Six Plus Quarterbacks in the First Round?

In 1983, the NFL draft set a record that has stood for over two decades. In the first round of that draft, six quarterbacks were drafted, including Dan Marino, John Elway, and Jim Kelly. Since that draft, the most quarterbacks drafted in the first round is five, which occurred in 2003. For the first time since 1983, there is a serious possibility of six quarterbacks being drafted in the first round Thursday night. Is it going to happen? Is there even a possibility of the 1983 record being broken?

If there are six, or even seven quarterbacks drafted on Thursday, it will not be because there is just an unprecedented about of talent available for teams to choose from.

 There are really only two or three solid first round quarterbacks in this draft: Blaine Gabbert, Cam Newton, and Jake Locker. Even those players have significant question marks surrounding them. Gabbert has been consistent but never really outstanding, Locker has accuracy issues, and Newton carries concerns about his dedication to the game. In spite of those issues, all three quarterbacks are likely to be taken within the first 32 picks.

The second tier of quarterbacks provide for more interesting decisions for teams to make. Andy Dalton, Ryan Mallet, Christian Ponder, and Colin Kaepernick are the guys that could make the first round a record setting one. Each of these players have aspects about them that could lead to a team taking a chance on them. For example, Dalton has the winning history and leadership skills every coach wants their quarterback to have, and Ponder just might be the most pro ready quarterback in the draft sans Gabbert. But each of them have concerns, such as numerous off the field issues (Mallet) or the time it will take to develop them (Kaepernick). The concerns around this group of quarterbacks are large enough that would keep these players out of the first round in a typical draft.

So if these guys wouldn’t get drafted in the first rounds in a usual year, why does this draft have the potential to be a record setter? Well, to put it simply, this isn’t a usual year. There are up to eleven teams (Carolina, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Arizona, San Francisco, Tennessee, Minnesota, Miami, Jacksonville, Washington and Seattle) that have a need for a starting quarterback this year. There are also teams like New England and Indianapolis that have expressed an interest in drafting a quarterback to groom for the future.

Not only is there a big need for quarterbacks this year, that need has been intensified by the CBA situation that is still unresolved. There are several starting caliber quarterbacks that would typically be on the market right now, but the inability to trade players have left quarterback needy teams with their hands tied. Any of those teams that don’t draft a quarterback will be rolling the dice and hoping that they can trade for a veteran quarterback when the lockout is officially over. That is going to lead to teams being more aggressive in trading up in the draft to insure they get the quarterback they want.

Is the 2011 draft going to be a record setting draft? It’s certainly possible. There is a big need for quarterbacks and there aren’t going to be enough to go around. That being said, it’s probably unlikely that all seven quarterbacks will go in the first round. That being said, the need for quarterbacks is undoubtedly going to lead to a crazy first round and will provide an entertaining and interesting Thursday night.