When’s the last time your NFL team drafted a QB in the 1st round?

The Cardinals might go QB in back-to-back years for the first time since the 80s.

The NFL Draft is where champions are made. Specifically through quarterbacks, who can sustain dynasties with their play behind center.

The league’s elite quarterbacks rarely escape the franchise that drafted them. For every Drew Brees who flourishes in his second (or third or fourth) stop in the league, there are five Ben Roethlisbergers, Philip Rivers, and Eli Mannings who only take the field for a single team over the course of storied careers. Of the last 10 NFL championships, seven have been won by homegrown quarterbacks (Tom Brady x3, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco, and Eli Manning). Only Brees, Peyton Manning and Nick Foles — who earned his ring by returning to the team that drafted him — won titles after hitting free agency.

That makes solid QB drafting paramount to NFL success. Between 2007 and 2016, the Browns drafted three first-round passers. That lack of stability helped contribute to a 48-112 record over that decade of play. Conversely, the Falcons drafted Matt Ryan in 2008 and then went 95-65 in the 10 seasons that followed.

So when’s the last time each NFL franchise swung for the fences with a first-round quarterback prospect?

2018

• Cleveland Browns: Baker Mayfield
• New York Jets: Sam Darnold
• Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen
• Arizona Cardinals: Josh Rosen
• Baltimore Ravens: Lamar Jackson

If Arizona fulfills Kliff Kingsbury’s crush and takes Kyler Murray No. 1 overall, it’ll be the first team to pick first-round quarterbacks in back-to-back years since the Baltimore Colts did it in 1982 and 1983. Those two players — Art Schlichter and John Elway — went on to start six total games for the Colts. Elway, who refused to play for the Colts, was traded to the Broncos soon after the Stanford product was drafted No. 1.

2017

• Chicago Bears: Mitchell Trubisky
• Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes
• Houston Texans: Deshaun Watson

All three of these players look like they’ll keep their respective teams from using a first-round pick on a quarterback over the next decade.

2016

• Los Angeles Rams: Jared Goff
• Philadelphia Eagles: Carson Wentz
• Denver Broncos: Paxton Lynch

The Rams and Eagles picked up MVP candidates in 2016. The Broncos did not.

2015

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston
• Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota

The Buccaneers and Titans could each be in the market for quarterbacks next spring. Both Winston and Mariota are entering the final years of their rookie contracts without an extension lined up.

2014

• Jacksonville Jaguars: Blake Bortles
• Minnesota Vikings: Teddy Bridgewater

If we get a repeat of January’s NFC title game between the Rams and Saints, these two will be the backups. Neat?

2012

• Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck
• Washington: Robert Griffin III
• Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill

Fortunately for the Colts, they’ve had a lot better luck with the other quarterback they drafted No. 1 overall out of Stanford.

2011

• Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton

2009

• Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford

2008

• Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan

2007

• Oakland Raiders: JaMarcus Russell

A successful run comes to a screeching halt with Russell, who lasted three seasons and 25 starts in the NFL (he went 7-18). The nicest thing that can be said about him is that he averaged less than one interception per game.

2005

• San Francisco 49ers: Alex Smith
• Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers

And so began Rodgers’ beef with Mike McCarthy.

2004

• Los Angeles Chargers: Eli Manning
• New York Giants: Philip Rivers
• Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger

Manning didn’t have to wait long until his blatant wish not to play for the Chargers was granted. Three picks after he went first overall, the Giants drafted Rivers and pulled off the blockbuster trade that would help net them two championships.

2003

• Cincinnati Bengals: Carson Palmer

The first round from 2003-05 was a cauldron of great quarterbacks. Together Smith, Rodgers, Eli Manning, Rivers, Roethlisberger, and Palmer have combined for five Super Bowl wins, 31 Pro Bowl invitations, 664 regular season wins — all six have winning records for their career, though Manning’s 116-114 is looking mighty perilous heading into 2019 — and 1,922 passing touchdowns.

1993

• New England Patriots: Drew Bledsoe
• Seattle Seahawks: Rick Mirer

Sometimes you don’t find your franchise QB in the first round. Things work out pretty well when you can find a Super Bowl-winning passer in the third. They work out even better when you can pick up the greatest quarterback of all time in the sixth, then watch him play until the heat death of the universe.

1989

• Dallas Cowboys: Troy Aikman

Aside from the lean years of 2001-05, Dallas has been fortunate enough to spin NCAA hay into NFL gold. Tony Romo was an undrafted free agent who then gave way to fourth-round pick Dak Prescott.

1971

• New Orleans Saints: Archie Manning

The Cardinals are on the brink of selecting first-round quarterbacks for the second time since 2018. The Saints haven’t selected a single one since the Vietnam War was still raging.

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