Power Ranking the NFL’s 10 Best Quarterbacks

The NFL is a league for quarterbacks, and that’s why you need an elite (or at least a decent) quarterback to have success.

People try and rank quarterbacks and their value all the time, considering tons of factors, such as accuracy, decision-making, team success, playoff success and other factors. There are some elite, some good, some decent, some mediocre, some poor and some horrible quarterbacks, and all of those guys make up the NFL.

But which are the best of the best? Here are the 10 best quarterbacks in the NFL.

Honorable Mentions

Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts

Luck threw 18 interceptions in his rookie season, but received serious Rookie of the Year consideration and took a team deprived of talent to the playoffs. Winning 11 games is hard to do, and throwing for 4,374 yards is also difficult. However, Luck did both things. Luck isn’t a top 10 quarterback yet, but he will be soon.

Eli Manning, New York Giants

Manning is a two-time Super Bowl MVP, but he ranked 14th in passer rating in 2012 while throwing 15 interceptions. Manning has stepped up in the playoffs, but in the regular season, he has struggled. Manning’s interception total and passer rating keep him out of the top 10, but he is a great quarterback.

10. Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins

While RGIII had a great rookie season, there are still lots of doubters that believe the Redskin quarterback will fail.

Jan 6, 2013; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) scrambles during the fourth quarter of the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

In his rookie season, Griffin posted a 102.4 passer rating and was only intercepted five times, both placing him among the elite quarterbacks. No quarterback that threw over 265 passes had less picks than Griffin, and among qualifying starters, Griffin’s passer rating was third in the league.

The Redskins went 10-6 and won the NFC East, which was a huge accomplishment for the Redskins. Griffin dominated in 2012 and protected the ball, but he also threw for 20 touchdowns. While the star partially tore his ACL in the playoffs, he should be ready to go for 2013, especially because he is ahead of schedule.

There are doubts about Griffin’s health, but I think he can stay healthy and improve significantly in 2013. Griffin will never reach the level of Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, but he can continue to climb the ranks and succeed.

Next year, Griffin could be higher on this list, if he can recover from his injury. He is a running quarterback with high injury risk, but also a talented quarterback. We’ll see how things play out for Griffin in the future, but for now, he is a top 10 quarterback.