The 2022 NFL Draft Quarterback Class Has Turned Out To Be A Total Disaster

The 2022 NFL Draft didn’t exactly have the strongest crop of quarterbacks, even without the benefit of hindsight. With no quarterbacks taken in the top ten, expectations were pretty low for the group.

Somehow, the crop hasn’t even cleared that incredibly-low bar. Just this week, three members of the class, now-traded former Commanders starter Sam Howell, now-traded former Falcons starter Desmond Ridder and the Steelers’ Kenny Pickett have lost their starting gig.

Take a look at this graphic. It’s dreadful.

Kenny Pickett was the quarterback drafted highest in the 2022 NFL Draft, at pick 20. But, it’s not a reach to say that the Steelers viewed the Pitt product a lot higher than other teams due to proximity and the fact that Pitt and the Steelers share a facility.  In two years, he’s compiled the lowest touchdown percentage in the history of the NFL. Not good.

The Falcons used a second-round pick on Desmond Ridder. They actually gave the Cincinnati alum the keys to the franchise in the 2023 season, but he threw as many touchdowns (12) as interceptions in 13 starts and was eventually benched. He was traded on Thursday to the Arizona Cardinals for wide receiver Rondale Moore.

Liberty’s Malik Willis was a raw prospect that was seen as an upside play. Many thought he could go in the first round, but he slipped to back of round 3, and the Titans took him 83rd-overall. He got some time as a rookie, was not good at all, and the Titans used a second-round pick on now-starter Will Levis in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Ole Miss’s Matt Corral was taken by the Panthers a few picks after Willis, and suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason of his rookie year. He hasn’t thrown a pass in the NFL and is currently in the United Football League playing for the Birmingham Stallions.

New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe and Howell have shown to at least be rosterable NFL quarterbacks as 4th and 5th-round picks, respectively. Howell was traded to the Seahawks on Thursday, and will back up Geno Smith with an eye on overtaking Smith as the starter.

Ultimately, the only starting quarterback in the league out of this class is Brock Purdy. The San Francisco 49ers took him with the final pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and Mr. Irrelevant has paid that off. He was just one play away a few times in Super Bowl LVIII from being a Super Bowl Champion, and looks like he will be the long-term starter for the 49ers. In fact, he was the MVP favorite until late in the season in 2023. While many debate if Purdy is actually elite or if it’s just the system and personnel around him, he’s still the best quarterback out of this class by far.

Needless to say, quarterback-needy franchises hope there isn’t a quarterback draft class like this one for a long time.