For a two-time MVP, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson doesn’t always get the amount of respect that other quarterbacks do.
Perhaps it’s because of Jackson’s shaky playoff record or that he’s a dual-threat quarterback, but in offseason rankings, Jackson was consistently ranked as the fourth-best quarterback in the NFL.
However, NFL players view it slightly differently.
In an ESPN poll of 103 NFL players, Jackson was ranked as the second-best quarterback in the NFL by a long shot.
In the poll, first-place votes were worth three points, second-place votes were worth two, and third place one.
Jackson finished with 124 points, trailing only Patrick Mahomes, who had 291 points.
However, Jackson far out-paced Joe Burrow, who finished third with 51 votes.
The other quarterbacks to receives votes were Josh Allen with 39 and Aaron Rodgers with 32.
For Jackson, it’s a far different story than how analysts and league insiders have ranked him. Jackson is often seen as the league’s fourth-best quarterback, behind Mahomes, Burrow, and Allen.
While the difference between second and fourth may not seem big, it is surprising given that Jackson is a more decorated quarterback than Allen and Burrow. It seems that NFL players value Jackson’s skills as a passer, runner, and leader more than outsiders do.