So far, so good for Daniel Jones. The numbers he put up at Tampa Bay compare favorably to what other rookie quarterbacks have done in their first starts.
In the last 10 years, 31 other quarterbacks have been selected with first round picks. (That’s 2009 to 2019, so I’m actually tossing in a bonus 11th year.) Only one of those players passed for more yards in his first start: Cam Newton.
Including his 2 rushing touchdowns, Jones finished with 4 TDs. Only one of the other quarterbacks in this group did that: Marcus Mariota (who won his initial start in a showdown game with fellow rookie Jameis Winston.) Two others managed 3 TDs: Newton and Josh Freeman.
On the downside, Jones joins Baker Mayfield as the only ones to lose 2 fumbles. And both of this year’s first-round starters took 5 sacks in their first start.
But Jones is off to a rocking start. His preseason numbers were better than any of these guys, and now he’s also done it on the field (at least once).
| FIRST-ROUND QUARTERBACKS, FIRST START | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Opp | Result | Yards | TD | Int | TDR |
| 2009 | Matthew Stafford, Det. | N.O. | L 27-45 | 205 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 2009 | Josh Freeman, T.B. | G.B. | W 38-28 | 205 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 | Mark Sanchez, NYJ | at Hou. | W 24-7 | 272 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2010 | Tim Tebow, Den. | at Oak. | L 23-39 | 138 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2010 | Sam Bradford, St.L. | Ariz. | L 13-17 | 253 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 2011 | Christian Ponder, Minn. | G.B. | L 27-33 | 219 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2011 | Cam Newton, Car. | at Ariz. | L 21-28 | 422 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2011 | Jake Locker, Tenn. | N.E. | L 14-34 | 229 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | Blaine Gabbert, Jac. | at Car. | L 10-16 | 139 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | Robert Griffin III, Wash. | at N.O. | W 40-32 | 320 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | Andrew Luck, Ind. | at Chi. | L 21-41 | 309 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 2012 | Brandon Weeden, Clev. | Phil. | L 16-17 | 118 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2012 | Ryan Tannehill, Mia. | at Hou. | L 10-30 | 219 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2013 | EJ Manuel, Buff. | N.E. | L 21-23 | 150 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | Teddy Bridgewater, Minn. | Atl. | W 41-28 | 317 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 | Blake Bortles, Jac. | at S.D. | L 14-33 | 254 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2014 | Johnny Manziel, Clev. | Cin. | L 0-30 | 80 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2015 | Marcus Mariota, Tenn. | at T.B. | W 42-14 | 209 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | Jameis Winston, T.B. | Tenn. | L 14-42 | 210 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2016 | Carson Wentz, Phil. | Clev. | W 29-10 | 278 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | Paxton Lynch, Den. | Atl. | L 16-23 | 223 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 | Jared Goff, LAR | Mia. | L 10-14 | 134 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | Patrick Mahomes, K.C. | at Den. | W 27-24 | 284 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 | Deshaun Watson, Hou. | at Cin. | W 13-9 | 125 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2017 | Mitchell Trubisky, Chi. | Min. | L 17-20 | 128 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018 | Sam Darnold, NYJ | at Det. | W 48-17 | 198 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018 | Baker Mayfield, Clev. | at Oak. | L 42-45 | 295 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018 | Josh Allen, Buff. | LAC | L 20-31 | 245 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018 | Josh Rosen, Ariz. | Sea. | L 17-20 | 180 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | Lamar Jackson, Balt. | Cin. | W 24-21 | 150 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | Kyler Murray, Ariz. | Det. | T 27-27 | 308 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | Daniel Jones, NYG | at T.B. | W 32-31 | 336 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
—Ian Allan