The NFL’s Most Forgotten One-Hit Wonders (And 10 Late Bloomers)

Adam Thielen (Late Bloomer)

Scouts, recruiting services, and everyone in between completely missed on Thielen’s talent and potential. He played his college football at Minnesota State, a division 2 school. He then went undrafted and was lucky to get a chance with the Vikings. Despite failing to make the 53-man roster as a rookie, Thielen was able to hang around on the practice squad and was able to earn his keep early in his career as a special teams player.

Slowly but surely, Thielen saw his role in Minnesota’s offense grow, from eight catches in 2014 to 12 catches in 2015 and eventually 91 catches and a Pro Bowl spot in 2017. He’s now an invaluable part of the Vikings and one of the best receivers in the league.