Both First Rounds Produced Six Signal-Callers
As each quarterback — six in all — heard their name called in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, it conjured up flashbacks of the star-studded 1983 draft class.
That year, six signal-callers were also selected in the opening round. It’s been dubbed the best quarterback class in the draft’s 89-year history, and for good reason. It produced three first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famers: Dan Marino, John Elway, and Jim Kelly.
Could this year’s quarterback draft class come anywhere close to the success of the ’83 class? Only time will tell.
However, striking similarities exist between these two groups—at least on paper. These are the only two drafts in which six quarterbacks were selected in the first round.
Topps was there 40 years ago to document quarterbacks getting their first professional football cards. Now, Topps has created historical snapshots of this year’s class that could become all-time greats.
Flying Off the Board
Before draft night, it was almost a safe bet that three quarterbacks would be selected in the first three slots. That’s precisely what happened as USC’s Caleb Williams went No. 1 to the Chicago Bears, LSU’s Jayden Daniels was picked second by the Washington Commanders, and UNC’s Drake Maye was taken No. 3 by the New England Patriots.
After that, it was a crapshoot where the next three guys would end up. Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. was drafted No. 8 by the Atlanta Falcons, the Minnesota Vikings moved up to the 10th pick to take Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, and the Denver Broncos ended the early quarterback craze by nabbing Oregon’s Bo Nix at No. 12.
“We heard rumblings that six quarterbacks could go in the first round,” said Rob Springs, director of football product development at Fanatics. “I wasn’t sure if Nix would go up that far. And, certainly, I don’t think many people considered Penix to be taken that high. Although, there was obviously plenty of chatter about six guys going overall in the first round. But to be in the top 12, that’s really crazy.”
The 1983 Draft produced six quarterbacks in the first 27 picks. The Baltimore Colts selected Stanford’s John Elway with the top pick, Penn State’s Todd Blackledge was taken No. 7 by the Kansas City Chiefs, Miami’s Jim Kelly went No. 14 to the Buffalo Bills, and Illinois’ Tony Eason was drafted No. 15 by the New England Patriots. Later in the round, the New York Jets took UC Davis’ Ken O’Brien at No. 24, as Pittsburgh’s Dan Marino slipped to No. 27, where the Miami Dolphins quickly snatched him up.
Earning Their Starts
In the 1984 season, Elway, Marino, and Eason started several games for their respective teams. Kelly signed with the Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League (USFL), where he played for two seasons. Blackledge didn’t start any games his first season, and O’Brien missed his entire rookie year recovering from a broken leg sustained in college.
Another interesting similarity between the two classes is that after Nix went 12th overall this year, the next quarterback wasn’t selected until No. 150 when South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler went off the board to the New Orleans Saints. In ’84, when Marino was taken at No. 27, the next quarterback didn’t get picked until 137th as the Cincinnati Bengals chose Eastern Illinois’ Jeff Christensen.
Springs thinks this year’s quarterback class has some key benefits because the guys are heading into different — in some cases more stable — situations.
“Caleb’s obviously walking into something where it’s not like a normal team that’s picking number one,” Springs said. “They’ve got plenty of offensive weapons now, which is weird to say when you associate it with the Bears. I think he’s walking into an incredible situation as far as a good win-now situation.”
Williams, Daniels, and Nix are all slated to start in their team’s season-opening game.
Producing Iconic Cards
The first round of the 1983 NFL Draft took place on April 26, 1983. It wasn’t until July 17, 1984, that the rookie cards of Elway, Marino, and Kelly were released.
Imagine having the draft in this day and age, and it wouldn’t be until 15 months later that a collector can get their hands on a rookie card. It’s unfathomable.
“The upside of this class, if you relate it to cards, you can collect those cards immediately,” Springs said. “Back then, it was the following year when you were able to get your hands on their rookie cards. You couldn’t get them in ’83; you had to wait until ’84. Or for Kelly, even later, unless you collected USFL cards.”
The 1984 Topps product featured the rookies of Elway, who was with the Denver Broncos after the Colts traded him days after the draft (card #63), and Marino (#123). Those two cards — Marino on the field during a game day with his chin strap hanging down and Elway with sweaty hair making a hand gesture — have become two of the most iconic football cards of all time.
“If you start talking about the ’80s in general, you’re going to go with Montana, you’re going with Elway and Marino from ’84, or Rice from ’86,” Springs said.
Kelly’s first card was released in the 1984 Topps USFL product (#36). His NFL rookie card with the Bills came in the 1987 Topps set (#362).
“Those USFL cards, because they were only available in those box sets and they were talking about condition sensitive, you weren’t sure if anything was damaged when they were putting them in the boxes,” Springs said. “If I was to pick one that’s probably harder to come by and grade than all the other kinds of stuff, it’s definitely going to be the Kelly from the USFL set.”
It wasn’t until the 1985 Topps release that collectors could find the rookie cards of Blackledge (#272), O’Brien (#346), and Eason (#323).
Rookie Cards are Coming
McCarthy (#39) and Nix (#8) got their 1st Bowman cards in the 2021-22 Bowman University Football product. Williams (#50) and Penix (#41) had their 1st Bowman cards the following release in 2022 Bowman University Chrome Football. Maye’s 1st Bowman came out in the 2023 Bowman University Chrome Football set.
Many top picks from this year’s draft will be featured in Topps products later this year. There will be two releases: 2024 Topps Chrome Collegiate and a higher-end, brand-new set, 2024 Topps Collegiate Royalty.
“With the Chrome, you can expect what you normally would expect as far as parallels and Superfractors,” Springs said. “It will primarily be focused on a good chunk of guys drafted this year, along with some of the retired players in their collegiate uniforms. So, you may have Brady Michigan, that kind of stuff.”
According to Springs, the new Royalty set will include rookie patch autos (RPA), cut signatures, inscriptions, and more. The product will feature RPAs of Williams, Daniels, Maye, and Nix. “Stay tuned for more football coming down the road,” Springs said.
