The seventh round is the “throw it on the wall and see what sticks” portion of the NFL draft. Players selected within the final 40ish picks are essentially glorified undrafted free agents and despite getting their names called are no investments expected to yield tremendous returns for their clubs in the long haul.
Julian Edelman was different, of course. Despite being picked 232nd overall in 2009, Edelman went on to become a cornerstone of the New England Patriots’ dynasty — playing a key role in three Super Bowl-winning runs and establishing himself as one of the most productive pass catchers in postseason history.