The 2020 quarterback class is looking special after the 2023 season. In the first round, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Tua Tagovailoa, and Jordan Love were all selected. Jalen Hurts closely followed this in the second round. From there, some decent backups were taken, like Dallas Cowboys backup legend Ben DiNucci, but the top five are all franchise quarterbacks. Where does the 2020 quarterback class rank in NFL history?
2020 Quarterback Class
Burrow and Herbert were great right away and the Bengals quarterback even led the team to a Super Bowl. Tagovailoa struggled to begin his career but has solidified himself as a quality starter in the league. Hurts led the Eagles to a Super Bowl last year and got paid in the offseason. The only question was Love, but after leading the Green Bay Packers to the playoffs this season, he looks to be the long-term answer for the franchise. It is not too often that we get this many franchise quarterbacks in a draft class. Those five of the 2020 quarterback class will likely be staples of their franchises for the next decade.
It is too soon to say where this class will rank in NFL history. They all are just starting their second deals and while many of them have put up huge stats, they haven’t won anything yet in the league. Hurts and Burrow got close but couldn’t win it all. However, we don’t see quarterback classes with this many franchise quarterbacks often. Here are the best ones in NFL history.
The 1983 Class
This is the cream of the crop in terms of quarterback classes in NFL history. If the 2020 quarterback class is going to be the best, they will have to be better than this class. John Elway, Jim Kelly, and Dan Marino were all taken in the first round. Between the three of them, they went to 23 Pro Bowls. Elway was the only one that was able to win a Super Bowl doing it twice, but the other two have cemented their place in NFL history. Marino held many passing records for decades and Kelly is a legend in Buffalo.
The crazy thing about this class is the lack of Super Bowls. It was just Elway who won them, meaning that winning Super Bowls isn’t the summit that other classes have to reach. These three quarterbacks not only were franchise legends but are legends of the game of football. Even casual fans of the game would know who these players are, making the 1983 class the best in NFL history.
The 2004 Class
This class featured players who will likely reach the Hall of Fame at some point. Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, and Philip Rivers were all taken in the 2004 NFL Draft. Both Roethlisberger and Manning have two Super Bowls to their name, and between all three of them, they have 18 Pro Bowl appearances. While Rivers never made it to a championship game, he put up huge stats during his time with the Chargers. Outside of these three players, Matt Schaub was also taken in the third round and he had a solid NFL career.
This class is so close to the 1983 class, and honestly, I wouldn’t have a problem if a person said that this class was better. The Super Bowl wins are what is going to be tough to pass for the 2020 quarterback class. Getting to the Super Bowl is hard. A lot has to go right between matchups, injuries, and a thousand other factors. The fact that both Manning and Roethlisberger were able to get two shows how truly special this class was, especially considering they were playing when Tom Brady was around.
The 1957 Class
We have to go way back on this one. The 1957 class has Hall of Famers Len Dawson and Sonny Jurgensen but also some solid starters in John Brodie, Jack Kemp, and Milt Plum. Between all five of these players, they made 23 Pro Bowls. The Super Bowl wins are hard to compare for this group because the first Super Bowl didn’t take place until 1967. Many of them won championships, but they were not labeled as a Super Bowl yet.
Comparing the 2020 quarterback class, or any modern class for that matter, with a historic class is tricky. The game is different now than it was in 1957. As I mentioned above, the Super Bowl didn’t exist for another ten years once these players were drafted. However, when we look at all the accolades, the 1957 class was definitely one of the best.
Where Will The 2020 Quarterback Class Rank?
A lot has to go right for the 2020 quarterback class. All of these players have to stay healthy, which isn’t guaranteed. Joe Burrow has lost two years of his young career to injuries. Herbert missed the back half of this season, and Tua hasn’t been at the pinnacle of health either. On top of that, the franchises have to make the right decisions to build around these players. Herbert especially has been a victim of poor roster decisions and bad coaching. That is hard to overcome.
Still, the fact that all of these players could be the quarterbacks of their respective teams for the next decade means that, at the very least, the 2020 quarterback class will rank in the top ten all-time. Some classes have one legend. Others have a handful of solid starters. The 2020 quarterback class could have five quality starters, which is truly amazing.
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Matt has been following sports since he was a kid. While football is his main focus, Matt can talk about any sport at any time. He is currently a banker in Wisconsin and hosts two podcasts, Beers and Ears & Discontinued on Display. Follow him on Twitter at @sorcerermatt, and follow us @TotalApexSports. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL sports, click here!