Wentz Becomes 1st Non-FBS QB Drafted in 1st Round Since Flacco

The Philadelphia Eagles selected former North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz with the second overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft on Thursday, making him the first non-FBS quarterback to be drafted in the first round in eight years, per ESPN Stats & Info.

The last non-FBS quarterback to hear his name called during the first round of the draft was Delaware's Joe Flacco, who went 18th overall to the Baltimore Ravens in 2008. 

Wentz first jumped onto scouts' radars in 2014 when he threw for 3,111 yards with 25 touchdowns. During that same season, the 6'5", 237-pound freight train of a quarterback rushed for 642 yards and another six touchdowns.

Many critics have questioned how Wentz will transition from a non-FBS school to the NFL. Naturally, many of those critics also questioned Flacco's ability to do the same thing eight years ago.

Nowadays, Flacco owns all of the Ravens' major franchise records for a quarterback, including passing yards, touchdowns, completions and wins. He can also claim fame as the Super Bowl XLVII MVP, and he signed a contract shortly thereafter that was the largest in NFL history at the time.

In any case, the Eagles' selection of Wentz marks the first time that the franchise has snagged a quarterback in the first round since 1999, when Philadelphia took Syracuse quarterback Donovan McNabb second overall.

A wildly unpopular selection at the time, McNabb ultimately led the Eagles to the playoffs in eight of his 11 seasons with the team.

Wentz will hope to take things one step further, perhaps eyeing the first Super Bowl victory in franchise history.