What Team Has Drafted the Most Quarterbacks?

The Cleveland Browns hold the dubious distinction of having drafted more quarterbacks than any other NFL franchise, a statistic that reflects decades of instability at the game's most important position.

Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, the Browns have drafted approximately 30 different quarterbacks, with the total exceeding 80 when counting the original Browns franchise (now the Baltimore Ravens) and the entire history dating back to 1950. This relentless cycle of drafting signal-callers has become a running joke in NFL circles, symbolizing Cleveland's struggles to find a franchise quarterback.

The Browns' quarterback draft history includes first-round selections like Tim Couch (1st overall, 1999), Brady Quinn (22nd overall, 2007), Brandon Weeden (22nd overall, 2012), Johnny Manziel (22nd overall, 2014), and Baker Mayfield (1st overall, 2018). Despite these high investments, Cleveland struggled for decades to find long-term stability under center.

The drought finally ended when Cleveland traded for Deshaun Watson in 2022, though ironically he wasn't drafted by the Browns. Before Watson, the closest the modern Browns came to franchise quarterback success was with Mayfield, who showed promise before the relationship deteriorated.

Other teams with high quarterback draft counts include the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders, and New York Jets—all franchises known for prolonged quarterback instability. The contrast with teams like the Green Bay Packers, who went from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love with minimal disruption, couldn't be starker.

The Browns' quarterback draft history serves as a cautionary tale about the difficulty of evaluating and developing the position. It also demonstrates that draft quantity doesn't equal quality—finding the right quarterback requires evaluation skill, patience, and often luck. View the full quarterback draft history to see how all teams compare.