The players drafted ahead of Josh Allen in 2018 have had mixed amounts of career success.
While Josh Allen went on to be the 7th pick of the 2018 NFL draft, five teams (Cleveland Browns had two picks in the top 5) passed on him. Furthermore, he was the third quarterback taken in his draft class. Now that he's blossomed into a franchise cornerstone for the Buffalo Bills, it makes you wonder how the careers of the players picked ahead of him have turned out six years later. Read on to find out.
1. Baker Mayfield – Cleveland Browns
As the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Mayfield entered the league with high expectations to end their 16-year playoff drought. He showed promise during his rookie season, setting the rookie touchdown pass record with 27. However, his tenure in Cleveland was marred by inconsistency, coaching changes, and injuries.
After four seasons, the Browns moved on from Mayfield, sending him to the Carolina Panthers for a conditional 5th-round pick. After spending the 2022 season as a backup for the Panthers and Rams, Mayfield has finally found a home with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signing a three-year extension worth $100 million.
2. Saquon Barkley – New York Giants
As impressive as Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield's rookie season were, Barkley earned the honors of Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018. His combination of power, speed, and agility made him one of the most exciting players to watch. However, the Giants could never win games. In his first four seasons, the Giants only won 19 games combined.
After six years with the team, Barkley signed with the Philadelphia Eagles to try and capture his first title.
3. Sam Darnold – New York Jets
Similar to Mayfield, the New York Jets expected Sam Darnold to be the franchise's savior. Unfortunately, in Darnold's three years as a starter, the Jets never won more than eight games in a season. By 2021, the Jets hoped to solve their quarterback issues by drafting Zach Wilson, but it netted the same result.
Darnold's struggles continued, and he eventually lost the starting QB job to fellow draftee Baker Mayfield when he was with the Panthers. He's spent the last two years as a backup but now will have a chance to become a starting quarterback with the Minnesota Vikings to begin the 2024 season.
4. Denzel Ward – Cleveland Browns
The Browns had another opportunity to draft Josh Allen with the fourth pick but opted for cornerback Denzel Ward instead. Over his career, Ward has proven to be a cornerstone in the Browns' defense, earning Pro Bowl honors and establishing himself as a top-tier cornerback in the league.
While the Browns struggled to pick up wins, you can't fault Ward for his lack of effort. The Browns would eventually reward him with a 5-year $100.5 million extension in 2022 which made him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
5. Bradley Chubb – Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos used the fifth overall pick to draft Bradley Chubb, primarily to pair with Von Miller to wreak havoc as the outside linebackers. Like most of the top four picks, Chubb had a promising start to his career recording 12 sacks. But a year later, he tore his ACL.
Despite the setbacks, Chubb remains a talented player in the league. However, with the Broncos' quarterback situation a persistent problem since Peyton Manning's retirement, the team has decided to click the reset button and chose to trade Chubb to the Miami Dolphins in 2022 for Chase Edmunds and two future draft picks.
6. Quenton Nelson – Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts knew exactly what they were getting when they drafted Quenton Nelson at number six, one spot ahead of Josh Allen. Since he entered the NFL, he's been named to the Pro Bowl each season and made first-team all-pro three times.
His size, strength, and technical prowess have anchored the Colts' offensive line and provided stability for their running game and pass protection. To nobody's surprise when he signed an extension in 2022 Nelson became the highest-paid player at his position.
