How Does 2017 QB Class Compare to Previous Groups

As we inch closer towards the Senior Bowl and eventually the NFL combine, one of the main debates surrounding this draft class is the QB class. Many believe that this group of QB’s is not a strong class and that many of the QB’s entering the draft should have returned to their programs for another year of developing. There are valid reasons why each QB entering the draft should go back to college, but is this group really that concerning? Let’s face facts here, every year there are QB’s drafted in the 1st round who had question marks and this year is no different, but why is this class treated like an exception? How does this class stack up to previous QB classes? Here are a few QB’s who have been drafted over the last few years:

2016- Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, Paxton Lynch, Christian Hackenberg, Connor Cook, Dak Prescott

2015- Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota

2014- Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater, Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo

2013- EJ Manuel, Geno Smith

2012- Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill, Brock Osweiler, Russell Wilson, Nick Foles

2011- Cam Newton, Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder, Andy Dalton, Ryan Mallett

When it comes to the draft, the QB position is one of the most unknown positions to draft solely because teams draft based on potential and experience in college. It is almost impossible to predict how a QB will project at the next level because the level of competition in the NFL is different compared to college athletes. Sure, some college defenders are athletic freaks who are built for the NFL like Jadeveon Clowney, JJ Watt and Ndamukong Suh, but there are also times when college programs start freshman or other athletes due to injuries or other situations.

If we were to look at this QB class in relation to previous classes, it makes you wonder how some can judge a QB knowing their previous assessments of QB’s in the past. When Blaine Gabbert entered the draft, some argued that he could have been the top QB taken in 2011 and since then he has been nothing but a draft bust. One year later a small QB from Wisconsin decided to enter the draft and no-one thought he would be a star QB and since then Russell Wilson has gone to play in multiple Superbowls and win one. Analyzing and predicting the careers of QB prospects is maybe the hardest aspect of the NFL scouting process and it is why many people are hesitant to put give high grades to college QB’s entering the draft.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and no-one is 100% right when it comes to scouting NFL prospects and in no way am I guaranteeing this QB class will be special but let’s pump the brakes on the ridicule. People always want to say “well this kid isn’t the next Andrew Luck” and “he’s not worth a top 5 pick” but if the 2016 draft taught us anything it’s that no-one can predict the future of a rookie QB considering what we have seen from Jared Goff and Dak Prescott. These next few months will be interesting to see which QB’s rise in the rankings and which ones fall.