NFL
What draft position was Tom Brady selected and what college did he play for?
Recognizing the college where Brady played before being drafted into the NFL is crucial, given his status as the greatest quarterback ever.
NFL Draft 2024 live online: First-round picks, teams, players and big board updates
The NFL Draft is fast approaching, and it’s worth remembering that back in the day Tom Brady, widely considered the greatest quarterback in history, was selected in a later round and played college football at the University of Michigan. Brady played in 29 games during his college career, accumulating 4,773 yards with 30 touchdowns and 17 interceptions while completing 61.9% of his passes.
How did Tom Brady perform at Combine 2000?
At the Scouting Combine for the year 2000, Brady’s performance was lackluster. He ran the 40-yard dash in 5.28 seconds, the second-slowest time, and his vertical jump was 24.5 inches with a time of 4.38 in the 20-yard cone drill. Scouting reports indicated that his build was weak and thin without the necessary mobility to avoid pressure, and he lacked a powerful deep-throwing arm with an unaesthetic spiral. Nonetheless, he was drafted by the New England Patriots and became one of the most successful quarterbacks ever.
The 2000 Draft’s first round saw notable picks such as linebackers Brian Urlacher and Keith Bulluck, running backs Shaun Alexander and Jamal Lewis, wide receiver Plaxico Burress, and kicker Sebastian Janikowski, selected 17th overall by the Raiders.
Brady was not among the top picks as six quarterbacks were chosen before him: Chad Pennington, Giovanni Carmazzi, Chris Redman, Tee Martin, Marc Bulger, and Spergon Wynn, with only Pennington and Bulger having decent careers. However, with the 199th pick in the sixth round, the Patriots selected Brady, who would later become the franchise’s all-time leader in all available quarterback statistics and lead the team to six Super Bowl championships.
Most successful NFL quarterbacks not drafted in first round
Although Tom Brady is the most successful quarterback to be drafted outside the first round, several other notable quarterbacks have had great individual careers despite not being the top prospects initially.
Drew Brees, drafted in the second round of the 2001 Draft, held the record for most career passing yards and touchdown passes until Brady surpassed him. Brees, who played for the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints, amassed an impressive 80,358 yards and 571 touchdowns.
Several Hall of Famers were drafted in the later rounds, including Johnny Unitas, who the Pittsburgh Steelers selected in the ninth round of the 1955 draft process, and Bart Starr, a two-time Super Bowl MVP with the Green Bay Packers who was drafted in the seventeenth round of the 1956 Draft and won five NFL championships. Roger Staubach, a 10th-round pick in the 1964 Draft, joined the Dallas Cowboys in 1969 after spending his college days in the United States Navy. Staubach won two Super Bowls and was VI MVP.
Frank Tarkenton and Dan Fouts are also historic QBs not taken in the first round. Tarkenton, a nine-time Pro Bowl invitee, led the Minnesota Vikings to become one of the best teams in the NFL during his time as their quarterback. Fouts played a pivotal role in the NFL’s transition to a more passing-oriented offense through the “Air Coryell” system.