RSS FeedNFL Starting QBs Typically Drafted in 1st Round; But Nearly Half Don’t Play for Their Original Team
By Chris Malumphy
The starting quarterbacks of NFL teams are primarily first round draft picks. Thirty-four quarterbacks threw enough passes in 2011 to qualify for the passing title. I've tossed T.J. Yates into this analysis too since he will be starting in the playoffs for the Houston Texans due to the injury to Matt Schaub. Of those 35 quarterbacks, 19 (54%) were selected in the first round. Four others were taken in the second round, including Drew Brees who was taken with the 32nd selection in the 2001 draft, which is the equivalent of the last pick in the first round in the 32 team NFL draft of today. Of the quarterbacks drafted after the second round, only Matt Schaub (3rd rounder in 2004), Matt Hasselbeck (6th round in 1998) and Tom Brady (6th round in 2000) have had noteworthy success. Tony Romo, who went undrafted, could also be added to that mix. Seventh rounders Matt Cassel and Ryan Fitzpatrick have been too inconsistent to rate more than average.
Interestingly, the Atlanta Falcons have drafted three of the top 35 quarterbacks: Michael Vick, Matt Schaub and Matt Ryan. Considering that they also selected Brett Favre, who was a starter as recently as a year ago, that's not too shabby drafting, although the Falcons have only been able to fully capitalize on the selection of Ryan.It is also insightful to note that 15 of the top 35 quarterbacks do not play for the teams that drafted or originally signed them including: Michael Vick, Carson Palmer, Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, Jay Cutler, Rex Grossman, Drew Brees, Kevin Kolb, Tarvaris Jackson, Matt Schaub, Kyle Orton, Matt Hasselbeck, Matt Cassel, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Matt Moore.
Of the 12 starting quarterbacks for 2011 playoff bound teams, only T.J. Yates and Tom Brady were drafted later than the 3rd pick in the second round.
| When Starting Quarterbacks Were Drafted
(Blue = 2011 Playoff Teams) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Team | Drafted | Round | Pick | Player | Drafted By | College |
| Michael Vick | Eagles | 2001 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Falcons | Virginia Tech |
| Carson Palmer | Raiders | 2003 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Bengals | USC |
| Eli Manning | Giants | 2004 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Chargers | Mississippi |
| Alex Smith | 49ers | 2005 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 49ers | Utah |
| Matthew Stafford | Lions | 2009 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Lions | Georgia |
| Sam Bradford | Rams | 2010 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Rams | Oklahoma |
| Cam Newton | Panthers | 2011 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Panthers | Auburn |
| Matt Ryan | Falcons | 2008 | 1 | 3 | 3 | Falcons | Boston College |
| Philip Rivers | Chargers | 2004 | 1 | 4 | 4 | Giants | North Carolina State |
| Mark Sanchez | Jets | 2009 | 1 | 5 | 5 | Jets | USC |
| Blaine Gabbert | Jaguars | 2011 | 1 | 10 | 10 | Jaguars | Missouri |
| Ben Roethlisberger | Steelers | 2004 | 1 | 11 | 11 | Steelers | Miami (OH) |
| Jay Cutler | Bears | 2006 | 1 | 11 | 11 | Broncos | Vanderbilt |
| Christian Ponder | Vikings | 2011 | 1 | 12 | 12 | Vikings | Florida State |
| Josh Freeman | Buccaneers | 2009 | 1 | 17 | 17 | Buccaneers | Kansas State |
| Joe Flacco | Ravens | 2008 | 1 | 18 | 18 | Ravens | Delaware |
| Rex Grossman | Redskins | 2003 | 1 | 22 | 22 | Bears | Florida |
| Aaron Rodgers | Packers | 2005 | 1 | 24 | 24 | Packers | California |
| Tim Tebow | Broncos | 2010 | 1 | 25 | 25 | Broncos | Florida |
| Drew Brees | Saints | 2001 | 2 | 1 | 32 | Chargers | Purdue |
| Andy Dalton | Bengals | 2011 | 2 | 3 | 35 | Bengals | Texas Christian |
| Kevin Kolb | Cardinals | 2007 | 2 | 4 | 36 | Eagles | Houston |
| Tarvaris Jackson | Seahawks | 2006 | 2 | 32 | 64 | Vikings | Alabama State |
| Colt McCoy | Browns | 2010 | 3 | 21 | 85 | Browns | Texas |
| Matt Schaub | Texans | 2004 | 3 | 27 | 90 | Falcons | Virginia |
| Kyle Orton | Chiefs | 2005 | 4 | 5 | 106 | Bears | Purdue |
| T.J. Yates | Texans | 2011 | 5 | 21 | 152 | Texans | North Carolina |
| John Skelton | Cardinals | 2010 | 5 | 24 | 155 | Cardinals | Fordham |
| Matt Hasselbeck | Titans | 1998 | 6 | 34 | 187 | Packers | Boston College |
| Tom Brady | Patriots | 2000 | 6 | 33 | 199 | Patriots | Michigan |
| Curtis Painter | Colts | 2009 | 6 | 28 | 201 | Colts | Purdue |
| Matt Cassel | Chiefs | 2005 | 7 | 16 | 230 | Patriots | USC |
| Ryan Fitzpatrick | Bills | 2005 | 7 | 36 | 250 | Rams | Harvard |
| Tony Romo | Cowboys | Eastern Illinois | |||||
| Matt Moore | Dolphins | Oregon State | |||||
| 2011 Quarterback Statistics | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Team | Att | C | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rating |
| Aaron Rodgers | Packers | 502 | 343 | 68.3 | 4,643 | 9.25 | 45 | 6 | 122.5 |
| Drew Brees | Saints | 657 | 468 | 71.2 | 5,476 | 8.34 | 46 | 14 | 110.6 |
| Tom Brady | Patriots | 611 | 401 | 65.6 | 5,235 | 8.57 | 39 | 12 | 105.6 |
| Tony Romo | Cowboys | 522 | 346 | 66.3 | 4,184 | 8.02 | 31 | 10 | 102.5 |
| Matthew Stafford | Lions | 663 | 421 | 63.5 | 5,038 | 7.60 | 41 | 16 | 97.2 |
| Matt Schaub | Texans | 292 | 178 | 61.0 | 2,479 | 8.49 | 15 | 6 | 96.8 |
| Eli Manning | Giants | 589 | 359 | 61.0 | 4,933 | 8.38 | 29 | 16 | 92.9 |
| Matt Ryan | Falcons | 566 | 347 | 61.3 | 4,177 | 7.38 | 29 | 12 | 92.2 |
| Alex Smith | 49ers | 446 | 274 | 61.4 | 3,150 | 7.06 | 17 | 5 | 90.7 |
| Ben Roethlisberger | Steelers | 513 | 324 | 63.2 | 4,077 | 7.95 | 21 | 14 | 90.1 |
| Philip Rivers | Chargers | 582 | 366 | 62.9 | 4,624 | 7.95 | 27 | 20 | 88.7 |
| Matt Moore | Dolphins | 347 | 210 | 60.5 | 2,497 | 7.20 | 16 | 9 | 87.1 |
| Jay Cutler | Bears | 314 | 182 | 58.0 | 2,319 | 7.39 | 13 | 7 | 85.7 |
| Michael Vick | Eagles | 423 | 253 | 59.8 | 3,303 | 7.81 | 18 | 14 | 84.9 |
| Cam Newton | Panthers | 517 | 310 | 60.0 | 4,051 | 7.84 | 21 | 17 | 84.5 |
| Matt Hasselbeck | Titans | 518 | 319 | 61.6 | 3,571 | 6.89 | 18 | 14 | 82.4 |
| Kevin Kolb | Cardinals | 253 | 146 | 57.7 | 1,955 | 7.73 | 9 | 8 | 81.1 |
| Joe Flacco | Ravens | 542 | 312 | 57.6 | 3,610 | 6.66 | 20 | 12 | 80.9 |
| Carson Palmer | Raiders | 328 | 199 | 60.7 | 2,753 | 8.39 | 13 | 16 | 80.5 |
| Andy Dalton | Bengals | 516 | 300 | 58.1 | 3,398 | 6.59 | 20 | 13 | 80.4 |
| T.J. Yates | Texans | 134 | 82 | 61.2 | 949 | 7.08 | 3 | 3 | 80.2 |
| Tarvaris Jackson | Seahawks | 450 | 271 | 60.2 | 3,091 | 6.87 | 14 | 13 | 79.2 |
| Ryan Fitzpatrick | Bills | 569 | 353 | 62.0 | 3,832 | 6.74 | 24 | 23 | 79.1 |
| Mark Sanchez | Jets | 543 | 308 | 56.7 | 3,474 | 6.40 | 26 | 18 | 78.2 |
| Kyle Orton | Chiefs | 252 | 150 | 59.5 | 1,758 | 6.98 | 9 | 9 | 77.8 |
| Matt Cassel | Chiefs | 269 | 160 | 59.5 | 1,713 | 6.37 | 10 | 9 | 76.6 |
| Josh Freeman | Buccaneers | 551 | 346 | 62.8 | 3,592 | 6.52 | 16 | 22 | 74.6 |
| Colt McCoy | Browns | 463 | 265 | 57.2 | 2,733 | 5.90 | 14 | 11 | 74.6 |
| Tim Tebow | Broncos | 271 | 126 | 46.5 | 1,729 | 6.38 | 12 | 6 | 72.9 |
| Rex Grossman | Redskins | 458 | 265 | 57.9 | 3,151 | 6.88 | 16 | 20 | 72.4 |
| Sam Bradford | Rams | 357 | 191 | 53.5 | 2,164 | 6.06 | 6 | 6 | 70.5 |
| Christian Ponder | Vikings | 291 | 158 | 54.3 | 1,853 | 6.37 | 13 | 13 | 70.1 |
| John Skelton | Cardinals | 275 | 151 | 54.9 | 1,913 | 6.96 | 11 | 14 | 68.9 |
| Curtis Painter | Colts | 243 | 132 | 54.3 | 1,541 | 6.34 | 6 | 9 | 66.6 |
| Blaine Gabbert | Jaguars | 413 | 210 | 50.8 | 2,214 | 5.36 | 12 | 11 | 65.4 |
