Looking Back at the 2018 NFL QB Draft Class

We have gone through three full seasons now since the 2018 rookie quarterback class was drafted. Since then, the five quarterbacks have gone down very different paths and have gone through rollercoasters through their first three seasons as pros. Let us look at the five quarterbacks and where they are now.

Josh Rosen

Unfortunately, for every best, there is a worst, and in this case, Josh Rosen is the worst player in this quarterback class and is well on his way to being a bust. After having a subpar rookie season with the Arizona Cardinals, Rosen was quickly replaced and traded to Miami in 2019, where he made three starts. In those three games, Rosen threw one touchdown and five interceptions. Miami prompted to let him go after the season. In 2020, Rosen bounced around and ended up on the 49ers practice squad. While there will never be hope lost, Josh Rosen may never get a chance to be an NFL starter again after being a first-round pick just three years ago.

Sam Darnold

Probably the most intriguing quarterback on this list is Jets QB, Sam Darnold. It has been a rollercoaster ride for Darnold over his first three seasons, throwing 45 TD and 39 INT in 38 games, going 13-25 in that span. Because of the lack of productivity, Darnold is likely going to be traded this offseason and will get a shot somewhere else. Fortunately, the end is not near for Darnold, and in the right situation, such as Indianapolis, San Francisco, or New Orleans, Darnold might show who he really is as a quarterback in the NFL. For now, he is a big question mark, and one that will soon be answered.

Lamar Jackson

Even though he was the last selected out of the group, Lamar Jackson has proven himself to be a talented quarterback who has already had a ton of success in the NFL. Through 37 games, Jackson is a whopping 30-7 with 68 passing touchdowns, 19 rushing TD, to just 18 INT. He has made the all-pro team, the pro bowl, and was League MVP in 2019. In 2020, he earned his first playoff win against the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the playoffs. There are still some questions regarding Jackson’s ability to be a good enough passer to be elite. Regardless, Jackson has proven he can win games and will only get better as the years go on.

Baker Mayfield

After bursting onto the scene in 2018, to flopping in 2019, QB Baker Mayfield bounced back nicely in 2020, proving his worth as an NFL quarterback. Mayfield threw 26 TD to only 8 INT while leading the Cleveland Browns to an 11-5 record and their first playoff berth since 2002. After that, Mayfield won his first-ever playoff game in Heinz Field against the Pittsburgh Steelers, leading the Browns to their first playoff win in over 25 years. Mayfield will finally have some stability with Kevin Stefanski, who just won coach of the year, leading the troops and will be able to settle into an offense after going through coaches at an alarming rate. The future is bright in Cleveland and now we will see how Baker follows up his successful 2020 campaign.

Josh Allen

After two seasons, the Buffalo Bills finally got the Josh Allen they were waiting for and then some. Allen emerged as not only the top quarterback in the class, but one of the best in the league in 2020, finishing second in MVP voting en route to an AFC championship appearance. On the season, Allen threw for 4,544 yards with 37 TD and 10 INT while going 13-3. His 69.2 CMP% is almost 11% up from 2019, which is unheard of for an NFL quarterback. The Bills have a few holes to patch up and when they do, they will be legit Super Bowl contenders for a long time with Josh Allen being their franchise quarterback.

Stats from profootballreference.com

Writer

-By: Richie Dordas