The 2018 NFL Draft class features the most hyped quarterback group since, at the earliest, 2004, and may very well have six signal-callers go in the first round for the first time since 1983. You know, that draft with John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino.
Yeah, that one.
With that being the case, it's time to rank the quarterback draft classes over the past 15 years -- including this one.
Classes that produced franchise quarterbacks were given boosts, and those with colossal busts were downgraded. Because this is a ranking of the entire class, depth was also a factor, yet franchise quarterbacks were most important.
I've listed noteworthy quarterbacks from each draft year into the following categories:
- Franchise QBs: Like elite quarterbacks, these are simply guys everybody knows are franchise QBs. Maybe not for their entire career, but for at least a 3-4 year stretch, they were the face of their franchise and produced at a high level. If you and your friend have to argue for 30 minutes over someone ... he's probably not a franchise quarterback, although I will concede there's no concrete definition of that term.
- Solid Starters: Maybe ventured into the "franchise QB" ranks for a short period of time but didn't sustain the quality of play to stay in that category. Or, a quarterback with plenty of starts on his resume who was never considered a franchise quarterback and simply has been (or was) an up-and-down starter in his career.
- Capable Backups: Pretty cut and dry. Worth mentioning though that backups are backups for a reason. Some of the names you'll see in this category are not high-caliber quarterbacks. They did show some signs of competence in relief appearances or spot starts yet were mostly incapable of hanging onto a starting job.
- Busts: Almost solely meant for first-round picks who simply did not live up to their draft status and were either completely out of the league much sooner than many expected or fell into the "capable backup" ranks during what should have been the prime of their careers.
15. Class of 2007
Franchise QBs: None
Solid starters: None
Capable backups:Kevin Kolb (2.04)
Busts:JaMarcus Russell (1.01), Brady Quinn (1.22), Drew Stanton (2.11)
This draft featured two first-round quarterbacks who never made it as franchise quarterbacks. In fact, it can be argued Russell is the biggest quarterback bust in modern NFL history, which does major damage to the reputation of this draft class, a group that didn't even yield any signal-callers who were solid starters for a few seasons. Kolb had a two-game stretch in 2008 with over 300 yards then another 300-plus yard game in 2010 that led to him being traded to the Cardinals for a quality cornerback -- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie -- and a second-round pick (!) in the 2012 draft. But he flopped in Arizona. At best, he was a capable backup.
14. Class of 2013
Franchise QBs: None
Solid Starters: None
Capable Backups: Geno Smith (2.07), Mike Glennon (4.01), Landry Jones (4.18),
Busts: EJ Manuel (1.16)
Manuel was the only quarterback picked in the first round in 2013, and he was grabbed after the Bills traded back from No. 8 overall. He never started more than five consecutive games in Buffalo and ultimately busted. This draft class had a fair amount of hype at quarterback with decorated USC quarterback Matt Barkley and late-riser Ryan Nassib along with the super-productive Smith, who, at the time, surprisingly went in the second round. Nevertheless, the 2013 draft class didn't give the league any franchise quarterbacks nor solid starters. But Smith, Glennon, and Jones are somewhat capable backups.
13. Class of 2010
Franchise QBs: None
Solid Starters:Sam Bradford (1.01)
Capable Backups: Colt McCoy (3.21)
Busts: Tim Tebow (1.25)
Bradford was widely viewed as a can't-miss quarterback prospect, but his injury history was a concern. Those concerns have plagued his NFL career, and only recently has he become a solid starter when healthy. Tebow had his magical run with the Broncos in 2011 that featured the overtime playoff win against the Steelers and inspired Tebow mania across the country. That all turned out to be a mirage, as Denver won the majority of those games in spite of Tebow, not because of him. McCoy had a few solid spot starts but was never a quality starter. This class was nothing to write home about.
12. Class of 2006
Franchise QBs: None
Solid Starters: Jay Culter (1.10)
Capable Backups: Kellen Clemens (2.17), Tarvaris Jackson (2.32), Charlie Whitehurst (3.17), Bruce Gradkowski (6.25)
Busts:Vince Young (1.03), Matt Leinart (1.10)
Cutler is on the cusp between solid starter and franchise quarterback. I just can't categorize him in the latter despite his longevity in the NFL. Solid starter? Sure. But his three best seasons with the Bears were his final three in Chicago. The first of those years was 2013 when he completed 63.1 percent of his passes, averaged an above-average 7.4 yards per attempt and threw 19 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. Ehhh. His completion percentage increased the next year (66.1), as did his touchdowns (28) but he led the NFL in interceptions (18). Ohhh. Cutler has just been too inconsistent to earn the franchise-quarterback label, and when he was at his best, he wasn't ever elite or very close to it. Young and Leinart ultimately busted, though Young had more staying power than Leinart. As a consolation, this was one of the "better" capable backup-quarterback classes.
11. Class of 2009
Franchise QBs:Matthew Stafford (1.01)
Solid Starters: None
Capable Backups: None
Busts:Mark Sanchez (1.05), Josh Freeman (1.17)
Injuries led to patience being important with the super-young Stafford during the beginning stages of his time in Detroit. Although he's been a high-volume producer -- he threw for 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns in 2011, then 4,967 yards on a ridiculous 727 attempts in 2012 -- the former No. 1 overall pick wavered back and forth between the solid starter and franchise quarterback labels until 2015. Since then, he's ascended to become an unquestioned franchise quarterback. Over his past three years, he's tossed 85 touchdowns to just 33 interceptions. The Jets traded way up to get Mark Sanchez, which didn't work out, and Josh Freeman has one of the craziest outlier quarterback seasons in recent memory as the lone bright spot on his professional resume. In 2010, at 22 years old, he completed 61.4 percent of his throws at 7.3 yards per attempt with 25 touchdowns and just six picks. The wheels fell off after that, and although his 2012 wasn't brutal, he never truly recovered from his post-2010 regression. The rest of this class features a plethora of signal-callers who didn't amount to much in the NFL.
10. Class of 2017
Franchise QBs:Deshaun Watson (1.12, TBD), Mitchell Trubisky (1.03, TBD), Patrick Mahomes (1.10, TBD)
Solid Starters: Deshaun Watson (1.12, TBD), Mitchell Trubisky (1.03, TBD), Patrick Mahomes (1.10, TBD)
Capable Backups: DeShone Kizer (2.20)
Obviously, it's difficult to slot the 2017 rookies into this list, especially with Mahomes starting just one game, Watson starting six, and Trubisky starting 12 on a team with an unenviable receiver situation last year. Watson showed signs of franchise-quarterback skills, and Mahomes' start in the season finale was a wild, fun ride. Trubisky flashed too. This class has upside, that's for sure. Kizer's erratic accuracy led to many more head-in-hands plays than triumphant ones, but now he can learn from Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.
9. Class of 2015
Franchise QBs:Jameis Winston (1.01), Marcus Mariota (1.02)
Solid Starters: None
Capable Backups:Trevor Siemian (7.33)
The 2015 quarterback class was always about two Heisman-winning quarterbacks. And that was basically it. Winston has Andrew Luck-type ability but at this point, are the Buccaneers overjoyed with what he's done on the field in two seasons? I'm not so sure, especially for being the No. 1 overall pick. His efficiency did markedly improve in 2017 -- with jumps in completion percentage and yards per attempt -- so at this relatively early juncture of his career, I feel OK placing him into the franchise quarterback category. After all, he's only 24. Kind of a similar story with Mariota. At times, he's looked like a transcendent young signal-caller. In other outings, he's looked totally lost. After two quality seasons at the outset of his time with the Titans, he took a step back as a passer last year. Really strange. Because I have to place him somewhere now, I do think Mariota's good enough to be considered a franchise guy. The Broncos got a whole heck of a lot out of the 33rd pick in the seventh round in Siemian despite his flaws being exposed in 2017. The rest of his class hasn't shown much.
8. Class of 2014
Franchise QBs: Derek Carr (2.04)
Solid Starters:Jimmy Garoppolo (2.30), Blake Bortles (1.03), Teddy Bridgewater (1.32)
Capable Backups:Tom Savage (4.35), AJ McCarron (5.23)
Busts: Johnny Manziel (1.22)
What a fascinating bunch. It was shock when the Jaguars picked Bortles at No. 3 overall. Manziel "slipped" to No. 22, as did Bridgewater to the last pick in the first round. Ironically, the top-tier quarterback who fell the furthest -- Carr -- has easily been the best signal-caller in his draft class. Bridgewater has refined talent, but will he see the field in New York with the Jets primed to pick a quarterback in Round 1 of this draft? I couldn't put Jimmy G into the franchise quarterback category just yet, even though he's being paid like one. After all, he's started seven games in the NFL. Although, I will admit he's at the ceiling of the solid starter distinction. Manziel was a mega bust, McCarron is serviceable backup/spot starter, and Savage had moments of decent play in the quarterback carousel in Houston.
7. Class of 2008
Franchise QBs:Matt Ryan (1.03), Joe Flacco (1.18)
Solid Starters: None
Capable Backups:Chad Henne (2.26), Matt Flynn (7.02)
Busts: None
Ryan has been a franchise quarterback for his entire career. End of story. Flacco is near the
0 Response to "2018 NFL Draft: Ranking the past 15 years of QB draft classes ... - CBSSports.com"
Post a Comment