Let's Talk QBs in the 2014 Draft

[barrett]

Originally Posted by popanot

He wasn't a #1 overall. Besides, there are many great QB's that weren't first rounder's, let alone #1 overall's. Trade down if need be. Actually, I think Clowney will be the one that someone will want to trade up for.

A 1st round pick is still the most common way to get a playoff QB.

Manning - 1st overall
Brady - 6th
Dalton - top of 2nd
Luck - 1st overall
Smith - 1st overall
Rivers - High 1st
Wilson - 3rd
Newton - 1st overall
Rodgers - low 1st
Foles - 3rd?
Brees - top of 2nd
Kaepernick - 2nd

So that is 6 (50%) 1st round picks, 3 2nd round picks (25%), 2 3rds, and a 6th. Now some of those 1st and 2nd round picks are no longer with the team that drafted them, but it still shows where the talent at QB is. It is in the top of the draft more than any other position. I would gaurantee there is not another position on those playoff rosters that has;

50% 1st round picks
75% in the first two rounds
66% in the top 35 picks
33% THE TOP OVERALL PICK


QB is the most important position and for the most part it is accurately projected from college to the NFL. This does not mean there are not misses on high picks, it means that there are fewer stars that slip past round 1 (compared to other positions). Two of the lower picks are Kaepernick and Wilson and they came out when the NFL was still slow to pick up on mobile QBs. They would be first rounders today (just look where Marriota and Manziel project). That leaves Tom Brady as the great hope of teams not willing to pay an elite price tag for the most important position in football. If we can get Brady in rounds 3-7 I am all for it.

If not I would prefer we draft a QB where the QB talent is found, in round 1 or the top of round 2. If we are not going to, sign a veteran (likely a guy who used to be a 1st rounder) and move forward.