Aaron Rodgers Ranks High in QB Categories; Not So for Jared Goff

One former Cal quarterback fared much better than the other in ESPN's rankings in 12 skill classifications

One of the two NFL starting quarterbacks from Cal has the utmost respect from analysts. The other ex-Golden Bear quarterback? Not so much.

At least that’s the impression you get from ESPN’s ranking of the top 10 NFL quarterbacks in a dozen categories. ESPN drew on the opinions of 11 NFL analysts to create its 12 top-10 lists in the following categories: arm strength, accuracy, touch, mechanics, field vision, decision-making with the ball, compete level, pocket presence (calmness under pressure, ability to move within the pocket, etc.), toughness, scrambling, designed-run ability and second reaction (adaptability when a play breaks down).

Former Golden Bears star and current Green Bay Packers standout Aaron Rogers ranked in the top seven in 11 of the 12 categories and ranked first in three of them.

However, ex-Cal standout and current Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff did not rank in the top 10 in any of them. Furthermore, he received votes in only two of the dozen skill categories.

The Lions were one of only nine NFL teams that did not have a quarterback ranked in the top 10 in at least one of the 12 categories.

This shows how far Goff’s reputation has slid since the midpoint of the 2018 season, when he was considered an MVP candidate at the age of 24. The lasting impression we have of Goff now is the guy who was replaced as a starter in the playoffs by John Wolford, then shipped to Detroit in a trade that also sent two first-round draft picks to the Lions so the Rams could acquire Matthew Stafford. (By the way, Stafford was ranked among the top 10 in seven categories).

Goff was one of 14 players outside the top 10 who received votes in the pocket-presence category, and he was one of 15 players outside the top 10 who got votes in the second-reaction group.

Now compare that with Rodgers, who, at 37, won his third MVP in 2020. He ranks in the top seven of every category except designed run, and the fact that the Packers have no designed runs for Rodgers eliminates him from that category.

He ranks first in accuracy, decision-making with the ball and pocket presence. Tom Brady is the only player ranked first in more categories, earning the No. 1 spot in four of them, while Patrick Mahomes was also first in three.

Here is what ESPN said about Rodgers in the three traits in which he topped the list:

Accuracy

Best of the best:

Rodgers and [Russell] Wilson are two of the very best when it comes to hitting tight-window throws that seemingly are impossible completions, in addition to showing great touch on the deep ball. When you need a big throw to be made under challenging circumstances, these two are who you want slinging it.

Stat to know:

There's no perfect measure of accuracy, but Rodgers had the lowest interception per dropback rate and second-lowest off-target rate in the league last season. He also ranked third in completion percentage over expectation (CPOE), per NFL Next Gen Stats. Those are pretty strong signs that Rodgers' throws are on the money.

Decision-making with the ball

Best of the best: Protecting the football and not giving it to the other team via bad decision-making is priority No. 1 for a QB, and nobody was better at making sure the opposition didn't receive extra possessions in 2020 than Rodgers. His 48 passing touchdowns led the NFL, and his 1.0% interception rate (five all season) was tied for the best in the NFL with Mahomes.

Pocket presence

Best of the best: What makes Rodgers such a mad scientist in the pocket is understanding when to break it and when to buy himself time. His ability to pirouette out of pressure, avoid oncoming rushers and side-step a would-be sack turns nothing plays into possible scoring opportunities. On top of his nimble footwork, Rodgers has the arm strength and ability to throw from so many angles that he doesn't need a whole bunch of space to launch the ball downfield. No play should be presumed over with this guy.

Rodgers is second in three categories -- mechanics, field vision and second reaction -- and third in two others – arm strength and compete level.

That put Rodgers among the top three in eight categories, more than any other quarterback. Mahomes and Brady were ranked in the top three in seven categories apiece, Russell Wilson in five and Josh Allen in four.

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Cover photo of Aaron Rodgers by Benny Sieu, USA TODAY Sports

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Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

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