During his rookie season in 2018, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen got knocked to the ground on the Baltimore Ravens sideline. Allen jumped up screaming and got in the face of then-Ravens linebacker Matthew Judon.
"Hey, calm down, dude," Ravens coach John Harbaugh told Allen. "You're on our sideline over here."
Fearlessness is one of the traits that defines Allen, as well as Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, especially when it comes to running with the football as they're currently the only two quarterbacks to lead their teams in rushing. The duo has gone from draft-day question marks to the best QBs from the 2018 class, and when the Ravens play host to the Bills on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), Allen and Jackson will represent one of the best quarterback duos from the same draft class in NFL history.
They've combined for a total of 261 touchdowns, which currently ranks fourth for the most combined passing and rushing touchdowns by a first-round quarterback pair in their first five seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information. They need three to pass the 1983 duo of Dan Marino and John Elway.
That's not bad considering it was Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen who were pegged as the more polished QB prospects in 2018. Allen was a small-school passer from Wyoming who struggled with accuracy, and Jackson was labeled a boom-or-bust talent from Louisville who didn't fit the mold of the traditional pocket quarterback.
But now, ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller ranks Allen and Jackson alongside all-time great draft duos such as Elway and Marino, Joe Montana and Phil Simms and Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger.
Miller ranks the top 10 QB duos from the same draft class dating back to 1967, which was the first year the NFL and AFL had a combined draft, known as the common draft era. And NFL Nation reporters recount the paths each quarterback took to the NFL. -- Jamison Hensley
No. 1: John Elway and Dan Marino, 1983
This was a pretty easy choice at No. 1. For years it seemed like the famed 1983 quarterback class wouldn't produce a single Super Bowl winner, after early losses by John Elway, Dan Marino and Jim Kelly. But then Elway closed out a brilliant Hall of Fame career with two rings, along with a Super Bowl MVP award, a league MVP and a then-record 148 wins. He also won a Super Bowl as a GM.
Marino never got a Super Bowl victory, but he did retire with an MVP and ownership of most NFL passing records at the time, including most yards in a season, most fourth-quarter comeback wins, most touchdown passes in a season and most passing yards in a career. We're looking only at the top two in each class here, but Kelly is an incredible No. 3 seed here. -- Matt Miller
Elway's path: Elway was the 'gotta have him' No. 1 pick, just not by the Broncos. The Baltimore Colts drafted him, but Elway, and more specifically his dad Jack, did not want any part of the Colts. So Elway publicly entertained the idea of playing for the Yankees. Then on May 2, 1983, the Broncos sent quarterback Mark Herrmann, tackle/guard Chris Hinton and a first-round pick in the 1984 draft to the Colts for Elway. -- Jeff Legwold
Marino's path: Despite a prolific college career at Pitt, Marino's senior season paled in comparison to his junior year and led to a lengthy fall on draft night. As inconceivable as it may be today, he was the sixth quarterback taken, by the Dolphins, at No. 27 overall. Despite having never spoken to the team before his selection, Marino signed with Miami and spurned the Los Angeles Express, which had taken him No. 1 overall in the USFL draft that year. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
No. 2: Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning, 2004
Pick your two quarterbacks from the 2004 first round, and you have an all-time great duo. Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning edged out Philip Rivers based on their Super Bowl wins, but each of these three passers had an amazing NFL career.
Roethlisberger and Manning combined for four Super Bowl wins, two Super Bowl MVP awards (both Manning) and what should become two gold jackets for the NFL Hall of Fame. Both rank in the top 10 for career passing yardage and touchdown throws. -- Miller
Roethlisberger's path: A small-school prospect out of Miami (Ohio), Roethlisberger had undeniable talent, but some teams were nervous about selecting him with a top-10 pick because he was relatively unproven against top competition. Manning and Rivers went off the board first, and the Cleveland Browns had the opportunity to draft the Findlay, Ohio native with the sixth overall pick. Instead, the Browns selected tight end Kellen Winslow II, and the Steelers, who went into the draft looking for offensive line help to protect Tommy Maddox, improbably were in position to grab Roethlisberger with the No. 11 pick. -- Brooke Pryor
Eli Manning's path: Manning was the youngest son of football royalty. His father Archie was an Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints legend and his brother Peyton was an NFL star with the Indianapolis Colts. The San Diego Chargers selected Eli out of Ole Miss with the first pick, but he made it known he would not play for the Chargers, so the Giants, who selected Rivers with the fourth pick, traded Rivers and draft picks for Eli. -- Jordan Raanan
No. 3: Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, 2018
Ranking Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson this high requires faith in their ability to produce in the postseason, but there's no denying the two have already emerged as elite players in their young careers. Jackson has won an MVP award and led the NFL in passing touchdowns (36 in 2019) while also torching defenses as a runner. He has twice rushed for more than 1,000 yards in a season. And Allen has seemingly gotten better and better. He's currently the favorite to win MVP this season. He has accounted for 145 total touchdowns, and his completion percentage has jumped from 52.8% as a rookie to 71.2% this season.
If how this duo has changed the game with their downfield throwing and running ability is any indication of where they're headed, then both look like future Hall of Famers and multiple MVP winners. Ranking them ahead of proven winners like Joe Montana, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees might ruffle some feathers, but it's that potential that puts them this high on the list. -- Miller
Allen's path: After receiving no offers from Division I programs, and then going from starting at a junior college -- Reedley College -- for one year to Wyoming, there were major concerns about Allen's ability to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Part of the skepticism was because of his lack of accuracy (he completed 56.2% of his passes in three years at Wyoming). Despite that, a series of trades were required for the Bills to move up to select Allen seventh overall, including a draft-day trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to move up from No. 12. Allen has since set countless Bills records, greatly improved his accuracy and signed a six-year extension through 2028. -- Alaina Getzenberg
Jackson's path: The Ravens traded down twice in the first round to get tight end Hayden Hurst, then made the bold move to trade back into the first round to get the free-falling Jackson, sending three picks (two second-round selections and a fourth-rounder) to the Eagles to acquire the No. 32 overall pick. But Jackson's path to Baltimore started two weeks before the draft. Ravens coach John Harbaugh stood up in a pre-draft meeting and said the team could build an offense around Jackson to fit his dual-threat talent. -- Jamison Hensley
No. 4: Phil Simms and Joe Montana, 1979
With six Super Bowl wins, the 1979 class boasts the most Lombardi Trophies of any grouping. Joe Montana was arguably the NFL's greatest quarterback until Tom Brady came along, backed by four Super Bowl wins, three Super Bowl MVPs and two regular-season MVPs. He made eight Pro Bowls and twice led the league in passing TDs.
Unlike Montana, Phil Simms is not a Hall of Famer, but he won two Super Bowls with the Giants and was the MVP of Super Bowl XXI. In an era of great quarterbacks (like Montana), Simms didn't receive the All-Pro or Pro Bowl votes needed to earn a gold jacket, but the two still rank among the most prolific quarterback duos ever. -- Miller
Simms' path: Simms took the unorthodox route to NFL stardom -- from Kentucky to Morehead State to the seventh overall selection in the NFL draft. The surprise first-round pick wasn't exactly embraced initially by the New York fans as loud booing erupted after NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced the pick. Simms said even Morehead State was caught by surprise and had to throw together a news conference. -- Raanan
Montana's path: There are conflicting accounts of how, exactly, the Niners landed on Montana in the third round. One thing was certain: The 49ers were high on Simms but had no first-round pick that year (it was traded as part of a package to acquire O.J. Simpson the previous year). That choice ended up being No. 1 overall, and they could have taken Simms if they'd kept the pick, but while the Simpson trade didn't work out on the field, it set off a chain of events in which coach Bill Walsh eventually fell for Montana, drafted him and the San Francisco dynasty was born. -- Nick Wagoner
No. 5: Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson, 2017
Patrick Mahomes' start to his career is greater than that of any player since Brady. In four seasons, he has won a Super Bowl, a Super Bowl MVP award and a regular-season MVP award. He has led the league in passing touchdowns and been both a first-team and second-team All-Pro. The 27-year-old is largely considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of this era, despite this being his fifth season as a starter.
Watson is currently serving an 11-game suspension after facing more than two dozen allegations of inappropriate conduct and sexual assault during massage sessions. He also sat out the 2021 season, when he was a member of the Houston Texans. On the field, he has ranked as one of the NFL's top-tier passers as a three-time Pro Bowler, and he led the league in passing in 2020 (4,823 yards). He has 121 combined passing and rushing touchdowns, which is the third most by any player in his first four seasons in NFL history, trailing only Dan Marino and Josh Allen. -- Miller
Mahomes' path: The Chiefs had an established starting quarterback in Alex Smith but moved up via a trade with the Buffalo Bills from 27th to 10th to draft Mahomes. Mahomes was Smith's backup as a rookie, playing only in the final regular season game after the Chiefs had clinched their playoff seed. Smith was traded to Washington after the 2017 season, and that's when Mahomes took over. -- Adam Teicher
Watson's path: The Browns traded away the 12th overall pick in the 2017 draft to the Texans for the 25th pick and a 2018 first-rounder. The Texans then selected Watson. Five years later, Cleveland gave back three first-rounders to get Watson, despite the allegations. The Browns then signed him to a record $230 million fully guaranteed contract. -- Jake Trotter
No. 6: Michael Vick and Drew Brees, 2001
Michael Vick changed the NFL forever with his strong-armed, dual-threat style of play that opened the door for similar play from Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson. Vick was a three-time Pro Bowler and emerging NFL leader before being suspended and eventually serving a prison sentence for running a dogfighting ring. And Brees, the first pick of the second round, put together a Hall of Fame career in winning a Super Bowl for the Saints, accumulating over 80,000 passing yards and throwing 571 touchdowns.
Vick's comeback with the Eagles added another Pro Bowl to his resume, and he averaged 7.0 yards per tote as a ball carrier over his career, but Brees carries the duo with 172 wins and numerous top-five career rankings. -- Miller
Vick's path: One of the most dynamic quarterbacks in college football history, he passed for 3,279 yards and rushed for 1,216 yards in two seasons at Virginia Tech. His dual-threat skill set, in an NFL that was starting to feature more versatile quarterbacks, made him the No. 1 pick by the Falcons. -- Michael Rothstein
Brees' path: Concerns about Brees' height (6-foot) and arm strength caused him to fall to the Chargers in the second round. Brees played there for five seasons, but didn't have the team's full commitment after they acquired Philip Rivers in 2004. The addition of Rivers and a severe shoulder injury at the end of the 2005 season made Brees a free agent. New Orleans gambled correctly that his injury would heal and he ended up being one the best signings of all time. The Saints were rewarded with 15 seasons and a Super Bowl victory after the Dolphins' hesitation about the shoulder injury led Brees to sign with New Orleans. -- Katherine Terrell
No. 7: Peyton Manning and Matt Hasselbeck, 1998
Peyton Manning is one of the all-time greats with two Super Bowl rings, a Super Bowl MVP, five regular-season MVP awards and an improbable Comeback Player of the Year award (2012) when it looked like his career was over following a neck injury. He had 14 Pro Bowl selections and sits third all-time in passing yardage and TDs.
Matt Hasselbeck, meanwhile, went from a backup in Green Bay to a three-time Pro Bowler in Seattle. He secured 11 playoff wins to rank 16th all-time in the NFL. Hasselbeck and Manning combined for 751 passing touchdowns in their careers. -- Miller
Peyton Manning's path: The Colts' struggling offense resulted in three wins in 1997, making their decision with the top overall pick in 1998 a no-brainer. Manning's dominance and leadership qualities at Tennessee convinced the Colts to choose him over Ryan Leaf, in what became a brilliant decision for the franchise. In his book, "The Game Plan: The Art of Building a Winning Football Team," former Colts president Bill Polian described the decision thusly: "I can't say that I envisioned everything that Peyton Manning would become, but after you have been through this (scouting) process, which you trust, everything pointed to him." -- Stephen Holder
Hasselbeck's path: The Packers drafted Hasselbeck in the sixth round, one of seven quarterbacks they chose in 10 drafts under GM Ron Wolf, even though Brett Favre was entrenched as their starter. In 2001, two years after coach Mike Holmgren left Green Bay for Seattle, he acquired his former backup from the Packers for a third-round pick and a swap of the teams' first-rounders. Current Seahawks GM John Schneider spent a year in the Seahawks' front office in 2000, when their plan was laid to trade for Hasselbeck. -- Brady Henderson
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No. 8: Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers, 2005
Alex Smith might not have lived up to the expectations of a No. 1 overall pick, but he combined with Aaron Rodgers to put up some impressive numbers. Sure, Rodgers carries the duo with his Super Bowl victory, Super Bowl MVP award and four NFL MVP trophies, but Smith was the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year (2020) and a three-time Pro Bowler.
Smith also helped turn around a 49ers franchise that was struggling and kickstarted the Chiefs' run of excellence under coach Andy Reid. Rodgers is already widely considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time -- he currently sits in the top 10 in passing yardage and touchdowns, and he isn't done yet. -- Miller
Smith's path: There was no doubt the Niners would take a quarterback with the first pick; it was just a matter of which player. Rodgers was the local favorite, from nearby Chico, California, and he seemed to be a good fit after playing at Cal. But the Niners opted for Smith, who, as Rodgers tells it, had impressed then-49ers coach Mike Nolan with his manners. Nolan has said on the record he believed Rodgers was "very cocky, very confident, arrogant" while Smith was the "safe" choice. -- Wagoner
Rodgers' path: It was going to be Smith or Rodgers at No. 1, but no one expected the other to be around at No. 24. Especially not Ted Thompson, the late Packers GM. At first, Thompson kept wondering why they were constantly showing Rodgers' uncomfortable wait on TV. But as Thompson once said, "As it got closer, I had less sympathy for him and more anxiety for us about wanting us to get him." Rodgers was there at No. 24, and although Rodgers would sit for three years behind Brett Favre, it will go down as one of the greatest draft picks in Packers history. -- Rob Demovsky
No. 9: Russell Wilson and Kirk Cousins, 2012
The 2012 class has produced a Super Bowl champion and nine-time Pro Bowler in Russell Wilson while also giving us one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in NFL history in Kirk Cousins. Most telling, perhaps, is the quarterbacks drafted No. 1 and No. 2 overall -- Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III -- don't even make the list. Instead, it's a third- and fourth-rounder who have combined for 12 Pro Bowls.
Cousins hasn't had great playoff success, but the two combine to make up one of the most successful quarterback duos in a single draft class, especially based on value. -- Miller
Wilson's path: Matt Flynn was the Seahawks' presumed starter after Seattle signed him in free agency, but GM John Schneider had become enamored enough with Wilson to draft him in the third round, despite his height (5-11) and the investment they'd made in Flynn. More than a decade earlier, Schneider was in his first stint in Seattle's front office when the Seahawks had strongly considered drafting Brees before deciding to instead trade for Hasselbeck. Schneider's scouting of Brees ahead of the 2001 draft helped give him the confidence -- and ultimately helped him convince coach Pete Carroll -- that Wilson could succeed in the NFL as a similarly short quarterback. -- Henderson
Cousins' path: Washington drafted Robert Griffin III with the second pick in 2012, but the team needed more depth and wanted another more traditional quarterback as a backup, solving a big problem area of talent and depth. They liked Wilson, but couldn't get him and selected Cousins in the fourth round. Cousins started one game as a rookie, leading a December win at Cleveland. The more he developed, and the more Griffin was hurt, it became obvious to the coaches Cousins should start, and he finally became the full-time starter in 2015. -- John Keim
No. 10: Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert, 2020
The 2020 draft's QB class looks special in a short amount of time. Joe Burrow overcame missing most of his rookie season with a torn ACL to lead the Cincinnati Bengals to a surprise Super Bowl bid in his first full season as a starter. Herbert has been equally impressive since taking over as the Los Angeles Chargers' starter. Through two seasons, Burrow and Herbert rank as the best from this class, but Tua Tagovailoa has been one of the NFL's hottest quarterbacks so far in the 2022 season and is making a push to overtake one of his counterparts.
We also had to think long and hard about ranking 2020 over the 1993 draft class, which featured Drew Bledsoe and Mark Brunell. The reason I went with 2020? Bledsoe and Brunell combined to play in one Super Bowl; the 2020 group has already matched that and looks to be on a path to more postseason success. -- Miller
Burrow's path: While the Bengals floundered in 2019, Burrow had a transcendent year at LSU, winning the Heisman Trophy and leading the Tigers to a national championship. With Tagovailoa and Herbert also available, the Bengals selected Burrow at No. 1 to be their franchise quarterback. -- Ben Baby
Herbert's path: Burrow was off the board at No. 1 to the Bengals and Tagovailoa was taken No. 5 by the Dolphins, leaving Herbert for L.A. at No. 6. As a rookie, Herbert was set to back up Tyrod Taylor, until Week 2, when Herbert was thrust into action with only moments notice before kickoff after Taylor suffered a punctured lung when a team doctor attempted to inject him with a painkiller for injured ribs. Herbert has started every game since. -- Lindsey Thiry
Miller's honorable mentions: Drew Bledsoe and Mark Brunell in 1993; Jim Plunkett and Joe Theismann in 1971.