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Steve Atwater provided a decade of defensive dominance for the Denver Broncos

The jump from college football to the National Football League is daunting. Hundreds of of players get drafted every year but only a handful make a significant impact early on. Whether it’s struggling with the mental aspect of the game or falling victim to its physical nature, most prospects never ascend to the heights they have dreamed of their whole lives.

Even those who flash moments of greatness early on usually fade away. Longevity and continued success in professional football is hard to come by. It’s extremely rare for a player to be dominant from day one and continue that trek through the duration of their career.