NFL Draft History: 5 best NFL players ever drafted 25th Overall

Xavier Rhodes (2013 NFL Draft – Minnesota Vikings)

The final entry on this list is the player who went 25th overall the year after Dont’a Hightower did, and that is Xavier Rhodes.

Rhodes was a standout cornerback coming into the 2013 NFL Draft out of Florida State, earning First Team All-ACC honors in 2012. The Minnesota Vikings selected him 25th overall in 2013, and found themselves with a dependable, and at times elite corner.

Rhodes made three Pro Bowls (2016, 2017, and 2019), and earned a First-Team All-Pro selection in 2017. Rhodes has been productive in his nine seasons as a pro, tallying 453 tackles, 92 pass deflections, 13 interceptions, and two pick-sixes.

Rhodes is the holder of two franchise records for the Vikings, those being the most passes defended by a rookie (10), and their longest interception return (100-yard pick-six in 2016). 2016 might have been Rhodes’ most productive season in terms of numbers, intercepting five passes, deflecting 11, making 52 tackles, and forcing a fumble.

Rhodes built upon his breakout 2016 season with another solid campaign in 2017. Rhodes intercepted two passes, defended 10 passes, and made 56 tackles. It was a good enough season to earn Rhodes the aforementioned First-Team All-Pro selection.

Rhodes would play two more seasons in Minnesota before being released in 2020 and signing with the Indianapolis Colts. After 2017, Rhodes’ productiveness and effectiveness started to tail off, allowing an average passer rating of 97.65 from 2018 to 2021, including a rough 123.8 rating in 2019. Rhodes is currently a free agent and is looking for a new team to call home.

Rhodes was a productive and quality corner for the first few years of his career and could prove to be a dependable veteran for the next team to sign him. If the Bills were to land a corner at 25th overall who has a similar production level to what Rhodes has been able to do, that would be a win for them in itself.