Ask Joe Montana, Tom Brady, or Dak Prescott- drafting a QB in the lower rounds gives you an edge, a chip on your shoulder that gives you a will to win.
I seemed to remember that Rodgers was past over a few times to. It worked out for him. Don’t think Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes went early either.
Montana was a 3rd rounder, Prescott was a 4th rounder, not exactly the lower rounds. The argument can be made that not going higher motivated them.
Brady, in the 6th round could be called a middle rounder.
The jury is still out as to whether Brady was the right QB for the system or just that good on his own.
How many top 10 picks have flamed out or just been total busts? Four of the top ten busts.
Ryan Leaf
Brian Bosworth
Andre Ware
Tony Mandarich
To round it out, some late round gems.
Brian Sipe 13th
Seth Joyner 8th
Tim Krumrie 10th
Dwight Clark 10th
Rod Martin 12th
Chris Hanburger 18th
Raymond Berry 20th
Sometimes the shiniest object is junk and sometimes what looks like junk is a diamond in the rough.
Getting drafted is a huge factor in the size of a contract. After that it means nothing. Plenty of undrafted players are starters and plenty of 1-3 rounders never last more than a few years.