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QBU: Schools That Produce the Best Quarterbacks in the NFL

By Hunter Haas

Dec 19, 2020; Charlotte, NC, USA; Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) runs near Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton (14) during the second quarter of the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 19, 2020; Charlotte, NC, USA; Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) runs near Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton (14) during the second quarter of the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports /
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BALTIMORE, MD – NOVEMBER 07: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens looks to pass against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium on November 7, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)”nNo licensing by any casino, sportsbook, and/or fantasy sports organization for any purpose. During game play, no use of images within play-by-play, statistical account or depiction of a game (e.g., limited to use of fewer than 10 images during the game)
BALTIMORE, MD – NOVEMBER 07: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens looks to pass against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium on November 7, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)”nNo licensing by any casino, sportsbook, and/or fantasy sports organization for any purpose. During game play, no use of images within play-by-play, statistical account or depiction of a game (e.g., limited to use of fewer than 10 images during the game) /

4. Louisville Cardinals

•Lamar Jackson

•Teddy Bridgewater

The Louisville Cardinals are not generally thought of as a school that produces elite NFL talent, but that has slowly been changing over the past half-decade. Jaire Alexander is arguably the best cornerback in the entire league, and many forget that he is a former Cardinal. Mekhi Becton went No. 4 overall to the New York Jets in 2020, and DeVante Parker has made a career for himself as a serviceable wide receiver in the league. They also have two quarterbacks in the NFL currently, the first of which is Teddy Bridgewater.

It is easy to forget that Bridgewater was once a first-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings. “Teddy Two-Gloves” came off the board as the final pick of the first round in 2014, and took over for an injured Matt Cassel as a rookie. The numbers don’t jump off the page, but in his second season Bridgewater was named to the Pro Bowl team. In that 2015 campaign, Bridgewater led the Vikings to 11 wins and an NFC North title. Sad to say, the following off-season would see Bridgewater suffer a devastating injury that cost him essentially two full seasons. He worked his butt off when he got a second chance with the New Orleans Saints, going 5-1 as a starter with the franchise. Bridgewater became a full-time starter again in both 2020 and 2021, for the Panthers and Broncos respectively. As the Broncos starter, he posted a 7-7 record, but he could not ride that into a starting gig for the 2022 season. Bridgewater is slated to be the primary backup to Tua Tagovailoa in Miami.

Next up is the best football player to ever come through Louisville, former Heisman winner and NFL MVP — Lamar Jackson. Jackson came on to the scene in 2016, grabbing the attention of the entire nation with his “backyard football” style of play. He threw for 3500+ yards and 30 touchdowns, while adding 1571 yards on the ground and 21 more touchdowns with his legs. It was one of the best seasons a college quarterback has ever had. The Heisman committee recognized this, naming Jackson as the winner of the award after such a spectacular season. He returned to school in 2017 and replicated most of those numbers, but unfortunately landed at third in the voting this time around. Even after such a star-studded collegiate career, Jackson found himself in a similar situation that the aforementioned Teddy Bridgewater faced years prior. Like Bridgewater, Jackson fell all the way to the last pick of the first round. This time it was the Baltimore Ravens.

Joe Flacco won a Super Bowl for the franchise earlier in the decade, and thus earned a lot of good will with fans, the front office, and the coaching staff alike. However, the writing was on the wall once Ozzie Newsome traded up to take Lamar Jackson (in the final draft for the legendary general manager). Flacco assumed the starter role to begin the season. Nine weeks in, the Ravens sat at 4-5 and were in jeopardy of missing the postseason altogether at the rate they were going. Head coach Jim Harbaugh made the decision to insert Jackson in the lineup, and the rest is history. Jackson won six of their final seven games, clinching the AFC North and earning a playoff berth in the process. The Ravens lost a tight contest against the Chargers, but this was merely a precursor of what to expect for Jackson.

In his first full year as a starter, Lamar Jackson posted a 13-2 record, on the way to earning an NFL MVP award. Jackson became only the second player since 1997 to win a Heisman and NFL MVP, joining Cam Newton. Jackson led the NFL in passing touchdowns (36) and ranked sixth in the entire league in rushing yards (1206). Entering the league, there were some serious doubters that thought his game wouldn’t translate to the NFL, and he proved them all wrong by winning MVP. He has yet to match those numbers, but Jackson is routinely the best player on any field you see him on. He’s won 37 of his 49 career starts, and had the Ravens sitting atop the entire AFC prior to a season-ending injury in 2021. Jackson enters 2022 in search of a new contract, so you better believe he will be bringing his best play to the table.

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