10 Years of 1st Rd QBs Ranked

[NoThanksSir]

My old man isn't much of an internet user, so I often collect/write up Raiders stuff for him to read. He was curious about how Mendoza compared to previous 1st round QBs when they were coming out, so I whipped this up for him. My opinions aside I figured it would be an interesting data set to share here. I try to take into account competition, and also health/injury history although I don't list injuries.

Tier 1 - Generational Prospect

1. Joe Burrow – 6’3 220 lbs, SEC, Heisman Winner, CFB Championship, 2x Bowl Winner. Best Season: 5671 Yds 60 TDs 368 Rushing 5 TDs

2. Trevor Lawrence – 6’6 213 lbs, ACC, 2nd in Heisman Voting, CFB Championship, 1x Bowl Winner. Best Season: 3665 Yds 36 TDs 563 Rushing 9 TDs

Tier 2 – Limitless Potential

3. Deshaun Watson – 6’3 215 lbs, ACC, 2nd in Heisman Voting, CFB Championship, 2x Bowl Winner. Best Season: 4593 Yds 41 TDs 629 Rushing 9 TDs

4. Drake Maye – 6’5 220 lbs, ACC, 10th in Heisman Voting. Best Season: 4321 Yds 38 TDs 698 Rushing 7 TDs

5. Lamar Jackson – 6’3 211 lbs, ACC, Heisman Winner, 1x Bowl Winner. Best Season: 3660 Yds 27 TDs 1601 Rushing 18 TDs

6. Jayden Daniels – 6’3 185 lbs, SEC, Heisman Winner, 3x Bowl Winner. Best Season: 3812 Yds 40 TDs 1134 Rushing 10 TDs

7. Caleb Williams – 6’1 218 lbs, Pac 12, Heisman Winner, 2x Bowl Winner. Best Season: 4537 Yds 42 TDs 382 Rushing 10 TDs

Tier 3 – High Floor

8. CJ Stroud – 6’3 215 lbs, Big 10, 3rd in Heisman Voting, 1x Bowl Winner. Best Season: 4435 Yds 44 TDs. Zero Rushing Production

9. Jared Goff - 6’4 215 lbs, Pac 12, 1x Bowl Winner. Best Season: 4719 Yds 43 Tds. Zero Rushing Production

10. Baker Mayfield – 6’1 220 lbs, Big 12. Heisman Winner, 1x Bowl Winner. Best Season: 4627 Yds 43 TDs 311 Rushing 5 TDs

11. Bo Nix – 6’3 214 lbs, Pac 12, 3rd in Heisman Voting, 2x Bowl Winner. Best Season: 4508 Yds 45 TDs 234 Rushing 6 TDs

Tier 4 – Flawed with a High Ceiling

12. Patrick Mahomes – 6’3 230 lbs, Big 12. Best Season: 5052 Yds 41 TDs 260 Rushing 12 TDs

13. Jaxson Dart – 6’2 215 lbs, SEC. 2x Bowl Winner. Best Season: 4279 Yds 29 TDs 495 Rushing 3 TDs

14. Cam Ward – 6’2 219 lbs, ACC. 4th in Heisman voting. Best Season: 4313 Yds 39 TDs 204 Rushing 4 TDs

15. Justin Herbert – 6’6 236 lbs, Pac 12, 2x Bowl Winner. Best Season: 3471 Yds 32 TDs 50 Rushing Rushing 4 TDs

Tier 5 – Flawed with a High Floor

16. Kenny Pickett – 6’3 220 lbs, ACC, 3rd in Heisman Voting, 1x Bowl Winner. Best Season: 4319 Yds 42 TDs 241 Rushing 5 TDs

17. Michael Penix – 6’3 218 lbs, Pac 12, 2nd in Heisman Voting, 1 Bowl winner. Best Season: 4903 Yds 36 TDs 8 Rushing 3 TDs

18. Bryce Young – 6’0 194 lbs, SEC, Heisman Winner, CFB Championship, 2x Bowl Winner. Best Season: 4872 Yds 47 TDs 3 Rushing TDs

Tier 6 – Big Risk, Big Potential

Justin Fields
Jordan Love
Josh Allen
Mitch Trubisky
Kyler Murray
Paxton Lynch

Tier 7 – Career Backups

J.J. McCarthy
Mac Jones
Sam Darnold
Tua Tagovailoa
Josh Rosen

Tier 8 – Get yourself Fired

Daniel Jones
Carson Wentz
Dwayne Haskins
Trey Lance
Anthony Richardson
Zach Wilson


FERNANDO MENDOZA

6’5 225 lbs, Big 10, Heisman Winner, 1x Bowl Winner. Best Season: 3535 yds 41 TDs 276 Rushing 7 TDs

Initial Ranking: Tier 4 – Flawed with a high ceiling

Final Ranking: Tier 3 - High Floor

Comments: Mendoza has the prototype size, arm strength, and intangibles to be a starting QB in the NFL. He is competing in the Big 10 which is the 2nd best conference in college, albeit on a traditionally under talented Indiana program. His production reflects a lack of NFL caliber weapons around him, but his ability to win games can’t be understated. He’s in tier 4, and would stand alone in that tier as the only prospect with a Heisman. If he wins the CFB Championship, he will be the only QB to do so since Joe Burrow.

With him capping off his storybook season with a CFB Championship, he has elevated himself from 13-15 to 8th best QB.