Quarterback battles are always intriguing, but especially when they’re between players taken in the same draft. Pundits and fans will debate which player a team should have taken over the one they actually did, but the true answer to the question will play out on the field.
Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson already faced off on Thursday night in the second matchup between the two 2017 first-round picks, but they won’t be the last in Week 1. For the first time since 1967, there will be five total quarterback matchups between gunslingers from the same draft class this week, according to Elias Sports.
Two sets of matchups come from the 2018 draft, which featured five first-round picks. The other two games – excluding Mahomes vs. Watson – include a bout between quarterbacks taken far apart from each other and a battle between quarterbacks drafted within four picks of each other.
Sam Darnold vs. Josh Allen
Darnold and Allen were the second and third quarterbacks taken in the 2018 draft, with Darnold going five picks earlier to the Jets. Though Darnold has the 2-1 series lead over Allen, the Bills quarterback has had the overall better career and better stats (and barely played in the duo’s final 2019 game). Allen’s 15-12 career record is better than Darnold’s 11-15 record, and Allen also has one more playoff game appearance, 215 more total yards and eight more total touchdowns to his name despite playing in two fewer games thanks to his rushing ability.
Despite the on-the-field rivalry of playing in the same division, Darnold and Allen maintain a close friendship and practiced together this summer during the coronavirus pandemic.