Matt Cassel and the other biggest USC Trojans football NFL Draft gems since 2000

In the draft, teams often use late-round picks on defensive backs because DBs can do so many different things for a football team, especially play special teams. Sometimes, though, those late-round DBs turn into excellent players as was the case with Malcolm Smith.

The Southern California native was a very late seventh-round pick in the 2011 draft. In fact, was pick No. 242 overall going to the Seattle Seahawks. Little did anyone know at the time but he would soon become a Super Bowl MVP.

In 2014, the Seahawks would face the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. That day, in a 43-8 stomping of the Broncos, Smith would register ten tackles, recover a fumble, and return an INT for a touchdown to earn the game's MVP honors. He was the first defensive player to win the award since 2003.

In his career, Smith would play 11 seasons. He also spent time with the Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Cleveland Browns.

He finished with 518 career tackles, seven interceptions, and 24 pass deflections in 134 career games. That makes him an unquestioned draft gem.