Record 12 QBs taken through NFL draft's first 5 rounds
Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Anthony Richardson didn't have to wait long to hear their names called in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night. For only the fourth time since the advent of the draft in 1936, a trio of passers was selected in the first four picks.
The run on signal-callers slowed a little after that, but it certainly didn't stop.
By Saturday afternoon, 12 quarterbacks were selected, breaking a record set in 1995 for most signal-callers drafted through five rounds in the common draft era (1967-present).
On three different occasions in the draft, quarterbacks were selected on back-to-back picks:
| QB | Team | Round | Pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bryce Young (Alabama) | Panthers | 1 | 1 |
| C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) | Texans | 1 | 2 |
| Anthony Richardson (Florida) | Colts | 1 | 4 |
| Will Levis (Kentucky) | Titans | 2 | 33 |
| Hendon Hooker (Tennessee) | Lions | 3 | 68 |
| Jake Haener (Fresno State) | Saints | 4 | 127 |
| Stetson Bennett (Georgia) | Rams | 4 | 128 |
| Aidan O'Connell (Purdue) | Raiders | 4 | 135 |
| Clayton Tune (Houston) | Cardinals | 5 | 139 |
| Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA) | Browns | 5 | 140 |
| Sean Clifford (Penn State) | Packers | 5 | 149 |
| Jaren Hall (BYU) | Vikings | 5 | 164 |
Perhaps the success of the San Francisco 49ers' Brock Purdy, 2022's "Mr. Irrelevant" as the final pick of the draft, contributed to teams' thirst for passers outside of the early rounds.