In 2017, the San Francisco 49ers elected to grab a relatively unknown tight end out of Iowa in Round 5 of that year’s NFL Draft.
The player selected, George Kittle, wasn’t known for his massive stat sheet at the college level. He was seen as a good blocker and someone who was capable of creating a few yards after the catch, which due to Iowa’s relatively simple offense, wasn’t reflected by lofty yard totals prior to the year.
Three pro seasons later, Kittle is the No. 1 tight end in the NFL and has already set numerous records in his still-brief career.