If you were one of the millions of viewers that tuned in to this year’s Super Bowl, you witnessed Tom Brady win his fourth league title, third Super Bowl MVP, and set a Super Bowl record for completed passes. He will without question go down as one of the greatest to ever play the game. Not a bad resume for the 199^th pick of the 2000 draft that was never intended to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.

If you take a closer look at the entire 60 minutes of play of Super Bowl 49, you’ll notice that it wasn’t just Tom Brady that led the New England Patriots to victory. You see Julian Edelman, a seventh round draft pick that converted from a college quarterback at Kent State University to professional wide receiver, that hauled in nine catches, one of which was the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. You see Malcolm Butler, an undrafted rookie, with the last minute interception that sealed the game.

What do these Super Bowl heroes all have in common? They were all once unproven players that stepped up and got the job done when given the opportunity to do so.

These particular individuals would have never had the chance to flourish had they not been given the chance to make their contribution. Just as a candidate in the market that seems to fit almost all of the parameters that you are looking for in your next hire, but yet may lack some of the exact experience.

Chances are, you or someone you know has been in a similar position in their career. Eager, confident, and ready to make an impact. The only thing missing was the chance to perform. Once given the opportunity, it is the Unproven Candidate that can make the biggest contributions to the team’s success.