Jordan Palmer on the Evolution of The Quarterback Position

Former NFL quarterback Jordan Palmer was on Twitch explaining why the quarterback position has changed so much in the past decade. According to Palmer, one major difference in playing styles separates today's top quarterbacks from the great pocket passers of a decade ago.

"For a long time, the quarterback was considered one of those positions that doesn't progress a lot," explains Palmer, "but, in the last decade, it has progressed a ton." He continues by saying the evolution was spurred by the new quarterback's "ability to create time and space."

Palmer is as much an expert on the quarterback position as you could find in last 20 years. After being drafted out of UTEP, he played against some of the best pocket passers in the history of the game - Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and his brother, Carson. After his playing days ended in 2014, he started QB Summit, an NFL quarterback incubator that was attended by Sam Darnold, Joe Burrow, and -reigning Super Bowl champion - Patrick Mahomes.

"A decade ago, all the quarterbacks used to look the same," Palmer says, while considering the QBs entering the draft with him. "If you were six-foot or shorter, there's no way you were going to get a scholarship. And if you were a left-hander, you didn't have a chance at being a franchise quarterback. And if you came from a Big Ten school, it was near impossible to make a case to NFL scouts," Palmer recalls.

Palmer was working with 3 NFL-hopeful QBs in the spring of 2020, including reigning Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow, who was drafted 1st overall by the Cincinnati Bengals. *Photo courtesy of QB Summit.*

But all of that has all changed in the past few years...

"Now, we have 5'10" and 5'11" quarterbacks winning the Heisman Trophy and going being drafted #1 overall."
"We have a prototypical pocket passer - Ryan Fitzpatrick - being benched for Tua Tagavailoa - a left-handed kid from Hawaii, who was the #5 pick and a national champion."
"We're going to have our second guy drafted in the top five from North Dakota State, an FCS school - Carson Wentz in 2016 and Trey Lance in 2021."

These are 3 huge surprises that we haven't seen at this position since Doug Flutie.

As Palmer explained, it goes to show what "whether you're from a small school or a big school, rich or poor, right-handed or left-handed, six-foot-five or six-foot - there are all different kinds of ways to make it as a quarterback today."

"With recruiting sites like GMTM and access to social media, if you're good, they (coaches and recruiters) can find you," says Palmer. The playing field has never been more even at the quarterback position, so, if you can do something better than most, you're going to get a chance.