I was curious how that Draft went , and if there was anything we can learn from it?.....
What does the research show?
The 1983 QB Draft class was legendary.
There were 28 1st round picks , a remarkable 6 QB's were taken in the 1st round.
Out of those 6 QB's taken , 3 of them emerged as Hall Of Fame candidates.
They were John Elway , Dan Marino , and Jim Kelly.
The question is though , where were they selected in the 1st round?
You would think they would go picks 1 , 2 , and 3 right?
The answer may surprise you?
These are the 6 QB's that were taken , and this is where they were taken in the 1st RD...
1. John Elway
7. Todd Blackledge
14. Jim Kelly
15. Tony Eason
24. Ken O'Brien
27. Dan Marino
As you can see Elway was taken with the 1st overall pick , no surprise there.
However Kelly was taken at 14 , and Marino was taken at pick 27.
I was curious why did Kelly and Marino slip in the draft?
After doing further research it became apparent why...
Kelly had blown out his throwing arm in the 3rd game of the season and needed surgery.
There were questions about if he could ever throw again?
After he recovered , before the draft , all nfl scouts and coaches came down to watch his private workout.
Don Shula , head coach of the Dolphins at the time , left the workout after only watching him for 5 minutes.
They asked him why did u leave so soon? He said because Kelly can throw , I've seen all I need to see.
Now how about Marino?
He should have been the 2nd QB taken...
However before the draft , rumors were started by someone , possibly a team that wanted him , that he was a cocaine addict and partier.
He had taken a drug test , and passed , but this evidence was never presented.
Therefore 26 teams passed over and missed out on a Hall of Fame QB , because of a false rumor.
He was picked by Miami at 27 , and the rest is history.
Is there anything that we can learn from this?
Yes several things
#1 Whatever you do , don't pick the Todd Blackledge of the class....
#2 It is highly unlikely that all 6 QB's in this upcoming draft will emerge as stars.
More than likely only 3 possibly 4 of them will emerge as franchise QB's , so make sure you get that guy.
#3 Just because a QB has an injury , don't write him off.
If the guy can sling it , and shows you he can , trust him.
How many teams blew it , because they passed on HOF QB Jim Kelly , because he injured his shoulder?
Is there any similarity going on with Rosen? Something to think about....
#4 In 1983 Todd Blackledge was a complete bust. Ken O'brien had one good year , and Tony Eason had two good years , but none of those guys had great careers and longevity.
#5. Just because a guy is being labeled as a partier , better to find out the facts. If it's not true , you may end up passing on a HOF QB like Marino , because someone started something to discourage you , cuz that team wanted him instead.
Something to think about , for this upcoming QB Class.
Just wanted to share...
Jay , thanks man
He had 7 good years , in fact two of them were great , but he never made it past the division round in the playoffs.
Almost seems eerily similar to Saquon Barkley situation.
Something to think about...
There was a lot of regrets by teams that bypassed him...
He had 7 good years , in fact two of them were great , but he never made it past the division round in the playoffs.
Almost seems eerily similar to Saquon Barkley situation.
Something to think about...
Dickerson played years on a team that basically said we will run every down. Their passing game was crap. They still made the playoffs and Dickerson was the reason.
You are leaving out several other factors that played in
1) Elway held the Colts over a barrel because he didn't want to go there because he knew their ownership was a mess. So he signed with the Yankees and was prepared to play baseball. The whole thing about Elway being a California kid and not wanting to play in the cold on the East coast was BS, his agent came up with it as a throw away
2) Teams were pitching offers to Ernie Accorsi throughout trying to trade up. Accorsi held firm because he knew what he had in Elway and also knew the 1984 draft had a crap QB class with only Boomer Esiason as a viable pro. So as teams were drafting QBs and Marino slid, many held out hope to eventually pry Elway from Baltimore. Only the Broncos were smart enough to deal from the ownership level direct with Irsay and over rule Accorsi.
3) The USFL was also a viable candidate. Marino was the #1 pick in the USFL draft. So not only were they scared off by the drugs, they were scared off by that too. Jim Kelly left Buffalo in the lurch for 3 years. Steve Young went from BYU to play with the LA Express.
4) The Patriots ownership didn't listen to their coach, the late Ron Meyer. Meyer wanted Marino or Kelly. He thought that Tony Eason was too small to stand up to the beating in the NFL. But the Pats didn't take input from the head coach.
Yes, a real good piece with Marvin Demoff, the agent for both Marino and Elway. He kept a diary of the time before, during, and after the draft...
He had 7 good years , in fact two of them were great , but he never made it past the division round in the playoffs.
Almost seems eerily similar to Saquon Barkley situation.
Something to think about...
Yes, the inference drawn was that the drug use played a role in his disappointing senior year. In reality Jackie Sherrill had left Pitt and the whole program backslid.
1983 had 3 HOFers (Elway, Marino and Kelly), 2 JAGs (Eason and O’Brien) and one bust (Blackledge).
The Giants can’t afford to draft an eventual bust or even a JAG at QB with the 2nd overall pick. The Giants need to draft the right player, not the right position.
To me, that’s staying at 2 and taking Barkley if he’s available, and if not try to find a draft partner willing to provide fair value or better and grabbing Nelson or Chubb between 5 and 8 overall.
Diametrically Opposite 1981 ... 1983 (2018 Mention) - ( New Window )
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had a bad senior year and there were a ton of rumors of drug use...those were the catalysts.
Yes, the inference drawn was that the drug use played a role in his disappointing senior year. In reality Jackie Sherrill had left Pitt and the whole program backslid.
They finished 9-3 and that's losing their last two games. Pitt was 7-0 until they got smoked by ND. Then the slide really began...
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Eric Dickerson was the 2nd pick taken in that draft.
He had 7 good years , in fact two of them were great , but he never made it past the division round in the playoffs.
Almost seems eerily similar to Saquon Barkley situation.
Something to think about...
Dickerson's Rams teams had at QB Vince Ferragamo, Dieter Brock and Jim Everett. Dickerson was a one-man gang for the Rams in those years but they didn't have the QB to go deep in the playoffs. That's a lesson the Giants need to take to heart if they take Barkley: The RB is a great weapon to have but if he's your only great weapon, you're undermanned.
That was a very different era of football that you can't compare to today. Everything is now geared up to reward the passing game.
The Rams went to the NFC Championship game in 1985. And after the 1986 season, when Everett took over as QB, they turned into more of a passing offense, but still ran the ball well. They traded Dickerson to the Colts in 1987 after a contract dispute, but look at the numbers which Greg Bell put up for them as his replacement. He put up 1200+ yards in 1988 and 1100+ yards in 1989 and led the NFL in rushing TDs both years. And they made the NFC Championship in 1989.
The bigger point here, having a great running back like Dickerson is awesome. But even in a time in the NFL when the old theory was "3 things can happen when you throw the ball, and 2 of them are bad", the running back position is not all that important in the grand scheme. If you have the right system and a good offensive line, unless you are talking about a generational back like Barry Sanders, you go for the QB.
Now, one could argue, with the changes in the passing rules, you don't need a Marino or Elway to actually win. Just get a good QB and let the system do the rest.
Bottom line, the NFL was very different in 1983 than it is now.
You are leaving out several other factors that played in
1) Elway held the Colts over a barrel because he didn't want to go there because he knew their ownership was a mess. So he signed with the Yankees and was prepared to play baseball. The whole thing about Elway being a California kid and not wanting to play in the cold on the East coast was BS, his agent came up with it as a throw away
I don't think the 30/30 went into it but I think the Colts head coach Frank Kush had a lot to do with it as well. He was a miserable POS hated by his players. He had been at Arizona State for years prior to the Colts and Elway's dad was a college HC at the same time. Little doubt he had heard all the stories and warned his son off.
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the 30 for 30 a few years ago about the 1983 draft highly enough. It focused on from Elway to Marino and all the decisions made in between.
You are leaving out several other factors that played in
1) Elway held the Colts over a barrel because he didn't want to go there because he knew their ownership was a mess. So he signed with the Yankees and was prepared to play baseball. The whole thing about Elway being a California kid and not wanting to play in the cold on the East coast was BS, his agent came up with it as a throw away
I don't think the 30/30 went into it but I think the Colts head coach Frank Kush had a lot to do with it as well. He was a miserable POS hated by his players. He had been at Arizona State for years prior to the Colts and Elway's dad was a college HC at the same time. Little doubt he had heard all the stories and warned his son off.
They actually did mention that Kush was an in your face disciplinarian and Elway wouldn't like him, but he wasn't the main reason why they didn't want to go there. They didn't like the Irsays.
There was a part where they said Dallas tried to trade for Elway and would include Danny White to go back to Baltimore, since Kush coached White at Arizona State. But the Cowboys couldn't muster enough talent to send back to Baltimore to meet what Ernie wanted, so they passed. Thank God for that, because Dallas finally collapsed in 1986 and wasn't a factor in the NFC again until 1991. If Elway was there, different story.
Cam Newton
Jake Locker
Blaine Gabbert
Christian Ponder
Draw your own conclusions
Cam Newton
Jake Locker
Blaine Gabbert
Christian Ponder
Draw your own conclusions
Or 1999 with Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb, Akili Smith, Daunte Culpepper, Cade McNown
RGIII
Ryan Tannehill
Brandon Weeden
Again...
It seems that demand for QBs has more to do with how many get picked high more so than their actual value. This year happens to be one of the QB thirstiest in a while
Imagine if the Giants had had Darrell Green playing lockdown corner with LT wreaking havoc on the QB.
RGIII
Ryan Tannehill
Brandon Weeden
Again...
It seems that demand for QBs has more to do with how many get picked high more so than their actual value. This year happens to be one of the QB thirstiest in a while
Or we could be somewhere in between. Don't write these QBS off just yet. Just because there are teams in need doesn't mean these QBs are overrated.
Darnold was beloved this time last year. He was being spoken of in nearly mystical tones. After a decent but somewhat flawed 2017 campaign people are discussing all these sore spots in his game. Rosen is a flawless thrower of the football. Allen is a freak. On the surface, these guys SHOULD be highly touted.
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In comment 13874234 Matt in SGS said:
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the 30 for 30 a few years ago about the 1983 draft highly enough. It focused on from Elway to Marino and all the decisions made in between.
You are leaving out several other factors that played in
1) Elway held the Colts over a barrel because he didn't want to go there because he knew their ownership was a mess. So he signed with the Yankees and was prepared to play baseball. The whole thing about Elway being a California kid and not wanting to play in the cold on the East coast was BS, his agent came up with it as a throw away
I don't think the 30/30 went into it but I think the Colts head coach Frank Kush had a lot to do with it as well. He was a miserable POS hated by his players. He had been at Arizona State for years prior to the Colts and Elway's dad was a college HC at the same time. Little doubt he had heard all the stories and warned his son off.
They actually did mention that Kush was an in your face disciplinarian and Elway wouldn't like him, but he wasn't the main reason why they didn't want to go there. They didn't like the Irsays.
There was a part where they said Dallas tried to trade for Elway and would include Danny White to go back to Baltimore, since Kush coached White at Arizona State. But the Cowboys couldn't muster enough talent to send back to Baltimore to meet what Ernie wanted, so they passed. Thank God for that, because Dallas finally collapsed in 1986 and wasn't a factor in the NFC again until 1991. If Elway was there, different story.
My God Elway on Dallas would have been horrific.
And it still seems as though those Irsays are still off their rockers.
Tim i didn't say that , what I said was I believe 3 out of the 6 will emerge as franchise QBs...
Cam Newton
Jake Locker
Blaine Gabbert
Christian Ponder
Draw your own conclusions
Tim , none of the QBs in 2011 outside of Cam , had anywhere near the film tape that these current crop of Qbs have.
Have u seen Blaine Gabberts film? It's terrible , a weak arm. I've made the comparison
Kelly because of scared teams with his arm.
And Marino because of rumors of drugs.
In any event , elway , Kelley and Marino took there teams to a combined 10 Superbowls.
Kelly because of scared teams with his arm.
And Marino because of rumors of drugs.
In any event , elway , Kelley and Marino took there teams to a combined 10 Superbowls.
People see what they want to fit their agenda.
Kelly because of scared teams with his arm.
And Marino because of rumors of drugs.
In any event , elway , Kelley and Marino took there teams to a combined 10 Superbowls.
That was a helluva a draft overall - 6 Hall of Famers - Elway, Marino, Kelly, Green, Dickerson, and Matthews.
And I could argue Jimbo Covert and Joey Browner, especially, should be. Browner was brilliant...
True. And they got Karl Nelson, Kinard, and Perry Williams. All players who contributed.
My comment above was 6 first rounder who made the Hall.
Also in the draft - Richard Dent, 8th round for the Bears. Quite a pick...
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That was a helluva a draft overall - 6 Hall of Famers - Elway, Marino, Kelly, Green, Dickerson, and Matthews.
The Hall of Fame inducts around 7 guys every year. That means around 7 Hall of Famers come into the league every year. In other words, that number of Hall of Famers is pretty much average.
You will be hard pressed to find a draft with 6 Hall of Famers taken in the first round. And it really should be 8.