Top 30 Most Overlooked High School Recruits to Go Pro Since 2000
By Zach Bigalke
Playing for California high-school powerhouse De La Salle during the latter part of its record 151-game winning streak, T.J. Ward nevertheless received little attention from colleges since he only got the chance to start one season. Ward fell completely off the radar of recruiters when that season ended early due to injury. He was nowhere to be found in the scouting service lists of the top defensive back recruits, and without a star to his name Ward was forced to walk on at Oregon. There he slowly developed under defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti into a fearsome defender.
He earned a scout team role as a redshirt freshman in 2005, but didn’t see the field in a game until 2007. playing a reserve role in the secondary. He became a starter the following year, and finished the season with 101 total tackles, an interception, and a sack. Ward was injured early in his final year with the Ducks, but managed to come back to help lead Oregon to its first Rose Bowl appearance in 15 years. Drafted 38th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, Ward has been a mainstay in the pros. After moving to Denver in 2014, he was a key player in the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 win over Carolina as he finished with seven tackles, an interception, and a recovered fumble.