Top 5 late-round NFL draft picks of all-time

The latter stages of the NFL can be a slow, unraveling process, one where the prospects' highlight reels get scarcer and grainier as the affair reaches its conclusion. Football casuals and die-hards alike nonetheless stick with it, eager to tell stories of where they were when their team added the future Super Bowl MVP.

We look back on the days of NFL Draft past, taking a glance at the finest late-round draft picks that made a sizable impact on the teams that took them

QB Tom Brady, New England (2000)

Brady during his last AFC title game appearance with New England in 2019

Has anyone done more for the television ratings of the NFL Draft's third day than Brady? The entire concept is now defined by fans sitting around and claiming that their team's day three ledger contains the services of the next Tom Terrific.

Any list of late-round NFL draft gems obviously has to start with Brady. Despite a respectable showing in two seasons as a starter at Michigan, Brady famously fell to the sixth round and 199th pick of the new century's first draft. By now, everyone knows that the rest is history: Brady has spent the past two decades going from No. 199 to No. 1, topping almost every major passing metric — the most valuable being the seven Super Bowl rings that grace his fingers.

C Tom Nalen (1994)

Nalen (C) during a September 2006 game against Kansas City

Skill players dominate the discussion when it comes to the Denver Broncos' success near the turn of the century. But John Elway, Terrell Davis, Shannon Sharpe and Co.'s success wouldn't have been possible without the trench antics of Nalen, the team's seventh-round pick (218th overall) in 1994. Nalen's impact was felt far beyond the championship triumphs: six different Denver running backs earned four-digit yardage seasons thanks to his protection over a 14-year-long career.

QB Roger Staubach, Dallas (1964)

Staubach throws out the first pitch prior to Game 5 of the 2011 World Series

Following a sterling career and a term of service in the Naval Academy's Supply Corps, Staubach embarked on a career with the Dallas Cowboys, who used a "future" selection in the 10th round of the 1964 draft while he fulfilled his service requirements.

Staubach went on to become one of the first stars of America's Team, sealing his hold on the franchise quarterback role against Craig Morton with an MVP performance in Super Bowl VI, the first of Dallas' five championships. Three more Super Bowl appearances awaited Staubach and the Cowboys (another victory coming in the 12th edition), and he later became the thrower of the original Hail Mary during a 1975 playoff win over Minnesota.

In 2018, Staubach became the first player (alongside former pursuer Alan Page) to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

LB Zach Thomas, Miami (1996)

Thomas seen during an October 2007 game

The NFL Draft process has grown from two days in April to a 24/7 behemoth where one play — either on or off the field — can change the course of the entire draft. Nothing showcases that more than the popularity of the Scouting Combine, which has caused seismic shifts to countless mock drafts.

Thomas, a dominant linebacker out of Texas Tech, was the victim of a subpar combine, with many believing that his NFL ceiling was a special teams contributor. Instead, the fifth-round pick (154th overall) immediately took over the starting role and went on to embark on a dominant 12-year career with the Dolphins, one that saw him reach seven All-Pro teams and the NFL's All-2000s team. Shockingly, he has yet to receive a call from Canton.

C Mike Webster, Pittsburgh (1974)

When asked to name the major contributors to the Pittsburgh Steelers' legendary dynasty of the 1970s, one usually lists names like Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, and Mean Joe Greene. Webster, however, was an indispensable part of the championship runs, serving as the reliable center for a majority of the championship treks. Upon his retirement in 1990, Webster was the final holdover from each of the Steelers' four championship teams. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.

Tragically, however, Webster is perhaps more recognized for his post-playing career. He suffered from several illnesses and often disappeared for weeks at a time before passing away at the age of 50 due to a heart attack. The lineman was posthumously diagnosed with CTE, and his struggles with the disease and mental illness were depicted in the 2015 Will Smith film Concussion.