Picking a quarterback late in the first round of the NFL Draft can be a little awkward. It’s like, “we love you,” but “we didn’t love you enough to trade into the top 10 to get you before anyone else did.”
On a positive note, these late first rounders can often use half of the league bypassing them as a motivational tool for the rest of their careers. But then there are some QBs picked late in the first round that, in hindsight, should have been selected in the fourth or fifth round—or not at all.
But it’s worth the risk. Smart teams (e.g.. the Ravens and Packers) have selected quarterbacks who went on to become among the best of all time.
Last year, the New York Giants sent their 2025 second-round pick (No. 34), third-round pick (No. 99), and a 2026 third-round selection to Houston for the 25th pick, which was used to draft Jaxson Dart. Though the Mississippi product showed promise, it’s too early to tell which camp he lands in. In this week’s draft, Alabama QB Ty Simpson is a candidate to go late in the first round. Time will tell if he’s more Jordan Love than Paxton Lynch.
We’ve sifted through the NFL Draft archives and identified Five QB’s Drafted Late in the First Round That Hit—And Five That Missed.
Five Late First Round QBs That Hit
Lamar Jackson
2018 NFL Draft, 32nd overall pick
The Ravens landed Jackson with the 32nd overall pick in 2018. The move surprised some because Super Bowl winning QB Joe Flacco was still under center in Baltimore. But it took Jackson just three months to become the full-time starter in Baltimore. Since then, the Louisville product has won the NFL MVP award twice (2019 and 2023) but has yet to advance to the Super Bowl.
Four QBs were drafted in the first round ahead of Jackson: Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Josh Rosen.
Jordan Love
2020 NFL Draft, 26th overall pick
Love’s situation was like Jackson’s in that the team already had a proven, veteran QB on their roster when they pulled the trigger. Love sat behind Aaron Rodgers for two seasons before snaring the starting job in 2023. He has led the Packers to the postseason in each year he has been a starter.
Three QBs were taken ahead of Love in the 2020 NFL Draft: Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, and Justin Herbert.
Joe Flacco
2008 NFL Draft, 18th overall pick
Ten years before the Ravens worked their late first round magic with Jackson, they nabbed Flacco with the 18th overall pick. The former Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens star got the Ravens to the postseason in each of his first five seasons, culminating with one of the greatest playoff runs by a QB of all-time, In the 2012-13 postseason, Flacco threw 11 TDs and zero INTs and won Super Bowl XLVII MVP. Iincredibly, he’s still in the NFL at the age of 41.
Only one QB was taken ahead of Flacco in the 2008 NFL Draft as the Falcons landed Matt Ryan at 3 overall.
Aaron Rodgers
2005 NFL Draft, 24th overall pick
For teams thinking about taking a QB late in the first round this year, please consult the Ravens and Packers organizations first.
Fifteen years before Green Bay selected Love late in the first round, they grabbed Rodgers at No. 24 overall. Rodgers was projected to go No. 1 overall to the 49ers, but San Francisco chose Alex Smith instead. It led to one of the all-time Draft Day slides. The camera kept uncomfortably panning to Rodgers in the green room of the Draft after each pick was made. Rodgers ended up as one of the greatest QBs of all-time. He is a four-time NFL MVP and one-time Super Bowl MVP.
Dan Marino
1983 NFL Draft, 27th overall
Marino, owner of one of the quickest releases in NFL history, was one of the most gifted passers in history. Had he and the Dolphins won the Lombardi Trophy just one time, he could make the case that he’s the best to ever do it under center. Marino led the NFL in passing five times, and made the Pro Bowl nine times. He won NFL MVP in 1984.
Five QBs were taken ahead of Marino in the 1983 Draft: John Elway, Todd Blackledge, Jim Kelly, Tony Eason, and Ken O’Brien.
Five Late First Round QBs That Missed
Jim Druckenmiller
1997 NFL Draft, 26th overall
Druckenmiller. Awesome name. Few people know this but it’s German for “bust.”
The 49ers drafted Druckenmiller with the 26th overall pick in 1997, with the intention of him being Steve Young’s successor. The former Virginia Tech QB was thrust into action in Week 2 of that season against the St. Louis Rams. He completed just 10 passes for 28 yards and threw 3 interceptions. It turned out to be the best game he ever played in the NFL.
Druckenmiller lasted just two seasons in San Francisco and he was completely out of the league by the start of the 2000 season.
Paxton Lynch
2016 NFL Draft, 26th overall
Lynch lasted just two years with the Broncos as luminaries like Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler, Case Keenum and even Chad Kelly usurped him on the Denver depth chart.
The CFL, USFL, XFL, UFL, and National Arena League proved to be more Lynch’s speed as he has bounced around in those leagues since. Lynch just recently tore his LCL while playing with the National Arena League’s Colorado Spartans.
Johnny Manziel
2014 NFL Draft, 22nd overall
When you’re the subject of an “Untold” episode on Netflix, there’s a good chance you ran into some issues during your career. Manziel was already a polarizing figure ahead of the 2014 NFL Draft. The Browns took a chance with him at No. 22 overall, and it wound up being a monumental mistake as drug issues forced him out of the league.
Manziel played in just 14 NFL games, throwing 7 TD passes and 7 INTs. The former Heisman Trophy winner bounced around the CFL, the AAF, and something called “Fan Controlled Football” before calling it a career in 2022.
Kenny Pickett
2022 NFL Draft, 20th overall
Pickett was selected by the Steelers as a replacement for Ben Roethlisberger. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh fans, they’re still looking for that longterm replacement under center. (Even if he does return, 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers is not the longterm solution.)
Pickett’s first career throw in the NFL was intercepted and it never got much better for the former University of Pittsburgh star. The Steelers traded Pickett away less than two years after drafting him. He has bounced around the league in the past few seasons, spending time with the Eagles, Browns, Raiders, and, currently, the Panthers.
J.P. Losman
2004 NFL Draft, 22nd overall
“Los-man” is the perfect last name for our guy J.P., because he did nothing but rack up losses during his time in Buffalo. The brunt of Losman’s work with the Bills took place from 2005 to 2008. In games in which Losman appeared during that stretch, Buffalo went 13-25.
By 2009, Losman was playing for the UFL’s Las Vegas Locomotives. He finished his NFL career having thrown 33 TD passes and 34 INTs.
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