MOST QUARTERBACKS TAKEN IN THE 1ST ROUND IN NFL DRAFT HISTORY
- Six quarterbacks were selected within the first 12 picks of the 2024 NFL Draft, tying the record for the most signal-callers taken in the first round.
- The 1983 NFL Draft also saw six quarterbacks go off the board in Round 1.
- Three of the six QBs taken in the first round of the '83 draft went on to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
It's no secret that the 2024 NFL Draft was loaded at the quarterback position.
And it wasn't much of a surprise that signal-callers went 1-2-3 for just the fourth time in the common draft era (the previous three occurrences were in 1971, 1999, and 2021), as that's what had been expected for quite some time.
Another non-surprise was the Chicago Bears using the No. 1 overall pick on Caleb Williams. That was a given. The Washington Commanders then had to choose between Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye and went with the former at No. 2, leaving the New England Patriots to select Maye at No. 3.
Once those three went off the board, things got wild. Despite having Kirk Cousins signed to a massive contract, the Atlanta Falcons shockingly chose Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8.
The Minnesota Vikings then traded up a spot to No. 10 and selected J.J. McCarthy. Just two picks later, the Denver Broncos finished the frenzy by taking Bo Nix at No. 12. And it was that selection which put the '24 draft into the history books, as it tied the all-time record for the most quarterbacks taken in the first round.
| 2024 NFL Draft 1st Round Quarterbacks | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pick | Player | Team |
| 1 | Caleb Williams | Chicago Bears |
| 2 | Jayden Daniels | Washington Commanders |
| 3 | Drake Maye | New England Patriots |
| 8 | Michael Penix Jr. | Atlanta Falcons |
| 10 | J.J. McCarthy | Minnesota Vikings |
| 12 | Bo Nix | Denver Broncos |
The only other draft to produce this record number of signal-callers in Round 1 is the same one that produced the greatest QB class in NFL draft history.
Ranking the Top 5 QB Classes in NFL Draft History
It's clear that the 1983 NFL Draft was the best when it came to quarterbacks, but which others had a top-notch quarterback class?Six QBs Were Taken in the First Round of the Famed 1983 NFL Draft
Three Hall of Famers and three other future NFL starters went in the opening round in '83
The 1983 NFL Draft was loaded with quarterback prospects, none bigger at the time than Stanford's John Elway, who made it crystal clear that he didn't want to play for the Baltimore Colts, who held the No. 1 overall pick.
The Colts took him anyway but then traded him to the Denver Broncos, with whom he was a nine-time Pro Bowler, a three-time All-Pro, a one-time NFL MVP, a two-time Super Bowl winner, and a one-time Super Bowl MVP.
At No. 7, the Kansas City Chiefs took Penn State's Todd Blackledge, who ultimately played seven NFL seasons, five with Kansas City and two with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Blackledge was the most disappointing member of the group, going 15-14 in 29 starts and ending his career with 5,286 passing yards with 29 touchdowns against 38 interceptions.
At No. 14, the Buffalo Bills selected Miami's Jim Kelly, who initially refused to play for the Bills and opted for the USFL. He eventually made his way to Buffalo and became the greatest QB in franchise history, earning five trips to the Pro Bowl and two All-Pro selections while throwing for 35,467 yards and 237 touchdowns in 11 seasons.
He also led the Bills to four consecutive Super Bowl appearances in the early 1990s, famously losing all four.
| 1983 NFL Draft 1st Round Quarterbacks | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pick | Player | Team |
| 1 | John Elway | Baltimore Colts (traded to Denver Broncos) |
| 7 | Todd Blackledge | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 14 | Jim Kelly | Buffalo Bills |
| 15 | Tony Eason | New England Patriots |
| 24 | Ken O'Brien | New York Jets |
| 27 | Dan Marino | Miami Dolphins |
One pick later at No. 15, the New England Patriots nabbed Illinois' Tony Eason, who played eight NFL seasons. While he never earned a Pro Bowl or All-Pro selection, he did lead the Pats to the Super Bowl in 1985, losing to the Bears in what, at the time, was the biggest blowout in Super Bowl history.
The fifth QB off the board was Ken O'Brien, who was taken at No. 24 by the New York Jets. The UC Davis standout spent nine years with Gang Green and made two trips to the Pro Bowl. His 24,386 passing yards and 124 touchdown passes both rank second in franchise history, trailing only Joe Namath.
Last but certainly not least, Dan Marino became the record sixth QB taken in 1983, going 27th overall to the Miami Dolphins. The Pitt product famously never won a Super Bowl, losing his lone appearance following his record-setting 1984 NFL MVP campaign, but was easily one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
In 17 seasons with the Dolphins, Marino was a nine-time Pro Bowler, a six-time All-Pro selection, and threw for 61,361 yards and 420 touchdowns.
All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.
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