It might be the most well-known fun fact in sports history at this point, and it's still shocking to think about: Tom Brady lasted all the way until the sixth round (199th overall pick) in the 2000 NFL Draft.
Nearly 22 years ago, Mike Tirico asked ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. to break down the New England Patriots' decision to select the Michigan quarterback with their seventh overall pick in that year's NFL Draft:
To his credit, Kiper didn't bury Brady in any sense and seemed to believe that he was a legitimate NFL prospect.
What's funny, though, is that while Brady wasn't a mobile quarterback, his footwork in the pocket is among the best that the NFL has ever seen and is a major reason why he went on to win a record seven Super Bowl titles, six of which came with the Patriots.
While virtually all quarterbacks that come into the league today have some sense of mobility, Brady was perhaps a tipping point in how we evaluated quarterbacks. The statue quarterback that's unable to move at all when the pocket begins to collapse has become obsolete. However, someone with Brady's footwork and ability to maneuver within the pocket -- even if he's not a threat to take off and run for 20 yards -- will always be able to be successful.
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