NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- In 2005, the Tennessee Titans foolishly spent the No. 6 pick in the draft on troubled cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones.
Not only did Jones embarrass the organization with his list of off-field issues, he often strayed from what he was asked to do on defense.
The Titans bailed themselves out, in many ways, with a seventh-round pick out of Samford a year later. The feisty Cortland Finnegan came into the league with something to prove and turned into a starter in his second season. He was first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in his third season.
Finnegan lasted so long in the draft primarily because he was a small-school guy who hadn't played against high-caliber competition.
He was an underdog who quickly became a fan favorite, though after he "made it" his personality in the locker room changed. The chip on his shoulder could be an issue that left him with different public and private faces.
He earned a more valuable contract heading into his third season then jumped to St. Louis after six seasons. He was not close to the same player with the Rams and the Dolphins but resurfaced after a year out of the league with Carolina during the Panthers' NFC title season in 2015.
The Titans had a lot of late-round success in the early 2000s, particularly with offensive and defensive linemen, because they had excellent position coaches in Mike Munchak and Jim Washburn who helped them develop.
HONORABLE MENTION
Jason McCourty, CB, Rutgers: A sixth-rounder in 2009. Continues to rank as the team's top cornerback and has been a steady presence on defense since he arrived.
Robaire Smith, DL, Michigan State: A sixth-round pick in 2000. He was a solid player who spent five of his 11 NFL seasons with the Titans.
Bo Scaife, TE, Texas: A sixth-rounder in 2005. In six seasons, he caught 251 passes for 2,383 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Eugene Amano, OL, Southeast Missouri State: A seventh-rounder in 2004. Started 68 games in nine seasons, working at both center and guard.