Unprecedented run of quarterbacks likely in Round 1

Broadway Joe

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Mar 19, 2019
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College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic - Clemson v Notre Dame

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The NFL draft has never had four quarterbacks go off the board within the first eight picks, or five quarterbacks in the Top 10. Both of those could happen on Thursday night.

It goes without saying that the first three picks will be quarterbacks, with the Jaguars set to take Trevor Lawrence first, the Jets taking Zach Wilson second and the 49ers choosing among Mac Jones, Trey Lance and Justin Fields third.

This will be just the third draft ever with quarterbacks going 1-2-3. It previously happened in 1999 (Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb and Akili Smith) and in 1971 (Jim Plunkett, Archie Manning and Dan Pastorini).

But the fourth quarterback could go as high as fourth overall, and is highly likely to be off the board by No. 8. Never before have four quarterbacks gone that high; the highest the fourth quarterback has ever gone off the board was ninth overall, way back in 1949, when John Rauch went second overall, Stan Heath went fifth, bobby Thomason went seventh and Frank Tripucka went ninth.

And there’s a good chance that all five of the top quarterbacks will be off the board in the Top 10, something that has never happened before.

NFL teams are increasingly deciding that drafting a quarterback is the fastest way to turn around a franchise’s fortune, and college football is increasingly churning out quarterbacks who are ready to play right away. This year will likely see an unprecedented run on quarterbacks, but it may soon become the norm.
 
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