DraftHistory.com

Few Quarterbacks Drafted After 1st Round are Worthy of Building Around - Part 2

By Chris Malumphy

The following table provides the career statistics for each of the 130 quarterbacks drafted over the past 10 years. The data is sorted by the round in which the quarterback was selected and the number of yards gained during their career. While the number of yards gained doesn't necessarily gauge the quality of the quarterback, it does incorporate some indication on the amount of time they've played and their overall regular season impact in the league.

Of the 31 quarterbacks selected in the first round, 15 (48%) have already amassed at least 10,000 yards passing with players like Sam Bradford, Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Ryan Tannehill, and Robert Griffin III likely to join the group either in 2013 or 2014. Compare that to the 12 quarterbacks taken in round two where none of the players has yet to crack the 10,000 yard benchmark or the 15 quarterbacks selected in the third round, where only Matt Schaub has done so. In fact, of all 99 quarterbacks drafted after the first round over the past 10 years, only four (4.3%) have surpassed the 10,000 yard mark: Schaub, fourth rounder Kyle Orton and seventh rounders, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Matt Cassel.

For a moment, let's identify the best quarterbacks (at least by yardage gained) drafted in each round over the past 10 years. The first round goes Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger, each a two-time Super Bowl winner. Those are the last two names of quarterbacks that will be mentioned in this paragraph that would put the mind of ANY coach at ease. The quarterbacks with the most career yardage drafted in the second round during the past 10 years have been Chad Henne and Tarvaris Jackson. No coach wishes to depend on either of those quarterbacks to get them to .500 let alone the playoffs. Round three goes to Matt Schaub, who would admittedly put most coaches at ease, but Trent Edwards definitely would not. Kyle Orton and Seneca Wallace are the most productive quarterbacks taken in the fourth round. John Skelton and Dan Orlovsky are the best of round five. Derek Anderson and Bruce Gradkowski top round six. Seventh rounders Ryan Fitzpatrick and Matt Cassel both have had a modicum of success, but not enough to keep their starting jobs in 2013.

That is not to say that there are no quarterbacks with promise who were drafted after the first round. Second rounders Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick have shown promise as has third rounder Russell Wilson. The name of seventh rounder Matt Flynn is sometimes mentioned, although no one has actually thought enough of him to actually put him on the field except when injury struck. And the Eagles and Patriots would like to talk another team into offering something tangible for third rounders Nick Foles and Ryan Mallet, respectively.

Nor is this meant to suggest that all first rounders are worthwhile selections. Just say "ouch" when you think of what it meant to the careers of those coaches who were saddled with first round picks like Vince Young, Kyle Boller, J.P. Losman, JaMarcus Russell, Matt Leinart, Blaine Gabbert, Brady Quinn and even Tim Tebow.

The sole point here is that if a quarterback is not worthy of being selected in the first round, he is probably not very likely to develop into a playoff caliber quarterback that a team can build around, notwithstanding the few exceptions like Tom Brady and Matt Hasselbeck, who were each drafted over a decade ago.

Career Records of Quarterbacks Drafted Since 2003
(Ordered by Round and Yards Passing)
Year Name Round Pick Player Att C Pct Yds Avg
Att
Avg
Comp
TD TD
Pct
Int Int
Pct
Sacked Pct
Sacked
Rating
2004Eli Manning1114457261258.6315277.112.12114.71443.22134.682.7
2004Ben Roethlisberger111113762237463.1298447.912.61915.11082.93448.492.7
2003Carson Palmer1114110256862.5294657.211.51894.61303.22034.786.2
2004Philip Rivers1443564226863.6278917.812.31895.3932.62205.894.5
2005Aaron Rodgers124242665175265.7216618.112.41716.4461.72117.3104.9
2006Jay Cutler111112955179660.8213167.211.91364.61003.41996.384.0
2008Matt Ryan1332637165462.7189577.211.51274.8602.31134.190.9
2008Joe Flacco118182489150760.5176337.111.71024.1562.21746.586.3
2005Jason Campbell125252182132860.9146826.711.1763.5522.41536.682.5
2005Alex Smith1112177129059.3142806.611.1813.7632.91968.379.1
2009Josh Freeman117171873110158.8129636.911.8784.2633.41035.279.8
2009Matthew Stafford1111863111459.8128076.911.5804.3542.9934.882.8
2009Mark Sanchez1551867102855.1120926.511.8683.6693.71266.371.7
2003Byron Leftwich177160593057.9105326.611.3583.6422.6925.478.9
2003Rex Grossman12222156286355.2102326.611.9563.6603.8925.671.4
2010Sam Bradford111149887358.393786.310.7453.0342.31056.677.3
2006Vince Young133130475557.989646.911.9463.5513.9836.074.4
2003Kyle Boller11919151986156.789315.910.4483.2543.61237.569.5
2011Cam Newton111100259058.979207.913.4404.0292.9716.685.3
2004J.P. Losman1222295256459.262716.611.1333.5343.610810.275.6
2011Christian Ponder1121277445859.247886.210.5314.0253.2627.477.1
2012Andrew Luck11162733954.143747.012.9233.7182.9416.176.5
2007JaMarcus Russell11168035452.140836.011.5182.6233.4709.365.2
2006Matt Leinart1101064136657.140656.311.1152.3213.3304.570.2
2011Blaine Gabbert1101069137253.838765.610.4213.0172.5628.270.2
2012Brandon Weeden1222251729757.433856.511.4142.7173.3285.172.6
2012Ryan Tannehill18848428258.332946.811.7122.5132.7356.776.1
2012Robert Griffin III12239325865.632008.112.4205.151.3307.1102.4
2007Brady Quinn1222255029653.830435.510.3122.2173.1416.964.4
2011Jake Locker18838021155.527187.212.9143.7112.9307.378.4
2010Tim Tebow1252536117347.924226.714.0174.792.54110.275.3
2008Chad Henne22657137381259.191986.711.3423.1483.5956.574.9
2006Tarvaris Jackson23264105362559.470756.711.3383.6353.3897.877.7
2011Andy Dalton2335104462960.270676.811.2474.5292.8706.383.9
2007Kevin Kolb243675544959.552066.911.6283.7253.3759.078.9
2006Kellen Clemens2174937819651.922716.011.671.9133.44410.462.2
2011Colin Kaepernick243622313962.318498.313.3104.531.3166.797.9
2010Jimmy Clausen2164829915752.515585.29.931.093.0339.958.4
2007John Beck284023914058.614175.910.131.372.9269.867.6
2007Drew Stanton2114318710455.611586.211.152.794.8178.363.1
2008Brian Brohm22556522751.92524.89.300.059.658.825.5
2012Brock Osweiler225574250.0123.06.000.000.000.056.3
2009Pat White21244500.000.00.000.000.0116.72.1
2004Matt Schaub327902823181664.3219447.812.11204.3702.51515.191.9
2007Trent Edwards3299292956360.660336.510.7262.8303.2696.975.5
2010Colt McCoy3218570240958.343886.310.7213.0202.8597.874.8
2005Charlie Frye336767741961.941546.19.9172.5294.37910.469.7
2012Russell Wilson3127539325264.131187.912.4266.6102.5337.7100.0
2003Chris Simms3339751129758.131176.110.5122.3183.5498.869.1
2005Andrew Walter356933317452.319195.811.030.9164.85113.352.6
2012Nick Foles3258826516160.816996.410.662.351.9207.079.1
2006Brodie Croyle3218531918156.716695.29.282.592.8267.567.8
2006Charlie Whitehurst317811558454.28055.29.631.942.6137.764.6
2011sTerrelle Pryor3  301446.71555.211.126.713.300.070.8
2003Dave Ragone32488402050.01353.46.800.012.5816.747.4
2008Kevin O'Connell331946466.7233.85.800.000.0114.373.6
2011Ryan Mallett310744125.0174.317.000.0125.000.00.0
2005David Greene32185                          
2005Kyle Orton451062214129358.4146216.611.3813.7572.61325.679.7
2003Seneca Wallace41311076445259.248086.310.6314.1182.4556.781.3
2004Luke McCown41010631618458.220356.411.192.8144.4339.568.5
2012Kirk Cousins47102483368.84669.714.148.336.335.9101.6
2009Stephen McGee41101824656.14205.19.133.700.066.882.4
2010Mike Kafka424122161168.81076.79.700.0212.515.935.2
2005Stefan Lefors420121                          
2007Isaiah Stanback44103                          
2010John Skelton52415560232053.237076.211.6152.5254.2477.263.0
2005Dan Orlovsky5914547227658.529316.210.6143.0122.5295.876.0
2007Troy Smith53717423412151.717347.414.383.452.1238.978.5
2008Josh Johnson5251601779654.210425.910.952.8105.6168.357.7
2011T.J. Yates5211521448659.79876.911.532.142.81610.075.8
2004Craig Krenzel5161481275946.57185.712.232.464.72315.352.5
2008Dennis Dixon521156593559.34026.811.511.723.457.871.4
2003Brian St. Pierre528163331545.51855.612.326.139.138.345.6
2005Adrian McPherson516152                          
2006Ingle Martin515148                          
2006Omar Jacobs532164                          
2007Jeff Rowe514151                          
2008John David Booty52137                          
2008Erik Ainge527162                          
2009Nate Davis535171                          
2009Rhett Bomar515151                          
2010Jonathan Crompton537168                          
2011Ricky Stanzi54135                          
2011Nathan Enderle529160                          
2005Derek Anderson639213144076052.892066.412.1533.7553.8724.869.1
2006Bruce Gradkowski62519470937552.940575.710.8213.0243.4537.065.8
2003Brooks Bollinger62720036021158.622266.210.592.592.54912.074.6
2009Curtis Painter62820127114051.716246.011.662.2114.1196.660.6
2004Jim Sorgi6281931569963.59296.09.463.810.663.789.9
2010Joe Webb6301991528857.98535.69.732.053.3116.766.6
2012Ryan Lindley6151851718952.07524.48.400.074.1126.646.7
2009Keith Null6231961197361.35664.87.832.597.6139.849.9
2010Rusty Smith67176452351.12345.210.200.048.912.229.3
2011Tyrod Taylor615180301860.01976.610.900.013.3514.365.6
2003Drew Henson619192201155.0984.98.915.015.0520.064.2
2007Jordan Palmer631205151066.7593.95.900.0213.3421.118.5
2010Tony Pike63520412650.0473.97.800.000.017.760.1
2003Kliff Kingsbury6282012150.0178.517.000.000.000.079.2
2009Tom Brandstater61174200.000.0  00.000.000.02.1
2004Andy Hall620185                          
2004Josh Harris622187                          
2004Jeff Smoker636201                          
2006Reggie McNeal624193                          
2008Colt Brennan620186                          
2008Andre' Woodson632198                          
2009Mike Teel65178                          
2010Dan LeFevour612181                          
2005Ryan Fitzpatrick7362502249133859.5143366.410.7924.1813.61446.076.8
2005Matt Cassel7162302044120358.9134956.611.2824.0572.81607.380.4
2007Tyler Thigpen7721750927554.032226.311.7214.1183.5356.472.5
2003Ken Dorsey72724140821452.520825.19.782.0184.4255.855.2
2008Matt Flynn722091418761.710837.712.496.453.5138.492.0
2004John Navarre71202643250.03425.310.723.157.857.243.9
2011Greg McElroy75208311961.32146.911.313.213.21126.279.2
2004Cody Pickett716217451840.01954.310.800.048.9510.016.4
2004Matt Mauck724225271555.61365.09.100.013.713.653.9
2010Levi Brown722093266.7248.012.000.0133.300.00.0
2003Gibran Hamdan7182322150.073.57.000.000.0133.358.3
2004Bradlee Van Pelt7492508225.070.93.500.000.000.026.6
2004Casey Bramlet717218                          
2004B.J. Symons747248                          
2005James Kilian715229                          
2006D.J. Shockley715223                          
2008Alex Brink716223                          
2009Julian Edelman723232                          
2010Zac Robinson743250                          
2010Sean Canfield732239                          
2012Chandler Harnish746253                          
2012B.J. Coleman736243