A host of quarterback prospects got dissed at the draft, with Malik Willis, Matt Corral and Desmond Ridder all falling to the third round. That in itself is a pretty strong indication that those guys aren’t going to make much of an impact.
Teams, of course, are always on the prowl for anybody who can play the most coveted position in sports. So when teams think a guy can play, he goes in the first round – early in the first round. The later he goes, the more apparent it is that the NFL scouts have examined the game films and workouts, concluding that he’s not what they’re looking for.
When it comes to the third round, you’re down to a quarterback wasteland.
In the last 20 years, only three quarterbacks selected in the third round have gone on to throw 20 touchdown passes in an NFL season. Russell Wilson, Nick Foles, Matt Schaub. That’s it.
If we expanded it out a notch, looking at the last 30 NFL seasons, a couple of other guys show up who were drafted in the ‘80s and ‘90s: Jeff Hostetler, Chris Chandler, Brian Griese.
In general, in other words, every five or so years a guy like Nick Foles or Matt Schaub might come along. Those are the kind of odds you’re trying to beat with this current crop of quarterbacks.
Even in a dynasty league, I wouldn’t have much interest in burning a roster spot on one of these guys. Maybe Willis (given his running ability) if we’re in a league where everyone’s carrying three quarterbacks.
But in general, I think I would prefer to use that roster spot on another position. Think of guy like Trey Sermon, for example, who was a washout his first year in San Francisco and isn’t even certain to make that team. I would rather have Sermon than any of these lesser QBs.
| 3RD-ROUNDERS WITH 20 TOUCHDOWNS (last 30 yrs) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | G | Pct | Yds | TD | Int |
| 2020 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 16 | 68.8 | 4,212 | 40 | 13 |
| 2018 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 16 | 65.6 | 3,448 | 35 | 7 |
| 2017 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 16 | 61.3 | 3,983 | 34 | 11 |
| 2015 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 16 | 68.1 | 4,024 | 34 | 8 |
| 2019 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 16 | 66.1 | 4,110 | 31 | 5 |
| 2009 | Matt Schaub, Hou. | 16 | 67.9 | 4,770 | 29 | 15 |
| 2013 | Nick Foles, Phil. | 13 | 64.0 | 2,891 | 27 | 2 |
| 2013 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 16 | 63.1 | 3,357 | 26 | 9 |
| 2012 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 16 | 64.1 | 3,118 | 26 | 10 |
| 2021 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 14 | 64.8 | 3,113 | 25 | 6 |
| 1998 | Chris Chandler, Atl. | 14 | 58.1 | 3,154 | 25 | 12 |
| 2010 | Matt Schaub, Hou. | 16 | 63.6 | 4,370 | 24 | 12 |
| 2001 | Brian Griese, Den. | 15 | 61.0 | 2,827 | 23 | 19 |
| 1996 | Jeff Hostetler, Oak. | 13 | 60.2 | 2,548 | 23 | 14 |
| 2012 | Matt Schaub, Hou. | 16 | 64.3 | 4,008 | 22 | 12 |
| 2016 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 16 | 64.7 | 4,219 | 21 | 11 |
| 2014 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 16 | 63.1 | 3,475 | 20 | 7 |
| 2004 | Brian Griese, T.B. | 11 | 69.3 | 2,632 | 20 | 12 |
| 1997 | Chris Chandler, Atl. | 14 | 59.1 | 2,692 | 20 | 7 |
| 1994 | Jeff Hostetler, Oak. | 16 | 57.8 | 3,334 | 20 | 16 |
—Ian Allan