Ravens' Lamar Jackson Climbs Up QB Rankings

For a two-time MVP, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is the subject of more debates than almost any other star player.

To most fans and pundits, Jackson is easily a top-five quarterback in the league, and arguably the best dual-threat player the league has ever seen. However, there is a small vocal minority that believes he is overrated, more of a running back than a quarterback, and are generally dismissive of his accomplishments.

Thankfully, it seems the former opinion is much more common in the league itself. ESPN recently released a ranking of the NFL's top 10 quarterbacks according to executives, coaches and scouts, which saw Jackson come in at No. 4. Some evaluators had him as high as No. 2, but no one placed him outside the top five.

That ranking is also a considerable improvement from last year's No. 7 placement, and considering Jackson just posted his best passing season yet and won his second MVP award, that jump makes complete sense.

"How he came in, with everything stuck to that stigma as a runner, that sticks with you as a pro until you prove them wrong," an NFC executive said. "That's not fair but that's the way it's been with him. There wasn't any doubt who the best player in the league was last year. So, it's long been time to put that to rest."

Many tend to think of Jackson as a runner more than a passer, but he's actually shifted more in the opposite direction lately. His attempts per game and rushing yards per attempt were both career-lows last season, but he still managed to be an effective rusher and improved as a passer as well.

"I don't think he wants to be the runner he used to be," a veteran NFL personnel evaluator said. "He wants to be a pure pocket passer because that's how you prolong your career and win late in the season."

The players to rank above Jackson on this list were Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals and Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills. Mahomes is the near-unanimous No. 1 pick for good reason, while Jackson, Allen and Burrow are in the next tier of sorts.

Jackson obviously still has some work to do, particularly in the postseason, but it's very possible he climbs this list even more with another strong season.

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