Originally written by Ralph Ventre for NFL Draft Bible on Sports Illustrated FanNation
History has taught us that a player’s draft position has little to do with eventual entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
It certainly isn’t amongst the selection criteria and it hasn’t exactly proven to be a reliable predictor of one’s career arc.
Sure, there are Peyton Manning, Bruce Smith, Earl Campbell and Orlando Pace. All four are former No. 1 overall draft picks who now don gold jackets.
But for every Bruce Smith in Canton, there seems to be a Sam Mills – an undersized, undrafted “Hero of the Game.”
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022 recognizes eight “Heroes of the Game,” including the late Mills, who lost his battle to cancer in 2005 at 45 years old.
Six of the eight 2022 enshrinees are former players, but only three are former first round draft picks.
Offensive Tackle Tony Boselli went to the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars with the second overall selection in the 1995 NFL Draft and now stands as the franchise’s first-ever Pro Football Hall of Famer (The Bengals used the 1995 No. 1 pick on former Penn State running back Ki-Jana Carter, whose short pro career was marred by injuries).
One year before the Jaguars drafted Boselli, the 49ers made Notre Dame defensive tackle Bryant Young the seventh overall selection and he proceeded to play all 14 professional seasons in San Francisco.
Defensive lineman Richard Seymour went to the Patriots out of Georgia at No. 6 overall in the 2001 NFL Draft and he went on to win three Super Bowls in New England before joining the Raiders in free agency.
Mills, the lone undrafted member of the Class of 2022, showed heroic levels of resiliency throughout his life. The New Jersey native initially earned a spot at Division III Montclair State as a walk-on.
He signed as an UDFA with the Browns in 1981, but was cut before the regular season. In 1982, Mills was signed and subsequently released before playing any games with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts.
It wasn’t until after a stint in the USFL that Mills finally latched on in the NFL. The five-time Pro Bowler starred for the Saints from 1986-1994 before joining the expansion Carolina Panthers as a free agent in 1995. Mills spent his post-playing days as Carolina’s linebackers coach. Despite receiving his cancer diagnosis in 2003, Mills coached through his health battle.
Wide receiver Cliff Branch joins Mills as a posthumous enshrinee. The former Raiders legend totaled more career catches and receiving yards than Hall of Famers Lynn Swann (Pittsburgh Steelers), Bob Hayes (Dallas Cowboys) and Paul Warfield (Cleveland Browns). He finally gets the call to Canton after 32 years on the waiting list.
Branch, a former junior college player, was taken by the Raiders in the fourth round (No. 98 overall) of the 1972 NFL Draft and he proceeded to help the franchise to three Super Bowl victories over his 14-year career.
Safety Leroy Butler spent a his entire 12-year career in Green Bay after the Packers selected the Florida State product in the second round (No. 48 overall) in the 1990 NFL Draft. The two-time Super Bowl participant made 38 interceptions and 20.5 sacks in his career. Butler becomes the first defensive back from the 1990 Draft to make it to Canton. Three other members of that draft class have already gained entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and all three were first round picks – Cortez Kennedy (Seahawks), Junior Seau (Chargers), Emmitt Smith (Cowboys).
Pro Football HOF Class of 2022 (Players)
OT Tony Boselli, Jaguars
Draft Position: No. 2 Overall (First Round) – 1995
Seasons Played: 7
All-Pro Selections: 3
WR Cliff Branch, Raiders
Draft Position: No. 98 Overall (Fourth Round) – 1972
Seasons Played: 14
All-Pro Selections: 3
S Leroy Butler, Packers
Draft Position: No. 48 Overall (Second Round) – 1990
Seasons Played: 12
All-Pro Selections: 4
LB Sam Mills, Saints/Panthers
Draft Position: Undrafted Free Agent – 1981
Seasons Played: 12
All-Pro Selections: 3
DL Richard Seymour, Patriots/Raiders
Draft Position: No. 6 Overall (First Round) – 2001
Seasons Played: 12
All-Pro Selections: 5
DT Bryant Young, 49ers
Draft Position: No. 7 Overall (First Round) – 1994
Seasons Played: 14
All-Pro Selections: 2 (also 1999 NFL Comeback Player of the Year)
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