3. LB Cory Littleton
Undrafted out of Washington, Littleton would earn a spot on the roster. He went from that to appearing in every game as a rookie and was named the team’s Rookie of the Year.
Despite his solid rookie performance, he entered his second season as a backup behind first-round picks Mark Barron and Alec Ogletree. His third season, the team traded away Ogletree and Littleton was a full-time starter for the first time. He took that and earned a spot in the Pro Bowl.
Last season he improved his tackle numbers and was the most coveted linebacker on the free-agent market, signing a lucrative long term deal with the Raiders.
Every step of the way, Littleton proved he was worth more than his undrafted status. But he needed the opportunity for that first step.
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