You don't expect an eighth-round pick to become one of the best at his position in his first four seasons, but Larry Brown, the afterthought from Kansas State, did exactly that.  The new Washington Redskins Head Coach, Vince Lombardi, pegged Brown to become the starting Running Back, and he blossomed after Lombardi noticed that he was hearing-impaired in one year, and he was permitted to get an audio device in his helmet to listen to his Quarterback's signals.  It worked, as Brown went to the Pro Bowl as a rookie and for the next three seasons, including two First Team All-Pro selections.  He had an excellent 1970, winning the Rushing Title, but in 1972 he led the league in Yards From Scrimmage and Approximate Value and won the MVP, Bert Bell Award, and Offensive Player of the Year.  More importantly, that year for the Redskins, he would take them to the Super Bowl in a loss to the Miami Dolphins.

Brown would become beset with injuries, but he would play his entire career with Washington and would accumulate 8,360 Yards From Scrimmage with 55 Touchdowns.

Bill Bergey came to the Cincinnati Bengals from Arkansas State, where, as a rookie, the linebacker went to the Pro Bowl.  Bergey didn't make the Pro Bowl again as a Bengal, but he was undoubtedly a strong player Cincinnati coveted until they grew upset with him.

Bergey signed a "futures contract" with the Florida Blazers of the World Football League, which would have taken effect in 1976.  The Bengals opted to trade him instead of keeping someone who would be gone in two years, and he went to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he continued his career.  Because the WFL didn’t last long and the Blazers didn't exist in ’76, the Eagles came out way ahead in this trade.  This turn of events had to irk the Bengals to no end, as in 1974 and 1975, he was named a First Team All-Pro, was an elite tackler (he would have a 233 Tackle season), and when his contract was up, he resigned with the Eagles.  Bergey would go on to have three straight Second Team All-Pro selections (1976-78) and would help the Eagles reach Super Bowl XV.  He would also go to four more Pro Bowls with Philadelphia.

Coming to the NFL as the 6^th Overall Pick in 1939, Bill Osmanski was a star at Holy Cross when that school was at its peak.  The Fullback had one of the best starts of anyone at his position, as the Chicago Bears led the NFL in Rushing Yards with 699, and in the 1940 NFL Championship, he rushed for 100 Yards in their 73-0 rout over the Washington Redskins.  Osmanski never had a year like that again, but he remained an integral part of the Bears and was a Pro Bowl Selection in his first three seasons.

In addition to that 1940 Championship, Osmanski helped the Bears with the 1941 and 1943 NFL titles.  Like many Americans in the NFL, he joined the military and missed years in the NFL due to World War II.  He returned for two more seasons (1946 & 1947), with 1946 bringing his fourth NFL Championship.

Osmanski would be chosen for the 1940’s All-Decade Team.

Nicknamed the "Mad Bomber," Daryle Lamonica signed with the Buffalo Bills of the AFL, where he saw limited playing time at Quarterback playing behind Jack Kemp.  He did get to play, however, and was a part of the Bills' 1964 and 1965 AFL Championships.  Lamonica was traded to the Oakland Raiders, and he was finally the starting QB and had the chance to show what he could do, which, as it turned out, would be a lot!

Lamonica ran the Raiders offense, and in his first year there, he led the AFL in Touchdown Passes (30), won the AP and UFI MVP, and led Oakland to its first AFL Championship.  1969 was another phenomenal season for Lamonica, as he would win the UPI MVP again while again leading the AFL in Touchdown Passes (34).  He also would throw for a league-leading 3,302 Yards.  Lamonica remained with the Raiders until 1974 and finished his career with a year in the World Football League.