2011 NFL Rookie Report Card: Handing out Grades to Every Rookie QB

Six 2011 rookie quarterbacks have played and started for their respective teams this season.

Some, like the Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers, started their rookie passers for the duration of the season. Others put their rookies in as injury replacements or to take over for struggling veterans.

Of course, each rookie quarterback performed differently. From brilliance to bust, here are my year-end grades for each first-year passer who took the field in 2011.

Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

Heading into the regular season, few believed Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton could prove as dominant and impressive as he did in college in his first year. Though he was selected first overall in the 2011 NFL draft, it seemed as though his style of play in college wouldn't translate successfully in the professional arena.

Instead, Newton managed to exceed expectations and has had what could be the best rookie season of all time—in any position.

This season, Newton has completed 295 of his 492 passes for 3,892 yards, 20 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, breaking Peyton Manning's rookie-year passing record in the process. He's also rushed 120 times for 674 yards and 14 touchdowns—the most rushing scores by a quarterback in NFL history.

While the Panthers have won just six of their 15 games (with one remaining), the team's struggles cannot be pinned on Newton. Rather, without Newton, the Panthers would likely repeat the 2-14 year they had in 2010.

Newton's not just Carolina's quarterback of the future, he represents the future of the position in the league. He's better than a majority of the veteran starters in the league as a rookie, and there's seemingly no limit to what Newton can accomplish.

Grade: A+

Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings

Though the Minnesota Vikings drafted quarterback Christian Ponder in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft, it didn't seem like the rookie would start for the team when the season began.

With veteran Donovan McNabb under center, Ponder would have a season to sit on the bench, learn the pro game and be ready to take up the mantle of the Vikings' quarterback of the future in 2012. However, when McNabb fell flat with his new team, Ponder was given the nod.

Ponder replaced the benched McNabb in Week 6 and was the starter for the remainder of the season. Ponder, however, hasn't appeared ready for the starting role this year, completing just 54.8 percent of his passes for 1,825 yards, 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

He's also fumbled the ball six times, losing two, and has been sacked 29 times. He's been relieved by backup Joe Webb twice thanks first to being intercepted three times and losing a fumble in Week 14 against the Detroit Lions and again because of a concussion he suffered in Week 16, and he's has been outperformed by Webb both times.

Ponder was supposed to be the Vikings' answer to their quarterback issues, but instead, he's just generated more questions. He will likely fight for the starting job with Webb going forward, and it's quite possible he'll be Webb's backup when the 2012 season kicks off.

Ponder has a lot of work to do to be a true starting-caliber NFL quarterback. While rookies are expected more to struggle as he has rather than put up the kinds of numbers Cam Newton has this year, Ponder has increased expectations simply because he was a first-round pick.

Grade: C-

Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans selected quarterback Jake Locker with the eighth overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft, but like Christian Ponder, never intended to start him.

While Locker has seen very limited playing time this season, relieving starter Matt Hasselbeck when he's been either injured or ineffective, he's taken the field enough to evaluate his performance.

Locker's seen action in three regular season games this year, taking over for Hasselbeck when he was struggling in Weeks 11 and 15 and relieving him when he suffered a calf injury in Week 14.

Though his completion numbers are low, going 34-of-66, good for a 51.5 percent completion rate, and just 542 yards, he's thrown four touchdowns to no interceptions. Locker has shown enough flashes of talent to prove that he'll be ready to be the Titans' full-time starter come 2012.

Grade: B-

T.J. Yates, Houston Texans

There's little reason to believe that the Houston Texans ever planned to start rookie quarterback T.J. Yates, who they selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL draft.

However, circumstances have made Yates the Texans' starter as the team heads into the playoffs as AFC South champions for the first time in franchise history.

Yates got the nod after starter Matt Schaub was lost for the season in Week 10 and backup Matt Leinart also suffered a season-ending injury in Week 12. In his five games and four starts, Yates has completed 78 of his 130 passes for 902 yards, three scores and three interceptions. He has also lost three fumbles.

His pocket presence has deteriorated in recent weeks, assisting the Texans along their way to two consecutive losses in Weeks 15 and 16. However, for a rookie quarterback never supposed to start, Yates has handled the pressure well.

Regardless of how well or poorly Yates performed in his reliever role, there's little chance that he will compete for the starting position in 2012. Though he may start somewhere at some point in the future, it won't be for Houston next season.

Grade: C

Blaine Gabbert, Jacksonville Jaguars

Blaine Gabbert was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft, selected 10th overall. He was vaulted into the starting role when then-head coach Jack Del Rio canned veteran David Garrard, hoping that an injection of new blood would revitalize the Jaguars' uninspiring passing offense.

Instead, Gabbert has done little more than struggle. He's the worst quarterback in the NFL this season, having completed just 50.5 percent of his passes for 2,122 yards, 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

He's lost four fumbles, has been forced to scramble (rather than run) 45 times for 101 yards and has averaged a dismal 5.4 yards per attempt.

Gabbert has passed for over 200 yards just three times this year, despite starting every game for Jacksonville. He's uncomfortable, perhaps even afraid, in the pocket and has a lot of learning to do if he wants to master the speed and accept the pressure that comes with being a starting NFL quarterback.

While the Jaguars' management has pledged to stick with Gabbert in 2012 and are thus searching for a head coach who is willing to believe in him, Gabbert has only made a case for his benching and little more.

Grade: F

Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals

The Carolina Panthers' Cam Newton isn't the only successful rookie quarterback this season, with the Cincinnati Bengals' Andy Dalton having a surprisingly strong season that may just see his team in the playoffs because of it.

The second-round pick out of TCU was thrust into a very unfavorable position, leading up a Bengals offense that had divested itself of its veteran receivers and had settled into a rebuilding year, with low expectations for the season a result of that.

Instead, Dalton's been fairly brilliant for a rookie. He's been aided immeasurably by another rookie wide receiver A.J. Green, but the arm's all Dalton's.

This season, Dalton's completed 278 of his 472 passes for 3,166 yards, 20 touchdowns and just 13 interceptions—great numbers for a veteran or a rookie. He has one rushing touchdown to his name as well, and he has two lost fumbles.

Dalton has played well enough to secure himself the Bengals' starting job for the foreseeable future. With a number of first-round quarterbacks struggling in the NFL this season, it's looking more and more like Cincinnati got themselves quite a steal with the second-rounder Dalton.

Grade: A