Tom Brady is one of the greatest names in the game. The legendary quarterback ended his 22-year career in the NFL at the end of the 2021-22 Playoffs. The 7 time Super Bowl champion was not even considered as one of the better prospects when he was drafted. He was pick number 199 in round 6 of the 2000 NFL Draft. Here is a look into Tom Brady’s NFL Draft and how it went.
Tom Brady Draft: Year, Date, Round and Pick number
| Draft Year | Round | Pick Number | NFL Team | Position | College | Conference (College) |
| 2000 | 6 | 199 | New England Patriots | Quarterback | University of Michigan | Big Ten |
Tom Brady was a compensatory pick in round 6 of the 2000 NFL Draft. Brady was utterly dejected as he was not selected in earlier rounds of the Draft. Talent evaluators misjudged Brady and lacked faith in his athletic abilities. However, his passing accuracy and touch were praised.
Grading Tom Brady’s NFL Draft
New England Patriots got themselves one of the best players in the NFL and that too as a compensatory pick. Brady’s Draft is graded the highest simply because of what he helped the Patriots achieve. Brady was the cornerstone behind the Patriot’s domination of the league in the past two decades. He was selected as a fringe player but just after his rookie season Brady turned the tide with his performances and led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl victory. Brady was the greatest pick by the Patriots without them knowing it, and his numerous accolades and career records are there to show for it.
Tom Brady Draft photo: How old was Tom Brady when he went to the NFL?
Brady was 22 years old when he decided to go for the NFL Draft. Brady played for the Wolverines (University of Michigan) from 1995 to 1999 while he pursued a Bachelor of Arts. Brady finished his college career with 442 completions in 710 passing attempts. He also achieved 5351 passing yards and threw 35 touchdown passes. He impressed at Michigan but an unimpressive NFL Scouting Combine led to him being regarded as a light prospect.
Tom Brady’s Draft Bio and Profile
Each year numerous scouts and analysts evaluate the prospects who try to make it to the NFL. The Draft Report contains the history of a player’s college statistics and how they have fared in the NFL Combine. These reports help teams select an appropriate rookie who has the potential to make it in the league.
Brady’s Draft report was underwhelming and it did not foresee the player he would become. Here is a summary of Brady’s Draft Report and Bio.
| Tom Brady | Quarterback, Michigan. 6 ft. 4 inches, 211 pounds |
| Summary | Pocket-type passer who plays best in the dropback-type system. Started for the Michigan Wolverines in ‘96 and ‘97. Smart, experienced big-game signal-caller. Accurate passer who completed and has made a touchdown pass in all 16 games against the Big Ten opposition. |
| Positives | Great height to see across the field. A composed player who is also very alert. Reads coverages and throws passes with great accuracy. Has a little bit of Brian Griese in him. Leadership qualities to see out big games. |
| Negatives | Very skinny build for a quarterback. Lacks physical stature and strength and has the risk of getting pushed down easily. Not mobile enough to avoid a rush. Does not have a strong arm to drive the ball downfield. A system-type player who can get exposed when required to play ad-lib. |
| NFL Combine Note | 40 Yard Dash: 5.20 seconds, 20 Yard Split: 2.99 seconds, 10 Yard Split: 1.77 seconds, Wonderlic: 33 (0-50), Vertical Leap: 24.5 inches, 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.38 seconds & Three Cone: 7.20 seconds |
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How many quarterbacks were chosen before Tom Brady?
Brady was pick number 199 in the 2000 NFL Draft. He was the seventh quarterback to be drafted. The six quarterbacks who were picked before Brady are now referred to as the ‘Brady 6’ as many teams now lament missing out on the opportunity to draft the quarterback. Here is a look into the six quarterbacks who were drafted before Tom Brady in the 2000 NFL Draft:
- Chad Pennington
Pennington was the first quarterback to be drafted in the 2000 Draft. He was pick number 18 in Round 1 of the draft. He joined the New York Jets and played there for eight seasons. He finished his career with the Miami Dolphins in 2010 and he currently resides in Kentucky. Pennington had a career plagued with injuries and he played only two full 16-game seasons. He has a great pas completion percentage of 66% and won NFL Comeback Player of the Year twice.
- Giovanni Carmazzi
Carmazzi was a round 3 pick by the San Francisco 49ers. Carmazzi never made it as a core player for the team and spent two seasons entirely as a backup. He then shifted to NFL Europe and the CFL. Carmazzi ended his football career in 2005 when he retired from his CFL team Calgary Stampeders.
- Chris Redman
Redman was a third-round pick by the Ravens and he was the third-leading passer in the history of the NCAA. He was a backup quarterback in the Ravens team that won Super Bowl XXXV. He finished his career with the Atlanta Falcons in 2011, when they released him.
- Tee Martin
Selected in round 5 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Martin had a short-lived NFL career. After two seasons with the Steelers as a backup, he went to play in NFL Europe. He joined the Eagles for one season and finished his career with the Oakland Raiders. Martin became a coach and currently is the wide receiver coach for the Baltimore Ravens.
- Marc Bulger
Bulger was drafted by the Saints in Round 6 but he was traded to the St. Louis Rams(now Los Angeles Rams) in 2002. He played as a starter for the Rams and made an impressive start. However, injuries and inconsistent plays riddled his career. He finished his career with the Baltimore Ravens in 2010. Bulger made it to two Pro-Bowls and currently pursues curling as a professional sport.
- Spurgeon Wynn
Selected in round 6 of the Draft, Spurgeon Wynn did not have a great NFL career. He played three NFL seasons with the Cleveland Browns and the Minnesota Vikings and played only three matches. He even played in NFL Europe and the CFL where he ended his career in 2006. He currently works as an energy broker in Texas.
Who was the #1 Pick In The NFL When Tom Brady Got Drafted?
Defensive End Courtney Lanair Brown was pick number 1 in the 2000 NFL Draft. Courtney Brown is considered as one of the largest Draft busts for the Cleveland Browns. The highly-rated rookie defensive end was impressive in his first season with a total of 69 tackles and 4.5 sacks. However, injuries plagued him throughout his career and cut it short. He never made an impact for the Browns and was traded to the Denver Broncos in 2005. He reached an AFC Championship game with the Broncos in his final season (2005).
Who was Patriots QB before Brady?
Drew Bledsoe was the starting quarterback for the Patriots before Tom Brady took the NFL by storm. Bledsoe is a four-time Pro Bowler and even helped the Patriots win their first-ever Super Bowl (Super Bowl XXXVI). Bledsoe was the number 1 pick in the 1993 NFL Draft and became a starter for New England Patriots from his rookie year itself. Bledsoe had a major impact on the Patriots as he ended their seven-year playoff drought. The Patriots Hall of Famer ranks second in the history of the franchise in passing yards (29,657) and pass completions (2544). He also threw 166 passing touchdowns for the Patriots.
Who was the quarterback before Tom Brady at Michigan?
In his initial two years at college, Brady was a backup quarterback to future NFL star Brian Griese. Brady competed for the starting quarterback spot with Drew Henson and ultimately replaced him to start every game in the 1998 and 1999 seasons with the Wolverines. Henson went on to play Major League Baseball in 1998 although he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2003 NFL Draft (in case he wanted to play).
