NFL.com: Kyler Murray among best No. 1 overall picks from 2010s
May 17, 2020, 11:33 AM
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Two Arizona Cardinals quarterbacks were picked first overall from 2010 to 2019 and they’re both ranked quite differently in a list that ordered the decade’s top selections.
NFL.com’s Ali Bhanpuri ranked the best first overall picks in the NFL Draft from 2010 to 2019. Two of those players, Sam Bradford and Kyler Murray, played for the Cardinals, although Bradford was of course drafted by the St. Louis Rams and played for the Rams, Eagles and Vikings before Arizona.
Bhanpuri wasn’t a big fan of Bradford when compared to the other No. 1 overall picks of the decade. Bradford was last on the list.
We lead off with the man who boasts the highest career earnings on this list (for now). Plagued with injuries and inconsistent supporting talent, the twice-traded Bradford (once for a first- and fourth-rounder!) made a living off of promise rather than production.
The main knock on Bradford was that he never had a winning season apart from a 2-0 start in 2017, and even when he led the league in completion percentage in 2016, the Vikings went 8-8. He did win Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2010, though.
You have to go well down the list to find the other Cardinal, Murray, who was ranked much higher at No. 4. Only Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Myles Garrett (No. 3), former Colts QB Andrew Luck (No. 2) and free agent Cam Newton (No. 1) were ranked higher.
Murray’s uneven Year 1, while littered with growing-pain performances, mostly left me mesmerized by his ability to process information, execute throws and innovate under duress. He already has as many turnover-free starts as Baker Mayfield (8) and as many full seasons with a passer rating of 87 or better as Bradford. Murray played some of his best ball in his two games against the 49ers’ stingy defense, notching five total touchdowns against zero turnovers, while completing at least 70 percent of his passes in both contests.
Like Bradford, Murray also won Offensive Rookie of the Year. He had a 64.4% completion rate in his first year, starting all 16 games and throwing 20 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. He threw for 3,722 yards and ran for 544 more, with four rushing touchdowns.