Fantasy Index

Factoid

Jared Goff

Double-digit INTs in college an issue

North Dakota State's Carson Wentz is widely considered to be the best quarterback in this draft class, with California's Jared Goff a notch behind. Both are near certain to be top-10 picks; maybe top-5 or even 1-2. As we noted last week, teams have done a good job evaluating those prospects in recent years; far more hits than misses on passers selected that early.

With Goff, one red flag is the fact that he threw 13 interceptions in his final season at college. Over the last 20 years, there have been 53 quarterbacks selected in the first round. Twenty-four of those passers threw double-digit interceptions in their final college season. Fewer than a third of those passers, so far, have gone on to have solid NFL careers.

It's not a killer -- Matt Ryan, both Mannings and Ben Roethlisberger have gone on to have great careers -- but it's a concern. On Goff's behalf, note that many of the flops were selected outside the top 10: Ramsey, McNown, Weeden, Manuel.

First-round quarterbacks from the last 20 years (plus this year's trio of likely first-rounders), sorted by interceptions their final year of college, are presented below.

FIRST-ROUND QUARTERBACKS, 1996-PRESENT
YearPkPlayerCollegeTeamAttComPaYdsTDInt
20083Matt RyanBoston CollegeAtl.65438845073119
20151Jameis WinstonFlorida StateT.B.46730539072518
200322Rex GrossmanFlorida Chi.50328734022217
20128Ryan TannehillTexas A&MMia.53132737442915
19991Tim CouchKentuckyClev.55340042753615
200422J.P. LosmanTulane (La.)Buff.42225130773314
2016Jared GoffCalifornia???52934147194313
201422Johnny ManzielTexas A&MClev.42930041143713
201222Brandon WeedenOklahoma StateClev.56440847273713
200232Patrick RamseyTulane (La.)Wash.44925629352213
200018Chad PenningtonMarshallNYJ43329240063812
19981Peyton ManningTennesseeInd.47728738193611
201316EJ ManuelFlorida StateBuff.38726333972310
20121Andrew LuckStanfordInd.40428835173710
20095Mark SanchezSouthern CaliforniaNYJ36624132073410
20091Matthew StaffordGeorgiaDet.38323534592510
20063Vince YoungTexasTenn.32521230362610
20041Eli ManningMississippiS.D.44127536002910
200411Ben RoethlisbergerMiami (Ohio)Pitt.49534244863710
20031Carson PalmerSouthern CaliforniaCin.48930939423310
20037Byron LeftwichMarshall Jac.49133142683010
200319Kyle BollerCaliforniaBalt.42122528152810
199912Cade McNownUCLAChi.32318831302310
19982Ryan LeafWashington StateS.D.37521036373310
20143Blake BortlesCentral FloridaJac.3822593581259
201110Blaine GabbertMissouriJac.4753013186169
20118Jake LockerWashingtonTenn.3321842265179
200611Jay CutlerVanderbilt (Tenn.)Den.4622733073219
201112Christian PonderFlorida StateMinn.2991842044208
200917Josh FreemanKansas StateT.B.3822242945208
20071JaMarcus RussellLouisiana StateOak.3422323129288
200610Matt LeinartSouthern CaliforniaAriz.4312833815288
200524Aaron RodgersCaliforniaG.B.3162092566248
20111Cam NewtonAuburnCar.2801852854307
200722Brady QuinnNotre DameClev.4672893426377
200525Jason CampbellAuburnWash.2701882700207
20044Philip RiversNorth Carolina StateNYG4833484491347
20021David CarrFresno StateHou.4763084299427
19993Akili SmithOregonCin.3251913307307
199911Daunte CulpepperCentral FloridaMinn.4022963690287
20122Robert Griffin IIIBaylorWash.4062914293376
20011Michael VickVirginia TechAtl.16187123486
201025Tim TebowFloridaDen.3142132895215
200818Joe FlaccoDelawareBalt.5213314263235
20023Joey HarringtonOregonDet.3221862415235
19992Donovan McNabbSyracusePhil.2511572134225
199726Jim DruckenmillerVirginia TechS.F.2501422070175
2016Carson WentzNorth Dakota State???2081301651174
2016Paxton LynchMemphis???4432963776284
20152Marcus MariotaOregonTenn.4453044454424
201432Teddy BridgewaterLouisvilleMinn.4273033970314
20051Alex SmithUtahS.F.3172142952324
20101Sam BradfordOklahomaSt.L.693956220

--Andy Richardson

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