Raymond "Whitey" Walsh, Jr. Wanted The Giants to Draft Tom Brady

Published on June 13th, 2023 1:55 am EST
Written By: Dave Manuel

The one that got away (from the Giants). Tom Brady.

When New York Giants scout "Whitey" Walsh returned home after the second day of the 2000 NFL Draft, it was clear by his face that he hadn't had a good day.

His wife asked him what was wrong, to which "Whitey" replied - I think we let one get away.

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Whitey Walsh was a long-time employee of the New York Giants organization, having joined the team in 1973.

Whitey developed a reputation for being a scout that could find the diamonds in the rough while telling you the straight goods without embellishment.

Whitey Walsh was an old-school scout.

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Michigan quarterback Tom Brady had caught the eye of Walsh, and Walsh had been following Brady for most of his college career.

While Brady obviously wasn't the most athletic quarterback, Walsh was struck by his poise and accuracy.

Taking Brady in the later rounds of the 2000 draft seemed like a no-brainer to Walsh - a risk that was surely worth taking.

Walsh started getting more and more vocal as the rounds ticked by in the 2000 NFL Draft.

Walsh wanted the Giants to take Brady in the fourth round - they took somebody else.

Walsh wanted the Giants to take Brady in the fifth round - they took somebody else.

Walsh wanted the Giants to take Brady in the sixth round, not believing that the Michigan quarterback had dropped that far. After huddling, the Giants went in a different direction, taking Dhani Jones instead.

The Patriots would take Tom Brady later in the draft, and the rest is history.

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Brady looked to be a terrible prospect when he entered the 2000 NFL Draft.

He was slow, he had gained weight and he certainly didn't have the strongest arm in the world.

Whitey, however, saw potential there, and it's interesting to think how the league would have been changed if the Giants HAD elected to draft Brady in the fourth, fifth or sixth rounds of the 2000 NFL Draft.

For his part, Whitey is happy enough knowing that he got it right, and that Tom Brady was a player.