The NFL draft is upon us, and as usual, many teams are in desperate need of a franchise quarterback. Since the 2000 draft, 145 quarterbacks have been selected in the first 7 rounds, with 28 taken in the first round and an astounding 8 taken as the overall number one pick. This year, the talk has surrounded Gabbert, Newton and Mallett, and next year the consensus is Andrew Luck as the quarterback of the future. Based on intangibles, film and private workouts, some of these players will be pegged as the leader of their team, but how important is being drafted in the first round to overall success in the NFL? Using data collected from the Pro Football Reference and Draft History we look at where top performing quarterbacks are often selected.
Continue reading →