2021 NFL Draft: Potential late-round steals at quarterback

The most talked-about position in football is also the most important and here are some potential steals in the 2021 NFL draft. 

Lets be honest: a good quarterback and a great quarterback is the difference between 8 wins and a Super Bowl.

A quarterback is looked at as the guy to lead his team to the promise land. If a team does well, it’s because he does well. If a team doesn’t do well, that’s his fault too.

At least that’s the narrative most of the time.

Elite quarterbacks are usually found early in the NFL draft. Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are all first round picks. But just because you go that early doesn’t automatically make you a star. For every Patrick Mahomes, there’s a Jamarcus Russell. For every Josh Allen, there’s a JP Losman.

Of course, if you’re going to talk draft steals, you have to start with the greatest draft steal in NFL history: Tom Brady.

Tom Brady was a sixth round selection. 199th overall. NFL scouts saw 198 players better than him in 2000. It turns out not only were none of those 198 better than Brady, there might not be anyone in NFL history better than Brady. Seven Super Bowl wins and three league MVP’s speaks for itself.

If you look beyond Brady, a good number of other NFL greats have been taken late in the NFL draft. Roger Staubach was taken in the 10th round. Kurt Warner was an undrafted Free Agent and went on to win two MVP’s.

This year looks no different. This year’s class is led by five superstars: Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Mac Jones, Justin Fields and Trey Lance. It’s possible four of those guys are taken in the top five, and almost certain they’ll all be gone by the time pick 11 rolls around.

That’s taking away attention from some of the other guys in this year’s draft. It’s certainly top heavy, but there are gems to be found.

It’s unlikely we’ll ever see another Tom Brady again, but who could be the next Kurt Warner?