The Best Qb Class Since 1983?

[The Gipper]

In another thread, the question came up as to what is the best QB draft class of all time. The general consensus is 1983 with Elway, Marino, Kelly all HOF, plus some other very productive QBs that year. Now, with the last class of Bradford, McCoy, Clausen, Tebow the question came up: which is the best QB draft class since 1983. The following is a comprehensive list of the top 5 QBs drafted each year. They are in order of their career completion yardage (to date for active players). Give your opinion on what are the best 3-4 QB draft classes:

2010: Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, Jimmy Clausen, Tim Tebow, Rusty Smith

2009: Mark Sanchez, Josh Freeman, Matt Stafford, Keith Null, Pat White

2008: Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan, Chad Henne, Josh Johnson, Brian Brohm

2007: Trent Edwards, Jamarcus Russell, Tyler Thigpen, Kevin Kolb, Brady Quinn

2006: Jay Cutler, Vince Young, Charlie Whitehurst, Matt Leinert, Bruce Gradkowski

2005: Jason Campbell, Aaron Rodgers, Kyle Orton, Matt Cassell, Alex Smith, Derrick Anderson

2004: Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Phillip Rivers, Matt Schaub, J.P. Losman

2003: Carson Palmer, Byron Leftwich, Kyle Boller, Rex Grossman, Seneca Wallace

2002: David Garrard, Joey Harrington, David Carr, Josh McCown, Patrick Ramsay

2001: Drew Brees, Michael Vick, Quincy Carter, Sage Rosenfels, A.J. Feeley

2000: Tom Brady, Marc Bulger, Chad Pennington, Tim Rattay, Chris Redman

1999: Donovan McNabb, Daunte Culpepper, Aaron Brooks, Tim Couch, Shaun King

1998: Peyton Manning, Matt Hasselbeck, Brian Griese, Charlie Batch, Ryan Leaf

1997: Jake Plummer, Danny Weurfell, Koy Detmer, Tony Graziani, Jim Druckenmiller

1996: Tony Banks, Danny Kannell, Bobby Hoying, Jeff Lewis (only 4 in the stats for that year)

1995: Kerry Collins, Steve McNair, Kordell Stewart, Rob Johnson, Todd Collins

1994: Gus Frerotte, Trent Dilfer, Jim Miller, Heath Shuler, Glenn Foley

1993: Drew Bledsoe, Mark Brunell, Trent Green, Elvis Grbac, Rick Mirer

1992: Brad Johnson, Jeff Blake, Dave Brown, Tommy Maddox, Kent Graham

1991: Brett Favre, Craig Erickson, Paul Justin, Browning Nagle, Donald Hollas (also Dan McGwire and Todd Marinovic)

1990: Jeff George, Neil O'Donnell, Scott Mitchell, John Friesz, Tod Hodson

1989: Troy Aikman, Rodney Peete, Billy Joe Tolliver, Steve Walsh, Timm Rosenbach

1988: Chris Chandler, Stan Humphries, Tom Tupa, Scott Secules, Kerwin Bell

1987: Vinny Testaverde, Rich Gannon, Jim Harbaugh, Steve Beurlein, Chris Miller, Don Majkowski

1986: Jim Everett, Mark Rypien, Bubby Brister, Jack Trudeau, Hugh Millen

1985: Randall Cunningham, Bernie Kosar, Doug Flutie, Steve Bono, Frank Reich

1984: Boomer Esiason, Steve Young, Jay Schroeder, Jeff Hostetler, Randy Wright

OK, name your best and your worst years of this bunch. The players in red are in the HOF. Others will be, but note that 1983 had 3. There have only been 2 since.

Also, I have edited this to show any QB who has started and won a Super Bowl in purple,and those who started but did not win in green. If that helps at all.

[Xanthros]

Best 2 is '95 and '04

Worst is '96

Hate to say it but '05 looks pretty good too

[The Gipper]

Looking at the list, I think the candidates for the best are 1984, 1987, and 2004. Both the 2009 and 2010 look promising, but who the hell knows.

Candidates for the worst are 1996 and 2007....unless Kolb does something with his career.

[Kosar_For_President]

1996 the best.

[jnuh]

I think 2004 is by far the best as you can end up with 3 HOFers (Eli and Rivers still have to do more to get in) and Schaub isn't a slouch either.

88, 90, and 96 are all pretty bad. 1996 is the worst of the 3 though.

[Thaak]

84, 95, 98 all look really good (and 85 isn't horrible, just not superbowl winners or HOFers)

But 04 is probably going to end up being the best and may end up eclipsing 83 if the Chargers or Texans can ever get to and win a superbowl.

I'd say that 09 has potential as well, but unfortunately for the year I think Sanchez is not a franchise QB.

[pizzadeliveryguy]

I think everybody has it pegged with 04 best 96 worst.

[The Gipper]

@thaak said:

84, 95, 98 all look really good (and 85 isn't horrible, just not superbowl winners or HOFers)

But 04 is probably going to end up being the best and may end up eclipsing 83 if the Chargers or Texans can ever get to and win a superbowl.

I'd say that 09 has potential as well, but unfortunately for the year I think Sanchez is not a franchise QB.

Don't forget this about the 1983 class: In addition to Elway, Marino, and Kelly, it also included Tony Eason who did QB the Patriots to the SB one year, Ken O'Brien who had a very productive career, over 25,000 career yards (which is more than Bernie Kosar had), and Todd Blackledge, who wasn't bad, but had a shorter career.

[tlsdawg]

04 has 4 very good players who if things go right for their teams can atleast contend for a superbowl berth and 2 already have won atleast one. I think Rivers defently has a shot and I wouldn't be surprised to see Schaub make it to one if they can put it all together. I'm not saying its a definite but I think he has a shot. If that happens and Manning and Rapistburger excel enough to make to the HOF, and one of the other 2 get in also witch Rivers would have to show he deserves that, you could make a case that it would be the best QB class in history even over 83. Not saying all this will happen and even if it does that they are better, but it would atleast have to be considered.

[Nw220]

@the-gipper said:

Don't forget this about the 1983 class: In addition to Elway, Marino, and Kelly, it also included Tony Eason who did QB the Patriots to the SB one year, Ken O'Brien who had a very productive career, over 25,000 career yards (which is more than Bernie Kosar had), and Todd Blackledge, who wasn't bad, but had a shorter career.

This is one of the reasons i dont feel the 83 class can be touched,that year was pretty amazing.

2004 Has potential but isnt there yet, you need Shaub or Rivers to win a title i feel to compete with the 83 class..I mean i just dont ever see any of them putting up Marino or Elway Career Numbers but Rivers may be the only one i see even capable really of having a shot.

Shaub is to late in his career and Manning is to inconsinent and Rapistburgler plays in a run first offense plus dosent have the Crazy QB numbers, just dont see that class being better than '83 but thats me.

[The Gipper]

@nw220 said:

This is one of the reasons i dont feel the 83 class can be touched,that year was pretty amazing.

2004 Has potential but isnt there yet, you need Shaub or Rivers to win a title i feel to compete with the 83 class..I mean i just dont ever see any of them putting up Marino or Elway Career Numbers but Rivers may be the only one i see even capable really of having a shot.

Shaub is to late in his career and Manning is to inconsinent and Rapistburgler plays in a run first offense plus dosent have the Crazy QB numbers, just dont see that class being better than '83 but thats me.

No, I don't see the Class of '04 doing as well as 1983. (But, note, only Elway out of that class won a SB. Marino and Kelley came up short...and Elway got his late in his career) That said, no I don't see the '04 group matching the '83 career numbers. But who knows, there is still time. I mean, think about it. Those -04 guys have only been at it for 7 years. Marino played for 17 years, Elway for 16, Kelley for about 15 including his USFL years. The conclusion can only be that the '04 guys may not even be halfway through their careers.