VOD Not Available
This video is not available.
Peyton Manning, 1998 NFL Draft Quarterbacks – Daily Draft
Why is drafting a quarterback a dicey proposition? Miss, and your franchise is set back years. So is it worth taking the chance on a passer? Check out the 1998 NFL Draft and how, sometimes, you can find value late, too.
January 28, 2016
Daily Draft: 1998 Quarterbacks
Why is drafting a quarterback a dicey proposition? Miss, and your franchise is set back years. So is it worth taking the chance on a passer? Check out the 1998 NFL Draft and how, sometimes, you can find value late, too.
Follow or Contact @PeteFiutak
1. Peyton Manning, Tennessee: Drafted by Indianapolis, No. 1 overall
Yeah, yeah, yeah, he’s one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, he won five MVPs, and he’s going to forever be one of the iconic players in the history of the sport. The one stat that really matters? Over $250 million in career earnings on the field – forgetting the endorsements.
2. Ryan Leaf, Washington State: Drafted by San Diego, No. 2 overall
There’s a reason many really, really smart people thought he was easily the best player in the draft and far ahead of Peyton manning as a prospect. Big and with a huge arm, he was a pure passer who closed out a great Wazzu career with almost 4,000 yards and 34 touchdowns in his junior season. Two years later, he was out at San Diego and out of the league after 25 games.
3. Charlie Batch, Eastern Michigan: Drafted by Detroit, 2nd round, No. 60 overall
To the average fan, after two 3,000+ yard seasons at Eastern Michigan, Batch wasn’t anything special starting 48 games for Detroit before serving as a long time backup at Pittsburgh. No, he didn’t pan out as the Lions wanted, but with over 11,000 yards and 61 touchdowns over 15 years, he made a lot of money and carved out a long career.
4. Jonathan Quinn, Middle Tennessee: Drafted by Jacksonville, 3rd round, No. 86 overall
He had the size, and he had the tools, but he was a disaster for Jacksonville and only lasted five years in the league working on the sidelines in 17 games for the Jaguars, Kansas City, and Chicago. Career stats? 117-of-223, 1,161 yards, four touchdowns, seven picks starting six times.
5. Brian Griese, Michigan: Drafted by Denver, 3rd round, No. 91 overall
The national championship winner at Michigan, he was known as a heady, solid game manager. That all came out in a long NFL career putting up big numbers for years in the post-Elway era at Denver, and he cranked out a few decent seasons with Tampa Bay and Chicago finishing up with over 19,000 passing yards and 119 scores with 99 picks in 11 years.
6. John Dutton, Nevada: Drafted by Miami, 6th round, No. 172 overall
The big Nevada bomber threw for 6,276 yards and 43 touchdowns with just 12 picks in two seasons. He never did anything for the Dolphins.
7. Matt Hasselbeck, Boston College: Drafted by Green Bay, 6th round, No. 187 overall
What’s it worth to have a long career as a quarterback? Over $88 million in career earnings.
The crazy part about him as a prospect was that he wasn’t really that great. He threw 11 touchdown passes and ten picks in his senior year, but he turned in a fantastic NFL career after spending his first two seasons as a backup at Green Bay. Over his 17 years he helped take Seattle to a Super Bowl, saw time at Tennessee, filled in for Andrew Luck at Indy, and cranked up close to 37,000 career passing yards with 212 touchdowns and 153 picks.
8. Moses Moreno, Colorado State: Drafted by Chicago, 7th round, No. 232 overall
A smallish, athletic quarterback who threw for close to 6,700 yards in college with 49 touchdown passes in three years, he saw time in two games for Chicago completing 19-of-43 passes for 166 yards and a score. The next year he was off to San Diego, threw two passes, and was out of the league.
