The Patriots plucking Tom Brady out of the sixth round (199th overall) in the 2000 NFL Draft has become a regular talking point when it comes to retelling the origins of the team’s two-decade dynasty.
But New England’s unequaled stretch of success was also built off of Bill Belichick and his staff hitting home runs across multiple drafts — unearthing All-Pro talent and cornerstone players further down draft leaderboards.
Even in the higher rounds, New England managed to add some game-changing talent with those final picks in the first round.
Speaking on the “The Pat McAfee Show” Wednesday, Belichick admitted that even he has been surprised over the years about the number of Patriots stars who fell to them unexpectedly when they landed on the clock.