Ranking The 37 Best Quarterbacks in The NFL (Part One)

Ranking Quarterbacks is among the most popular and exciting things in the football community. Quarterbacks are, bar none, the most critical position on the field. Therefore, casual fans need to have a good grasp on where each QB ranks and what their strengths and weaknesses are. There are many misconceptions due to the usage of stats, and I’ve watched countless hours of film on these QBs to relay the most accurate rankings possible. This is part one of a three-part series.

My rankings will drastically differ from the consensus opinion on this topic. That is because I have a unique perspective on how I view them and consider multiple nuanced factors for their evaluation, and most casual fans are not aware of these factors. This list is intended to relay the most accurate and realistic rankings of the overall talent and value each relevant QB possesses heading into the 2023 season.

It may be confusing to look at the variable scheme grades. That is because every NFL playbook has differences, and it is only feasible to include three schemes that each have different variations. These scheme grades aren’t here to necessarily say which exact scheme fits him best, but rather to say what kind of general skillset they have.

The order was assembled considering the QB’s on-field performance (from ‘all-22-film’) in relation to their surrounding circumstances while reconciling their film with multiple forms of advanced analytics. Performances and stats from the past three seasons are considered, and younger QBs will have their college evaluation taken into account.

QBs with the plus sign (+) are players expected to improve this season. It is important to note that whatever impact a QB has on their team’s culture is not factored into their grade. Rookies from 2023 are omitted, as it isn’t exactly fair to compare them to current NFL starters when none of them have NFL film to go off of. My QB rankings for the 2023 NFL draft can be found here.

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QB Formula key

Grading scale: 1-7

OVR Scale: 15-100

37. Sam Howell

Sam Howell was a very appealing project at QB, but he somehow fell to the fifth round. You’d expect him to have a chip on his shoulder because of this, and if he gets his shot, the league may be left surprised. His potential is undeniably there, and it’s just a matter of him getting used to an NFL offense to reach a starter level. His biggest flaw as a prospect was his processor. Additionally, he had spotty accuracy. These things must improve if he wants to start in the NFL. With a year of sitting, it’s certainly possible he has taken a step up and inevitably become a legit starter.

36. Taylor Heinicke

Taylor Heinicke is a personal favorite, but his film and advanced stats leave me questioning if he’s anything more than a backup. Heieneke plays with a desirable gunslinger mentality. While it leads to big plays, it also gets him in equal trouble. His accuracy has been quite inconsistent lately, and he often didn’t go through his reads entirely in 2022. He tends to play hero ball and will heave up pickable passes like it’s nothing. I hoped he’d improve this, but it has yet to happen. As of now, he is an excellent backup, but it’s hard seeing him in a starting role again.

35. Zach Wilson

Some could argue that Zach Wilson isn’t a relative QB anymore, but he may go on to start after sitting behind Rodgers. What he showed last year was straight-up terrible. With that being said, he has elite physical traits and was a dominant player at BYU. The potential showed in flashes in his two years as a starter, but his negatives ultimately pulled him down.
His ability to play in rhythm and sense pressure was just not their last year. Sitting behind Rodgers, his idol, could greatly benefit his development, and maybe he could get past these issues. He’s not someone you want on the field next year, but a breakout is still in the cards.

34. Desmond Ridder

Desmond Ridder was a relatively refined QB coming out of college and proved he could start in 2022. The real question with Ridder is what is his actual upside, and how far can he take you? He may as well be a copied clone of Marcus Mariota. Both aren’t bad QBs, but they won’t do anything beyond executing the basic plays.
His all-22 footage left me underwhelmed as he seemed to limit Atlanta’s offense. The accuracy on impactful throws wasn’t there, and he didn’t extend plays enough with his legs. On the positive side, he showed ideal pocket presence and threw well under pressure. Besides that, his play leaves a lot to be desired. While he can start as a bridge QB, I have difficulty seeing him become a franchise guy.

33. Mitchell Trubisky

Mitch Trubisky was one of the weirdest QBs to evaluate on this entire list. That is because he has some surprising elements to his game, but ultimately didn’t get the job done for Pittsburgh. Trubisky has the ideal physical skillset to excel at QB, but it’s the little things he could do better, along with his inconsistency.
Trubisky was statically one of the best passers under pressure last year, but the film doesn’t entirely back that up. He handled pressure relatively well, but his decision-making has hindered him for quite some time. Additionally, he is very spotty with his accuracy all over the field. Like Wentz, he is best suited as a backup due to his failure to execute consistently.

32. Marcus Mariota

After getting a second chance to prove himself, it looks clear that Mariota is best suited as a backup. While he is a capable starter, his film is underwhelming to watch, and he often leaves too much meat on the bones. Mariota is excellent at executing quick, easy reads, but he often fails when the play breaks down. When everything is running perfectly, he looks like a capable starter, but even then, he doesn’t elevate the talent around him.
One of Mariota’s biggest downfalls is his inability to use his legs. He is a very conservative decision-maker and doesn’t take shots when he has the chance to. Overall, he is alright, as he can execute with talent around him, but he isn’t an ideal long-term starter.

31. Carson Wentz

It may seem surprising to see Carson Wentz ranked amongst other starters, as he is currently a free agent. However, he is one of the most physically gifted QBs in the league and wasn’t awful for Washington like the narrative spun it as. He still has a rocket arm and stellar play extension ability. Moreover, the ball placement on deep balls is flawless at times. He just isn’t consistent in that regard. Wentz also struggles to consistently get through his reads and throws with touch when needed. Because he’s so volatile, he’s better suited as a backup than a starter, but his high-end moments are better than anyone in this list (out of 25-37).

30. Andy Dalton

Andy Dalton is a guy many fans have forgotten about, but he quietly had a terrific year in New Orleans. His quick processor was always on display, and he continuously got the ball out quickly. His decision-making is far from perfect, but it is ideal for a modern offense. Dalton had an average time to throw of 3.19, which ranked tenth in the NFL.
He was also one of the best passers under pressure. His pocket presence is ideal for a serviceable O-line. Moreover, his accuracy has been quite impressive over the past year. Even on impactful throws, he has good zip and great anticipation. While you’re never planning on him being a longtime starter, he is an excellent option to bridge the gap to a younger QB.

29. Teddy Bridgewater

Teddy Bridgewater has shown flashes of brilliance over the past few seasons, but his days as a starter are over. He may be one of the best backups in the league, but at this point, there are better veteran QBs available. What he does is perfect for the backup role. He’s got good enough accuracy and decision-making to give his guys a shot consistently. One element Bridgewater has stepped up in is his pocket presence and decision-making. He knows how to extend plays and not just settle for what’s easiest. Besides the lack of arm talent, Bridgewater doesn’t have much to dislike.

28. Trey Lance

It’s pretty disappointing that we never saw what Trey Lance is truly made of. Even coming out of college, we didn’t see much of him, and we ultimately have no clue if he’s good. The potential showed in flashes in the short period he played, but he failed to execute the simple aspects of the offense. His mechanics have improved, but they’re still shaky, and he’s bound to miss at least one easy layup a game.
He’s currently projected to be the backup and may be up for trade. Regardless of where he ends up, he will inevitably get his shot. Him developing and becoming a star is not out of the cards. Fans and the media have drastically underestimated what he can become, and it’s exciting to look forward to him playing.

27. Baker Mayfield

At one point, Baker Mayfield was an ascending star talent at QB. But over the recent years, things have turned for the worst. Now he only occasionally shows flashes of what he used to be. Whatever happened in Cleveland worsened his confidence and ultimately affected his play.
One thing in particular I noticed was he played his best when he literally didn’t fully know the playbook. He was promising in his first game as a Ram, but subsequently, his play fell off a cliff. It’s also worth noting he had an astonishingly alarming pressure-to-sack conversion rate. Mayfield is still someone with a ton of arm talent and fearless decision-making. It’ll be fascinating to see how he fares with the Bucs.

26. Jordan Love

Ironically Jordan Love is living the same fate Rodgers did. He slipped in the draft and got to sit for three years behind an all-time great. Well, his time has finally come, and I couldn’t be more excited to see what he can do. As mentioned last year, his first start was in one of the worst circumstances you could ask a young QB to play.
He happened to get some playing time in garbage time and looked incredible. The only thing is that the defense started playing very conservatively, so it allowed Love to look excellent in an easy situation. The arm talent and play extension are all there; it’s just a matter of how he develops. I would not be surprised to see Jordan Love come out and shockingly make the Packers competitive.

25. Brock Purdy

Brock Purdy’s story is one of the most fascinating in recent memory. To go from Mr. irrelevant to competing for a Super Bowl in year one is remarkable. While it took an immense degree of surrounding talent to get him to that point, he unarguably was an excellent ship captain. He executes the fundamental aspects of the offense at a much more sufficient rate than Lance. In their exciting playoff run, he fully displayed pocket presence and play extension.
The one major downside with Purdy is his arm talent, which was why he fell so far in the draft. This will show when trying to target Receivers on the perimeter, 40+ yards downfield. The good thing is that the Niner’s offense is loaded with playmakers, and all Purdy must do is get them the ball in space. Despite the lack of arm talent, he is more than capable of helping them compete and will only get better.

Part Two (24-13) – Coming Soon