The Biggest Draft Steals in NFL History

Pro Football fans love to talk about the NFL draft. We love talking busts and steals, this article is about the best NFL draft steals of all time. Draft steals are players picked in later rounds and have little to no hope of having a great career. All of the players in the article made it into the NFL Hall of Fame or will. Now I consider a steal anyone drafted after the 3^rd or 4^th round who really turn into extra special players. For that reason there will be no first round draft picks on this list. However I really thought hard about putting Jerry Rice on it. I also considered Roger Staubach who was a 10^th round pick. But he would have been picked higher if not for a 5 year naval commitment he had to fulfill. All stats and draft positions are from pro-football-reference.com.

Tom Brady was the 199^th player taken in the 2000 draft and in the 6^th round by the New England Patriots, making him the biggest draft steal in NFL History. Brady bided his time on the bench till an injury to Drew Bledsoe gave him a chance. Tom Brady has helped the Patriots to 3 Super Bowl wins and one loss. He also quarterbacked them to an unprecedented 16-0 regular season in 2007. He has passed for 26,370 yards and 197 touchdowns in 112 NFL games

Joe Montana Was the last person taken in the 3^rd round of the 1979 NFL draft and the 82^nd player taken. The 49ers got a gem in Montana after such notable quarterbacks like Jack Thompson and Steve Fuller were already taken. Montana won 4 Super Bowls and became perhaps the best come from behind quarterback in NFL history. He passed for 40,551 yards and 273 touchdowns. He also added 1,676 yards and 20 touchdowns rushing.

Raymond Berry was the 232 player taken and in the 20^th round of the 1954 draft by the Baltimore Colts. He was a slow white guy with very little chance to make the team. All he did was work and work and work to improve his game. He became the favorite receiver of some guy named Unitas and worked himself into the Hall of Fame. Ray Berry played in 154 games and caught 631 passes for 9,275 yards 68 touchdowns.