15 Greatest NFL Draft Steals of All-Time
By Daniel Tran
1. Tom Brady
Tom “freaking” Brady: there are few players that have brought the same amount of joy for some and the same amount of disgust with others than the pretty boy from northern California. Consistent success brings a certain respectful resentment.
One of the constant narratives that is always brought up is how long in the draft he was taken. After a successful stint at Michigan, Brady was not taken until the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft with the 199th pick by the New England Patriots. The thought process was probably that Bledsoe was getting a little bit older and Bill Belichick could use a project.
Brady would wait patiently behind Bledsoe for a year before Bledsoe got hurt and he would be thrust into the spotlight. Like in the many times he has shown us since he took over the starting job, the spotlight is exactly where he wanted to be.
First, Brady would guide the New England Patriots to three Super Bowl wins in the next four years. Next, Brady would distinguish himself has one of the best quarterbacks ever statistically, peaking in 2007 when he led the league in completion percentage, passing yards, and touchdowns thrown. A fourth championship in 2014 would solidify him as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
After 15 seasons in the league, Brady does not look like he is close to ending his career, which is a scary notion for the rest of the NFL. His overall success (10 Pro Bowls, two NFL MVPs, three Super Bowl MVPs) will result in a first-ballot Hall of Fame election.
Next: Biggest NFL Draft Busts for Each Team
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