Comparing Rookie Contracts

Filed in archive NFL Draft on June 9, 2008

© yomanimus

With Darren McFadden now signed with Oakland, three of the top four draft choices from April's NFL draft are now under contract. Only Chris Long, the Rams' pick at #2 overall, has yet to sign among the four. Let's take a look and see how those contracts compare against last year's top rookie picks.

First overall pick: 2007
JaMarcus Russell: 6 years, $61 million ($32 million guaranteed)

First overall pick: 2008
Jake Long: 5 years, $57.75 million ($30 million guaranteed)

Third overall pick: 2007
Joe Thomas: 5 years, $42.5 million ($23 million guaranteed)

Third overall pick: 2008
Matt Ryan: 6 years, $72 million ($34.75 million guaranteed)

Fourth overall pick: 2007
Gaines Adams: 5 years, $45 million ($19.3 million guaranteed)

Fourth overall pick: 2008
Darren McFadden: 6 years, $60 million ($26 million guaranteed)

The guaranteed money is close for each of the #1 overall picks, but it's clear that the winner in all of this is Matt Ryan. Quarterbacks usually get more money than other rookies if they are drafted high, and that's clearly the case with Ryan. The former Boston College QB was picked third overall and JaMarcus Russell was picked first, but Ryan still came away with more in the end, with the same amount of years.