Buchsbaum on QBs

History says that drafting quarterbacks early doesn’t always translate into success

By Joel Buchsbaum, Contributing editor
March 22, 2001

Three of the four quarterbacks the Bucs took were the winning quarterbacks in Super Bowls (Doug Williams, Steve Young, Trent Dilfer), and the fourth (Vinny Testaverde) led two teams deep into the playoffs. However, none of the four was very successful in Tampa, and each enjoyed his greatest success after leaving.

As for the Seahawks, all three of their first-round picks (Stouffer, Dan McGwire, Rick Mirer) were busts, though Mirer did show promise when Tom Flores was still his coach. In fact, since the franchise’s inception, every quarterback who has started for the Seahawks for a substantial amount of time (Jim Zorn, Dave Krieg and Jon Kitna) was an undrafted free agent.

The Packers struck out with Don Horn (1967), Jerry Tagge (’72) and Rich Campbell (’81), and the Bengals could also strike out if Akili Smith doesn’t make it, since the two quarterbacks they took prior to Smith with their first pick were Jack Thompson (’79) and David Klingler (’92). The two expansion teams to join the league before Tampa Bay and Seattle have enjoyed success drafting quarterbacks in the first round. Unless you consider Rick Norton, the Dolphins’ second first-rounder in their first year (bonus choice), they are 2-for-2 with two Hall of Famers in Bob Griese (’67) and Dan Marino (’83; a cinch to be named to the Hall). The Vikings hit with Tommy Kramer (’77) and Daunte Culpepper (’99).

Quarterbacks often are involved in franchise-breaking-or-making deals. The Falcons traded first-, second- and third-round picks for Jeff George, whom they wound up cutting, and they traded Brett Favre for a first-round pick they turned into RB Tony Smith. Green Bay set its franchise back about 10 years by giving up five high picks for John Hadl in ’75 after Hadl had lost the zip off his fastball. The 49ers gave up four first-round picks and Tom Owen to get Jim Plunkett (’76), whom they cut after two years. The Cowboys were able to draft Randy White and get into position to draft Tony Dorsett with deals involving Craig Morton and draft choices.

The most recent quarterbacks of note to completely give up football for baseball and then return to the gridiron were Jay Schroeder, Tony Banks, Akili Smith, Chris Weinke, Josh Booty and Quincy Carter. John Elway played college football and minor-league baseball, and Michigan QB Drew Henson has done the same.

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