If There's Ever Going to Be Another 'Tom Brady' Draft Pick, 2015 Is the Year

Hollywood is just putting the finishing touches on the script that is Tom Brady's career.

We all know the big picture—unheralded quarterback out of Michigan gets taken in the sixth round and goes on to win four Super Bowls and become the greatest of all time. 

It's a once-in-a-lifetime story we may never see again. But we can certainly dream, and this year's quarterback class might be good dream fuel.

The 2000 class was not too dissimilar to this year's.

It had just one first-round pick—Chad Pennington, who went on to have a fine career, one that was unfortunately marred by injury. The quarterback cupboard was so bare in 2000 that the next one wouldn't be taken until the third round.

His name was Giovanni Carmazzi, who sounds more like a pizza parlor proprietor than an NFL quarterback. (Hey, paisan—I feel you.) Chris Redman was the only other third-round pick, followed by Tee Martin in the fifth and Marc Bulger and Spergon Wynn in the sixth before destiny tapped Brady on the shoulder.

A wasteland in the eyes of some, this year's quarterback class features just two first-rounders—Jameis Winston out of Florida State and Marcus Mariota out of Oregon. The past two Heisman winners will duke it out for draft supremacy while the rest of the draft class will be jockeying for position two laps down. 

Even they aren't spared from the microscope's gaze, as NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock elucidated for Peter King at The MMQB: 

"

It’s not a good quarterback class. I’m scared to death of Jameis Winston off the field, and I’m scared to death of how many interceptions he throws. He threw seven interceptions against Louisville and Florida, and could have been 12 or 13 if the other teams could catch the ball. But most quarterbacks come out of the spread now, and they’re projections, like Marcus Mariota. I love so much about Mariota, but he is a projection.

I’m much more comfortable projecting Winston, even with the interceptions, because he was a pocket guy at Florida State. And his ability to win games in the second half is mind-boggling.

"

Beyond those two locked in an epic battle over draft supremacy lies a dearth of top-level talent, or so many talent evaluators believe. We very well could see the rest of the pack slide into the third round and beyond, not too dissimilar from what we saw 15 years ago.

"

Having a quarterback in #SeniorBowl who completed 49.5 percent of passes against FCS competition indicative of this QB class' lack of depth.

— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) January 24, 2015"

"

It's an extremely weak QB class. Currently have 3 guys that should be drafted in first 2 days, but only finished watching 10 QB prospects.

— Jayson Braddock (@JaysonBraddock) January 26, 2015"

"

This quarterback class outside of the top two is just absolutely dreadful.

— Ian Kenyon (@IanKenyonNFL) February 9, 2015"

So we have a similar situation brewing for the 2015 draft. Should we be on the lookout for the next Tom Brady?

Let's be real for a second—there will never be a "next Tom Brady." The best we can hope for is a close approximation. Brady's career has a fairy-tale feel to it for a reason.

Just imagine if Brady had landed with, say, the Cleveland Browns. Perhaps that would have changed the narrative—instead of a perennial punch line, they might have made the playoffs. No, Brady landed in precisely the best place he could possibly be—with Bill Belichick and zero expectations.

So the question goes beyond whether a late-round quarterback can come from nowhere to become one of the best in the game. He has to land on the right team, in the right situation.

Much like predicting who the next "greatest quarterback of all time who came out of nowhere," it might be difficult to tell what coach might be the next Belichick. As great as Brady has been, there is little doubt he would not be wearing four championship rings were it not for his coach and the teams around him.

Is Rex Ryan—a similar defensive guru who was run out of New York—the next big thing? Not to tease Buffalo Bills fans, but imagine that top-ranked 2009 defense with a Brady-esque quarterback manning the offense.

There are infinite possibilities, some of which may have been realized in alternate universes. Maybe Jason Garrett found his groove in Dallas, or Mike Pettine and the Browns have finally paid their blood debt to the football gods.

Back to the matter at hand—are there any late-round quarterbacks in this year's class who could ascend to the upper echelon in the NFL?

If there was any year that history might repeat itself in this way, 2015 would be it. 

Brady's now-infamous combine performance was one for the ages, preserved in the annals of YouTube for us to view in all its glory. His awkward lankiness certainly didn't seem to help his draft stock—he was considered a mid-round prospect, after all.

Credit: YouTube

Common analysis pits Brett Hundley out of UCLA against Baylor's Bryce Petty for the No. 3 spot, with Garrett Grayson adding some dark-horse pressure out of Colorado State. The problem with these guys following in Brady's footsteps is where they'll be drafted—not likely anywhere near the 199th pick in the draft.

Anything could happen. Both have serious concerns about accuracy, not to mention the fear they are system quarterbacks. Even so, it's difficult to see them falling even out of the fourth round, let alone make it into the sixth.

But they could certainly have success at the next level. Perhaps their question marks are overblown and they will thrive in any system. Petty, in particular, seems like an enticing mid-round option who could wind up being pretty successful.

One of the best bets to get drafted late and have a serious chance to succeed at the next level could not be any more different of a prospect than Brady—small-school quarterback Brandon Bridge from South Alabama.

"

The perception is that the #NFLDraft QB class is thin, the truth is that the lower levels are stocked w/talent https://t.co/l83AdmZJLa

— Emory Hunt (@FBallGameplan) February 16, 2015"

Outside of height, Bridge and Brady have completely different strengths and weaknesses on their respective scouting reports. 

Here is Bridge's, per NFL.com's Lance Zierlein:

"

His arm strength is pure NFL, but his lack of functional accuracy simply cannot be overlooked. It's one thing to miss with ball placement just inside or just a little bit high, but Bridge's throws are all over the map. He puts so much heat on them that his receivers struggle to make successful adjustments. That size, arm and athleticism are definitely traits worth taking a chance on, and Bridge could become an interesting talent down the line if a team is able to get his mechanics and touch where they need to be.

"

And here is Joel Buchsbaum's Pro Football Weekly scouting report on Brady (via Boston.com's Chad Finn):

"

Good height to see the field. Very poised and composed. Smart and alert. Can read coverages. Good accuracy and touch. Produces in big spots and big games. 

Is not what you're looking for in terms of physical stature, strength, arm strength, and mobility but he has the intangibles and production and showed great [Brian] Griese-like improvement as a senior. Could make it in the right system but is not for everyone.

"

Perhaps given a little time to develop, Bridge could take the NFL by storm in a couple of years.

Oregon State's Sean Mannion is one quarterback who has far more traction and could still fall well into the third day of the draft. He has gotten a bit of recent hype, per NFL Media's Bucky Brooks:

"

Keep an eye on QB Sean Mannion as a late riser... Classic drop back passer w/experience in NFL system. pic.twitter.com/kbJEBMm2ue

— Bucky Brooks (@BuckyBrooks) February 18, 2015"

We've seen this movie before, though—Tom Savage was a draft-process darling last season with some first-round hype before falling all the way to the 135th pick with the Houston Texans. 

Mannion's scouting report looks a little more familiar, per Zierlein:

"

Tall, rhythm thrower who shows an ability to play with confidence and accuracy when used as a game manager within an offense featuring a strong rushing attack. Mannion needs plays to stay on schedule or his confidence becomes shaky and the turnovers start rolling in. Mannion lacks arm talent to carry an offense, but has enough ability to become a capable backup.

"

Mannion is more pro-ready than most quarterbacks in this class, which could get him on the field sooner at the next level if he catches the right breaks. He was even a four-year starter—Brady only started his last two seasons at Michigan.

Alright, so looking for the next big thing at quarterback in the sixth round is like looking for a paycheck by buying a Powerball ticket. But that's not the point.

Like the Spanish Inquisition, nobody expected Brady. None of the scouting reports or tape suggested he would become an elite quarterback, let alone one of the greatest of all time.

A weak 2015 class could be masking a gem, just waiting to be unearthed by some lucky team.

Follow @AlexMiglio