Reasons for picking Julian Edelman- I want to start this off with a disclaimer: Tom Brady is clearly the best Draft Steal, not only in Patriots history, but arguably in NFL history, as well. However, the purpose of this series is to highlight players whose stories of going from an overlooked late-round draft pick to an NFL star are less known by fans, and part of an obstacle to that (by no fault of his own, of course) is that every player in this series has been compared to Tom Brady. As we all know, Brady is not just a draft steal, he is the draft steal, and his story overshadows the journey of other stars, like Julian Edelman, who succeeded in the NFL against all odds.
Coming out of high school as a 5’10 dual-threat quarterback, Edelman received no offers from any college programs other than The College of San Mateo. Stepping in a freshman, however, Edelman showed he had potential, as he set records with 30 touchdowns, 1,312 passing yards and 1,253 rushing yards. After just one season at San Mateo, Edelman transferred to Kent State and spent 3 years as the starting quarterback in their wildcat offense. He had his highs and lows under center, finishing his Kent State career with more interceptions (31) than touchdowns (30) and often making more impact on the ground. As a senior in 2008, Edelman threw for 1,820 yards while leading Kent State in rushing yards (1,370), breaking the school record for total offensive yards that had been set by another QB-turned-WR: Josh Cribbs. Edelman also got some snaps at receiver and kick returner in 2008, foreshadowing the role that would lead him to NFL stardom. After his senior season, he turned down an offer from the CFL’s B.C. Lions to play QB and decided to give the NFL a try: He was not invited to the Combine, but worked out at multiple positions on his Pro Day, including receiver, returner, running back and safety and impressed scouts by running a 3.91 short shuttle. More importantly, he impressed the Patriots, who worked out Edelman multiple times before the Draft and were impressed by his versatility. Edelman would go on to be selected by the Patriots in the 7th round of the 2009 NFL Draft.
It takes a little luck for most 7th-round draft picks to have an opportunity to play, and that was exactly what happened for Edelman in the 2009 preseason. After Wes Welker sat out a preseason game due to injury, Edelman started at punt returner and scored a 75-yard touchdown, leading Bill Belichick to compare Welker to Wally Pipp, Lou Gehrig’s predecessor, in joking that Edelman would soon replace Welker. Though Welker’s job was never in jeopardy, it would be an injury he suffered prior to Week 2 that allowed Edelman to get his first ever start against the Jets, with Edelman leading all receivers with 98 receiving yards, along with adding 40 in return yards. His impact during the 2009 regular-season would be limited due to injuries, but Edelman was among the few Patriots who actually showed up in their 33-14 playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens, with Edelman catching 2 touchdown passes (He was the first rookie to do so since the Lions’ David Sloan in 1995). Edelman’s next few years would mainly be spent as a returner, as he set a Patriots franchise record with 15.3 yards per return in 2010, while also showing his versatility by filling in at cornerback in the 2011 playoffs when the Patriots were shorthanded. After Wes Welker left the Patriots following the 2012 season, Edelman was finally able to earn a starting spot, playing in all 16 games and posting his first 1,000 yard season, while also becoming the NFL’s all-time leader in career punt return yard average (13.0). The next year, Edelman led all Patriots receivers in yards and, in the playoffs against the Ravens, set a record for the longest passing touchdown by a non-QB in playoff history on a 51-yard bomb to Danny Amendola. After battling through a foot injury in 2015, Edelman put up his second 1,000-yard season in 2016 and would break Wes Welker’s franchise record for most playoff receptions (70) while being credited with arguably the greatest catch in Super Bowl history in the Patriots 25-point comeback victory over the Falcons. Though Edelman would deal with a number of setbacks over the next year, between missing the 2017 season with a torn ACL and being suspended for taking PED’s, Edelman still led the 2018 Patriots in receiving and became the first WR in 10 years to win Super Bowl MVP with 10 catches for 141 yards. He currently ranks second all-time, behind Jerry Rice, for the most playoff receptions (118).
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