An early check-in on the quarterback class of 2018

Since 1983, only three NFL drafts have produced five or more quarterbacks in the first round.

John Elway, Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Todd Blackledge, Tony Eason and Ken O’Brien were all selected in the first round of the ‘83 draft. Those selections, together constituting the quarterback class of 1983, remain a gold standard to this day. Four of those six played in a Super Bowl, and three were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In 1999, five quarterbacks were taken in the first round, with Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb, and Akili Smith going 1-2-3, respectively. Daunte Culpepper and Cade McNown were taken consecutively at 11 and 12.

But the only draft this century that saw five quarterbacks go in the first round took place in 2018. Four QBs, if you can remember way back then, were selected in the Top 10.

There was plenty of media hype heading into that draft. Although pundits and sports prognosticators were mostly hesitant to put the 2018 quarterback class on par with that of 1983, comparisons between the two werestillmade.

Two and a half years later, what have we seen from this 2018 QB draft class? These QB’s are all in year three of their four-year deals and teams are expecting improvement from their prospects. The play of these QBs today could determine their future in the league.

Sure, it may take a few years to fully judge a class of young quarterbacks. But we can still take an early survey.