3. Karl Mecklenburg
Pick: 12th Round (310th Overall) Experience: 12 years (12 with Broncos)
Career Stats: 1,118 total tackles; 79 sacks; 5 interceptions; 16 forced fumbles; 2 touchdowns
Honors: 6-time Pro Bowler; 3-time AP 1st-Team All Pro; 1-time AP 2nd-Team All Pro
I’d probably take Steve Atwater over Karl Mecklenburg straight up, but when you take into account the fact that Mecklenburg was drafted 11 rounds (!!) after Atwater, I have to give him the edge in these rankings.
Just think, there are only seven rounds in the NFL draft today, and I can promise you that if you included all the undrafted free agents who make a roster each season, you will not get to 310.
The odds were stacked against Mecklenburg, and he went on to have a Hall of Fame-caliber career — he’s been a semi-finalist for the last five years.
