Throughout the 2017 NFL season, we’re monitoring the progress made by the league’s rookie quarterbacks by power ranking them based on their play, their circumstances or both.
Despite the fact that only four rookie signal-callers have thrown passes thus far, here’s how the rookie crop of NFL quarterbacks shakes out entering Week 8.
1. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans (last week: 1st): As I explained here, Watson was putting together what could go down as the best rookie season ever for a quarterback prior to Houston’s Week 7 bye. After his bye week, that remains the case. He’s a legit MVP candidate, having produced more points and touchdowns than any other player in football as we approach the end of October.
2. Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago Bears (last week: 3rd): The No. 2 overall pick out of North Carolina has “won” back-to-back games despite throwing just 23 passes combined in those affairs. But he’s limiting his mistakes while the defense does its job. The jury is still very much out, but his career has by no means started poorly.
3. C. J. Beathard, San Francisco 49ers (last week: 2nd): The third-round pick out of Iowa predictably experienced growing pains in his first NFL start Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, turning the ball over twice in a blowout victory. But he has had some good moments. Give him time.
4. Davis Webb, New York Giants (last week: 4th): The G-Men are toast at 1-6 and the buzz is starting to build regarding a potential opportunity for Webb in 2017. Problem is Giants general manager Jerry Reese insists that time hasn’t come for the third-round Cal product.
5. Nathan Peterman, Buffalo Bills (last week: 5th): Starter Tyrod Taylor has played well and he hardly makes mistakes while leading a team that is in contention. He won’t be benched, but Peterman is the top option if Taylor gets hurt.
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6. DeShone Kizer, Cleveland Browns (last week: 7th): Dude starts his career in historically ugly fashion, gets benched, takes a bullshit optics hit by being spotted partying 36 hours before that game, sucks in said game, gets benched, gets promoted again. That’s why he ranked below a pair of quarterbacks who have yet to throw a pass.
7. Josh Dobbs, Pittsburgh Steelers (last week: 6th): Ben Roethlisberger has bounced back and Landry Jones is probably the next guy up anyway.
8. Patrick Mahomes II, Kansas City Chiefs (last week: 8th): Veteran starter Alex Smith has yet to throw an interception and the Chiefs are in first place. Mahomes won’t get a chance to sniff the field unless something really bad happens.
9. Cooper Rush, Dallas Cowboys (last week: 9th): Dak Prescott is the clear-cut starter and is playing extremely well, so that won’t likely change this season. And even if Prescott were to suffer an injury, there’s a chance they’d turn to veteran backup Kellen Moore instead.
10. Brad Kaaya, free agent (last week: 10th): After being cut by the Carolina Panthers, the sixth-round pick returned to the time that originally drafted him before again being released by the Lions. He’s now been let go three times in his six-month NFL career.
