Ranking the careers of the last 5 first-overall QB draft picks in the NFL so far

Quarterbacks are popular selections towards the top of the NFL Draft every year because of how important they are to a team's success.

A great quarterback can change the entire direction of any franchise. This is likely why a quarterback has been selected with the first overall pick in six of the last seven NFL Drafts.

Here is how the last five top picks currently rank against each other.

Ranking the last five QBs selected with the first-overall pick of the NFL Draft

#5 - Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Trevor Lawrence was one of the highest rated quarterback prospects of all time prior to being selected with the first overall pick in the 2021 Draft. In three years at Clemson, he recorded a 34-2 record while accounting for 108 total touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

His rookie season didn't go quite as planned, as he recorded just a 3-14 record while throwing 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

Unfortunately, he faced a lot of adversity and many distractions within the Jaguars organization during his rookie season. Some stability in the 2022 season should hopefully result in great improvements.

#4 - Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield has spent the majority of the last four seasons as the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.

However, his run with the team appears to be coming to an end after they acquired Deshaun Watson via trade with the Houston Texans during the 2022 NFL offseason.

Mayfield has had a decent career so far, but he hasn't performed well enough to solidify his position as a franchise quarterback. He has an overall record of 30-31, with 96 touchdown passes and 57 interceptions, including in the postseason.

He is hoping to remain a starting quarterback moving forward, but it doesn't look like it will be for the Browns.

Ranking the last five NFL QBs selected with the first-overall draft pick

#3 - Jared Goff, Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff.

Jared Goff helped the Los Angeles Rams win an NFC Championship during his time with the team. Despite a relatively successful run, he was traded to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Matthew Stafford prior to the start of the 2021 NFL season.

Unfortunately, the 2021 season hurt Goff's legacy with the Rams a bit. Stafford helped the Rams get over the hump and win the Super Bowl in his first season with the organization. Goff, on the other hand, started for a Lions team that finished with the second-worst record in the entire NFL.

#2 - Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.

Kyler Murray has won a major award in each of his last four seasons playing football.

He ended his college football career by winning the Heisman Trophy in 2018 before winning the 2019 Rookie of the Year award. He was then selected to the Pro Bowl in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

In each of his three NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, Murray has improved his record as well as his overall statistics.

His completion percentage and passer rating have both gone up from one year to the next, demonstrating that he probably hasn't even reached his peak performance level quite yet.

#1 - Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

Joe Burrow put together one of the best seasons in college football history during his senior year. He has now quickly catapulted himself to a place among the best quarterbacks in the entire NFL after just two professional seasons.

He was injured after a promising start to his rookie season, but bounced back in a huge way for his second season.

In the 2021 NFL season, Burrow led the entire league in completion percentage and yards per completion while throwing for 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns.

He helped the Cincinnati Bengals win their division and then went on to win three playoff games, including an AFC Championship and a Super Bowl appearance.