We're not that far separated from 2022, but the NFL Draft Class and the nine quarterbacks that went off the board that year look even worse with each passing day. As NFL rosters across the league were cut down to 53 on Tuesday and moves were made from morning to night, something became clear: the 2022 NFL Draft quarterbacks class is really bad.
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Desmond Ridder, who went No. 74 overall, and Malik Willis, who followed shortly after at No. 86, were each let go. The former is now looking for his third team in as many years (though he never suited up for Arizona in a regular season game after being acquired in a trade earlier this offseason). Meanwhile, Willis was sent in a trade to Green Bay where he goes from backing up Will Levis to now serving the same role behind Jordan Love, who isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
Earlier this week, Matt Corral, another third-round QB from 2022, was also cut from his second team. So, too, was Bailey Zappe as New England parted ways with their failed selection.
How the NFL had an all time QB draft class in 2020 to the down fall of the 2021 and 2022 NFL draft classes needs to be studied. pic.twitter.com/PD3d3Yt28h
— NFL Notifications (@NFLNotify) August 27, 2024
These four are just a part of the larger group of misses in this class. Kenny Pickett, who went first among his QB peers at No. 20 that year, is on his second team and fighting off a relatively unknown as the second-stringer in Philadelphia. Sam Howell is another QB who is with his second team and, you guessed it, serving as a backup after having an opportunity to start the year prior just as Pickett did.
The only two picks from that year who remain with their current team are Skylar Thompson, who is a backup in Miani, and Brock Purdy. The latter is the saving grace of this entire group and will be the sole reason this group has any shot of avoiding being called the worst draft class of all-time. If Purdy can continue on his trajectory with San Francisco, and there's no reason to believe he won't, the group of nine among the 2022 NFL Draft quarterbacks will at least have one player who can make it in the league.
Ironically, Purdy was the last quarterback drafted that year. Go figure.
There are some other historically bad years for QBS. The 1996 Draft went 0/5 in finding a franchise QB, though the highest pick that year was Tony Banks at No. 42. The Jamarcus Russell-Brady Quinn year in 2007 was brutal too with six duds and 2013 was shaping up to be a rough class until the recent revival of Geno Smith in Seattle gave that group at least one quality player.
At least the 2023 class is off to a better start with C.J. Stroud primed for stardom in Houston and plenty of optimism in Indianapolis over Anthony Richardson. Bryce Young will be set up for success in Carolina this season and the aforementioned Levis will have a bevy of weapons to work with as the starter in Tennessee.
