Silverman: Historic Quarterback Class Could Make This Draft Unforgettable

There’s a certain mystique to a draft that includes a plethora of quarterbacks at the top of the class.

The great QB class of 1983 included John Elway, Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Ken O’Brien, Tony Eason and Todd Blackledge.

No other draft class has seen six quarterbacks taken in the first round. Five were selected in 1999, and while Donovan McNabb was the best of the bunch and Daunte Culpepper had some good years, the others -- Tim Couch, Akili Smith and Cade McNown – were busts.

The class of 2018 has a chance to join the 1983 group because six quarterbacks could be drafted in the first round. Additionally, there is a chance that USC's Sam Darnold, UCLA's Josh Rosen, Wyoming's Josh Allen and Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield could all be selected in the top six.

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Even if that doesn’t happen, it seems fairly certain that that foursome will be selected by the time the 10th pick is made. The Oakland Raiders own the 10th selection right now and have a first-rate quarterback in Derek Carr, but they could make a move with that pick if one of the top four quarterbacks is still available by the time commissioner Roger Goodell announces that the Raiders are on the clock.

In addition to that foursome, there appears to be an excellent chance that Oklahoma State's Mason Rudolph of Oklahoma State and Louisville's Lamar Jackson could be selected before the end of the first round.

It’s difficult to split Darnold and Rosen in terms of all-around ability. Darnold may have slightly more potential than Rosen, but the UCLA quarterback is ready to step in right away while the USC quarterback will need a bit of refining before he reaches that point.

The history of the draft shows quite convincingly that no more than 50 percent of the quarterbacks selected in the first round are going to make positive contributions. But that does not mean that three of the quarterbacks in this draft are not worth taking.

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A QB’s success is often determined by the talent surrounding him, the ability of the quarterback coach to fine-tune his student’s abilities, the head coach’s game plan and the ability of the player to avoid off-the-field distractions.

Darnold excels at scrambling and keeping plays alive. He has quick feet and a sense of where the rush is coming from before it becomes obvious. That allows him to take off in the right direction and buy time for his receivers. Once he masters the rest of his game, this characteristic could separate him from the rest of the field.

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Rosen is a picture-perfect passer who will stand tall in the pocket, survey the field as well as any recent quarterback prospect and deliver the ball beautifully to the open receiver. Rosen will wait until the last possible instant to get rid of the ball, and while that may help his receivers, it also means that Rosen will likely get hit quite a bit.

Rosen has a sensational throwing motion, and his fastball is a perfectly delivered shot. When it comes to spinning the ball, Rosen may have the most ability of any quarterback in the last 15 years.

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Allen is the biggest wild card among the quarterbacks because he did not face the level of competition at Wyoming that the other signal-callers did. However, Allen simply has remarkable physical tools and the strongest arm of any of the candidates.

However, will Allen be able to make the jump like Carson Wentz did with the Philadelphia Eagles? We'll see. His ability to read defenses and make excellent decisions are not his strengths at this point. He needs to be paired with an outstanding QB coach if he is going to become an impact player.

Mayfield has been winning over a majority of scouts, but he appears to have major issues that will be exposed in the NFL. The 2017 Heisman Trophy winner strength is his ability to put the ball in a place where his receivers can catch it and run with it, but his lack of height -- he's 6-foot-1 -- will make it difficult for him to see over the line of scrimmage.

It’s easy to envision Mayfield getting passes batted back in his face. He will need to go outside the pocket and make his throws on the move to be successful.

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One other warning shot with Mayfield is that he regularly had receivers who were breaking wide open at Oklahoma. He is not going to see receivers who have a 5-yard cushion in the NFL. Any team that selects Mayfield is going to be taking a huge risk.

Jackson is a brilliant athlete with an excellent arm who has been productive throughout his college career at Louisville. The 2016 Heisman winner understands the position and is quite creative. At 6-3, 211 pounds, he has the size and strength to drive the football on a line deep down the field, but he needs to keep improving his overall accuracy.

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Jackson has gotten better in that area throughout his time with the Cardinals, but he must continue to work on that area in the NFL.

Rudolph has not gotten the publicity or respect that the other five quarterbacks have, but he may be the best deep passer in the draft. He proved himself in that area with the Cowboys. 

But Rudolph offers more than just arm strength. He was very effective in the Cowboys’ vertical passing game because he puts the ball in a place where only his receive can catch it.

At 6-5, 240 pounds, Rudolph is a big man, but he is not as proficient throwing to the middle of the field as he is when he attacks 30 yards or more downfield.

It may take Rudolph a full year or more before he improves enough in that area to be inserted into the starting lineup.

Here’s how I rank the top QBs in the draft:

1. Josh Rosen, UCLA2. Sam Darnold, USC3. Josh Allen, Wyoming4. Lamar Jackson, Louisville5. Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State6. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma