So you want to draft a QB?

The War Room Detroit Lions — The Den
1

A sampling of QB draft classes since the turn of the century (top 4 rounds only):

2002: David Carr, Joey Harrington, Patrick Ramsey, Josh McCown, David Garrard

2006: Vince Young, Matt Leinart, Jay Cutler, Kellen Clemens, Tarvaris Jackson, Charlie Whitehurst, Brodie Croyle

2007: JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn, Kevin Kolb, John Beck, Drew Stanton, Trent Edwards

2010: Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow, Jimmy Clausen, Mike Kafka

2013: EJ Manuel, Geno Smith, Mike Glennon, Matt Barkley, Ryan Nassib, Tyler Wilson, Landry Jones

2015: Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, Garrett Grayson, Sean Mannion, Bryce Petty

These classes managed to find one franchise QB (usually with the #1 overall pick), but were otherwise pretty bad as well.

2003: Carson Palmer*, Byron Leftwich, Kyle Boller, Rex Grossman, Dave Ragone, Chris Simms, Seneca Wallace

2008: Matt Ryan*, Joe Flacco, Brian Brohm, Chad Henne, Kevin O’Connell

2009: Matt Stafford*, Mark Sanchez, Josh Freeman, Pat White, Stephen McGee

2014: Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater, Derek Carr*, Jimmy Garoppolo, Logan Thomas

2019: Kyler Murray*, Daniel Jones, Dwayne Haskins, Drew Lock, Will Grier, Ryan Finley, Jarrett Stidham

Sobering. Sometimes, there’s just not a QB worth drafting.

6 Likes
2

I’m scared shitless of drafting a QB. LOL

4 Likes
3

I truly believe most of that is simply teams wanting to believe the QB is something he is not and overdrafting. They talk themselves into disaster.

1 Like
4

This draft sucks in the fact that it’s lacking in top 10 talent.

There’s not a QB I love. There’s a few that peak my interests.

There’s not a defensive stud that I feel is worthy of 1OA.

There’s a lot of good quality players though.

I’m just hoping that there’s a team out there that thinks there’s one QB in this class that they must have and are willing to leap frog Houston to get him.

5 Likes
5

Not in this draft I don’t.

3 Likes
6

Why’d you leave out 2016? 3 Starters in that group.

Interesting that Garoppolo was chosen by the Pats and has ultimately become a decent QB. Now they have Mac Jones and he is looking like the best of the 2020 class.

A huge part of that is what is around Jones and how they are building him. I tend to believe that if Jones had gone to the Jags and Lawrence had gone to the Patriots, Lawrence would be the Rookie of the year as well.

Goff went to a terrible Jeff Fisher offense that even Case Kenum was inept in only to have a probowl year with the Vikings the next year. Goff got McVay and that was an incredible boost for Goff.

3 Likes
7

Same. I’m still scarred from the Piano Man.

I think there’s a very logical case for not drafting a QB this year.

Goff has been a very good starter in the past. I doubt he just forgot how to play quarterback. The quickest way for this team to improve is if all of the non-quarterback positions improve and Goff remembers that you can throw the ball more than 5 yards from the line of scrimmage.

The downside risk is low. If you improve the rest of the team and Jared still poops the bed, you’ve still got the resources to go do whatever you want in 2023, with the added bonus of a much better team for the new guy to helm.

6 Likes
8

I am curious to see how defenses adapt once there is plenty of film on Jones.

In 12 games… Pats have have faced 6 defenses that rank in the top 16 for pass defense.

Mac has averaged 210 yards/game… 7 TDs and 6 INTs.

In the other 6 games… Pats opponents ranked 28th, 29th, 20th, 29th, 27th, and 26th in pass defense.

Mac averaged about 265 yards… 9 TDs and 2 INTs.

3 Likes
9

He is likely to struggle more the back half against the Bills defense. He may also see a sophomore slump because of film like you mentioned.

Still its a huge thing that they have had him as ready as he has been. That is one of the hardest things to do is to help a QB be ready without overloading them too much.

A great OC is excellent at communication and prioritization. They know just how fast to go with their players so that they are performing at a high level without slogging them down.

McVay is a good and winning coach because he prepares his guys, but I think he frequently goes too far and brain locks his players.

10

Pats got a bit of good fortune to have both Bills game late in season… especially now that Tre’Davious White tore his ACL.

Mac is certainly living up to the “quick processor” label he had prior to draft… and is considered a perfectionist in preparation.

Brees never had a cannon… especially after his injury… and he had great success. I do think his limited arm strength hurt him in the postseason against good defenses. He played 9 playoff games after turning 33yo… and had only 1 game with >8 IAY/A.

The Saints scored more than 24 points only 2 times in those 9 games.

1 Like
11

Would love to have Jameis Winston. Could see him as a Stafford like late bloomer.

3 Likes
12

With a shit ton of extra turnovers.

13

I think we NEED a qb. Early, Late or FA. We need one.

1 Like
14

For sure — I think Boyles gone
Not sure why we keep Blough

15

We have Goff 1 more year and this draft blows for QB’s, so, no. Teams draft QB’s high and are no further along all the time because in many/most cases it wasn’t just the QB. Drafting a QB doesn’t fix the other problems but it DOES buy the staff time, I mean who fires a staff after 1 season with a rookie QB? Getting more weapons on O, having a D that can force some 3 and outs and give the O field position, plenty of QB’s would have sucked in our situation this year. Simply getting a new QB isn’t likely to fix much even if they played better than expected. No WR’s+ a poor OC + a QB that is hard to even grade properly because of 1 and 2 and here we are. For the staff it’s actually in their interest to wait, because they will get a pass the year they take a QB in the draft. It’s better for the QB to have a team that isn’t a total train wreck when they come in as well.

16

I left out all of the successful classes. My point wasn’t to say that there weren’t good classes, just that there were plenty of BAD classes.

2 Likes
17

Yes, contrary to what some would have you believe, there are drafts where the QB position is weak.

18

Oh I agree 100%, but needing one and finding one are two very different things. It’s like needing a woman… sometimes everywhere you look there’s only dudes.

1 Like
19

Forget drafting a quarterback then. Build the rest of the team until it’s so good the quarterback doesn’t matter! Lol

2 Likes
20

Build the rest of the team and hope your franchise qb drops into your lap, or hope your franchise qb drops into your lap while building your team.
I suppose I prefer the second.
And I hate the idea of Goff as our starting QB. I love the idea of Goff as our backup.