For years the popular assumption amongst NFL teams was that quarterbacks taken in the draft need to grab a clipboard and sit behind a starter for an extended period of time. Teams believed that their young quarterback could begin to learn the complex NFL defenses from the sidelines and then gradually step onto the field of play. However, the rookie quarterbacks this year have already proven that rookies don't need to sit behind a starter for an extended period in order to be successful in the NFL.
Although there are always exceptions like Aaron Rodgers, history has shown that quarterbacks who sit for the first few years of their career aren't guaranteed success in the NFL. In 2004, J.P. Losman was drafted with the number 22 overall pick by the Buffalo Bills. In 2004, Losman played sparingly as a backup behind Drew Bledsoe and attempted just 5 passes all season long. When Losman became the team's starter in 2005, he completed less than 50 percent of his passes and had as many touchdowns as interceptions, while leading the Bills to a 1-7 record in his 8 starts. By October of 2007, Losman was no longer the number 1 in Buffalo. In 2006, the New York Jets selected Kellen Clemens in the second round. They expected Clemens to sit behind Chad Pennington for at least a year and that is exactly what happened as Clemens attempted just 1 pass all season. When Clemens played in 2007, he threw 10 interceptions and had 3 multi pick games. Clemens fell into such low regards with the Jets that they traded for Brett Favre in 2008 and then drafted Mark Sanchez in 2009. In 2007, Brady Quinn was drafted number 22 overall by the Cleveland Browns out of Notre Dame. Quinn attempted just 8 passes in his first season in the NFL and sat behind starter Derek Anderson for the entire year. When Quinn finally got his chance to become the full-time starter two years later in 2009, he struggled so mightily that the Browns traded him to the Broncos the next year.
Cam Newton, the first overall pick of the 2011 draft by the Carolina Panthers out of Auburn, has made the NFL look way to easy in his first season. The starter for the Panthers since their opining game has been shredding apart defenses every week and the Panthers have been close in every game this season. Although the Panthers are 2-5, they have lost 4 of those games by one touchdown or less and their defense has really struggled, as they have allowed an average of over 30 points in their 5 defeats. Newton is leading one of the most high-powered offenses in the NFL. The Panthers rank in the top 5 in total yards, total yards per game, passing yards, passing yards per game, and rushing yards. Cam threw for over 400 yards in his first two career NFL starts. His 422 passing yards against the Arizona Cardinals in week 1 broke Peyton Manning's record for the most passing yards for a rookie on the opening day of the season. Newton also became the first player in NFL history to begin a career with two consecutive games of 400 yards passing. To go along with his passing, Newton has 7 rushing touchdowns, which ranks second in the NFL only behind Adrian Peterson. For all of you fantasy lovers, Newton is only behind Aaron Rodgers in fantasy points and his main target, Steve Smith, is leading the NFL in receiving yards with 818.
Although Blaine Gabbert has not posted the flashy numbers like Cam Newton has, he has been very effective for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who took him with their 10th overall pick in the 2011 draft. After taking over the starting role from Luke McCown following McCown's 4 interception performance in week 2 against the Jets, Gabbert has thrown just 2 interceptions in the last 5 weeks including no picks in his last 3 games. Gabbert has already shown in his young NFL career that he knows how to manage a game. Despite having a completion percent under 50 last week, Gabbert didn't make any mistakes and threw no interceptions in a 12-7 Jaguars win over the Ravens, who are one of the best teams in the NFL. Although Gabbert is still learning how to play the quarterback position, the experience he is getting by playing is benefiting him much more than if he was sitting on the sidelines and watching.
Although the Vikings were at first content to let their 12th overall pick, Christian Ponder, sit behind Donovan McNabb for at least one season, they have realized that rookie quarterbacks can play right out of college and have made the switch from McNabb to Ponder. The Vikings have found a down the field passing game with Ponder that will provide some balance for a rushing game that ranks 3rd in the NFL. In 5 games with McNabb, the Vikings completed just 3 passes of over 20 yards. In Ponder's first NFL start against the defending Super Bowl champion Packers, he completed 4 passes that were over 20 yards including a 73 yard pass to Michael Jenkins on the Vikings first play from scrimmage. With McNabb under center, teams crowded the box and Peterson had just one game of over 100 yards. However, the threat of Ponder throwing the ball down the field, allowed Adrian Peterson to have his best game of the season, as he ran for 175 yards an added a touchdown.
Andy Dalton, the Bengals 2nd round selection out of TCU, has led the Cincinnati Bengals to an impressive 4-2 start, which is as many wins as the Bengals won in all of 2010, as they finished with a 4-12 record. Dalton has led the Bengals to 3 consecutive victories after a 1-2 start. He has shown that he can win in a lot of different ways as well. In a 23-20 win against the Buffalo Bills in week 4, Dalton threw the ball 36 times and had 298 passing yards. In the following week, Dalton was able to manage a hard fought game and completed more than 63 percent of his passes in leading the Bengals to a 30-20 victory over the Jaguars on the raod. Dalton has thrown 7 touchdowns and has just 5 interceptions to go along with his 62.4 completion percentage in 6 starts. Dalton and A.J. Green, the Benglas 2011 first round selection out of Georgia, are beginning to develop a very dangerous connection as well. Green is amongst the top 15 in receiving yards and touchdowns.
Newton, Gabbert, Ponder, and Dalton have all shown that rookie quarterbacks don't need to sit behind a starter for an extended period in order to be successful in the NFL. The college football defenses, like LSU and Alabama, are so good now, that the leap to the NFL is not as significant and kids can come in and play right away. It is also an advantage to start quarterbacks right away because teams don't have to hold onto them and wonder whether they can play or not in the NFL because they can see what they have right away. Of the 32 current starting quarterbacks in the NFL, 14 of them started at least 7 games (except for the current rookies) for their current team in their rookie season.
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