2021 NFL Draft: Applying Bill Parcells’ quarterback rules to QB class

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from previous draft classes, it’s that quarterbacks are difficult to evaluate. Teams have really always had a hard time evaluating quarterbacks, and the 2021 NFL Draft is unlikely to be any different.

There are all sorts of different ways to evaluate quarterbacks. You could go off wins, physical tools, experience, smarts, etc. There is one specific model for evaluating quarterbacks mixes that all together. That model is Bill Parcells’ set of rules. As a former NFL head coach, Parcells has a lot of experience evaluating this position. His model consists of seven criteria, which are listed below:

• Be a three-year starter
• Be a senior in college
• Graduate from college
• Start 30 games
• Win 23 games
• Post a 2-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio
• Complete at least 60 percent of passes thrown

Parcells’ criteria for drafting a quarterback isn’t perfect. There are quarterbacks from previous drafts who have met these criteria and not succeeded, as well as quarterbacks who haven’t met the criteria and have succeeded. Although it’s not a perfect system, Parcells’ quarterback rules are meant to look at a mix of traits teams should want in a franchise guy.

Teams want a quarterback with experience and has won a lot of games. They want a quarterback who is smart. They want a quarterback who is accurate. This model takes all those things and puts them into one.

We’re going to take this model, and apply it to the 2021 NFL Draft quarterbacks. We won’t look at every quarterback in this draft, but rather just the top six quarterbacks in the class. Let’s start with the projected number one overall pick, Trevor Lawrence.