The remarkable performance of Jordan Love and the achievements of the highly skilled quarterback

One of the key insights gleaned from recent years of quarterback drafting is the significance of discerning whether a young quarterback is a polished product or a prospect with raw athleticism requiring further development. This represents a departure from the past, where prospects with raw potential seldom succeeded, with Brett Favre being a notable exception during that period.

Traditionally, the most reliable indicators of NFL success for a quarterback were two fundamental metrics: completion percentage and college games started. Generally, successful NFL quarterbacks exhibited accuracy during their college careers, often maintaining this trait consistently over multiple seasons, with few exceptions. Even Aaron Rodgers, who underwent a complete overhaul of his throwing mechanics while serving as a backup for the Packers, ranked eighth in accuracy among college quarterbacks during his final season at Cal.

Accuracy remains a reliable metric for identifying potential NFL quarterbacks. Since 2017, a total of 79 quarterbacks have been drafted by NFL teams. A closer examination of each player’s top season by completion percentage reveals that the top 20 performers include notable names such as Joe Burrow, CJ Stroud, Brock Purdy, Tua Tagovailoa, Baker Mayfield, Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray, and Trevor Lawrence.