As we approach the 2022 NFL season, I thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of the top quarterbacks drafted in the 2018 NFL draft. There were five QB’s taken in the first round.
Top QB’s Selected in the 2018 NFL Draft:
- The Cleveland Browns selected Baker Mayfield with the 1st overall pick.
- The New York Jets took Sam Darnold with the 3rd overall pick.
- The Buffalo Bills drafted Josh Allen with the 7th pick.
- The Arizona Cardinals selected Josh Rosen with the 10th pick.
- The Baltimore Ravens, with the last pick in the first round, took Lamar Jackson 32nd overall in the draft.
A quick look at this list offers a lot to dissect. Most would agree, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson have been the most successful of this group. They also happen to be the only QB’s who are still with their original drafting team.
Where Are They Now?
After inconsistent rookie and sophomore campaigns, Josh Allen has become one of the bright young stars in the game. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2020, leading the Bills to the AFC title game. Allen also possesses the single-season passing yards record for the Bills with 4,544 yards.
Lamar Jackson’s role with the Ravens is just as solid as Allen’s with the Bills. His ability to run is undeniable. In 2019, he set the QB single-season rushing yards record with 1,026 yards and also earned the 2019 NFL MVP award. Some passing inconsistencies and injury concerns face Jackon’s future, but the Ravens seem set at QB for at least the near future.
The other QB’s on this list have very different stories.
Baker Mayfield, the 1st overall pick for the Browns in 2018, was just dealt rather unceremoniously to the Carolina Panthers for a conditional pick. Mayfield’s time in Cleveland saw flashes of potential met with inconsistent play and injuries. He took the Browns to the playoffs once, in 2020, beating the Steelers in the Wildcard round and losing to the Chiefs in the Divisional round. Now, with the Carolina Panthers, Mayfield figures to be the starting QB over #2 on this list, Sam Darnold.
Sam Darnold’s time with the New York Jets was not what the young signal caller had hoped for when he was drafted 3rd overall. He started 38 games for the Jets, posting 59.8 completion percentage, 8,097 passing yards with 45 touchdowns with 39 interceptions. Darnold was traded to the Carolina Panthers for three draft picks and will likely serve as Carolina’s QB2 heading into the season.
Since being drafted in the 1st round in the 2018 NFL draft, Rosen spent a year with the Cardinals before Kyle Murray’s arrival. Since then, Rosen has seen limited action with Miami and Atlanta. Now, he finds himself searching for a roster spot in 2022. As training camps strt and rosters begin tobe finalized, it’s likely he could find a role with a team. Though just four years into his career, it seems certain his days as a starter in the NFL are behind him.
Drafting, as has been stated by others before, is a complicated process. Teams must weigh every aspect of team-building in a small and pressure-packed space. Of the 5 quarterbacks selected in the 1st round, only two remain on their original team. Mayfield and Darnold are now fighting for the same depth chart spot. The 2018 NFL Draft saw five quarterbacks taken in the 1st round. In 2022, only two of those quarterbacks have cemented solid starting roles for NFL teams.
