The biggest steals in NFL draft history: Tom Brady, Joe Montana...

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The 2024 NFL draft is almost here and with it comes that ever-intriguing process of rookie talent acquisition that every team in the league undertakes on Draft day.

Of course, while all attention will be focused on which high-profile players are selected in the first and second rounds, it can often be in the later rounds where teams truly strike gold. This year, it’s names such as Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams are hot on everyone’s lips, and they’re both promising stars who look set for future success.

So, what are the biggest sleepers of all time? Those players who snuck under the radar and later became legend, the guys who were truly the biggest steals, who were they? Let’s find out.

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The top 10 best NFL Draft steals of All Time

*Player names are followed by position, draft year and team to whom they were drafted*

10. Johnny Unitas and Raymond Berry: QB & WR, 1955 & 1954, Indianapolis Colts

While you might be wondering why we’ve got two for one here, it’s simply because it would be impossible to name one without the other given the partnership that they formed. The year was 1957 and Unitas led the league in passing yards, while his accomplice Berry led the league in yards. They also managed to do that again in 1959 and 1960 - ridiculous if you ask us - and that was alongside the two championships that they won together in 1958 and 1959 as well. To be clear, Unitas was drafted in the ninth round with the 102nd pick. Berry on the other hand, was drafted in Round 20 with the 232nd picks. Like we said, ridiculous.

9. Richard Sherman: CB, 2011, Seattle Seahawks

Remember the “Legion of Boom?” Well Sherman was a central figure in it. The 154th overall pick in the 2011 Draft would go on to be named an All-Pro on three occasions, win a Super Bowl and be named to the Hall of Fame in clear recognition of his status as one of the best cornerbacks of the last generation. To this day, Sherman’s 16 interceptions in 2012 and 2013 are the most ever in a two-year span. Not bad for a guy who was drafted that far down the line.

8. Tony Romo: QB, 2004, Dallas Cowboys

When you consider that Romo got a last-minute invitation to the 2003 NFL Combine as an extra quarterback to throw passes, you know this is a story worth telling. Even more so, when you understand that he went undrafted in the Draft that year and was eventually signed out of Eastern Illinois by the Dallas Cowboys as a rookie free agent. At the time, Romo was joining a Cowboys team that had lost its way since dominating the mid-90s and boy did Romo respond. By the end of his time with ‘America’s Team’ not only were the Cowboys relevant once again but he’d attended four Pro Bowls along the way.

7. Antonio Brown: WR, 2010, Pittsburgh Steelers

You can say what you like about Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers when it comes to the type of wide receivers that they draft - characters to say the least - but one thing that’s undoubtable is the eye for talent that they have. Antonio Brown is perhaps the perfect example of that. Now, we’re not talking about the Antonio Brown of today who has had public spats with Tom Brady and the Bucs and all other manner of strange goings ons. No, we’re talking about the Antonio Brown who was easily the best wide receiver we’ve seen in years from 2013-2018. During that time, Brown led the league in yards three times and catches twice. He also never went below 1,284 yards during that time. A fact made even more special when realizing that he was the 195th overall pick in 2010.

6. Shannon Sharpe: TE, 1990, Denver Broncos

Though his numbers aren’t exactly the stuff of legend, Sharpe could be considered somewhat of a pioneer of the game. Indeed, it was Sharpe who introduced us to the concept of the modern-day “move” tight end i.e., a wide receiver with a 250-pound frame. Truth be told, if you take a look at Sharpe today who is currently 54-years-old you get the feeling he could still suit up and do damage. A key member of both of Denver’s Super Bowl winning teams, he was also central in helping the Ravens clinch the title in 2000. Keep in mind Sharpe was 192nd overall pick from the 7th round of the 1990 NFL Draft

5. Deacon Jones: DE, 1961, Los Angeles Rams

In 1961, Jones was selected with 186th overall in the 14th-round of the NFL Draft. Who could have guessed that it would be that guy who’d go on to register the most sacks of all time. Interestingly, it’s Jones who is credited with being the individual who first coined the term. As the story goes, George Allen who was head coach at the time told his DL unit ahead of a game against the Cowboys that they’d pour then Dallas QB Craig Morton into a sack. Needless to say, it was Jones who stepped up to the plate and the rest is history. Today his 173.5 unofficial sacks stand as a reminder as to how the game evolved and who forced that evolution.

4. Bart Starr: QB, 1956, Green Bay Packers

Long before names like Rodgers or Favre were known in Wisconsin, there was Bart Starr. The 200th overall pick in the 17th round of the 1956 NFL Draft, Starr would be a central figure during Green Bay’s legendary run from 1961-1967. During that time, the Packers won five championships including the first two Super Bowls in which Star won the MVP award both times. Some will argue that his numbers weren’t as impressive as others out there, but Starr did do one thing that some of those same players didn’t, win.

3. Roger Staubach: QB, 1964, Dallas Cowboys

Many have often commented on the Cowboys propensity for taking risks in the Draft as they search for any advantage they can find. From selecting injured players, to those with off-the-field issues, the Cowboys are always willing to have a go. With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that they selected Staubach out of Navy in the 10th round of the 1964 NFL Draft. Why was that risky? The young QB couldn’t play in the league until he had completed his four years of mandatory military service. A fact made even more questionable due to the nation’s involvement in Vietnam at the time. Yet, fortune would smile on both Dallas and their signal caller. In 1969 he would make his debut and by 1971 he had established himself as a force to be reckoned, winning the Super Bowl that very season. Another would follow in 1977 and with that the man known as “Captain Comeback” would cement his place in Dallas’ history.

2. Joe Montana: QB, 1979, San Francisco 49ers

In 1979 a kid out of Notre Dame was drafted into the NFL as the 82nd overall pick in the third of that year’s NFL Draft. Few could have guessed, that by the time his 16 year career came to an end, he’d be regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play the game and he’s have the second most Super Bowl wins of any quarterback - four out of four to be precise.

A three-time All-Pro and two-time league MVP, Montana stands to this day as a reference point for any budding signal caller. The “Comeback Kid” as he’s known to football fans had a penchant for performing incredible feats in the biggest games. His 1989 season will forever be regarded as one of the most incredible played in the league’s history.

1. Tom Brady: QB, 2000, New England Patriots

To be honest, there is no contest on this list when it comes to Brady. When we look at where Brady came from and where he ended up, it’s simply unbelievable. Following an unimpressive combine performance, Brady was drafted in the 6th round of the 2000 NFL Draft with the 199th overall pick. Firstly, we’ve got his Super Bowl wins which are the most ever with seven. Of those, he’s been named MVP on five occasions. Hall of Fame team for both 2000 and 2010 and let’s not forget 2009′s Comeback Player of the Year award. Brady is arguably the greatest player ever in the history of the NFL and by a long shot.