NFL quarterback rankings: Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson at No. 1?

NFL quarterback power rankings

3. Seattle Seahawks (Russell Wilson)

Before, the Seahawks were all about the defense and pounding the ball on the ground. Now, they rely heavily on Russell Wilson.

You can see the change in style when you check out Wilson’s stats. From 2012-16, Wilson had one season of 30+ touchdown throws. From 2017-19, he has surpassed 30 each year.

Wilson is one of the purest passers in the NFL, and the touch he places on each throw is consistently phenomenal. He’s arguably the most underrated player in the game.

2. Baltimore Ravens (Lamar Jackson)

In 2018, Lamar Jackson put together a solid rookie campaign after taking over for Joe Flacco. In seven starts, he threw for 1,201 yards with six scores and three picks. On the ground, he ran for 695 yards and five touchdowns.

Opinions on Jackson’s potential were all over the board. Would he be an MVP? Could he even complete enough passes to truly be a starter in the NFL? There was a lot to unpack regarding Jackson’s future in the NFL, but that unpacking has become a lot lighter after 2019.

Jackson proved a lot of people wrong. Not only could he complete enough passes with a 66.1 completion percentage, he led the highest scoring offense and won himself an MVP. He was sensational for the Ravens, and he became a regular on most highlight shows.

Yes, Jackson’s first two playoff games have not gone well, and he has not played up to the magnitude of the game. However, we saw him take a large stride in development last year, and he is primed to do that again in 2020.

1. Kansas City Chiefs (Patrick Mahomes)

Mahomes played in one game his rookie season. In 2018, he got the starting job and absolutely crushed it for the Chiefs. He threw for 50 touchdowns and 5,097 yards, which led to the MVP award.

Last year, Mahomes played in 14 games. Hampered by injury, and coming back from a potentially worse knee injury, he led the Chiefs on an iconic, all-time great Super Bowl run. Each game, Mahomes and the Chiefs would come back from large deficits and win.

After watching Mahomes operate during the championship run, and how well he played his first year as a starter in 2018, he’s clearly on the path to greatness. And, it might be the beginning of a new dynasty in the NFL.

Selling you on Mahomes being the best in the NFL is rather easy. He makes the spectacular seem ordinary, and his arm talent is generational.