<![CDATA[The Best QB Draft Class]]>I know a lot of you think the coming draft is full of good potential QBs. I am not so sure, but here is a related topic: A debate has often been held about which QB draft class was the best. The following are the QBs that were taken in the regular draft in many years since 1950. Decent QBs listed. I have bolded the HOF QBs, Italics for certain future HOF.

1950 Tobin Rote, Eddie LeBaron

1952 Billie Wade, Babe Parilli, Ed Brown

1955 John Unitas

1956 Earl Morrall, Bart Starr

1957 John Brodie, Len Dawson, Milt Plum, Sonny Jurgenson

1960 Don Meredith, Charlie Johnson

1961 Norm Snead, Billy Kilmer, Fran Tarkenton

1962 Roman Gabriel, John Hadl

1964 Roger Staubach

1965 Craig Morton, Joe Namath

1967 Bob Griese

1968 Greg Landry, Ken Stabler

1970 Terry Bradshaw

1971 Jim Plunkett, Archie Manning, Dan Pastorini, Lynn Dickey, Ken Anderson, Joe Theisman

1973 Bert Jones, Ron Jaworski, Dan Fouts, Joe Ferguson

1975 Steve Bartkowski, Steve Grogan

1978 Doug Williams, Bill Kenney

1979 Phil Simms, Joe Montana

1983 John Elway, Jim Kelley, Ken O'Brien, Dan Marino

1984 Boomer Esiason, Jeff Hostetler, Jay Schroeder

1985 Randall Cunningham (Bernie Kosar, supplemental)

1986 Jim Everett, Mark Rypien

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

1988 Chris Chandler, Stan Humphries

1989 Troy Aikman

1991 Brett Favre

1992 Jeff Blake, Brad Johnson

1993 Mark Brunell, Elvis Grbac, Trent Green, Drew Bledsoe

1995 Steve McNair, Kerry Collins, Kordell Stewart

1998 Peyton Manning, Brian Griese, Matt Hasselbeck

1999 Donovan McNabb, Daunte Culpepper, Aaron Brooks

2000 Chad Pennington, Marc Bulger, Tom Brady

2001 Michael Vick, Drew Brees

2003 Carson Palmer

2004 Eli Manning, Phil Rivers, Ben Roethlisbeger, Matt Schaub

2005 Aaron Rodgers, Jason campbell, Kyle Orton, Matt Cassell

2008 Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco

2009 Matt Stafford, Mark Sanchez

2011 Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Colin Kaepernick

2012 Andrew Luck, RGIII, Ryan Tannehill, Russell Wilson, Nick Foles

2014 Blake Bortles, Teddy Twatwater, Derek Carr

2015 Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota

Rank say your top 5 classes of all time from the above list.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/topic/39582/the-best-qb-draft-classRSS for NodeThu, 01 Oct 2026 04:51:23 GMTFri, 12 Feb 2016 17:14:30 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Sat, 13 Feb 2016 18:06:30 GMT]]>

@mudfly said:

Pluto wrote an article on exactly this topic just this morning....maybe he's reading our discussions....ha!

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ssf/2016/02/cleveland_browns_have_terry_ta_51.html#incart_river_index

Exactly what crossed my mind... lol... uncanny...

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578206https://brownsboard.com/post/578206Sat, 13 Feb 2016 18:06:30 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Sat, 13 Feb 2016 17:45:27 GMT]]>

@mudfly said:

Pluto wrote an article on exactly this topic just this morning....maybe he's reading our discussions....ha!

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ssf/2016/02/cleveland_browns_have_terry_ta_51.html#incart_river_index

If he isn't reading us, he should.

But he seems to say that out of Lynch/Goff/Wentz that he believes only one of them will become a decent starting QB in this league.

Historically that may actually be right....unfortunately.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578201https://brownsboard.com/post/578201Sat, 13 Feb 2016 17:45:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Sat, 13 Feb 2016 17:29:25 GMT]]>Pluto wrote an article on exactly this topic just this morning....maybe he's reading our discussions....ha!

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/index.ssf/2016/02/cleveland_browns_have_terry_ta_51.html#incart_river_index

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578195https://brownsboard.com/post/578195Sat, 13 Feb 2016 17:29:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Sat, 13 Feb 2016 02:48:05 GMT]]>I nominate tour to be my assistant general manager.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578141https://brownsboard.com/post/578141Sat, 13 Feb 2016 02:48:05 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Sat, 13 Feb 2016 00:43:55 GMT]]>

@tour2ma said:

lmao... I figured you'd get her involved sooner or later. Was she also not a Manziel fan? 😉

Didn't I just say she was one sick puppy? Draw your own conclusions. 😛

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578126https://brownsboard.com/post/578126Sat, 13 Feb 2016 00:43:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 22:56:20 GMT]]>These are among the better quarterbacks and they would be called 'better quarterbacks' and there would be more of them. Pretty simple.

WSS

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578112https://brownsboard.com/post/578112Fri, 12 Feb 2016 22:56:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 22:32:52 GMT]]>

@texasag1969 said:

I consulted my English teacher wife and she says that it was incorrect as originally written. She's in agreement with Tour. I told her that makes her one sick puppy. 😆

lmao... I figured you'd get her involved sooner or later. Was she also not a Manziel fan? 😉

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578109https://brownsboard.com/post/578109Fri, 12 Feb 2016 22:32:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Sat, 13 Feb 2016 17:56:03 GMT]]>Here is more info. Teams that have taken the first QB taken in a draft the most times. Again, this is not #1 overall choice....it could be a late first round....or even later round....its just that these teams took the first QB this number of times. This goes all the way back to 1936 when the first draft was held:

Colts 8 times (this includes the first Colt franchise in 1950.....current Colts franchise 7 times)

Redskins 5 times

Cardinals 5 times

Rams 5 times

49ers 5 times

Bears 4 times

Packers 4 times

Lions 4 times

Bengals 4 times

Patriots 2 times plus 2 times in AFL draft

Cowboys 3 times

Falcons 3 times

Bucs 3 times

Oilers/Tits 3 times

Jets 2 times plus 1 time in AFL (Namath)

Raiders 2 times plus 1 time in AFL

Eagles 2 times

Browns 2 times

Steelers 1 time

Seahawks 1 time

Texans 1 time

Panthers 1 time

Bills 1 time

Jags 1 time

Chargers 1 time (Eli...traded)

Broncos 1 time in AFL.

The Saints, Vikings, Giants, Chiefs, Ravens and Dolphins have never selected the first QB taken in any draft.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578101https://brownsboard.com/post/578101Sat, 13 Feb 2016 17:56:03 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 21:42:15 GMT]]>Here is this note about the Browns.....they have only ever twice in their draft history taken the the first QB taken in a draft:

1999 with Tim Couch

1954 with Bobby Garrett.

Both of these were taken with the #1 overall pick. They have never gotten the first QB available in a draft any other time...no matter how far down the draft the first QB was taken.

The other exception of course is Kosar in the Supplemental draft.

Yes, we all know that they may be in a position to take the first QB to be taken in this draft. Unless someone jumps them with a trade to the Titans to get a QB at #1, they could do that this year, if that is what they want.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578098https://brownsboard.com/post/578098Fri, 12 Feb 2016 21:42:15 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 21:25:22 GMT]]>

@mudfly said:

That list got me to thinking, so I went back and looked at all the QB drafts for the last 30 years.....and my calculation has the "best of class" QB being picked first only 11 times.....meaning 19 times, the perceived best QB really wasnt......they were wrong 66% of the time and right 33%....

Food for thought....

Interesting.....let's eat that:

Here is the list of years where the First QB taken is the best QB of the draft year, going back to 1970:

1970 Bradshaw

1974 Danny White

1976 Richard Todd

1978 Doug Williams

1980 Marc Wilson (though some could say Eric Hipple)

1983 John Elway....though some could argue for Marino

1984 Boomer Esiason

1985 Randall Cunningham (regular draft...Kosar in supp...arguable)

1986 Jim Everett

1987 Vinny Testaverde...though Rich Gannon arguable

1989 Troy Aikman

1993 Drew Bledsoe

1995 Steve McNair

1996 Tony Banks

1998 Peyton Manning

2003 Carson Palmer

2004 Eli Manning....though BR/Rivers arguable

2008 Matt Ryan...though Flacco arguable

2009 Matt Stafford

2010 Sam Bradford

2011 Cam Newton

The following years are where the first QB taken was NOT the best to come out of that class. I give the best and which order he was taken in the draft among QBs, and then the guy that was taken first that year:

1971 Ken Anderson 5th QB taken.....Plunkett first

1972 Brian Sipe 12th QB .....Jerry Tagge 1st

1973 Dan Fouts 6th.....Bert Jones 1st

1975 Steve Grogan 3rd...Steve Bartkowski 1st

1977 Tommy Kramer 2d...Steve Pisarkewiscz 1st

1979 Joe Montana 4th....Jack Thompson 1st

1981 Neil Lomax 2d...Rich Campbell 1st

1982 Jim McMahon 2d....Art Schlichter 1st

1988 Chris Chandler 2d Tom Tupa 1st

1990 Neil O'Donnell 5th....Jeff George 1st

1991 Brett Favre 3rd...Dan McGwire 1st

1992 Brad Johnson 13th....David Klingler 1st

1994 Gus Frerotte or Trent Dilfer 6th or 2d...Heath Shuler 1st

1997 Jake Plummer 2d...Jim Drukenmiller 1st

1999 Donovan McNabb 2d...Tim Couch 1st

2000 Tom Brady 7th....Chad Pennington 1st

2001 Drew Brees 2d...Michael Vick 1st

2002 David Garrard 5th....David Carr 1st

2005 Aaron Rodgers 2d....Alex Smith 1st

2006 Jay Cutler 3rd....Vince Young 1st

2007 Trent Edwards 6th...Jamarcus Russell 1st

2012 Russell Wilson 6th......though some can argue that #1...Andrew Luck may still be better

2013 Geno Smith 2d....EJ Manual 1st (arguable

I have not done this for 2014/2015...still too early to tell I think.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578094https://brownsboard.com/post/578094Fri, 12 Feb 2016 21:25:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 20:44:31 GMT]]>That list got me to thinking, so I went back and looked at all the QB drafts for the last 30 years.....and my calculation has the "best of class" QB being picked first only 11 times.....meaning 19 times, the perceived best QB really wasnt......they were wrong 66% of the time and right 33%....

Food for thought....

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578086https://brownsboard.com/post/578086Fri, 12 Feb 2016 20:44:31 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 20:25:38 GMT]]>

@texasag1969 said:

I consulted my English teacher wife and she says that it was incorrect as originally written. She's in agreement with Tour. I told her that makes her one sick puppy. 😆

Well, go back and ask her what the right way was to say it.

"1971 had more good QBs than most other years" ?

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578074https://brownsboard.com/post/578074Fri, 12 Feb 2016 20:25:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 20:23:40 GMT]]>

@tour2ma said:

Exactly... It's all about the odds... and 3:1 ain't bad...

What I did with the "good QB" list is list all the decent QBs taken every year. With the bad classes, I didn' take every year that a really bad QB was taken ...just the years when no good QBs were taken.

That is why I eliminated 1991....as bad as it was. Even going back to the first year I listed: 1970....I didn't list that year as while there were several bad QBs, it still had Terry Bradshaw.

The parameters that I used was not the same for both lists.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578073https://brownsboard.com/post/578073Fri, 12 Feb 2016 20:23:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 20:23:16 GMT]]>

@the-gipper said:

We did that in 2012.

And many more.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578072https://brownsboard.com/post/578072Fri, 12 Feb 2016 20:23:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 20:19:47 GMT]]>

@bbedward said:

Lets hope it joins the best class group...and we don't end up looking back and crying because we're the ones who drafted JP Losman.

We did that in 2012.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578070https://brownsboard.com/post/578070Fri, 12 Feb 2016 20:19:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 18:26:03 GMT]]>

@mudfly said:

Im waffling on this....may be acceptable in context...?

I consulted my English teacher wife and she says that it was incorrect as originally written. She's in agreement with Tour. I told her that makes her one sick puppy. 😆

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578040https://brownsboard.com/post/578040Fri, 12 Feb 2016 18:26:03 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 18:09:22 GMT]]>

@the-gipper said:

It didn't fail....it was a precautionary point. We just don't know the future of this future draft class. It could join either camp.....you don't have a fucking clue what will happen. Neither do I.

Exactly... It's all about the odds... and 3:1 ain't bad...

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578038https://brownsboard.com/post/578038Fri, 12 Feb 2016 18:09:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 18:08:38 GMT]]>

@the-gipper said:

It didn't fail....it was a precautionary point. We just don't know the future of this future draft class. It could join either camp.....you don't have a fucking clue what will happen. Neither do I.

Lets hope it joins the best class group...and we don't end up looking back and crying because we're the ones who drafted JP Losman.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578036https://brownsboard.com/post/578036Fri, 12 Feb 2016 18:08:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 17:58:07 GMT]]>

@tim-couch-pulls-out said:

And it could also join the list of best draft classes?

Whatever point you were trying to make failed.

It didn't fail....it was a precautionary point. We just don't know the future of this future draft class. It could join either camp.....you don't have a fucking clue what will happen. Neither do I.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578031https://brownsboard.com/post/578031Fri, 12 Feb 2016 17:58:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 17:56:37 GMT]]>

@mudfly said:

Hard to pick who is the worst, so to speak.....so Im gonna base mine on the most highly touted flops.....

Im waffling on this....may be acceptable in context...?

It is indeed.

WSS

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578029https://brownsboard.com/post/578029Fri, 12 Feb 2016 17:56:37 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 17:56:02 GMT]]>

@the-gipper said:

I know a lot of you think the coming draft is full of good potential QBs. I am not so sure, but here is a related topic: A debate has often been held about which QB draft class was the best. The following are the QBs that were taken in the regular draft in many years since 1950. Decent QBs listed. I have bolded the HOF QBs, Italics for certain future HOF.

1950 Tobin Rote, Eddie LeBaron

1952 Billie Wade, Babe Parilli, Ed Brown

1955 John Unitas

1956 Earl Morrall, Bart Starr (giving Morrall credit for playing most of 1972 Dolphins seasons)

1957 John Brodie, Len Dawson, Milt Plum, Sonny Jurgenson

1960 Don Meredith, Charlie Johnson

1961 Norm Snead, Billy Kilmer, Fran Tarkenton

1962 Roman Gabriel, John Hadl

1964 Roger Staubach

1965 Craig Morton, Joe Namath

1967 Bob Griese

1968 Greg Landry, Ken Stabler

1970 Terry Bradshaw

1971 Jim Plunkett, Archie Manning, Dan Pastorini, Lynn Dickey, Ken Anderson, Joe Theisman

1973 Bert Jones, Ron Jaworski, Dan Fouts, Joe Ferguson

1975 Steve Bartkowski, Steve Grogan

1978 Doug Williams, Bill Kenney

1979 Phil Simms, Joe Montana

1983 John Elway, Jim Kelley, Ken O'Brien, Dan Marino

1984 Boomer Esiason, Jeff Hostetler, Jay Schroeder

1985 Randall Cunningham (Bernie Kosar, supplemental)

1986 Jim Everett, Mark Rypien

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

1988 Chris Chandler, Stan Humphries

1989 Troy Aikman

1991 Brett Favre

1992 Jeff Blake, Brad Johnson

1993 Mark Brunell, Elvis Grbac, Trent Green, Drew Bledsoe

1995 Steve McNair, Kerry Collins, Kordell Stewart

1998 Peyton Manning, Brian Griese, Matt Hasselbeck

1999 Donovan McNabb, Daunte Culpepper, Aaron Brooks

2000 Chad Pennington, Marc Bulger, Tom Brady

2001 Michael Vick, Drew Brees

2003 Carson Palmer

2004 Eli Manning, Phil Rivers, Ben Roethlisbeger, Matt Schaub

2005 Aaron Rodgers, Jason campbell, Kyle Orton, Matt Cassell

2008 Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco

2009 Matt Stafford, Mark Sanchez

2011 Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Colin Kaepernick

2012 Andrew Luck, RGIII, Ryan Tannehill, Russell Wilson, Nick Foles

2014 Blake Bortles, Teddy Twatwater, Derek Carr

2015 Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota

Rank say your top 5 classes of all time from the above list.

Above I have highlighted all QBs who have won a championship....for what that's worth.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578028https://brownsboard.com/post/578028Fri, 12 Feb 2016 17:56:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 17:55:28 GMT]]>

@the-gipper said:

This is a much more difficult choice. I will eliminate 1994 from the list as Dilfer did take a team to a Super Bowl win. I am debating about 2006 because Cutler has played some very decent football...but those other 4? Blechh.

How about:

1. 2007

2. 1992

3. 2010

4. 2002

5. 1972

Moral of the story....for all of you touting this group of QB draft candidates for 2016: look above...it is not beyond the realm of possibility that it could join this list.

And it could also join the list of best draft classes?

Whatever point you were trying to make failed.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578027https://brownsboard.com/post/578027Fri, 12 Feb 2016 17:55:28 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 17:51:33 GMT]]>Hard to pick who is the worst, so to speak.....so Im gonna base mine on the most highly touted flops.....

@the-gipper said:

2007 Jamarcus Russell, Brady Quinn, Kevin Kolb, John Beck

1990 Jeff George, Andre Ware

2002 David Carr, Joey Harrington, Patrick Ramsey

2006 Vince Young, Matt Leinert, Jay Cutler, Kellen Clemens, Tavaris Jackson

1991 Dan McGwire, Todd Marinovich, Browning Nagle....even with Farve, Ill still take '91....McGwire and Marinovich were monumental fails...

@tour2ma said:

More better? Such grammar! 😉

Im waffling on this....may be acceptable in context...?

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578025https://brownsboard.com/post/578025Fri, 12 Feb 2016 17:51:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The Best QB Draft Class on Fri, 12 Feb 2016 17:50:13 GMT]]>

@the-gipper said:

1972 Jerry Tagge, John Reaves, Pat Sullivan

Pass on the effort, but will offer a comment...

Interesting that since 1970, "when scouting improved", you came up with 9 candidates for a worst list, but 30 candidate classes for your best list.

I like the odds...

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/578023https://brownsboard.com/post/578023Fri, 12 Feb 2016 17:50:13 GMT