NFL Top 10 QB List: Atlanta Falcons Have a Future Goal

A Falcons future hope: Agree on how silly some of these lists are … while also hoping to be included on them.

Lists, lists, lists.

In these football dog days of Summer seems every media outlet - yes, we're guilty - is producing a list about this or a ranking of that.

But here’s a list the Atlanta Falcons wish they were on.

ESPN dug a little deeper this week, compiling a "list of lists" curated via interviews with more than 50 NFL team executives. The result: A peer-reviewed list of the league's Top 10 quarterbacks.

Says ESPN of the process:

Voters gave us their best 10 players at a position, then we compiled the results and ranked candidates based on number of top-10 votes, composite average, hundreds of interviews, research and film study. In total, more than 50 voters submitted a ballot on at least one position, and in many cases all positions. We had several ties, so we broke them with the help of additional voting and follow-up calls with our rankers.

The final list includes a quarterback with only one playoff win (Dak Prescott), one (Deshaun Watson) who hasn't thrown a pass in the league in 18 months, another (Russell Wilson) yet to throw one for his new team, and a top six that includes five who have played in a Super Bowl.

ESPN's Top 10 NFL QBs:

10. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

9. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns

8. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos

7. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

6. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

5. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

4. Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

2. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Prescott and his lone playoff win edging 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson is likely the list's most controversial ranking.

Not controversial, obviously: the absence of Atlanta QBs Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder. Mariota is a journeyman, Ridder a non-premier-round rookie; they don’t belong here. (Sidebar: Falcons ex Matt Ryan, now with the Colts, failed to make the cut as well).

A Falcons future hope: Agree on how silly some of these lists are … while also hoping to be included on them.