Underrated Heisman Winners with Successful Pro Careers
Each year, the Heisman Trophy is awarded to the
top college football player in the country. Three years ago,
2020 Heisman
Trophy winner Alabama wide receiver Devonta Smith was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles with the No. 10 pick in the NFL Draft. Out of the seven Heisman
Trophy winners before Smith, four were drafted No. 1 in the
NFL Draft (Joe Burrow, Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield, Jameis Winston) and another one was drafted No. 2 (Marcus Mariota). The remaining two
were Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (No. 32 pick of the 2018 NFL Draft) and Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (No. 45 pick of the 2016 NFL Draft).
Even though they were not super high draft picks, Jackson and Henry have had successful NFL careers.
Jackson was named First-Team
All-Pro four years ago and
Henry
was named First-Team All-Pro three years ago.
Jackson and Henry are two of the twenty-six Heisman Trophy winners who either went undrafted or were not one of the first thirty players selected; they
are the only ones to be named First-Team All-Pro. The player with the greatest career
was Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach. Despite being the 129th player selected in the 1964
NFL Draft after winning the Heisman, Staubach had a Hall of Fame career. He was selected to six Pro Bowls, but was never voted to the First-Team All-Pro team.