The Fletch
Footballguy
Thinking about all of the discussion about Matt Leinart and Vince Young and who should be taken first led to a little research about QB's taken in the top 10 picks in the draft since 1982. Here they are:
Art Schlichter - 1982
Jim McMahon - 1982
John Elway - 1983
Todd Blackledge - 1983
Jim Everett - 1986
Vinny Testaverde - 1987
Kelly Stouffer - 1987
Troy Aikman - 1989
Jeff George - 1990
Andre Ware - 1990
David Klingler - 1992
Drew Bledsoe - 1993
Rick Mirer - 1993
Heath Shuler - 1994
Trent Dilfer - 1994
Steve McNair - 1995
Kerry Collins - 1995
Peyton Manning - 1998
Ryan Leaf - 1998
Tim Couch - 1999
Donovan McNabb - 1999
Akili Smith - 1999
Michael Vick - 2001
David Carr - 2002
Joey Harrington - 2002
Carson Palmer - 2003
Byron Leftwich – 2003
Eli Manning - 2004
Philip Rivers - 2004
That's 29 QB's taken with one of the first 10 picks since 1982. Looking at that list, how many have won Super Bowls? Four (McMahon, Elway, Aikman, and Dilfer), though admittedly the QB's listed still playing may win one eventually.
More importantly, how many on this list are Hall of Famers, or potentially so? The QB's from the last two drafts are too early to call, but what about the other 25 (2002 and before)? I would count three for sure (Elway, Aikman, and Peyton Manning). Aruguments could be made for McNair and McNabb, but I think it's obvious that there's a lot more QB's on this list who weren't even "good" QB's. How many? Again, if we leave the last two years off, I count 13 out of 25 who were average or below. (Schlichter, Blackledge, Everett, Stouffer, Ware, Klingler, Mirer, Shuler, Leaf, Couch, A. Smith, Carr, and Harrington)
Another question...how many "great QB's" (starting with the class of '82) are NOT on this list?
What's the chance we look back on this draft (five years from now) and say that neither Young nor Leinart has developed into a great pro?
Art Schlichter - 1982
Jim McMahon - 1982
John Elway - 1983
Todd Blackledge - 1983
Jim Everett - 1986
Vinny Testaverde - 1987
Kelly Stouffer - 1987
Troy Aikman - 1989
Jeff George - 1990
Andre Ware - 1990
David Klingler - 1992
Drew Bledsoe - 1993
Rick Mirer - 1993
Heath Shuler - 1994
Trent Dilfer - 1994
Steve McNair - 1995
Kerry Collins - 1995
Peyton Manning - 1998
Ryan Leaf - 1998
Tim Couch - 1999
Donovan McNabb - 1999
Akili Smith - 1999
Michael Vick - 2001
David Carr - 2002
Joey Harrington - 2002
Carson Palmer - 2003
Byron Leftwich – 2003
Eli Manning - 2004
Philip Rivers - 2004
That's 29 QB's taken with one of the first 10 picks since 1982. Looking at that list, how many have won Super Bowls? Four (McMahon, Elway, Aikman, and Dilfer), though admittedly the QB's listed still playing may win one eventually.
More importantly, how many on this list are Hall of Famers, or potentially so? The QB's from the last two drafts are too early to call, but what about the other 25 (2002 and before)? I would count three for sure (Elway, Aikman, and Peyton Manning). Aruguments could be made for McNair and McNabb, but I think it's obvious that there's a lot more QB's on this list who weren't even "good" QB's. How many? Again, if we leave the last two years off, I count 13 out of 25 who were average or below. (Schlichter, Blackledge, Everett, Stouffer, Ware, Klingler, Mirer, Shuler, Leaf, Couch, A. Smith, Carr, and Harrington)
Another question...how many "great QB's" (starting with the class of '82) are NOT on this list?
What's the chance we look back on this draft (five years from now) and say that neither Young nor Leinart has developed into a great pro?
