Top NFL draft steals

Brady was a part-time starter at the University of Michigan and wasn’t chosen until the sixth round of the 2000 draft by the New England Patriots. Brady’s career is not over but he already is a more successful pick than Drew Bledsoe, who was the first overall selection by New England in the 1993 draft. Brady is a two-time NFL Most Valuable player, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, a two-time All-Pro selection, has won three Super Bowls and was the MVP in two of those victories.   (Stephan Savoia / Associated Press)

Considered too big to play wide receiver, which he did at Savanna State, Sharpe wasn’t selected until the seventh round of the 1990 draft by the Denver Broncos. He was converted to tight end and became the first to record more than 10,000 receiving yards. He caught 62 touchdown passes and won three Super Bowls, two with Denver and one with the Baltimore Ravens. He had three 1,000-yards receiving seasons, was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times, was first team All-Pro four times, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  (Josh Merwin / Getty Images)

A third-round draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 1979 and a man of many nicknames -- Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe -- the Notre Dame product led 31 fourth quarter come-from-behind victories. He won two league MVP awards, four Super Bowl titles, and three Super Bowl MVP awards. He was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, three times first team All-Pro and was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  (Paul Sakuma / Associated Press)

A safety at Texas A&M, the Oakland Raiders picked Hayes in the fifth round of the 1977 draft and converted him to cornerback, a terrific move considering he went on to play in five Pro Bowls, was first team All-Pro once, second team five times, was elected to the NFL’s 1980s All-Decade Team, was the 1980 Defensive Player of the Year when he intercepted a franchise-record 13 passes, and won two Super Bowls.  (Jane Kamin / Los Angeles Times)