Ranking the 5 best last-round quarterbacks selected in NFL Draft history
Sometimes, the NFL Draft gives you something special at the end of the proceedings and something wildly disappointing in the earliest rounds of the now-multiday event.
Typically, the quarterback position is the quintessential position that both giveth and taketh at such an emotionally provocative level. History is typically written by those upon whom the title of signal-caller is bestowed.
Today, the focus is on the positives, on those who have given fans of their respective teams more than they could ever have bargained for out of a late-round NFL Draft QB.
Here are the 5 best last-round quarterbacks selected in NFL Draft history, ranked
#5 - Kirk Cousins, 2012 fourth-round NFL Draft pick (102)
Say what you will about the things that are said, sometimes, by Vikings QB Kirk Cousins, and remember that this man just completed 66% of his passes in 2021 and that was his lowest conversion rate of any campaign during his four-year stint in the Twin Cities.
Minnesota has been paying Cousins big money that Washington wouldn't, but it was the Robert Griffin III insurance draft pick, selected several rounds after the dual-threat former Baylor Bear, that ended up having longevity in the league.
They've yet to have a full return on investment just yet, having just one postseason appearance to show for all of the cash doled out on each of his exorbitant contracts. Still, Cousins has already proven to be worth the fourth-round flier a decade ago.
#4 Matt Hasselbeck, 1998 sixth-round NFL Draft pick (187)
Matt Hasselbeck was one of the two NFC Championship-winning QBs drafted by Green Bay from 1992-2005. Aaron Rodgers was, of course, the last, but many may forget Brett Favre was a Falcon.
Hasselbeck's career truly took off with the Seattle Seahawks, alongside Shaun Alexander and the 12th man, where he thrice won 10 games or more, and took the Seahawks to Super Bowl XL.
He was the most successful of his brothers, and was still solid in Tennessee and Indianapolis after his decade in the Emerald City.
#3 - Roger Staubach, 1964 10th-round NFL Draft pick (129)
Roger Staubach was the last great passer from any of the US Military academies in the Division I FBS level of college football, and he was the last from his alma mater Navy, Army, or Air Force to win the Heisman trophy.
Winning the Super Bowl MVP trophy in 1971, Staubach amassed a career resume worthy of propelling him to the heights of the Presidential Medal of Freedom back in 2018. The memories (and revenue) generated by his play made him a cultural icon in the sport in its very early stages.
Staubach's name is synonymous with the QB position, and he's one that will live on for two of the United States' proudest football institutions from the 20th century: the Dallas Cowboys and Navy football.
#2 - Johnny Unitas, 1955 ninth-round NFL Draft pick (102)
Johnny Unitas was the mythical figure for the Colts franchise under center long before Peyton Manning became a legend in Indianapolis. Unitas was a Colt back before Baltimore had the Ravens, instead repping blue and white in the "Birthplace of the Star Spangled Banner."
His achievements were astounding: three-time NFL Most Valuable Player (in 1959, 1964, and 1967), five-time first-team All-Pro (in 1958, 1959, 1964, 1965, and 1967), and 10 Pro Bowl appearances.
If not for Unitas, Colts fans would have been conditioned to be spoiled for such a long time with prolonged success like they had in the Peyton Manning days in Indy.
#1 - Tom Brady, 2000 sixth-round NFL Draft pick (199)
Who would we be talking about if Tom Brady wasn't in this spot? Seriously, I want to know.
The greatest QB in the history of the position, Brady has gotten to this point by way of seven Super Bowl wins with two different franchises, and he still possesses the ability to conceivably add a third team and eighth ring to his resume/finger.
There's not much at all to say otherwise. It cannot be stressed enough that the 44-year-old, still considered a top-five QB in the league, still has it. When will that not be the case anymore? It is guess work at this point.