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The 2023 NFL Draft saw three quarterbacks taken in the first round, all in the top four picks. But how does this class fare against the quarterbacks taken in the last decade?
There is hyperbole associated with every draft that proclaims that the quarterbacks in that draft were the best that they ever were. But that ignores objective evidence. We decided to go all the way back to the 2014 draft and analyze the past 10 drafts, including the 2023 NFL Draft.
We found that the worst quarterback class was in 2022, when Kenny Pickett was the only quarterback selected in the first round. The 2015 draft was the second-worst when Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota were selected with the first two picks and no one was selected thereafter.
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There were three quarterbacks selected in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2023 in the first round. Four were selected in 2020 and five each were selected in 2018 and 2021.
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Armed with this data, we ranked the best quarterback class by first ranking them as per the number of quarterbacks taken in the first round. When there was a tie, we used the average of the picks to determine which was lower, indicating that quarterbacks were taken higher in that draft.
2014 to 2023 NFL Draft: the best QB classes
#5 - 2019 - Kyler Murray, Daniel Jones and Dwayne Haskins
In the 2019 NFL Draft, three quarterbacks were selected in the first round. Kyler Murray went first overall to the Arizona Cardinals. Daniel Jones went sixth overall pick for the New York Giants. Dwayne Haskins was the 15th pick when Washington drafted him.
The overall average of the three picks is 7.33. That was lower than 2014, 2016 and 2017, when three quarterbacks were also selected in the first round, but their overall draft strength was lower.
From that class, Kyler Murray and Daniel Jones are still the starting quarterbacks for the franchise that drafted them.
#4 - 2023 - Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson
The 2023 NFL Draft joins 2019 and others among those where three quarterbacks were selected in the first round.
Bryce Young went first overall to the Carolina Panthers after playing college football in Alabama. C.J. Stroud followed him in the next pick to the Houston Texans. Anthony Richardson was selected fourth overall by the Indianapolis Colts.
Since the three quarterbacks all went within the top four picks, the average of the draft positions was just 2.33. This is the lowest possible among all draft classes in the past 10 seasons. Theoretically, the lowest average for just three quarterbacks can be 2. So, unless in a future draft, all three quarterbacks are selected with the first three picks, this record will stand.
#3 - 2020 - Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jordan Love
The 2020 NFL Draft saw four quarterbacks taken in the first round of the draft. Joe Burrow went first overall to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Miami Dolphins took Tua Tagovailoa fifth overall. With the next pick, the Los Angeles Chargers chose Justin Herbert. The final quarterback chosen in the first round was Jordan Love with the 26th pick and he went to the Green Bay Packers.
Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert have established themselves as franchise quarterbacks for the team that drafted them. Tua Tagovailoa is also in their company, with the only asterisk being his injury record. Jordan Love is slated to become the franchise quarterback for the Packers this season following the departure of Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets.
#2 - 2018 - Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Lamar Jackson
The 2018 draft saw five quarterbacks move off the board in the first round. The Cleveland Browns selected Baker Mayfield first overall. Sam Darnold went to the New York Jets with the third pick. Josh Allen went seventh overall for the Buffalo Bills. Josh Rosen was the 10th pick for the Arizona Cardinals. With the last pick of the first round, the Baltimore Ravens chose Lamar Jackson. The overall average of these picks was 10.6.
Baker Mayfield is still a starting quarterback in the league but is now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beginning this season. Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen never established themselves. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, on the other hand, have become franchise quarterbacks for their teams.
#1 - 2021 - Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields, Mac Jones
The 2021 NFL Draft is the best quarterback class in the past 10 years. Five quarterbacks also went in the first round, beginning with Trevor Lawrence going first overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Zach Wilson followed second overall to the New York Jets and Trey Lance followed with the next pick to the San Francisco 49ers. Justin Fields went 11th for the Chicago Bears and the New England Patriots took Mac Jones 15th overall.
The average of these picks was 6.4, hence this trumps the 2018 NFL Draft. Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields and Mac Jones are now the starting quarterbacks for their franchise. While Trey Lance still seems in line to have a bright future, the biggest disappointment has been Zach Wilson.
What's interesting is that the deepest quarterback classes have all been in the past five years, including the 2023 NFL Draft. This shows teams are selecting quarterbacks more often and with higher picks in more recent seasons.
