Even the best NFL draft experts cannot accurately predict what will happen when the time comes for team picks. After all, a single trade can completely unbalance a bogus draft. For the most part, though, at least when it comes to quarterbacks, it’s pretty easy to determine where a potential player will go.
But as so many signal callers have learned the hard way, sometimes the chips just don’t fall your way. Let’s take a closer look at the seven most surprising quarterback draft day slides of all time.
7. Will Levis, 2023
Though Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio’s CJ Stroud both had far more impressive resumes, Kentucky’s Will Levis somehow got the ball rolling to be one of the first players drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft. In the run-up to Thursday night, some even wondered if he could go to the Houston Texans in 2nd overall. Given the speculation about possible trade-up scenarios surrounding Levis, it turns out that all the talk was just that.
Not only did the big-armed quarterback fall well out of the top 10, he had to wait until Friday to officially hear his name. The Titans eventually ended Levis’ well-known slip by taking him to 33rd overall. The move clearly means Malik Willis won’t be the type, but it remains to be seen if Will Levis will become one of the rare quarterbacks on this list who proved teams wrong for letting him slide.
6.Malik Willis, 2022
NFL Draft Twitter took a huge L by making it seem like Malik Willis had a legitimate shot at being the first quarterback of 2022. Not only did the former Liberty University star not become a Day 1 pick, he didn’t go into the second round either.
Whether it was his small school background, inconsistent accuracy, or a combination of several factors, Willis clearly had red flags working against him during the 2022 NFL Draft. Ultimately, the Tennessee Titans took a third-round flyer on him with the 86th overall. The Georgia native played sparingly as a rookie, giving little reason to believe he can replace Ryan Tannehill in the long term.
5. Lamar Jackson, 2018
How the league nearly slipped someone as special as Lamar Jackson out of the first round is nothing short of shocking. Sure, he entered the 2018 NFL Draft with legitimate questions about his ability to fit into a pro-style offense. But he also stood well above the rest of his quarterback peers in terms of athleticism, upside, and performance.
Still, electrifying Louisville star Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, And Josh Rosen is selected among the top 10 picks while waiting for a call. It brought the Ravens back to the first round to finally end Jackson’s fall with the 32nd overall.
Needless to say, the New England Patriots still look stupid to pick Sony Michel for 31st.
4.Johnny Manziel, 2014
A Heisman winner with Moxie and dual-threat skills, Johnny Manziel’s off-field issues and character concerns led to a disappointing result in the 2014 NFL Draft. Despite a stellar production record at Texas A&M, the controversial signal-caller slipped out of the top 10 and almost fell out the first round overall.
Perhaps the only thing that kept Manziel from having to wait until the second round was the Browns’ desperation. But in one of the least surprising results in NFL draft history, their decision to trade slides for Johnny Football didn’t pan out at all.
On the contrary, hitching her car to Manziel only led to frustration for a franchise that finally addressed the situation almost a decade later, trading for Deshaun Watson and handing him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract.
3.Jimmy Clausen, 2010
Jimmy Clausen, a well-known Notre Dame quarterback, serves as a cautionary tale about falling in love with potential. He was considered a high-profile player who could make an excellent pro-style quarterback and was expected to be a top-10 pick along with Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford. While Bradford finished at No. 1 overall, Clausen suffered one of the biggest draft day slides ever, falling to the Carolina Panthers at #48 pick.
Ultimately, NFL teams were proven to outrun him on the first lap. Clausen’s career as a starter ended as quickly as it began. After a tough rookie season with just three touchdowns, nine interceptions, and a 1-9 record as a starter, he never threw another pass for the Panthers. In fact, Clausen only made eight more appearances before his time in professional football came to an end.
2. Brady Quinn, 2007
From his physique to his camera-ready face, Brady Quinn embodied what teams have come to expect from a franchise quarterback. However, the former Notre Dame standout found the NFL didn’t exactly look at him as a prospect to drop out of college. Even in one loaded In the 2007 NFL draft class, which included three current Pro Football Hall of Famers, Quinn would finish in the top 10.
Unfortunately for the 2006 Maxwell Award winner, he didn’t come close to matching those preliminary projections. Once JaMarcus Russell became the No. 1, no other quarterback left the board until the Cleveland Browns picked Quinn for 22nd overall. Of course, 19 picks came after tackling Joe Thomas, who became one of the all-time greats at his position.
As for Quinn? He went 9-12 as a starter over three memorable seasons in Cleveland.
1.Aaron Rodgers, 2005
No player in NFL history has experienced a more embarrassing draft day moment than Aaron Rodgers.
With the 49ers picking the No. 1 pick overall in the 2005 NFL Draft, the California native seemed set to become the face of the franchise he rooted for as a child. But instead of walking the stage first, Rodgers watched as Utah native Alex Smith was anointed as Savior in San Francisco.
To rub salt in the wound, his slide took longer than anyone could have predicted. Despite being entered as a surefire top-five pick, Rodgers slipped to 24th place before the Packers ended his brutal experience in the green room. Luckily for both the talented quarterback and Green Bay fans, the wait was worth it.
Still, there’s no doubt that Rodgers’ infamous fall is among the most surprising draft day slides of all time.
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