2021 NFL Quarterback Power Rankings: How far ahead is Patrick Mahomes?
By Randy Gurzi
26. Sam Darnold, Carolina Panthers
Perhaps a change of scenery will be good for Sam Darnold. The former No. 3 overall pick of the New York Jets in 2018 was traded to the Carolina Panthers in the offseason and now has a chance to redeem himself after three frustrating seasons.
At one point, Darnold looked to be a lock as the No. 1 overall pick but the Cleveland Browns shocked many pundits with the selection of Baker Mayfield instead. So far, Cleveland looks to have been right to pass on Darnold who has completed just 59.8 percent of his passes for 8,097 yards with a 45-to-39 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
He’s also struggled to hold onto the ball in general with 20 fumbles in three seasons — which was also an issue for him at USC. As for his record, New York is just 13-25 with him starting, with a 7-6 campaign in 2019 accounting for almost all of his success.
Having said all that, Darnold was dealing with some issues outside of his control as the Jets decided to hire Adam Gase — a move that nearly no one thought was good after he destroyed the Dolphins. He did the same thing to New York and they’re starting from scratch — much like Darnold.
Again, this change can be great for Darnold but he still needs to prove that he was being held back before he starts to shake the bust label.