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          NFL Nation

          Crunching numbers on Jets' QB options, from Kirk Cousins to Baker Mayfield

          Baker Mayfield has the edge on other quarterback prospects when looking at the statistics. AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File
          • Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff WriterMar 7, 2018, 07:00 AM ET
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              Rich Cimini is a staff writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years, joining ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He previously was a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University. You can follow him via Twitter @RichCimini.
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          One of the great things about football is that, unlike baseball, it's difficult to base player evaluations on statistics. So many variables impact individual performance -- scheme, play design, other matchups, etc. -- that you can't expect two or three stats to tell a player's story. In football, a scout's eye still matters, and that's kind of cool.

          That said, it never hurts to peek at the numbers.

          Since the big story around the New York Jets is the quarterback position (what else is new?), I thought it would be interesting to compare how their quarterback options performed last season in specific situations.

          We'll limit it to seven quarterbacks: three pros, free agents Kirk Cousins, Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater; and four draft prospects, Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and Josh Rosen. (Note: Bridgewater's last full season was 2015, so those stats are used.)

          First-down passing

          If a quarterback can't dominate on first down, he's got problems. He usually faces base personnel and fairly vanilla coverages, so the numbers should be large and impressive.

          Third-down passing

          This is the money down. It's also when defenses get creative and unleash exotic blitz packages, testing the quarterback's ability to diagnose quickly and react.

          Fourth-quarter/OT passing

          A quarterback needs the clutch gene. If he can't deliver in the crucible of the fourth quarter, his team never will win a championship.

          Passing under pressure

          Most quarterbacks look good when they have time to throw, but how do they fare when they're about to get blasted in the chest by a 300-pound lineman? The good ones stay cool and keep their eyes downfield. The others panic.

          Conclusion: Based on this data, Mayfield is the clear winner among the draft prospects, as he led three of the four categories. Perhaps the biggest eye-opener: Allen really struggled in high-leverage situations -- third down, fourth quarter and under pressure. As for the pros, Cousins -- on the verge of a historic contract from someone -- led only one category, but he was the most consistent passer across the board.

          Source: ESPN Stats & Information (College stats were converted to NFL passer rating)