When you watch professional athletes on T.V., it's easy to think about how good they must have been in high school and college. However, many of these athletes were not 5-star recruits or top draft picks. Here is a list of 11 successful professional athletes who were underdogs earlier in their lives:
1. Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner went from stocking shelves at a grocery store to becoming a Super Bowl-winning quarterback in the NFL. He played college football at the University of Northern Iowa and was the Gateway Conference's Offensive Player of the Year. After graduating, Warner entered the 1994 NFL Draft, but unfortunately went undrafted. He eventually had a successful career with teams like the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals, making him one of the greatest underdogs of all time. You can now watch a movie based on Warner's life called “American Underdog.”
2. Michael Oher
The college football underdogs don't just stop at Warner. Michael Oher's inspiring story was depicted in the book and film “The Blind Side.” He overcame a challenging upbringing where his mother was involved with drugs and alcohol and his father was in and out of prison. He was recruited to play college football at the University of Mississippi before being drafted into the NFL by the Baltimore Ravens, where he had a successful career as an offensive lineman.
3. Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler started his college basketball career at the JuCo level. He played one year at Tyler Junior College before transferring to Marquette University. He had an impressive three years at Marquette but was still a 30th NBA draft pick in 2011. Despite being overlooked by many NBA teams, he worked his way up and is now a six-time NBA All-Star and an NBA Finals Champion.
4. Tom Brady
Widely considered one of the GOATs, Tom Brady was not always one of the best ever. Brady was not heavily recruited out of high school and played college football at the University of Michigan. Despite being the 199th NFL Draft pick in 2000, Brady has gone on to become one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, winning 7 Super Bowls (most in NFL history) and earning countless awards with the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
5. Malcolm Butler
Malcolm Butler played college football at the University of West Alabama. As an undrafted free agent, he made a game-winning interception in Super Bowl XLIX, helping the New England Patriots secure a victory. Butler went on to have a successful career as a cornerback in the NFL with the Patriots and the Tennessee Titans.
6. Victor Cruz
Victor Cruz played college football at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. After also going undrafted, he signed with the New York Giants and became a standout wide receiver. Cruz's career included a Super Bowl win and multiple Pro Bowl appearances.
7. Lynn Williams
Lynn Williams received one college soccer offer out of high school from Pepperdine University. She made her mark in college and ended up being the 6th pick in the 2015 NWSL Draft. She has since won 3 NWSL Championships, 3 NWSL Shields, 1 NWSL MVP award, was a part of the 2020 USA Olympic team, and will be playing for the USWNT this month in the World Cup.
8. David Eckstein
David Eckstein played college baseball at the University of Florida. Not only was Eckstein not a top draft pick, but he was also the 581st pick in the 19th round (out of 20 rounds). Considered too small for the professional leagues, he proved his critics wrong by becoming a two-time World Series champion and winning the World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
9. Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie played college football at Boston College. He was the 285th pick in the 1985 draft, which is the lowest draft number for any future Heisman winner in NFL history. Despite being considered too small for the NFL, he had a successful professional career and became known for his memorable “Hail Mary” pass while playing for the Boston College Eagles.
10. Jeremy Lin
The next of the underdogs is Jeremy Lin. Jeremy Lin played college basketball at Harvard University. Undrafted and overlooked by many NBA teams, he gained international attention during the “Linsanity” phenomenon, where he emerged as a star player for the New York Knicks. He ended up with an impressive career, winning an NBA championship and the ESPY Breakthrough Athlete of the Year.
11. Warren Moon
Last but not least, the last of our underdogs is Warren Moon. Warren Moon had very few college offers despite having a very successful high school career. He ended up playing for two years at West Los Angeles Community College and his other two years at the University of Washington. He still did not generate enough attention and many scouts still held the stereotype that quarterbacks could not be Black players. Moon went undrafted in the 1978 NFL Draft. Moon eventually became the first professional quarterback to pass for 5,000 yards in a season, nine career Pro Bowls, and NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
