Will One of These Players Be the Next Tom Brady?

Little did NFL fans know at the time just what kind of impact this "meaningless" 6^th round pick would have on the entire NFL.

Besides Brady, the 6^th round has also produced several other NFL standouts in recent years like, QB Matt Hasselbeck, QB Marc Bulger, RB Chester Taylor, and LB Cato June.

And just last season we saw guys like Indianapolis Colts safety Antoine Bethea and Tampa Bay QB Bruce Gradkowski step in and make contributions in their rookie seasons after being selected in the 6^th round.

Here are some players from this year's 6^th round who I think could be "sleepers".....

Jordan Kent WR Oregon - Seattle Seahawks(36^th pick in 6^th round - #210 overall)

Jordan Kent didn't play football in high school and only played 2 seasons of football while at Oregon, yet he still stands out as a player who could make some waves in the NFL.

Instead of playing football, Kent focused on basketball and track in high school, where he was a standout in both sports. He then moved on to The University of Oregon to play basketball for his father, Oregon head coach Ernie Kent. Jordan was also a force on Oregon's track team as well.

In 2005 Kent decided to give football a try and saw limited action as a backup wide receiver, catching only 3 passes for 114 yards and 1 touchdown. After football season was over, he joined the basketball team and averaged 3.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in 25 games.

In 2005-2006, Kent became the first Division 1 college athlete since North Texas' Adrian Awasom, in 2001-2002, to letter in 3 sports in the same school year.

In 2006 Kent decided to concentrate on football and had a breakout season that caught the attention of NFL scouts. He caught 44 passes for 491 yards and had 4 touchdowns.

Kent is still extremely raw as a football player, but there is no doubt that he is an NFL caliber athlete. He is also the son of a Division 1 basketball head coach and shows the work ethic and intelligence sons of coaches often do.

At 6-4 and 217 pounds, Kent is a big target for quarterbacks, who also has the speed and leaping ability to make plays down the field.

Seattle is a perfect fit for Kent, and he should do well in the Seahawks west coast offense. It may take a year or two for Kent to fully develop, but when he does he could become a very solid #2 receiver in the NFL.

Ryan Smith CB Florida - Tennessee Titans(32^nd pick in 6^th round - #206 overall)

Smith was one of several athletes to take advantage of a new NCAA rule that allowed student athletes enrolled in graduate school to transfer from one university to another without having to sit out a full season, as transfers normally do.

Frustrated with the outlook of his future at the University of Utah, Smith decided to take advantage of the new rule and transfer to the University of Florida, the team coached by the man who recruited him out of high school, Urban Meyer.

Smith stepped right in and made the Gators secondary one of the most talented and experienced units in the nation on their way to the National Championship.

Smith has good speed and ball skills for a corner. He also has excellent football instincts and the ability to make plays, his 8 interceptions this past season at Florida show that.

So why did Ryan Smith fall to Round 6?

Simple...Many think he's just not big enough for the NFL game. Smith has a lean build and is only 174 pounds. He's also not a very physical player and durability has been an issue with Smith in the past.

Although Smith isn't very big, he is stronger than he looks. And while he will never be mistaken for Ronnie Lott or John Lynch, he is still an average tackler.

With the suspension of Adam "PacMan" Jones for the entire season, the Titans needed help at corner and did a nice job snagging a skilled player like Smith in the latter end of the 6^th round.

Smith may never end up being a top notch "shut down" corner in the NFL, but his ball skills and cover ability will make him a valuable player, especially in nickel and dime packages covering receivers in the slot. If he's able to get stronger he may one day be a very solid starting cornerback in the NFL, but even if that isn't the case it's likely Smith's cover ability will make him a valuable player for several years in the NFL, even if it's only as a situational player.

Mike Richardson CB Notre Dame - New England Patriots (28^th pick in 6^th round - #202 overall)

Mike Richardson seems like a nice fit for the New England Patriots. He's an intelligent corner who is better in zone than man-to-man coverage, and he's also a player who doesn't have a problem coming up and helping out on the edge in run support.

Richardson had a very solid career while in South Bend. He started 30 games over the course of his final 3 seasons, and finished with 8 career interceptions.

Early on, Richardson's main contribution for the Pats will likely be on special teams. However, don't be shocked to see him in as a contributor in nickel and dime packages for the Patriots by midseason.

H.B. Blades ILB Pittsburgh - Washington Redskins(5^th pick in 6^th round - #179 overall)

Blades is short, stocky linebacker who doesn't "wow" you with his speed or size, but always seems to be around the football. Blades is built like Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas, and plays like former Dolphin and Jet linebacker Bryan Cox.

If the "Blades" name sounds familiar to you it's probably because you remember his father, Bennie Blades, who starred at safety for the Miami Hurricanes and went on to be an All Pro safety in the NFL with the Detroit Lions. Or maybe you remember H.B.'s uncle, Brian, who played wide receiver at Miami and spent 11 seasons in the NFL as a member of the Seattle Seahawks.

H.B. Blades was a dominant player at Pitt who made an impact as a true freshman, and was named First Team All-Big East his next 3 seasons. In 2006, Blades was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year and was a First team All-American selection while registering 147 tackles.

Blades slipped to the 6^th round due to concerns over his height and speed, and the Redskins were wise to grab him at this point of the draft.

Blades may not have prototype NFL size or speed at linebacker but he makes up for those deficiencies in other areas. He has a nonstop "motor" and great football instincts. Blades comes from a football family and will know what it takes for him to become a professional football player.

I look for Blades to make an instant contribution with the 'Skins this season on special teams, and I feel that Redskins fans will see him making a significant contribution on defense sometime after midseason.

The Redskins signed former Buffalo Bills linebacker London Fletcher this offseason as a free agent. Fletcher (5-10 245) is a player who is built just like Blades (6-0 240) , and also plays like him. Fletcher is the perfect player for Blades to learn from.

Only time will tell, but Blades could end up being one of the biggest steals of the draft. Other linebackers similar in size to Blades have slid on draft day and still become solid players. I look for Blades to continue to be a productive player in the NFL, it may take him a year or two, but it will be worth the wait for the Redskins.