Jake Browning of the Cincinnati Bengals earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week following an impressive performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars in which he completed 32 of 37 passes for 354 yards and a touchdowns. The game was just the second start in Browning's NFL career and his completion percentage (86.4 percent) set a record for quarterbacks in their first or second start.
Impressive debuts are nothing new for Browning. A star quarterback at
Folsom (Calif.) as a prep, Browning had arguably the greatest first varsity start of any high school quarterback ever. In a 68-28 win over Woodcreek during his sophomore season, Browning completed 34 of 51 passes for 689 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The impressive totals marked the beginning of a career that saw Browning throw for 16,775 yards and a national record 229 career touchdowns in three seasons with the Bulldogs.
After throwing for 689 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first varsity start, Jake Browning leaves the field after throwing for 439 yards and six TDs in his last start, a 68-7 win for Folsom over Oceanside in the 2014 CIF Division 1 championship game. (Photo: Louis Lopez)
How did the rest of the starting quarterbacks in the NFL begin their high school career? The results are mixed, with quarterbacks like Brock Purdy, Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes all beginning their careers with impressive outings. Meanwhile C.J. Stroud, Lamar Jackson and Zach Wilson had rough outings in their first varsity starts.
Purdy may have the most interesting first start in his high school career. As a sophomore, Purdy saw lots of playing time while splitting signal calling duties with a senior quarterback. According to
Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) coach Preston Jones, the senior started every game that year while Purdy came in later during the game.
Entering his junior season, Purdy was slated to be the starting quarterback. According to Jones, however, Purdy came down with mono during the first week of training camp and missed the first six weeks of the season. He didn't start until the fourth game of the season against O'Connor, 20 pounds lighter and much weaker due to the extended illness.
Nevertheless, Purdy completed 25 of 28 passes for 361 yards and five touchdowns in a 43-0 win.
"His ball had little zip on it and he was a little heavy legged, but
still played amazingly," Jones said. "He was unreal. Still can't believe how well he
played that first game with what he had just gone through."
Following is a list of all 32 starting NFL quarterbacks as of December with the stats from their first start as a high school varsity quarterback.
First high school start of NFL quarterbacks
Jake Browning, Bengals
High school: Folsom (Calif.) First opponent/score: Woodcreek, 68-28
Stats: 34-51, 689 yards, 10 TDs
Derek Carr, Saints
High school: Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas)First opponent/score: Seven Lakes, 34-0
Stats: 12-22, 219 yards, 3 TDs
Note: Carr attended Fort Bend Clements as a sophomore and junior and graduated from Bakersfield Christian (Calif.).
Joshua Dobbs, Vikings
High school: Alpharetta (Ga.)First opponent/score: North Cobb, 29-26
Stats: 12-23, 176 yards, 2 TDs, 10 carries, 38 yards, TD
Joe Flacco, Browns
High school: Audubon (N.J.)First opponent/score: Paulsboro, 7-34
Stats: Stats unavailable for his first game.
Jared Goff, Lions
High school: Marin Catholic (Kentfield, Calif.)First opponent/score: Vacaville, 33-29
Stats: 7-22, 230 yards, 3 TDs
Note:
Goff came into the season opener in relief against St. Ignatius and
started the following week for the first time against Vacaville.
Jalen Hurts, Eagles
High school: Channelview (Texas)First opponent/score: Dayton, 69-35
Stats: 13-17, 208 yards, TD, 11 carries, 185 yards, 4 TDs
Note: The stats above are for Hurts' first game as a junior. He may have started as a sophomore but that could not be confirmed.
Mac Jones, Patriots
High school: Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.)First opponent/score: Lake Mary, 49-29
Stats: 10-15, 185 yards
Note:
Jones' total is from the first game his junior year. He may have
started a game his sophomore season but that could not be confirmed.
Kyler Murray, Cardinals
High school: Allen (Texas) First opponent/score: Plano East, 56-0
Stats: 17-18, 147 yards, TD, 2 rushing TDs
Note:
Murray split time with another quarterback early in his sophomore
season but did not officially start until the week after a loss to
Coppell. Murray never lost a game as a starting quarterback (42-0).
Dak Prescott, Cowboys
High school: Haughton (La.)First opponent/score: West Ouachita, 22-21
Stats: 17-28, 185 yards, TD, 11 carries, 43 yards, 2 TDs
Brock Purdy, 49ers
High school: Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)First opponent/score: O'Connor, 43-0
Stats: 25-28, 361 yds, 5 TDs
Geno Smith, Seahawks
High school: Miramar (Fla.)First opponent/score: Flanagan, 19-17
Stats: 12-22, 104 yards, TD
Note: Smith started his first game as a freshman several weeks into the season.
C.J. Stroud, Texans
High school: Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.)First opponent/score: Roosevelt, 14-18
Stats: 6-14, 66 yards
Note: Stroud sprained his ankle in the first quarter and did not finish the game.
Russell Wilson, Broncos
High school: Collegiate (Richmond, Va.)First opponent/score: Episcopal, 35-24
Stats: 12-20, 164 yards, 3 TDs
Note: Wilson split time with another quarterback the first several games of his sophomore season.
Bryce Young, Panthers
High school: Cathedral (Los Angeles, Calif.)First opponent/score: Santa Fe, 40-15
Stats: 11-14, 135 yards, 3 TDs
Note: Young's first start came at Cathedral. He later transferred to Mater Dei (Santa Ana).
