The Patriots almost drafted Brady much earlier."

Patriots OpinionWhat if the Patriots had missed out on drafting Tom Brady?New Tom Brady Jerseys 2019 ,76commentsThe Patriots almost drafted Brady much earlier.EDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:What if the Patriots had missed out on drafting Tom Brady?TwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Al Bello/Getty ImagesI’m sitting here with my feet in the sand on vacation in Maine. My wife is reading a book and my kids are playing in the sand and a thought popped into my head: What if the Patriots missed out on Tom Brady? Now, Brady was drafted 199th overall, so every team in the league passed on him multiple times, but I remember Bill Belichick talking about how he was high on their board in the fifth round, and they passed on him twice. Can you imagine what would’ve happened if some other team had taken him before the Patriots had a chance to do so at 199? Best from Maine!The Patriots were first on the clock in the fifth round at 161. They decided to take Jeff Marriott, a defensive tackle from Missouri who never played a snap for them. Then, in the sixth round, with 187 Rob Gronkowski Jersey , they took Antwan Harris, a cornerback from Virginia. You may remember Harris as the guy who scored the touchdown off the blocked kick in Pittsburgh during the AFC Championship Game in 2001. Troy Brown picked it up and pitched it to Harris just before he got tackled.Of course, we don’t know how many other teams took random players who never played for them instead of taking Brady. Who knows if anyone even had him on their draft board, but imagine living with the regret of choosing between Jeff Marriott and Tom Brady? It’s not just that they wouldn’t have taken him, it’s that they strongly considered it, and then decided against it. Anyway, these are the things that rattle around in my head when I’m supposed to be relaxing on vacation. So, this week Womens Elandon Roberts Jersey , when you’re enjoying a few cold ones, make a few toasts. Make one to the greatest country in the world. Make one to the two GOATs, and don’t forget to make one to the other 31 teams, for allowing the Patriots to draft the great Jeff Marriott and still be able to take Tom Brady 38 picks later. Pat is a host of The Patriot Nation PodcastInteract with him on Twitter @plane_pats Running back James White barely played during his rookie season with the team and that left him with a lesson to impart to third-round pick Damien Harris.White said Harris should be prepared to get “yelled at more than everybody else” during a year “built for learning” about what it takes to thrive in the team’s offense. White’s lesson could end with a look at his 2018 production as a sign of what that learning can lead to down the road.White set franchise records for running backs with 87 catches for 751 yards and tied the team’s running back record with seven touchdown catches. He also set personal bests with 94 carries, 425 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns, but he’s heading into this year with eyes on doing even more.“Well, even though you have some success, there’s still plenty of mistakes that you make out there so there’s always room for improvement http://www.patriotslockerroom.com/authentic-devin-mccourty-jersey ,” White said, via the . “Always ways to get better. Always more yards to get. So, getting in with the coaches, see what you can improve and find ways to get better — whether it’s running better routes, having no drops or making better run reads. There’s always little things you can improve on.”White’s been around the Patriots long enough to know that one year’s success doesn’t guarantee a player will remain in a major role the next year. With Harris, Sony Michel and Rex Burkhead on the roster, the team has options in the backfield that provide all the more reason for White to find ways to grow his game.