In such a talented generation of football, it is extremely difficult for anyone to pick their top 10 quarterbacks. Today, I will be presenting you my controversial opinion!
The new face of the NFL, Patrick Mahomes, will and should be number 1 on any person’s list. After that, it starts to get extremely controversial (especially in the Dak & Wentz debate).
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10. Cam Newton
The newly signed New England Patriot kicks off my list at #10. Because of Newton’s health concerns over the past two seasons, people forget how dominant he actually was. The 2015 NFL MVP was 6-2 and was in the race of the MVP award in 2018 before getting a strong hit to the shoulder by TJ Watt.
Nevertheless, a healthy Cam was able to take Tedd Ginn Jr., Corey Brown, and Jerricho Cotchery and win an NFC Championship. If you don’t know who any of those players are, my point has been proven.
Cam has a chip in his shoulder, both literally and figuratively, and will play his absolute heart out. If you have seen his Instagram at all, you know how hard he has been working. This healthy Cam has something to play for, which is not a good look for the rest of the NFL.
9. Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan has been flying under the radar lately. Ryan is putting up Hall of Fame numbers, but it is all being overlooked. Why is this? Because of his horrific defense.
Ryan threw 4,466 yards in 2019, along with 26 TDs and a 66.2% completion percentage. With Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley on his side, Ryan has been a major threat to opposing defenses.
The one thing holding back Ryan from emerging as an MVP candidate is his number of wins. If the Falcons defense perform well in 2020, you can bet Ryan will lead his squad to the playoffs and possibly a run within it.
8. Carson Wentz
Now, the list starts to heat up. Carson Wentz vs. Dak Prescott, one of the most argued debates in football. Personally, I have chosen Dak to be ranked higher on this list. Just hear me out:
Carson Wentz is a generational talent. There is no debating that. But, his reliability isn’t exactly ideal. Wentz has already missed 8 games in his 4 year career. He has also yet to win a playoff game as a starter. Also, Wentz stats are significantly below Dak, with Dak throwing more TDs and yards in 2019.
Once Wentz plays consecutive seasons without injuries, and is able to make a run in the playoffs, we can maybe put him above Dak. For now, Wentz is the 2nd best QB in the NFC East.
7. Dak Prescott
Although Prescott has struggled to succeed in the postseason, he has continued to put up outstanding numbers.
Dak finished the 2019 season with 4,902 passing yards, 30 passing TDs and 11 INT. Dak also has the 3rd most wins, most game winning drives, and has yet to miss a game since entering the league in 2016.
Prescott showed a drastic improvement from 2018-2019, throwing 1,017 more yards and 8 more TDs. Dak has yet to have a losing season, going .500 or above every single year.
If his trend of growing every year continues, he will continue to put up monstrous stats. With a WR core, RB, and offensive line as dangerous as Dallas’s, don’t be shocked to see a playoff run!
6. Aaron Rodgers
In terms of efficiency and winning, Aaron Rodgers is one of the generations most talented quarterbacks. He might be one of the past decades greatest QBs, but he just slips out of my top 5 for this list.
Rodgers TD:INT ratio is remarkable. In 2019, Rodgers threw 26 Touchdown passes while only throwing FOUR interceptions. He also led his team to a 13-3 season before getting demolished by San Francisco in the NFC Championship game.
Aaron Rodgers, an 8x Pro Bowler, 2x MVP, and 1x Super Bowl champ, has not let age affect him. After suffering terrible injuries in the past few years, he has still managed to recover and lead his team deep in the postseason. With Aaron Jones, Devante Adams, and a stellar defense on his side, Rodgers will thrive in Green Bay next year, and will be a true Super Bowl contender.
5. Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson is next in line for a huge payday, and he has definitely earned it. The Clemson product has played with almost no offensive line and an average defense all his career while managing to lead his team to the postseason in both of his seasons where he started.
In the two seasons Watson has started for the entire season, he has thrown 52 total TDs and was nominated to the Pro Bowl in both. He has also thrown over 3800+ yards in his seasons as a starter.
Even though Watson will be playing without DeAndre Hopkins and will have to operate behind a horrendous offensive line, I have faith he will perform as a top 5 QB. His ability to throw the ball combined with his rushing aspect is a combination no defense wants to face. If Watson can lead his incompetent team to the playoffs in 2020, he will be one of the league’s best quarterbacks without a doubt.
4. Drew Brees
Many people don’t understand how well Drew Brees is playing compared to his age. As a 40-year old starter, he completed a league high 74.3 percent of his passes. Brees also accumulated a passer rating of 116.3, the highest he he has ever had.
With Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara on Brees’s side, Drew is set to play even better in his 15th season with New Orleans. The offseason signing of Emmanuel Sanders and the improvement of what was already one of the best offensive lines will support Brees in hopefully winning his second career Super Bowl.
In 2019, the injury to Brees’s thumb were the plausible reason he was not in the MVP discussion. If Brees is able to stay healthy and finish out playoff games, they will be the best team in the NFC, if not in the entire league.
3. Lamar Jackson
Behind the great Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson is the next big thing in the NFL. At just age 23, Lamar has established himself as one of the best dual-threat QBs in the National Football League.
“Lamar is a running back” is the lamest way to try to prove a QB is bad. Lamar led the league in 2019 with 36 passing TDs. While doing this, he led all QBs in rushing yards (he had 802 more rush yards than 2nd place).
Stat of the Day: Lamar Jackson led the league in passing TDs while having more rush yards than Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley, Dalvin Cook, Alvin Kamara, and Aaron Jones.
Just to put a cherry on top, Lamar and his Ravens went 14-2 in 2019, the best record of the year. Lamar may have lost in the first round of the playoffs, but he is not even 24 yet. Give it some time, and Lamar will be fighting with Mahomes as the best QB in the league.
2. Russell Wilson
It’s safe to say that Wilson has the worst team by a mile out of any QB in the top 3 of this list. Give Russell Wilson a Tyreek Hill, a Mark Ingram, or a long-term defense, and he would be even closer to the number 1 spot. Regardless, he has continued to prove why he is one of the greatest QBs in the past decade (and has the best deep-ball accuracy in football).
Since 2012, Wilson has has won the 2nd most games (behind Tom Brady), has not missed a single game, and thrown for the 5th most TDs. To add to this, he has the 2nd most rush yards since 2012, only behind Cam Newton.
Wilson managed to throw 31 TDs in ’19, while only throwing the ball to the opposing team 5 times. He also threw 4,110 yards and compiled a passer rating of 106.3. That’s what you call efficient in the National Football League.
Talent wise, we have seen some QBs play better than Wilson. But when it comes down to consistency, the 6x Pro Bowler and 1x Super Bowl champ is unmatched.
1. Patrick Mahomes II
MVP, Super Bowl Champion, Super Bowl MVP, 5,000 yards in one season, 50 TDs in another, 2x Pro Bowler, and the richest contract in sports history. All in TWO seasons. Enough said.
