There are at present 32 NFL teams that will take the field in 2018. There are not 32 NFL-level starting quarterbacks. The great news is there are 22 solid NFL starters and that’s probably the highest number at any point in my lifetime. Considering I’m 44, that probably means in the history of the league.
Here’s the better news. There’s an excellent chance we could have 28 or more, which is insane when you look at who the starting quarterbacks in the NFL were 10 years ago. We need rookies to pan out. We need guys like Sam Bradford and Case Keenum to solidify themselves as talents (that can stay healthy) and we need good coaches to develop young guys. The future is definitely bright.
So, right now, who are the five best of the younger crop of franchise quarterbacks?
Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles
2017: 13 starts, 11-2 record, 60.2 completion percentage, 3,296 yards, 33 touchdowns, seven interceptions. 299 rushing yards, One Pro Bowl, One Bert Bell Award
The scary thing about the 2018 Eagles, the defending Super Bowl LII Champs, is that Wentz didn’t start a game in their playoff run because of a torn ACL suffered in Week 13 against the Los Angeles Rams. The season he was having up to that point had him leading the pack in the NFL MVP race.
Wentz may not be 100 percent come Week One of this season, considering his ACL happened so late in the year. The Eagles really don’t have to rush him back with Nick Foles, the Super Bowl MVP, still on the team. But Wentz is far too good to get Wally Pipped. The Eagles have a dynasty in the making and Wentz is biggest reason why.
Drafted: No. 2 overall in 2016 out of North Dakota State.
Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams
2017: 15 starts, 11-4 record, 62.1 completion percentage, 3,804 yards, 28 touchdowns, seven interceptions, one rushing touchdown, One Pro Bowl
For seven games as a rookie, Jared Goff looked like a bust. Seven games into 2017, that talk was long gone. Goff’s talent, grit and clutch play (never really seen on the college level, frankly) showed up in a big way in 2017 under new Rams head coach Sean McVay. The only reason Goff wasn’t in the MVP talk last season is because he shares an offense Todd Gurley.
With the monstrous strides in performance in just one offseason with McVay, there’s plenty to love about Goff’s potential not only down the road, but in 2018.
Drafted: No. 1 overall in 2016 out of California
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
2017: 16 starts, 9-7 record, 62.9 completion percentage, 3,324 yards, 22 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, six rushing touchdowns, One Pro Bowl, One Offensive Rookie of the Year
Now, as someone who had Prescott ranked his No. 1 QB prospect coming out of college in 2016, his NFL success does not surprise me at all. It was obvious from his game tape that he could read defenses, made clutch plays and threw an accurate ball. He also did it against the top college talent in the SEC and played against guys that were drafted every Sunday. He was ready.
All it took was the right opportunity and Prescott showed what he had. The Cowboys missed the playoffs last year, but he still led the team to a winning record without his best weapon next to him, Ezekiel Elliott, for six games.
Drafted: Fourth round of the 2016 draft, No. 135 overall out of Mississippi State
Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans
2017: Six starts, 3-3 record, 61.8 completion percentage, 1,699 yards, 19 touchdowns, eight interceptions, 269 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns
If you think it’s too early to put Watson on this list, then you weren’t paying attention to the way the kid played in his six starts in 2017. He was, consistently, the best offensive player on the field and 21 touchdowns in six games is just ridiculous on any level. Did people scoff when Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney compared him to Michael Jordan before the draft? They aren’t now.
Watson, like Prescott, was my No. 1 quarterback headed into last year’s draft. He was the third one taken. Between Watson and Prescott, the lesson was finally learned that college production and clutch performances against elite competition matter and they both got Baker Mayfield taken at No. 1 back in April
Drafted: No. 12 overall in 2017
Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans
2017: 15 starts, 9-6 record, 62.0 completion percentage, 3,232 yards, 13 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, 312 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns
Mariota is about to be let out of offensive jail. New Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur has been the quarterback coach and offensive coordinator for Matt Ryan and Jared Goff over the past two seasons. As good as Mariota has been in the NFL, he’s about to hit another mark.
When I do my draft evaluations, I again had Mariota at the top of that 2015 QB class and, frankly, he’s was the best QB prospect by my standards (you know, the right standards) to come out of the NCAA since Andrew Luck. He’s about to really show it.
Drafted: No. 2 overall in 2015 out of Oregon
2018 NFL’s Best: Top Five QBs Who’ve Not Won a Super Bowl Part 1
