Our very own Sam Darnold, the Super Bowl champion quarterback who just led the Seahawks to glory, somehow landed outside the top 10 in ESPN’s annual survey of league executives, coaches, and scouts. After compiling over 70 votes, the Emerald City's signal-caller is sitting at number 11, an "honorable mention," while guys like Caleb Williams, who has *no* established track record yet, are somehow ranked higher. What in the world are these voters watching?
The "Honorable Mention" That Feels Like a Slap
Yeah, he’s an "honorable mention," which sounds nice, but it feels like a total snub for a guy who just hoisted the Lombardi. Here's the deal: Darnold is right there at No. 11, just outside the elite circle. One high-ranking AFC team official summed it up perfectly: "What a career bounce-back. He's been lights-out for two years. Deserves to be in the top 10." An NFL personnel evaluator even praised him, saying he's "playing to his strengths while playing disciplined, can beat you with his arm. I think he can use his legs more. He's mobile." These are the insights from people in the league, yet the collective vote still keeps him out. Let’s not forget where Darnold was just a couple years ago. Back in 2024, after a strong season with the Minnesota Vikings (minus the last two games, sure), he didn’t receive a single vote for top 10 inclusion. Zero! So, sure, this is "major progress" for someone who was written off as a bust. But we’re talking about a Super Bowl champion here! Jalen Hurts, a league MVP runner-up and Super Bowl MVP, was also just an honorable mention. Maybe there's a wild trend with non-top 10 QBs winning Super Bowls, but that doesn't make it right for our guy.The Outrageous Rankings Above Our QB1
Let's look at the full list, because some of these rankings are genuinely head-scratching. Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, Drake Maye, Jared Goff, and Caleb Williams make up the top 10. The actual voting, broken into tiers, has Darnold below Williams, Jayden Daniels, and even Jordan Love. Hold up. Caleb Williams shouldn't be anointed a top 10 quarterback just yet. It's actually bizarre that Jordan Love is ranked below him when Love has an established track record of good play. And Love being below Daniels? That's just outright outrageous. If you asked me, and this article makes a case for it, I'd send Williams packing from that top 10 without hesitation and slot Darnold right in. The source even admits the gap between, say, Dak Prescott and Jordan Love, is "not particularly vast," meaning a good chunk of this list is interchangeable. So why not Darnold? Why deny the Super Bowl winner the respect he's earned? This is exactly the kind of "disrespect" that fuels a true competitor. Darnold's proven he can turn a career around, lead a team to the promised land, and play "lights-out" football. Now, with the regular season in full swing, you just know he's going to use this No. 11 ranking as motivation. Get ready, 12s, because our QB1 is about to remind everyone in the league exactly why he deserves to be at the very top.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.