Evaluating College Quarterbacks As They Enter the National Football League Draft

Abstract

The National football League (NFL) in the United States has become a quarterback-centric league, where an elite quarterback is needed to win a Super Bowl. This paper will aim to provide statistical insight into how to project which college quarterback prospects will have the most successful NFL careers. We specifically focus on two quarterbacks, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariotta, who, respectively, were the first and second choice in the first round of the NFL draft recently, in May, 2015. However, our methodology is applicable to other quarterback draftees, and, with modest adaptation, to evaluating players at other positions.