Elite Quarterbacks (1 Viewer)

[Optimus Prime]

There are only a small handful of truly elite quarterbacks playing right now, or in any given year (We are really blessed to have one of them)

But I'm wondering, Why are there only a small handful?

More colleges run a pro style offense than ever before

Many college teams are being coached by former NFL coaches, former coordinators, and increasingly former NFL head coaches

Why hasn't that led to an embarrassment of riches in the QB talent level in the pros?

 

[insidejob]

Because Elite NFL caliber quarterbacks encompass like 0.01% of the population. They have skills and intangibles that can't be coached. Just look at all the great college quarterbacks that have come to the NFL over the years who were predicted to be the next ______ and ended up being just average to complete busts.

Elite is a term that gets thrown around like there are many elite QB's in the league every year, when in reality, there are probably only 4 actually "elite" QB's playing this year. Once Brady, Brees and Roethlisberger retire, I don't see many elite QB's already in the league (or even in the making already in the league) to take their place.

We might be elite QB starved for a few years before new players measure up to the Brady, Brees, Manning, Roethlisberger, etc. mold of QB again.

 

[BoNcHiE]

Because the college game is absolute trash right now offensively.

College coaches, neglecting to actually coach QBs how to play the position properly, instead have chosen the easy way out by running the read option.

 

[Igordão]

Because Elite NFL caliber quarterbacks encompass like 0.01% of the population. They have skills and intangibles that can't be coached. Just look at all the great college quarterbacks that have come to the NFL over the years who were predicted to be the next ______ and ended up being just average to complete busts.

Elite is a term that gets thrown around like there are many elite QB's in the league every year, when in reality, there are probably only 4 actually "elite" QB's playing this year. Once Brady, Brees and Roethlisberger retire, I don't see many elite QB's already in the league (or even in the making already in the league) to take their place.

We might be elite QB starved for a few years before new players measure up to the Brady, Brees, Manning, Roethlisberger, etc. mold of QB again.

I think there was a great influx of talent at QB in the last 2-3 years in the NFL. I don't know if they will ever become elite, but some of them can.

 

[superchuck500]

I think there was a great influx of talent at QB in the last 2-3 years in the NFL. I don't know if they will ever become elite, but some of them can.

Andrew Luck was the consensus "next elite" by just about everyone. And he sort of looked the part at first but something is going on with him that seems - at this point - to be more than just physical injuries. And in reality, he has never completed more than 61.7% percent.

If his play doesn't improve, he isn't going to make it to elite.

 

[Mikie17]

Because Elite NFL caliber quarterbacks encompass like 0.01% of the population. They have skills and intangibles that can't be coached. Just look at all the great college quarterbacks that have come to the NFL over the years who were predicted to be the next ______ and ended up being just average to complete busts.

Elite is a term that gets thrown around like there are many elite QB's in the league every year, when in reality, there are probably only 4 actually "elite" QB's playing this year. Once Brady, Brees and Roethlisberger retire, I don't see many elite QB's already in the league (or even in the making already in the league) to take their place.

We might be elite QB starved for a few years before new players measure up to the Brady, Brees, Manning, Roethlisberger, etc. mold of QB again.

I agree. I also think as an alternative, many teams are falling in love with mobile QBs. This could also water down the 0.01% elite QB count. With mobile QBs, they don't have to manipulate defenses like elite pocket passers do. If the read is not there, they tuck and run. Mobile QBs are ok, but it is nothing like watching an elite QB pick defenses apart like magic.

 

[El Caliente]

That is an interesting question. Most of us went to college so that we could network and learn how to perform in the fields we wanted to work in (study accounting in college, work as an accountant after), but in college football they aren't preparing you for a career as a pro football player. It is more, they take their pound of flesh, and move on to the next guy once your run is at its end.

I enjoyed my time at both SDSU and Michigan as during my time there Lloyd Carr and Tom Craft ran traditional pro style offenses, so it wasn't like the Rich Rod, and Hoke who looked to field 11 athletes and no real qb. I feel for LSU fans in regards to having all that talent, but (up until now) not having a qb to maximize on it.

 

[MLU]

More colleges run a pro style offense than ever before

Why hasn't that led to an embarrassment of riches in the QB talent level in the pros?

Well, the answer to the second statement is the first statement being wrong. It's actually the exact opposite. More college offenses are running spread offenses than ever before. Every offseason schools bring in people to add some facet of the spread offense to their playbook. Very few schools actually run a Pro-style offense because it requires acquiring much more talent than most college programs can acquire.

 

[IceHot]

The word "Elite" makes it a self defining statement.

Its not much different then saying "There are only a handful of Top 3 QBs".

 

[crosswatt]

Here's a pretty good read on the subject.
Does The NFL Have A QB Crisis? – National Football Post

In general, it is very hard to make it to the NFL. Most teams only retain about 50% of their draft class over the long term. The number looks even gloomier if one were to analyze which of those draft picks actually become “good” players. The fact that only one quarterback starts at a time cuts the opportunity even more so.

Finding good players for the NFL has never been an easy process and it likely never will be. Also, consider how long it has taken to reach this point. Currently, the oldest starting quarterback, based on year drafted, is Peyton Manning, drafted in 1998.

It has taken 17 years to find 10-12 starting quarterbacks who are play at an “elite” level. Now consider how many failed quarterbacks have taken snaps in that span. Even simpler, consider how many quarterbacks have entered the league since Andrew Luck, arguably the newest “elite” passer, was drafted in 2012.

 

[crosswatt]

''

Jets QB Bryce Petty is refreshingly up-front about how little he knew about reading defenses from his time in Baylor’s spread offense. But he thinks teams made the mistake of believing he was incapable of ever learning. “I’m like ‘you’ve got to give me a chance a little bit.’”

As for the future, the NFL does have a small inkling of a problem. In large part, the “new wave” college offense is based on simplicity. Since the flexibility of a college football roster pales in comparison to a pro roster, college coaches need to find simpler methods for teaching the team and making them competitive.

Meanwhile the NFL game is all about details. For instance, Chris B. Brown documents how Peyton Manning loves to run a pass concept called levels. Brown shows how Manning and his coaches have manipulated that levels play every which way in his career, to adjust to the defense and adjust what the defense must prepare for. Details.

An adjustment for Baylor might be as simple as the same exact play that was previously run, where basically the quarterback is just keying on one defender, but with a different formation. Or a different side of the field a play will be run on.

Based on this comparison, it is easy to see why NFL teams would be frustrated with the current crop of passers who do very little of what is required, mentally, of top tier NFL quarterbacks.

 

[crawfish2010]

Because the college game is absolute trash right now offensively.

College coaches, neglecting to actually coach QBs how to play the position properly, instead have chosen the easy way out by running the read option.

They get paid to win games not develop QBs.

 

[TheSaints7]

If there has been a drafted QB in recent years who I thought would turn elite, it was Andrew Luck. I thought he was the likeliest too do so. Of course it hasn't turned that way yet and it probably won't but I genuinely thought he'd turn elite in the future. Now I don't.

Some people are too quick too throw around the word...elite.

Eli Manning has won Superbowls, same as his brother. But Peyton was elite, Eli isn't, he's just clutch.

People called Joe Flacco elite for winning a Super Bowl lol, but we all know he isn't. Just had a good playoffs.

2 Questions I'd like other peoples opinions on are...

1.) Do you think Russell Wilson is elite?

2.) Do you think JG of the Pats will become elite after he likely takes over the starting spot after Brady retires, barring injuries of course?

 

[superchuck500]

If there has been a drafted QB in recent years who I thought would turn elite, it was Andrew Luck. I thought he was the likeliest too do so. Of course it hasn't turned that way yet and it probably won't but I genuinely thought he'd turn elite in the future. Now I don't.

Some people are too quick too throw around the word...elite.

Eli Manning has won Superbowls, same as his brother. But Peyton was elite, Eli isn't, he's just clutch.

People called Joe Flacco elite for winning a Super Bowl lol, but we all know he isn't. Just had a good playoffs.

2 Questions I'd like other peoples opinions on are...

1.) Do you think Russell Wilson is elite?

2.) Do you think JG of the Pats will become elite after he likely takes over the starting spot after Brady retires, barring injuries of course?

If Russell Wilson continues to post seasons like he had in 2015, I think he would be elite. He was north of 68% with 4K yards and 34/8. And he does it in competitive games that are often won based significantly on his play making first downs (including with his feet where he added another 500 yards of production) in critical situations. That to me is elite.

But you have to back up that kind of performance over multiple seasons.

 

[bobad]

Because the college game is absolute trash right now offensively.

College coaches, neglecting to actually coach QBs how to play the position properly, instead have chosen the easy way out by running the read option.

I agree, and can only add that coaches probably fear their QB's are 2 years and done. It must be terrible to search the country and finally find a good QB only to lose him to the NFL.