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Former New York Giants defensive coordinator and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick developed a reputation for being one of the best talent evaluators in NFL history, and that was due in part to a particular rule he held fast to when assessing rookie talent.

Belichick held players by a tight leash upon entering the league. By his own admission, he’d come to his conclusion on whether a player was a bust or not within their first or second year in the NFL. However, for former Giants Defensive Player of the Year Lawrence Taylor, his reservations were proven true from day one, as he told Pat McAfee on the April 18 airing of The Pat McAfee Show:

“Lawrence Taylor was a different story. Lawrence Taylor from day one impacted the team, showed he was the best player on the field, way better than everyone else and [we] built a defense around him from that point going forward,” Belichick said.

“It’s usually not day one of his rookie year. I would say Lawrence Taylor would be the one exception to that rule.”

Giants legend Lawrence Taylor was the one exception to Bill Belichick’s rookie rule even over Tom Brady

Taylor is regarded by many as the greatest football player of all time. However, another Belichick product, Tom Brady, gained favor over him after winning seven Super Bowls and six with the 72-year-old.

Belichick acknowledged such before honoring Taylor, who did a number on the league from day one. The North Carolina product became the first rookie to win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award when he did so in 1981.

His 9.5 sacks and one interception impressed. While the standout linebacker did not finish in the top 10 in MVP voting that year, Taylor clearly possessed the full package. He’d win another DPOY the next year, followed up by an MVP in 1986. He capped off his career by leading the Giants to wins in Super Bowls XXI and XXV.

Belichick’s rap sheet as a talent evaluator stands out

His output proved him to be an exception to Belichick’s rule, but when looking at the players under his leadership once at the helm of a franchise’s coaching and front office ranks, late bloomers were few and far between.

Whether it was safety Devin McCourty bringing down seven interceptions as a rookie or running back Damien Harris emerging in his second year after a slow rookie campaign, one would be hard-pressed to find a player that burst onto the scene past Belichick’s time frame.

Yet to his credit, Taylor’s rookie year stands in a class of its own.