Skip to content

History tells us either Goff or Wentz will be a draft bust

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

After the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles both traded up for the top two picks in the 2016 NFL Draft, it became obvious Jared Goff and Carson Wentz would be the first two names called Thursday.

For the sixth time since 1972, the first two picks in the NFL draft are quarterbacks, and if history serves us correctly, one of these players will end up being a solid pro, and the other a major disappointment.

1993- Drew Bledsoe (No. 1 pick), Rick Mirer (No. 2 pick)

Bledsoe was certainly a solid pick by the New England Patriots and was definitely the top quarterback in this draft. Despite throwing for just 1,876 yards and 15 touchdowns, Mirer was taken second overall by the passing-deficient 2-14 Seattle Seahawks. Stan Gelbaugh, Kelly Stouffer, and Dan McGwire all failed to post a quarterback rating over 53. The 46-year-old flopped almost immediately, going 20-31 in four years as a starter with Seattle, and throwing 56 interceptions to 41 touchdowns. He bounced around the league in one-year intervals until 2003. Hmmm, a quarterback-deficient team reaching for an unproven prospect with the No. 2 pick. Does this sound familiar?

1998- Peyton Manning (No. 1 pick), Ryan Leaf (No. 2 pick)

One of these players is arguably the best quarterback of all time. The other is arguably the biggest draft bust of all time. It's astounding the difference in career between Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf, but from the jump it was obvious the Colts made the right pick at No. 1. The Washington State product was out of the league following the 2001 season, with a 4-17 record as a starter. His career stats of 36 interceptions to just 14 touchdowns are an accurate indication of just how awful his professional career was. Good news Rams and Eagles fans, your team could draft the next Peyton Manning. Bad news, it's just as likely they draft the next Ryan Leaf.

1999- Tim Couch (No. 1 pick), Donovan McNabb (No. 2 pick)

For what seems like the entirety of human existence on the planet, the Cleveland Browns have swung and missed on quarterback prospects. Tim Couch is probably the biggest miss of all for the middling franchise. Finally securing the No. 1 pick in the 1999 NFL Draft, the Browns opted for Couch out of Kentucky instead of Donovan McNabb, who fell to the Eagles at No. 2. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder lasted five years in the NFL, finishing 22-37 as a starter and 64 touchdowns to 67 interceptions. McNabb? He went on to become the Eagles' all-time leader in virtually every major passing category, and saw his number retired by the club. Browns fans honor Couch on a yearly basis as part of an extremely depressing ritual.

2012- Andrew Luck (No. 1 pick), Robert Griffin III (No. 2 pick)

After Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III's rookie seasons it looked as though both players would be exceptional draft picks by their respective teams. Since then there's been a lot of #movement. Griffin bested Luck for the 2012 offensive rookie of the year, but injuries and disagreements with the coaching staff led to his departure from the Washington Redskins. The club mortgaged a large portion of the future to get Griffin, as the Rams turned the No. 2 draft slot into eight players, and it failed miserably. Griffin now finds himself in the quarterback purgatory known as Cleveland, while the team is led by Kirk Cousins, who they drafted in the fourth round of the same draft. Luck has a 35-20 record as the Indianapolis Colts starter, and has led the team to three division titles in four years.

2015- Jameis Winston (No. 1 pick), Marcus Mariota (No. 2 pick)

To the shock of virtually no one, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota both look like absolute stud quarterbacks. If the success of their rookie seasons carries out, they will certainly buck the trend of the previous four drafts. The Rams and Eagles seem to think the immediate impact made by these two players can also be seen in Wentz and Goff. But Winston and Mariota won back-to-back Heisman trophies in 2013 and 2014 while dominating the college game. Goff never cracked the top 10 in Heisman voting, while Wentz was ineligible for the award because he played FCS football. That's the pedigree the Rams and Eagles traded up to get. Good luck with that.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox