Jimmy Garoppolo wasn't the first quarterback the New England Patriots drafted even with Tom Brady on the roster, nor would he be the last.
But the selection of Jimmy G was unlike the others.
Drafted in the second round, 62nd overall in 2014, Garoppolo came aboard at a time when the Patriots were coming off of their ninth straight season without a title and Brady, about to turn 37, was coming off of one of the worst seasons of his career. New England had drafted a pair of quarterbacks in the third round through the years (Kevin O'Connell in 2008 and Ryan Mallett in 2011), but never earlier than that.