Are QBs more easily able to transition to the NFL now or was 2017-2020 just a really good run on elite QBs coming into the league?

[Bolts223]

2021 QB's is still a little too early to say. (Although I'm not blown away by any of them so far)

 

But 2017-2020 saw a really great run on QB's that have had success in the NFL.

• Patrick Mahomes
• Deshaun Watson
• Josh Allen
• Lamar Jackson
• Kyler Murray
• Joe Burrow
• Justin Herbert

 

Compare that to the 4 year span from 2013-2016 the only truly notable QB's we got out of that were Dak, Carr and Jimmy G. 

 

So my question is... were those 4 years just a very good string of QBs that came into the league, or is college better preparing college QBs for the pros now?

[SHONUFF]

It's not easier at all. This was just a great run. The internal pressures of being the face of a franchise are immense by themselves, and then you throw in the media, and all the other outside pressures as well. 

[Soko]

It’s give and take. QBs don’t often get rocked like they used to, so I think you’ll see a lot less cases of QBs getting shell shocked early in their careers. Coaches are also “getting with the times” a little bit, and the transition is probably a little easier in that sense vs going from college to an older school NFL offense.

That said, teams are much more willing to cut bait early on if their guy doesn’t produce. So that’s added pressure in regards to job security and making the most of your early opportunities. 

[ronjon1990]

I'd say it was just a great run on QBs. I do think colleges do a better job of preparing guys in most cases though.

The run from 17-20 is pretty special and rarely have so many bonafide franchise type QBs in the league at once.

Barring something crazy, Mahomes, Herbert, Jackson, Allen, Burrow, Watson, and Murray are all projected to be starting for a long time to come and all arguably started early with solid to spectacular results. That's almost 1/4 of the league's QBs, which is unheard of for just a handful of draft classes. 

Finding 7 guys from the previous 10 years (07-16 classes) is a task, and few came in looking as good as these guys all seemed to. 

[Jakuvious]

I think the biggest influence is that coaches are smarter about bringing new QBs along and tailoring their offense around what they have. I can't imagine 90% of NFL coaches 20 years ago adapting their offenses to Mahomes and Allen and Jackson and Murray, from a skillset perspective. They'd try to put them in a box and groom them to be west coast pocket passers, or they'd fall in the draft and get moved to safety or wide receiver or something. I don't think college is getting better at making pro-ready QBs, I think the NFL has just become more flexible in what constitutes a pro-ready QB.

[Dr A W Niloc]

It is a great crop but it reflects a number of modern trends, including:  colleges adopting more NFL-style offenses, rookie QBs starting in their first year, going to better offenses than, say, Jacksonville, New York, and Chicago (to cite 2021 as an anomaly), and being replaced as a starter in their third year if unsuccessful.  We've seen a number of GMs patiently preparing their team before drafting a franchise QB in the top 5.  That is new, too.

[NYRaider]

On 5/9/2022 at 8:41 AM, Bolts223 said:

So my question is... were those 4 years just a very good string of QBs that came into the league, or is college better preparing college QBs for the pros now?

I'd say it's a combination of both, the NFL is definitely becoming more pass happy and teams are starting to incorporate more spread, "collegey" type of looks into their offenses. 

But regardless the trend we've seen is that QB's that go to good teams with coaches that know how to utilize them and GM's willing to put talent around the immediately are the ones that succeed. 

I also think that Herbert's monster rookie season set an unrealistic bar for future rookie QB's.

[FrantikRam]

Some irony here...

In year 2 Goff led a top offense with a passer rating over 100.

In year 3 he got even better and after week 5 was in discussion for MVP.

Rams fans swore up and down that he was a top 5-10 QB after that.

 

We've already seen some ugly from Murray and Jackson. And there's a clear line to me between the first three on that list and the bottom four - any of those bottom four could go the way of Goff, unlikely though it may be.

[NYRaider]

4 minutes ago, FrantikRam said:

Some irony here...

In year 2 Goff led a top offense with a passer rating over 100.

In year 3 he got even better and after week 5 was in discussion for MVP.

Rams fans swore up and down that he was a top 5-10 QB after that.

 

We've already seen some ugly from Murray and Jackson. And there's a clear line to me between the first three on that list and the bottom four - any of those bottom four could go the way of Goff, unlikely though it may be.

Goff's an interesting case because he's such a weird outlier, even in his "decline" the Rams were still a playoff team and he still produced at an above average level.

[ET80]

I think they’re more prepared - as far back as the 00s, guys coming out of HS into college were only introduced to advanced concepts as a Freshman, and got their first taste of elite coaching then. Sure, there are some great HS coaches in that level, but those were anomalies in QB growth.

Now? Guys are getting tutoring from former pro QBs or private QB coaches as early as the age of 11. People such as Sean Salisbury, Jordan Palmer, Quincy Avery - they’ve started to work with these QBs early and identify traits early in to build on, while sanding down flaws in mechanics, all while teaching very advanced read and recognition skills, pre and post snap checks, etc. 

Best stated - guys are coming from HS to college more advanced than ever. Sometimes the growth gets stagnant in College, or sometimes it takes on a new development path, which all ultimately feeds into a more pronounced QB once they’re drafted.

[NYRaider]

7 minutes ago, ET80 said:

I think they’re more prepared - as far back as the 00s, guys coming out of HS into college were only introduced to advanced concepts as a Freshman, and got their first taste of elite coaching then. Sure, there are some great HS coaches in that level, but those were anomalies in QB growth.

Now? Guys are getting tutoring from former pro QBs or private QB coaches as early as the age of 11. People such as Sean Salisbury, Jordan Palmer, Quincy Avery - they’ve started to work with these QBs early and identify traits early in to build on, while sanding down flaws in mechanics, all while teaching very advanced read and recognition skills, pre and post snap checks, etc. 

Best stated - guys are coming from HS to college more advanced than ever. Sometimes the growth gets stagnant in College, or sometimes it takes on a new development path, which all ultimately feeds into a more pronounced QB once they’re drafted.

That's a great point, most of the top QB's are at Elite 11 camps etc. from such a young age and a lot of the top QB prospects go to big HS programs that play national schedules. 

I'm not going to lie Davis Mills is one of the players I'm most excited to watch. I love Metchie as well.

[ET80]

16 minutes ago, NYRaider said:

I'm not going to lie Davis Mills is one of the players I'm most excited to watch. I love Metchie as well.

I’m cautiously optimistic on Mills (more cautious than optimistic, but he could either surprise or not. It’s house money).

Metchie, on the other hand? Excited. I think he’ll eventually take over for Brandin Cooks as the #1 WR, with Cooks/Nico Collins as the #2 WR. Not a flashy WR group, but one that’ll get into those “most underrated WR groups in football” discussion. If you consider Brevin Jordan as a move TE or oversized slot WR, there’s a lot to like with the pass catchers going forward. 

(Don’t get me wrong though, Jaxon Smith-Njigba next season could be a crown jewel to this group of guys…)

[mtmmike]

On 5/9/2022 at 9:41 AM, Bolts223 said:

2021 QB's is still a little too early to say. (Although I'm not blown away by any of them so far)

 

But 2017-2020 saw a really great run on QB's that have had success in the NFL.

• Patrick Mahomes
• Deshaun Watson
• Josh Allen
• Lamar Jackson
• Kyler Murray
• Joe Burrow
• Justin Herbert

 

Compare that to the 4 year span from 2013-2016 the only truly notable QB's we got out of that were Dak, Carr and Jimmy G. 

 

So my question is... were those 4 years just a very good string of QBs that came into the league, or is college better preparing college QBs for the pros now?

There is only 1 elite qb there Mahomes.

I would argue you could not trade the rest of that list straight for Stafford. 

1 criteria for elight you win super bowls.

 

 

[mtmmike]

8 minutes ago, ET80 said:

I’m cautiously optimistic on Mills (more cautious than optimistic, but he could either surprise or not. It’s house money).

Metchie, on the other hand? Excited. I think he’ll eventually take over for Brandin Cooks as the #1 WR, with Cooks/Nico Collins as the #2 WR. Not a flashy WR group, but one that’ll get into those “most underrated WR groups in football” discussion. If you consider Brevin Jordan as a move TE or oversized slot WR, there’s a lot to like with the pass catchers going forward. 

(Don’t get me wrong though, Jaxon Smith-Njigba next season could be a crown jewel to this group of guys…)

Ok et how much due you think next year at this time Mills is the starting

Qb?

[ET80]

1 minute ago, mtmmike said:

Ok et how much due you think next year at this time Mills is the starting

Qb?

I’m a pessimist, so I think less than 20%. We’ve seen surprise rookies who look good, then crash into oblivion after that first year (Gardner Minshew, Zach Mettenberger off the top of my head) so I’m not very confident.

I hope I’m wrong, Mills seems like a good guy and a fella with good Football IQ - but I just don’t feel it on him, I think the Texans look QB with their first of two picks.