall to the 32nd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft remains one of the most talked-about slides in recent memory. Despite winning the Heisman Trophy and showcasing game-breaking talent at Louisville, Jackson was met with skepticism from many NFL teams. Concerns centered around his accuracy, his ability to read complex defenses, and the belief that he didn’t fit the traditional mold of an NFL pocket passer.
Back in 2018, Ozzie Newsome signaled a new era in Ravens football by trading back into the first round to get his man.
With the 32nd pick, Lamar Jackson was destined for Baltimore; a heck of a final first round pick from the future HoF General Manager. pic.twitter.com/25MO9iQCd1
— Nic Mason (@British_Raven19)
His college offense was viewed as too simplistic, and some evaluators even suggested he should switch positions to wide receiver, an idea notoriously pushed by Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian. As the first round progressed, Jackson’s growing frustration was visible, sitting and waiting while teams passed on him.
Ultimately, the Baltimore Ravens traded back into the first round to select Jackson with the final pick at No. 32. That decision proved to be a franchise-altering move. Jackson quickly silenced his critics, becoming a two-time league MVP and redefining what a modern quarterback can look like. His slide stands as a glaring example of how the NFL can misjudge elite talent when it doesn’t come in a conventional package.
10) Geno Smith (2013)
They wrote Geno Smith off, but he didn’t write back. The former West Virginia star’s tumble in the 2013 NFL Draft was one of the most shocking slides for a quarterback in recent memory. Smith was projected as the top passer in a weak QB class and expected to be the only sure thing to go in the first round. But when the night ended with only EJ Manuel selected, Smith was left watching from the Green Room — an image that became one of the defining moments of that year’s draft.
Smith returned the next night and was finally taken 39th overall by the New York Jets, ending a frustrating and highly publicized wait. Unlike other high-profile draft slides, Smith’s fall wasn’t due to off-field issues or injuries. Instead, teams reportedly had concerns about his late-season performance at West Virginia and how he handled the pre-draft process, including interviews and meetings.
While he initially struggled during his time with the Jets, Smith would eventually prove to be the most successful and longest-tenured quarterback from that 2013 class, showing resilience and growth throughout his career.
