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Tom Brady might not have made it to the NFL if team scouts and front executives based his capability on his NFL Combine performance. Luckily for him, the New England Patriots selected him in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft and kept him as the fourth quarterback in their depth chart.
The rest is history after Mo Lewis knocked Drew Bledsoe out during the Patriots’ home opener during the 2001 season. However, Tom Brady’s Combine story isn’t unique because other players failed those drills and tests but ended up with impressive NFL careers.
5 NFL Combine flops turned starts like Tom Brady
Tom Brady’s story is unique because he waited for 199 picks before getting drafted. The other players on this list did not have to wait that long, but their NFL Combine output might have affected their draft stock.
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However, they are proof that the results from those exercises won’t define a career. These players collected astonishing stats and achievements even if they started incorrectly. Coincidentally, all won a Super Bowl during their lengthy careers.
#1 – Orlando Brown Jr.
While he was a Unanimous All-American in his final season with the Oklahoma Sooners, he didn’t fare well during the 2018 Combine.
He ran the 40-yard dash in 5.85 seconds and had only 14 reps on the bench press, finishing last in both categories among offensive linemen. His 19.5-inch vertical jump and 82-inch broad jump did not look good compared to the other draft prospects.
But after registering better numbers during his Pro Day, the Baltimore Ravens selected him in the third round of the 2018 draft. The Ravens traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2021 offseason and won Super Bowl 57 a year later. The four-time Pro Bowler now plays for the Cincinnati Bengals.
#2 – Anquan Boldin
A wide receiver who finished the 40-yard dash in 4.71 seconds might not attract attention from NFL teams. That happened to Boldin during the 2003 Combine after completing his college football stint at Florida State.
Luckily for him, the Arizona Cardinals looked beyond that number by selecting him in the second round (54th overall). It was a fantastic decision because he won that season’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Boldin established a then-rookie-record 1,377 receiving yards.
He had a 14-season NFL career, highlighted by becoming the 2015 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year honoree. Boldin is a three-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl 47 winner with the Baltimore Ravens. He also suited up for the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions before retiring in August 2017.
#3 – Terrell Suggs
NFL teams would like their pass rushers to be quick. However, Suggs didn’t live up to that billing during the 2003 Combine after finishing the 40 in a pedestrian 4.84 seconds. Likewise, he only had 19 reps on the bench press.
Those numbers did not deter the Ravens to select him tenth overall in the 2003 draft. He played all but one season for the Ravens in his 16-year NFL career. Throughout that span, he won Super Bowls 47 with the Ravens and 54 with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Suggs had two All-Pro and seven Pro Bowl selections. He was the 2003 Defensive Rookie of the Year. Eight years later, he was the league’s Defensive Player of the Year after tallying 14 sacks, 70 tackles, seven forced fumbles, and two interceptions.
#4 – Drew Brees
Despite being a two-time First Team All-Big Ten member, Brees fell into the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft after running the 40 in 4.83 seconds, 0.45 seconds faster than Tom Brady’s mark. Brees also completed the three-cone drill in 7.09 seconds.
After becoming a free agent in 2005, Brees signed with the New Orleans Saints and played there until he retired in 2020. It was a memorable stint because he helped the Saints win their first Super Bowl title after decades of futility. He also took home MVP honors in Super Bowl 44.
The former Purdue standout received recognition for his performances through five All-Pro and 13 Pro Bowl selections. He is a two-time Offensive Player of the Year and the 2006 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year awardee.
#5 – Tom Brady
Aside from his 5.28-second 40, he finished the three-cone drill in 7.20 seconds and had a 24.5-inch vertical jump. Because of his Combine performance, six quarterbacks got off the draft board ahead of him.
By the time he finally called it quits after the 2022 season, Tom Brady established records that would be difficult to break.
The seven-time Super Bowl winner holds the career record for quarterback wins (251), completions (7,753), touchdowns (649), and passing yards (89,214). Tom Brady has six All-Pro and 15 Pro Bowl selections. He is also a three-time NFL MVP, a five-time Super Bowl MVP, and a two-time Offensive Player of the Year.
