While some fans may tune out after the first two or three rounds, plenty of 5th-round picks have gone on to play at a high level in the NFL: Kam Chancellor, Robert Mathis, Josh Norman, Zach Thomas and Richard Sherman are just some examples.
Here are some of this year's 5th-round picks that have the potential to follow suit.
Jake Butt to the Denver Broncos at the top of the round (145) could turn out to be a major steal. If the Michigan tight end hadn't torn his ACL in the Orange Bowl, I think he would've been a likely second round pick. This one may not provide significant value in 2017 as Butt continues to rehab, but this pick could see a major payoff in the long run.
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The 49ers selected Iowa tight end George Kittle with the next pick. Whether as a move guy or as an inline blocker, Kittle is easily the best blocking tight end in this class. He's also much more of a threat in the passing game than he gets credit for, and may very well outperform some of the tight ends drafted ahead of him.
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One of my favorite players that I've evaluated this year is Ohio linebacker Blair Brown, and the Jacksonville Jaguars just got a steal at 148. His instincts stand out the most, and he's a downhill, physical tackling machine with better explosiveness and range than he gets credit for.
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One of the biggest steals of the entire draft may be the Los Angeles Chargers landing Iowa defensive back Desmond King in the fifth round. Whether he plays zone corner, safety or nickel, King's instincts, ball skills and physicality stand out the most, and he's more explosive than he gets credit for. Coming out of high school, only one Power Five school offered him, and he went on to win the Thorpe Award in 2015. Time will tell if a similar story will unfold for him in the NFL.
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Another potential steal in the fifth round is Pitt quarterback Nathan Peterman to the Bills. Peterman was just outside my top 100. His touch, accuracy and anticipation stand out the most, and he has adequate arm strength. Buffalo now has two very intriguing young quarterbacks on its roster in Cardale Jones and Peterman, and the battle for the backup job behind Tyrod Taylor could be interesting.
