New York Giants: Top 10 Third Round Draft Picks of All-Time
By Neal Lynch
8. Roman Oben, Louisville Cardinals (1996)
Games: 50
Approximate Value: 22
Average AV Per Season: 7
The Giants selected Louisville Cardinals tackle Roman Oben 66th overall in the 3rd round of the 1996 NFL Draft, before West Virgina d-tackle John Browning went to the Kansas City Chiefs, Colorado State D-end Brady Smith went to the New Orleans Saints, and East Tennessee State d-back Donnie Abraham went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Roman was the first Cameroonian-born NFL player drafted. The ’96 Draft was also when Big Blue picked Cedric Jones 5th overall in the first round.
Though Roman only played three full seasons with the Giants, he never missed a start from 1997 – 1999 after playing in only two games his rookie year. Oben accrued an approximate value of 7 in ’97 and ’98 then put up an eight in ’99 before signing with the Cleveland Browns in 2000. Roman went on to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – where he was a member of the Super Bowl XXXVII championship team – and the San Diego Chargers with his best season coming as a Bolt in 2004 when he earned an AV of 10.
We also called Roman one of the top draft steals of the 1990s.
Next: THIS TIGER WAS A BALLHAWK