NFL Trade Deadline: 30 greatest trades in NFL history

9. 49ers trade up in draft to snag Jerry Rice

Playing at a smaller school like Mississippi Valley State can make it difficult for some players to make the leap to the NFL, but Jerry Rice certainly didn’t have any trouble with that. When looking at his Pro Football Hall of Fame career, where he would go on to set numerous receiving records, we have to wonder how he slipped through the cracks in the recruiting process in college.

Regardless, there were a handful of teams in the 1985 NFL Draft that though about adding Rice to their roster. It would be the San Francisco 49ers that ended up with the wideout at No. 16.

Of course, there’s always more to a story than some people realize. There was talk surrounding the Dallas Cowboys expressing interest in Rice at No. 17 to boost their receiving corps. That means if the 49ers really wanted him, they would have to make moves.

Luckily for San Francisco, the team was able to trade up from No. 28 with the New England Patriots to change the course of NFL history Rice would go on to have the best career of any receiver in the history of football.

To this day, some Cowboys fans still seem frustrated over the thought of Rice suiting up for their team, and wondering what could have been. However, also it’s tough to feel too bad for them, as it wasn’t that much longer until they managed to win three Super Bowls in four years. In 16 seasons with the 49ers, Rice would go on to record 1,281 catches for 19,247 yards and 176 touchdowns.

Most importantly, Rice would become a three-time Super Bowl champion with San Francisco. This makes the 49ers’ decision in 1985 even more valuable since chances are they may not have won those titles without him.