NFL Execs Rank Top 10 QBs: Where's Rams' 'Super' Matthew Stafford?

Not among the elite a year ago, the Rams' quarterback is now considered in the handful of the league's best.

A year ago Matthew Stafford was simply trying to wash away the stink of a dozen dead years in Detroit.

Now, after leading the Los Angeles Rams to win Super Bowl LVI last February, he's rubbing elbows with the NFL's elite quarterbacks. And, actually, climbing over some of them.

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

But 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

Stafford, of course, buried his rotten Lions reputation underneath 6,004 yards, 50 touchdown passes and a Lombardi Trophy. He was the league's best deep-ball passer, completing 18 throws of 40+ yards.

The only thing keeping Stafford out of the top five is his tendency to trust his arm too much and get careless, hence his league-leading 17 interceptions.

"He's always had a great arm, always accurate, always moved well in the pocket, better athlete than you think," said an AFC coordinator. "The physical stuff is in the better part of the league. Then you combine with that with how smart he is; he's seen it all now. He trusts his arm more than he should sometimes, but that's being nitpicky."

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

Explains ESPN:

Voters pointed to Prescott's consistency, helping him beat out top-tier passers. Though the Cowboys quarterback did not receive a single top-five vote, he was a fixture in the Nos. 7-10 range, helping him outdistance Lamar Jackson for the last spot.