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The 2018 draft featured the most excited quarterback group in at least 14 years, and four of five first-round picks in this position, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Josh Rosen, all started at least one match at the NFL Level.
I went into my bunker – which is actually just my laptop on my desk in the room in the center of my house – to evaluate the performance of these young quarterbacks at the beginning of their professional career.
Yes, the sample size is currently reduced, but these shifts could represent a significant part of the future at the most important position of the game. Constant analysis is therefore necessary.
Baker Mayfield, Browns
Statistics: 38 of 64 (completed at 59.4%), 496 yards (7.8 yards per attempt), 2 TDs, 2 INTs, 81.2 QBs
The benefits of Mayfield's extensive academic experience – 1,497 attempts against Texas Tech and Oklahoma – were evident in his first two appearances in the NFL. On the majority of his back, he either quickly shot the ball at his initial reading, or quickly changed to his next option. One of the few times he did not click on his second reading, he should have been intercepted in the end zone against the Jets. In addition, he already has the ability to move in the pocket with the chaos around him. A few times, he became extremely nervous when his first reading did not take place, and during those plays, he was released early or simply neglected with his footwork, which led to shots unbalanced and off-target.
Overall, he was well ahead of most rookie quarterbacks when checking multiple readings and drifting out of pocket. Huge benefits. He even appeared a few times that he had started the whole defense by starting with the head of one side of the field before attacking it from the other side to draw a difficult course.
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Mayfield's precision was good, very precise, but the position of the ball on some shots technically "on the target" left a little to be desired. His velocity was impressive and he was an effective jammer. I like the fact that he was not afraid to throw, even through a tight window or on a back target, to give his receivers a chance. Unfortunately, he had a lot of falls, but this sniper mentality also generated big games – especially Jarvis Landry and David Njoku – when his catchers managed to win. In general, Mayfield's strong offensive line provided him with many opportunities, and the Cleveland project was not an obstacle as orientation errors, tight zone limits, and screens were often used.
Grade: A-
Sam Darnold, Jets
Statistics: 73 out of 127 (57.1% completion), 868 yards (6.8 yards per attempt), 4 TDs, 5 INTs, 72.6 QBs
Above all, two aspects of Darnold's game marked me in his first four starts: outstretched feet and lack of accuracy on the ground. He was very decisive and precise at the short and middle levels of the field when his first reading was clearly open. When that did not happen, he was erratic with his pocket movement, sometimes moving away from the line of scrimmage instead of following it and, in most cases, his eyes went silent. . He had some pressure and was late on a handful of shots.
Sometimes Darnold was so stuck on his first reading that he was forced to throw with direct pressure on his face, which led to strange arm angles and poor foot positioning. He has done well for relatively accurate football in these situations, but the fact that he will not naturally venture not to move naturally into open pockets on longer routes.
He was the most willing to go on his second reading at the last Jaguars outing in Week 4, but that match also included the most straightforward defeats I've ever seen from Darnold. Overall, he was a quarter in reading to start his career in the NFL and looked like an extra-young caller who did not have much experience at the university. The offensive line of the Jets did not help much Darnold either.
Grade: D +
Josh Allen, Bills
Statistics: 55 out of 103 (completed at 53.4%), 666 yards (6.5 yards per attempt) 2 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 63.8 QB
Like Darnold, the time that Allen spent quickly from first reading to second reading was rare. Also like Darnold, Allen was not comfortable moving away from a semblance of pressure inside the pocket. He too was forced to throw himself with the defenders – and the offensive line players – in front of him for lack of presence in the pocket. All this led to a large amount of bags, and the Buffalo offensive line was average to its absolute best, especially against the blitz. He also had a lot of falls. Allen has proven to be a staple as a runner, both on scrambled and designed games.
He had a handful of well-defined misses, but when he remained clean and his initial reading was opened quickly, Allen pitched with great speed and good accuracy without problems with ball placement. His pass capture options are the worst of the first-round shifts of 2018 that have begun so far, and he has not seen as many first-reading targets open quickly as his contemporaries having the most need to call as a signal. In addition, which is likely a project to accentuate the strength of his arms, the scheme of the Bills was mainly based on vertical, and although Allen took many shots beyond 20 meters he has not repeatedly pressed the trigger to give his receivers a chance to play.
Whatever the case may be, considering the offensive line, its low pocket presence and its current tendency not to lose its first title in reading, Allen would benefit from more fast-paced game elements in the Buffalo offensive. In the second half against the Packers in the fourth week, he was much quieter in the pocket and more decisive than in any other part of the game. I never saw him play at the NFL, but Allen was not heading quickly to his second reading. .
Grade: D +
Josh Rosen, Cardinals
Statistics: 19 out of 34 (55.9% completion), 216 yards (6.4 yards per attempt), 1 TD, 1 INT, 72.7 QB
Rosen was closest to Mayfield in terms of pocket presence and patience within the limits of his offensive attacks. He made some bad decisions with football, but he was mostly a clear smuggler, with some failures in the middle to deep parts of the pitch. He did not have a velocity problem.
Importantly, Rosen was able to move on to his second reading if his first target is covered, and he even did so under duress.
His fourth and final round against the Seahawks was excellent. He dropped a few pennies at the middle level, calmly moved away from the pressure and made precise passes to secondary targets. Like Darnold and Allen, his offensive line is worrisome and has so far been the worst of the four-quarter first-round selection of 2018 that saw the ground in September.
Grade: C +
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