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Draftanomics

Honest NFL Draft analytics. The model's receipts against actual NFL teams live on the track record.

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Data + sources
RAS by Kent Lee Platte·Consensus Big Board (Arif Hasan)·nflverse·PFR·CFBD·All sources & credits·Methodology
Career-value model, live
Privacy·Terms·Press ⌘K to search·Draftanomics2026
  1. Draftanomics/
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  3. 2018 board/
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Side-by-side comparison

Backtest

2 prospects · 2018 draft

Each spoke: percentile within the prospect's own position (QB)
SD
Sam Darnold
QB · USC
20.9 yo · 6'3" · 221 lb
LJ
Lamar Jackson
QB · Louisville
21.3 yo · 6'2" · 216 lb
Tiebreaker
Medium confidence
Take Lamar Jackson over Sam Darnold.

Decisive factor: $52M/yr more in projected second-deal AAV.

Headline metrics

The four numbers a GM checks first.

Sam Darnold
Predicted pick
#29
range #1–#71
Bust probability· rough estimate
0%
0%comp-based · 0/5
Consensus rank
#10
on 27 boards
Career arc
Starter
tier · 1st Round
2nd-deal AAV
$17Mmodel
Lamar Jackson
Predicted pick
#60
range #19–#101
Bust probability· rough estimate
0%
0%comp-based · 0/5
Consensus rank
#26
on 27 boards
Career arc
Starter
tier · Day 2
2nd-deal AAV
$70Mmodel

Feature radar

Each axis is the prospect's percentile among prospects at his position (0–100). Bigger shape = stronger across the board.

ProductionAthleticismAgeConsensusPer-play impact (PPA)Breakout ageWorkloadRAS × production
Prospects
  • Sam Darnold· QB
  • Lamar Jackson· QB
Axis leaders
  • ProductionLamar Jackson100
  • AthleticismSam Darnold0
  • AgeSam Darnold66
  • ConsensusSam Darnold100
  • Per-play impact (PPA)Sam Darnold50
  • Breakout ageSam Darnold50
  • WorkloadSam Darnold50
  • RAS × productionSam Darnold0

Comp overlap

Top five historical comps per prospect. Shared comps highlighted.

Shared comps
  • Jared GoffQB · Starter→ shared bySam DarnoldLamar Jackson
  • Connor CookQB · Bust→ shared bySam DarnoldLamar Jackson
  • Paxton LynchQB · Starter→ shared bySam DarnoldLamar Jackson
  • Kevin HoganQB · Starter→ shared bySam DarnoldLamar Jackson
Sam Darnold
  • Jared Goffshared
    QB · #1
    Starter
  • Connor Cookshared
    QB · #100
    Bust
  • Carson Wentz
    QB · #2
    Starter
  • Paxton Lynchshared
    QB · #26
    Starter
  • Kevin Hoganshared
    QB · #162
    Starter
Lamar Jackson
  • Jared Goffshared
    QB · #1
    Starter
  • Paxton Lynchshared
    QB · #26
    Starter
  • Dak Prescott
    QB · #135
    Starter
  • Kevin Hoganshared
    QB · #162
    Starter
  • Connor Cookshared
    QB · #100
    Bust

Risk and opportunity flags

Top three concerns and top two upside signals from the model.

Sam Darnold
Risks
No major risks flagged.
Opportunities
  • Strong comp group
    4 of 5 closest comps with NFL outcomes became Starters or Franchise players: Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, Paxton Lynch (+1 more). The historical neighborhood overwhelmingly produced NFL contributors.
Lamar Jackson
Risks
  • No athletic testing
    No Combine drills or Pro Day numbers on file while most of the class has tested — the athletic part of the grade is unmeasured.
Opportunities
  • Consensus says higher
    29 boards have him at mean rank #29; model has him #60 — a 31-spot fade. Analysts converging this much above the model is a tell that the model is undervaluing him.
  • Strong comp group
    4 of 5 closest comps with NFL outcomes became Starters or Franchise players: Jared Goff, Paxton Lynch, Dak Prescott (+1 more). The historical neighborhood overwhelmingly produced NFL contributors.

Career trajectory forecast

Projected share of his team's snaps across the first four NFL seasons. Solid = seasons already played, dashed = the forecast.

0%25%50%75%100%Y1Y2Y3Y4Y5Y6Y7Y8Snap share
Sam DarnoldLamar Jackson· solid = actuals, dashed = forecast

Verdict

The model's plain-English read.

Sam Darnold

Draftanomics projects Sam Darnold (age 20.9 at draft) as a first-round pick at #29 (range #1-#71, very wide band — too little on him yet to project tightly). Bust probability sits at 0% — low. The comp set is strong: 4 of 5 closest comps with known NFL outcomes became starters or better. Closest comps: Jared Goff (Starter), Connor Cook (Bust), Carson Wentz (Starter). Ceiling is Jared Goff (Starter); floor is Kevin Hogan (Starter). The call is a lean fade: the model sits 15 spots below the room's consensus #14 — don't pay sticker price. The 15-spot markdown rests on thin verified signal rather than a named flaw — the model hasn't seen enough yet to match the room's conviction.

Lamar Jackson

Draftanomics projects Lamar Jackson (age 21.3 at draft) as a Day 2 pick at #60 (range #19-#101, very wide band — too little on him yet to project tightly). Bust probability sits at 0% — low. The comp set is strong: 4 of 5 closest comps with known NFL outcomes became starters or better. Closest comps: Jared Goff (Starter), Paxton Lynch (Starter), Dak Prescott (Starter). Ceiling is Jared Goff (Starter); floor is Kevin Hogan (Starter). No Combine drills or Pro Day numbers on file while most of the class has tested — the athletic part of the grade is unmeasured. The call is a genuine fade: the room's consensus prices him around #29 and the model won't take him before #60 — a 31-spot markdown. The 31-spot markdown rests on thin verified signal rather than a named flaw — the model hasn't seen enough yet to match the room's conviction.