Ranking the Last 7 NFL Draft Quarterback Classes

The dream of landing a franchise quarterback is a foundational piece of every NFL draft cycle.

Once in a while, history shows a loaded group at the position. In 2020, for example, the class included Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts—two players who've already played in a Super Bowl—Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa.

Not every calendar year is so prolific, though.

Granted, time is a consideration here, too. The most recent classes, unsurprisingly, are the least proven.

While the order ultimately is subjective, the main factors are the accomplishments of the drafted quarterbacks—from playoff success to individual awards and statistics—from a particular cycle. High-end production matters more than a larger group of low-level starters.

7. 2022

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Kenny Pickett

Blame this one entirely on longevity, but there is optimism.

Most notably, Brock Purdy helped the San Francisco 49ers reach the NFC Championship Game and Kenny Pickett established himself as the Pittsburgh Steelers' starter for 2023. Those are two excellent building blocks for the 2022 class of quarterbacks.

After them, Desmond Ridder is expected to lead the Atlanta Falcons in 2023, and Sam Howell is trending toward the same for the Washington Commanders. They could bolster this perception quickly.

Malik Willis (Tennessee Titans), Bailey Zappe (New England Patriots) and Skylar Thompson (Miami Dolphins) also opened games as injury replacements in their rookie years.

While this collection of young signal-callers need a larger sample, they're off to a decent start.

6. 2021

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Trevor Lawrence

Although the 2021 group has little NFL experience, Trevor Lawrence has a division title and playoff win on his resume. The first overall pick of his draft has rapidly sparked the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Behind him is an interesting cast of players with question marks.

Justin Fields and Mac Jones are starting for the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots, respectively. Are they worth building around? That question will have a clearer answer after the 2023 campaign.

Trey Lance earned the QB1 role in San Francisco last year before an injury halted his season. Zach Wilson has struggled in 22 starts with the New York Jets, and Davis Mills didn't fare much better for the Houston Texans. None of them are expected to start in 2023, though it's possible Lance gets traded this offseason due to Purdy's emergence.

Kyle Trask (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Sam Ehlinger (Indianapolis Colts) remain on the radar, as well.

5. 2019

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Daniel Jones

Four years later, reality has diminished the shine on 2019.

Kyler Murray commanded a $230.5 million extension before the 2022 season, a year in which both he and the Arizona Cardinals struggled. He's now recovering from an ACL injury.

Daniel Jones enjoyed a bit of a breakout season with the New York Giants and made the playoffs—as Murray did in 2021. However, it's still fair to wonder about Jones' potential when his efficiency only barely increased.

Really, the third-best player is Gardner Minshew. He's at least proved his worth as a backup.

The remainder of the 2019 cycle includes a handful of quarterbacks—Drew Lock, Jarrett Stidham, Ryan Finley, Trace McSorley and Will Grier—who either have not excelled in their opportunities or have minimal starting experience in the NFL.

First-round pick Dwayne Haskins died in 2022.

4. 2016

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Dak Prescott and Jared Goff

The oldest class in our criteria is a frustrating one.

Dak Prescott has guided the Dallas Cowboys to the postseason four times, while Jared Goff played in a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams. Goff put the Detroit Lions on the brink of the playoffs in 2022, as well. But neither one is very close to "elite" status, either.

Carson Wentz had an MVP-caliber year before his knee injury in 2017 and hasn't regained that level. Jacoby Brissett has become a valuable spot-starter but seems destined for that role in his career.

As of today, Jeff Driskel and Nate Sudfeld are the only others who remain on NFL rosters.

Christian Hackenberg, Cody Kessler, Connor Cook and Brandon Allen are among the rest of the drafted group. Allen spent the 2022 season as Joe Burrow's backup on the Cincinnati Bengals.

3. 2018

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Josh Allen

When you remember the hype of the 2018 class, it can feel disappointing a half-decade later. None of Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold or Josh Rosen have matched their billing as top-10 picks.

But that should not overshadow Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.

Allen is a two-time top-three finisher in NFL MVP voting, and Jackson brought home the award in 2019. Allen signed a $258 million extension, while Jackson is currently seeking a big-money deal of his own. They atone for a fair share of the letdowns elsewhere.

One final quarterback worth mentioning is Mike White, who started seven games for the Jets in 2021 and 2022 combined.

2. 2017

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Patrick Mahomes

If you're ranking these classes primarily on the depth of a cycle, 2017 won't get it done. The group effectively has two starters, a former QB1 and a few reserves.

But one of those starters is Patrick Mahomes.

The two-time league MVP doubles as a two-time Super Bowl champion. Mahomes has two more top-four finishes in AP Offensive Player of the Year voting in non-MVP seasons. He's the NFL's best quarterback and, with no hyperbole, could become the greatest in history.

Deshaun Watson, meanwhile, has three seasons of 4,000-plus total yards and 30-plus touchdowns.

Mitch Trubisky—the former Bears starter who forever will be connected to Mahomes and Watson—is now Pickett's backup in Pittsburgh. C.J. Beathard, Joshua Dobbs and Nathan Peterman are backups, too.

1. 2020

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Jalen Hurts

Mahomes is the only quarterback drafted in the last seven years to win a Super Bowl.

However, two players from the 2020 class—Joe Burrow and Jalen Hurts—have reached the championship stage with the Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively. Both players earned top-four finishes in MVP voting last season.

Justin Herbert has totaled nearly 15,000 yards in three seasons and guided the Los Angeles Chargers to the playoffs once. Tua Tagovailoa, despite his injury woes, has been a fine starter for the Miami Dolphins.

Burrow, Hurts and Herbert are definite long-term players. Tagovailoa, if healthy, has that upside. As if that's not enough, Jordan Love is nearing his opportunity to lead the Green Bay Packers in 2023.

These quarterbacks haven't been in the NFL for long, but they could be remembered as the foundation of an all-time class.