There are not a lot of fifth round picks who go on to make the Hall of Fame, so it’s hard to believe that Kevin Greene is not No. 1 on this list. The problem is, it took Greene a very long time to get on the field for the Rams.
Despite recording 7.0 and 6.5 sacks in Years 2 and 3 of his career, Greene didn’t start a game until 1988, his fourth season in the league. That season, he was dominant, posting 16.5 sacks and he was even better in 1989 when he matched that sack total and was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time.
While he was dominant in LA, Greene’s career may have actually peaked with three seasons in Pittsburgh, leading the league in sacks with 14 in 1994. Greene played at an elite level into his mid 30s and finished his career with 160.0 and 23 forced fumbles. Not bad for a fifth-rounder.