Comparing The Quarterback Draft Classes: 1983 vs. 2004.

(Photo by David Maxwell/Getty Images)

2004

Pick one—Eli Manning, San Diego Chargers, Traded to New York Giants.

Similar to John Elway, Eli Manning told the San Diego Chargers not to draft him, because he would not play for them. Unlike Elway, Manning did not have a pro baseball career to fall back on, but having an older brother like Peyton Manning, Eli would not have starved.

Eli got his wish by being traded to the New York Giants for Philip Rivers, who was drafted by the Giants with the fourth pick.

In his fourth season, Manning led his team to the Super Bowl against the then undefeated New England Patriots.

Manning led a drive at the end of the game that brought the Giants the Lombardi Trophy and Eli the MVP Award.

Pick four—Philip Rivers, New York Giants, traded to San Diego Chargers.

Everyone was shocked at this pick, including Rivers, who on ESPN was at home waiting for Pittsburgh to select at 11, because that is where everyone believed he was going.

After the trade, Rivers was stuck behind rocket armed Drew Brees in San Diego, but after two seasons, Brees was gone, and Rivers took over.

Though he has not won the Super Bowl yet, stat wise, Rivers is the best QB selected in 2004. With a 92.9 QB rating and over 10,000 yards so far in his career, it is believed that Rivers will be a Super Bowl Champion at some point in his career.

Pick 11—Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers.

The rumors were that Pittsburgh wanted Philip Rivers, but Roethlisberger was the only one of the top three Quarterbacks invited to Pittsburgh for a visit.

In his first five seasons, Roethlisberger has won more games than any QB in the history of the NFL, became the only rookie to go undefeated, holds the second best playoff winning percentage, and became only the second quarterback in history to win two Super Bowls in his first five seasons.

Pick 22—J.P. Losman, Buffalo Bills.

Trading back into the first round, Buffalo selected J.P. Losman. Losman is known as the worst, and most forgotten person out of the 2004 QB class.

Losman had a decent season in 2007, but the Bills selected Trent Edwards in the third round, and after an early season injury to Losman, Edwards took over, and has been the starter since.

Now out of the NFL, Losman was selected by the Las Vegas franchise of the UFL.

The Difference.

There is little argument about which class is statistically better. 1983 has three players that are in the Hall of Fame and have held every major record the NFL has for the position.

The 1983 class went to a grand total of 10 Super Bowls in a combined 64 years of playing, having won two, both by Elway.

In the 20 combined years of the class of 2004, they have recorded a total of three Super Bowl trips. They won all three.

Can someone really say at this point that the 2004 class is better than the 1983 class?  Not yet. But if Manning, Rivers and Roethlisberger keep performing the way that they have, the Class of '83 may be replaced by the Class of '04.

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