The draft had ended in 2012 and no team thought Rodney McLeod was worthy of a selection. Fifty defensive backs heard their names called, leaving McLeod surprised by his exclusion from the group.
So he went through the usual post-draft recruiting frenzy for undrafted players and signed with the St. Louis Rams. They had a new coaching staff that season and invited three undrafted safeties to join the roster. McLeod was told that one of them would make the 53-man team.
"That's all I could ask for, is an opportunity," McLeod said.
Five seasons later, McLeod is a starting safety on the Eagles in the first year of a five-year, $37 million contract he signed in March.