Quarterbacks Of The 2011 NFL Draft: Where Are They Now?

Many memorable QBs were picked in the 2011 NFL draft, and all of them had unique and interesting stories. Aidin Ebrahimi looks at what happened to every QB of the 2011 NFL draft.

Welcome to the start of a brand new series that I'll be doing here called "Where Are They Now?", where I look at specific players and cover their current whereabouts and whatever happened to them.

Today, we will look at all 13 QBs who were drafted in the 2011 NFL draft. The reason I picked this draft in particular was due to how diverse it was, as many memorable QBs were picked, and all of them had unique and interesting stories.

With that being said, let's look at whatever happened to the 13 quarterbacks of the 2011 NFL draft.

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#1. Cam Newton (Round 1, Pick 1)

"SuperCam" is the last player and quarterback taken first overall to win NFL MVP, which he accomplished in 2015. That year, he led a dominant Panthers team to a Super Bowl appearance, but he struggled with injuries after that game, which caused his departure from Carolina after the 2019 season. He still showed he had some rushing ability left in his lone season with the Patriots (fourth in the NFL in rushing TDs), but his arm was destroyed and the Pats moved on from him.

Thanksgiving is here.

How 'bout we take a look back at one of the many great things Cam Newton has done for the city of Charlotte, courtesy of @NFLFilms.

pic.twitter.com/q1mkb4F4xH

— John Ellis (@1PantherPlace) November 23, 2023

He returned to Carolina where he ran for a TD in each of his first five games, but due to his deterioration as a passer, he has remained a free agent since the end of the 2021 season. Newton recently spoke out on his quest for a return: "It doesn’t matter if I call [NFL teams] if they don’t want me." But he's not too mad about it. "I'm focused on the things that I can control right now," Newton said. Even if this is the end, he had a hell of a career and was a great first-overall pick.

#2. Jake Locker (Round 1, Pick 8)

Jake Locker had a good career with the Washington Huskies and led them to a win over Nebraska in the 2010 Holiday Bowl. When he was drafted to the Titans, he was a regular drinker and party animal, which caused the starting QB Matt Hasselbeck to clean him up. Hasselbeck had previously helped Trent Dilfer with his alcohol addiction, so this wasn't his first rodeo. After the two spent the preseason together, Hasselbeck said: "Jake isn’t motivated by the things that typically motivate people."

Soon after, Locker began despising everything that came with being an NFL star and felt like he was wearing a mask in public. His career with the Titans was plagued with injuries, and he used his time on the shelf to reflect on his life. Locker announced his retirement after just four seasons despite having many offers on the table, which came as a shock to many but not to the people who actually knew him. "Jake loved football," Hasselbeck said. "He just didn’t love being in the NFL." He now owns a farm and a gym and spends quality time with his wife and three children.

#3. Blaine Gabbert (Round 1, Pick 10)

The first player on this list who is on an NFL roster, Gabbert used to be one of the best high school prospects in the country and could have gone to any college. He almost went to Nebraska, but he ultimately chose to go to his hometown Missouri Tigers. Gabbert was picked by the Jaguars but wasn't impressive, throwing for 22 touchdowns and 24 interceptions in 28 games with the franchise.

Found out something interesting about Chiefs' backup Blaine Gabbert. https://t.co/kEkqstCBTB

— Arrowhead First 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 (@ArrowheadFirst) November 18, 2023

He then got into a QB controversy with Colin Kaepernick in San Francisco (we'll get to him later) and had stints in Tennessee and Arizona, before winning a ring in Tampa Bay in 2020 and joining their Super Bowl LV opponent, the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason. Unlike most backups, however, he loves his job and seems to be having a lot of fun.

#4. Christian Ponder (Round 1, Pick 12)

The last first-round QB of this draft, Ponder had a great time at Florida State as he excelled on and off the field. He graduated from Florida State in two and a half years with a degree in finance and led the team to three consecutive Bowl victories. He won MVP of the Senior Bowl and was picked by the Vikings despite concerns about his durability and arm strength.

The fans constantly booed him during his time in Minnesota, as they said that he was at his most effective when he was handing the ball off to Adrian Peterson. His career 66.5 passer rating in games without AP made it easy for the Vikings to move on from him. After backup stints in Oakland, Denver, and San Francisco, he retired and is now working in business and helping pro and collegiate athletes transition into entrepreneurship and investing.

#5. Andy Dalton (Round 2, Pick 35)

Andy Dalton led the TCU Horned Frogs to four incredible seasons from 2007 to 2010 and ticked all the boxes as a prospect except for potential, which saw him fall to the second round. The Bengals had to throw him to the fire immediately due to Carson Palmer holding out, but Dalton had a fantastic rookie season and led the team to the playoffs. From his rookie season until 2015, Dalton had led the Bengals to a 50-26-1 record while throwing for an average of 25 touchdowns and 3600 yards a season.

What has Bryce Young done in the NFL to earn the benefit of the doubt for his nonstop terrible play?

Andy Dalton still has the best QB performance for the Panthers this year.

— Barry (@BarryOnHere) November 19, 2023

However, he broke his thumb in Week 13 of 2015, and things were never the same after that. He only had a 20-35-1 record after that, and the Bengals moved on from him to draft Joe Burrow. Since then, he has spent his career as a backup. But the interesting (or horrifying) thing about him is that the incumbent starters on Dalton's teams always get hurt which causes him to start multiple games. It happened to Dak Prescott, Justin Fields, and Jameis Winston. Bryce Young better watch out.

#6. Colin Kaepernick (Round 2, Pick 36)

He's more known worldwide for his activism, but we'll focus on his exploits on the field here. He was one of the most electrifying players in college football at Nevada, throwing for 82 touchdowns and rushing for 59 scores in his collegiate career. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers, who had gotten frustrated with Alex Smith's lack of progress. However, Smith resurrected his career under Jim Harbaugh, which caused Kaepernick to barely see the field as a rookie.

Colin Kaepernick & Nas at the Hip Hop Grandmaster Awards pic.twitter.com/m0xWqtK1D7

— Hip Hop Immortal (@HipHopImm0rtal) November 19, 2023

In 2012, Smith suffered an injury in Week 9, and Kaepernick took his place. He posted a 99.9 passer rating as the starter and kept starting even after Smith was cleared to return. He led the team to the Super Bowl against Harbaugh's brother John and the Ravens, where they lost. After another great season in 2013, he signed a massive six-year contract but failed to replicate his success.

After Harbaugh left, he briefly lost his starting spot to the aforementioned Gabbert before starting the last 11 games of the 2016 season. He was certainly a talented QB, but he went unsigned after he opted out of his contract with the Niners. His activism has changed the sports world forever, but he has yet to sign with another NFL team.

#7. Ryan Mallett (Round 3, Pick 74)

This is a sad story. Mallett had all the talent in the world and he showed it at Arkansas after transferring from Michigan, but his draft stock fell off after rumors about a potential drug problem began popping up. He eventually admitted to a GM in a pre-draft interview that he had used drugs in the past which tanked his stock even further.

He was drafted by the Patriots and fans had hopes that he would be the heir to Tom Brady's throne, but it never materialized and Mallett was traded to Houston in 2014. He was constantly late for practices and team flights, which caused the Texans to move on from him. After a stint with the Ravens and an arrest for a DWI, he began to turn his life around and coached for high school teams in Arkansas. He met his girlfriend this year before he tragically passed away after drowning while swimming with her. Rest in peace, Ryan Mallett.

#8. Ricky Stanzi (Round 5, Pick 135)

Ricky Stanzi never threw a pass in an NFL game, but he still had a good college career at Iowa, signed with multiple NFL teams, and played in the CFL. After retiring, Stanzi has dedicated his time to learning the movements of the human body and is a fitness coach for the GOATA (Greatest Of All Time Athletes) system, which "teaches how to create the most efficient way for energy to travel through the body."

#9. T.J. Yates (Round 5, Pick 152)

T.J. Yates used to be the all-time career passing yards leader for the North Carolina Tarheels until his numbers were surpassed by Sam Howell. He suddenly had to start for the Texans as a rookie when Matt Schaub went down, and he led the team to the playoffs and even won a game against Dalton's Bengals, which was the first playoff game in NFL history that pitted two rookie starting QBs against each other.

He threw three picks against the Ravens in the Divisional Round as the Texans were eliminated, and he never saw much success in the NFL again. After retiring in 2018, he became an offensive assistant with the Texans and is now the WRs coach of the Atlanta Falcons.

#10.  Nathan Enderle (Round 5, Pick 160)

Yet another player who never threw a pass in an NFL game, Enderle finished his career with the Idaho Vandals with the most passing yards in the school's history (later surpassed by Matt Linehan) and signed with a bunch of teams before joining the CFL and Arena Football. He now works for a software development company.

#11. Tyrod Taylor (Round 6, Pick 180)

The last active player on this list, Taylor was great in his final season with the Virginia Tech Hokies, but most NFL teams believed that he should be a WR, not a QB. Taylor was determined to prove them wrong, but he couldn't get an opportunity with the Ravens and was dealt to the Bills.

Tyrod Taylor became the first black quarterback to ever win a game for the Giants.
⁰
Taylor: "It means a lot. I didn’t know that going into it. If I'm not mistaken, I think I did it at another organization as well (Los Angeles Chargers). But I mean, it's history. Proud to be… pic.twitter.com/Rft9b0rhD7

— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) October 25, 2023

In what was essentially his rookie season in 2015, he shocked the world by making the Pro Bowl and even led the Bills to the playoffs in 2017, but he has been plagued by injuries since then. Baker Mayfield, Justin Herbert, Davis Mills, and Tommy Devito have all received starting opportunities due to Taylor's injuries. While he's still on the Giants' IR list, he has been helping the residents of his hometown of Hampton, Virginia, recently handing out 400 Thanksgiving meals.

#12. Greg McElroy (Round 7, Pick 208)

McElroy was the stereotypical Alabama QB: Smart and accurate but with a weak arm. He won the 2010 National Championship, but scouts didn't think he had the potential to succeed in the NFL. McElroy was drafted by the Jets early in the seventh round and played two games for them (starting once), where he threw a touchdown and an interception. After spending the entire 2013 season on the Bengals' practice squad, McElroy retired and is now a commentator/analyst for ESPN.

#13. Terrelle Pryor (Supplemental Pick)

We end this list with the Kordell Stewart of this generation. Terrelle Pryor had a decision to make between football and basketball early on, before ultimately deciding to go with football and committing to Ohio State. He won the MVP of the Rose Bowl in 2010 but was suspended by the NCAA due to a memorabilia scandal.

Hot take: if Terrelle Pryor came along a few years later he would have become a superstar. League wasn’t ready for a guy like him pic.twitter.com/AOrkZMiDCE

— Khaled (@khaled74) September 19, 2023

He was drafted by the Raiders as a supplemental pick, and started for them in 10 games as a QB, throwing for nine TDs and 11 picks. Pryor then had an unexpected career renaissance with the Browns as a WR in 2016 as he had over 1000 receiving yards, but injuries and off-the-field troubles plagued the rest of his NFL career. He currently enjoys playing golf, though he has expressed that he would like to return to the NFL as a QB.

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