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Three teams decided to use their first-round draft pick on a quarterback this year, and since April, the three rookies have been pouring over their playbooks and they're now participating in organized team activities.
 No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford and No. 4 pick Mark Sanchez will likely be starters for their teams, while No. 17 pick Josh Freeman is competing against Luke McCown for the top job in Tampa Bay.
Over the last ten years, 23 other quarterbacks have been drafted in the first round. Some made an immediate impact, while others held clipboards. Here's a look at how they played, and how the rookie seasons could shake out for Stafford, Sanchez and Freeman:
Major Contributors
Matt Ryan, 3rd overall in 2008, Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons overhauled their offense last year, adding Ryan and signing running back Michael Turner. Ryan was named the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year after helping the surprising Falcons to an 11-5 record and a wild card berth.The former Boston College quarterback threw for 3,440 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. In a 30-24 loss to Arizona during the playoffs, Ryan struggled at times, completing 26 of 40 passes for 199 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He was tackled for a safety in the fourth quarter, giving the Cardinals a 30-17 lead.
Joe Flacco, 18th overall in 2008, Baltimore Ravens
Flacco won the starting job in training camp and helped the Ravens to an 11-5 record. For the most part, Baltimore asked Flacco to manage the game and relied on its defense. That strategy got the Ravens to the AFC championship game, where they lost to Pittsburgh, 23-14. Flacco played with poise in Baltimore's first two playoff wins, and he didn't throw an interception in either game. It was a different story against the Steelers, however. Flacco completed just 13 of 30 passes for 141 yards and he had three interceptions and no touchdowns. During the regular season, Flacco completed 60 percent of his passes, and threw for 2,971 yards, 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also had 11 fumbles.
Vince Young, 3rd overall in 2006, Tennessee Titans
Young made the Pro Bowl during his rookie season, leading the Titans to an 8-5 record as a starter. Tennessee won six straight games, some in dramatic fashion, with Young stealing the show. The Titans made the playoffs with an 8-8 record, before losing to San Diego, 17-6. Young completed 16 of 29 passes for 138 yards, with one interception and no touchdowns. During the regular season, Young completed just 51.5 percent of his passes (184 of 357) for 12 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He gained 552 yards on the ground and rushed for seven touchdowns. Young also fumbled 12 times.
Ben Roethlisberger, 11th overall in 2004, Pittsburgh Steelers
Roethisberger won all 13 regular season games he started, helping the Steelers to a 15-1 record and the AFC championship game. The former Miami (Ohio) quarterback completed 66.4 percent of his passes (196 of 295) for 2,621 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while fumbling only twice. Roethlisberger had a tougher time in the playoffs. He completed 17 of 30 passes for 181 yards, with a touchdown and two interceptions in a 20-17 win over the New York Jets in the divisional round. In the AFC championship game, he threw three interceptions and one touchdown in a 41-27 loss to New England.
Learning Experiences
Matt Leinart, 10th overall in 2006, Arizona Cardinals
Leinart started 11 of Arizona's last 12 games, taking over the job from Kurt Warner in Week 5. The Cardinals finished 4-7 in his starts, and he completed 56.8 percent of his passes (214 of 377) for 2,547 yards. He had 11 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and eight fumbles.
Jay Cutler, 11th overall in 2006, Denver Broncos
Cutler was the starter in the final five games of the year, replacing Jake Plummer. The Broncos were 2-3 in those games, and he completed 59.1 percent of his passes (297 of 467) for 1,001 yards. He threw nine touchdowns while yielding five interceptions and eight fumbles.
Jason Campbell, 25th overall in 2005, Washington Redskins
The former Auburn quarterback started the final seven games in place of Mark Brunell, and the Redskins went 2-5. He completed 53.1 percent of his passes (110 of 207) for 1,297 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. Campbell fumbled only once.
Byron Leftwich, 7th overall in 2003, Jacksonville Jaguars
Leftwich started the final 13 games of the year, finishing 5-8 after taking over for Mark Brunell. The former Marshall signal caller completed 57.2 percent of his passes (239 of 418) for 2,819 yards, with 14 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He also fumbled 11 times.
Kyle Boller, 19th overall in 2003, Baltimore Ravens
Boller started nine games, splitting time with Anthony Wright on a 10-6 team that won the AFC South. The Ravens were 5-4 while Boller started behind center. He did not start in Baltimore's 20-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans in the wild card round. In 11 games, the former California quarterback completed only 51.8 percent of his passes (116 of 224) for 1,260 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also fumbled nine times.
Should Have Sat
David Carr, 1st overall in 2002, Houston Texans
Carr spent a lot of time on the ground while starting all 16 games for the expansion franchise. He was sacked 76 times, which averages out to nearly five times a game. When the Fresno State product did have time to throw, he completed only 52.5 percent of his passes (233 for 444) for 2,592 yards and nine touchdowns. He threw 15 touchdowns and fumbled a whopping 21 times while the Texans finished 4-12 in their inaugural season.
Joey Harrington, 3rd overall in 2002, Detroit Lions
Harrington had a tough time with his accuracy during his 12 starts, completing 50.1 percent of his passes (215 of 429) for 2,294 yards, 12 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He fumbled just twice. The Lions were 3-9 with Harrington as a starter, and he appeared in two other games that were started by Mike McMahon.
Alex Smith, 1st overall in 2005, San Francisco 49ers
Smith started seven games as a rookie, including the final five of the season, and the 49ers went 2-5 with him behind center. San Francisco was a 4-12 team that year, and Smith did not play well. He threw ten interceptions without a touchdown in his first six starts. Smith didn't throw a touchdown until the final game of the season, to go along another pick in that game. The former Utah quarterback completed only 50.9 percent of his passes (84 for 165) for 875 yards. He also had 11 fumbles.
Eli Manning, 1st overall in 2004, New York Giants
Manning was drafted by San Diego and traded to the Giants. He struggled in nine games, including seven starts to end the season. The former Mississippi quarterback completed only 48.2 percent of his passes (95-for-197) for 1,043 yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions. His lone win as a starter came in Week 17 against a 6-10 Dallas team.
Patrick Ramsey, 32nd overall in 2002, Washington Redskins
Ramsey started five games as a rookie, while Shane Matthews (seven) and Danny Wuerffel (four) also played behind center for a 7-9 Redskins team. Washington was 2-3 with Ramsey as a starter, and the Tulane product also got into three other games. He completed only 51.5 percent of his passes (117 of 227) for 1,539 yards, nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also had nine fumbles.
The Backups
JaMarcus Russell, 1st overall in 2007, Oakland Raiders
Russell watched Josh McCown and Daunte Culpepper run the show in Oakland for most of the season. He played in all four games in December of that year, starting the season finale. In that lone start, Russell completed 23 of 31 passes for 224 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Including the three other games, Russell finished the season with two touchdowns, four interceptions and four fumbles. He completed 54.5 percent of his passes (36 of 66) for 373 yards.
Brady Quinn, 22nd overall in 2007, Cleveland Browns
Quinn spent his rookie season watching from the sideline while Derek Anderson had a Pro Bowl season. He did see some action in Cleveland's season finale, completing 3 of 8 passes for 45 yards.
Aaron Rodgers, 24th overall in 2005, Green Bay Packers
Rodgers held a clipboard watching Brett Favre. He did play in two blowouts, completing 9 of 16 passes (56.3 percent) for 65 yards and an interception.
Philip Rivers, 4th overall in 2004, San Diego Chargers
The New York Giants drafted Rivers and traded him for Eli Manning, and Rivers sat behind Drew Brees during his rookie season. He played in the season finale, completing 5 of 8 passes for 33 yards and a touchdown.
J.P. Losman, 22nd overall in 2004, Buffalo Bills
The quarterback from Tulane watched Drew Bledsoe lead the Bills to a 9-7 record. Losman saw very limited action in three games, combining to complete 3 of 5 passes for 32 yards and an interception.
Carson Palmer, 1st overall in 2003, Cincinnati Bengals
Palmer didn't appear in a single game, while Jon Kitna and the Bengals finished 8-8.
Rex Grossman, 22nd overall in 2003, Chicago Bears
Grossman watched Kordell Stewart and Chris Chandler split time for most of the year, before taking over as the starter during the last three games, after the Bears were eliminated from the playoff race. Chicago went 2-1 while the former Florida quarterback completed 52.8 percent of his passes (38 of 72) for 437 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also fumbled three times in those three games.
Michael Vick, 1st overall in 2001, Atlanta Falcons
Vick played in eight games, starting two, and wasn't very accurate. He completed only 44.2 percent of his passes (50 of 113) for 785 yards, with two touchdowns and three interceptions. He also had six fumbles while rushing for 289 yards and a touchdown. Vick saw extended action in Week 16 and started the season finale. Chris Chandler was Atlanta's starter for the other 14 games.
Chad Pennington, 18th overall in 2000, New York Jets
Pennington only threw five passes as rookie, completing two of them for 67 yards and a touchdown. For the most part, he held a clipboard and watched Vinny Testaverde lead the Jets to a 9-7 record.
The New Guys
Matthew Stafford, 1st overall in 2009, Detroit Lions
Stafford has the toughest task since David Carr was anointed as the hope for Houston's new franchise. The Georgia product will be thrown into the fire with a Detroit team that is coming off the first 0-16 season in NFL history. The team hasn't won a game since Dec. 23, 2007, a stretch of 17 regular season games. Stafford shouldn't take as many lumps as Carr, though, because Detroit's offensive line is better than the expansion Texans, and he has a young Pro Bowl caliber receiver in Calvin Johnson. The team's running game is so-so, with Kevin Smith returning and free agent Maurice Morris joining the Lions from Seattle. After signing a six-year, $72 million dollar contract with $41.7 million in guarantees, Stafford will probably fall either with the group of "Learning Experiences" or "Should Have Sat" during his rookie year.
Mark Sanchez, 4th overall in 2009, New York Jets
The Jets hope the USC product plays more like fellow Trojan Matt Cassel did last year in New England, than Matt Leinart has so far during his pro career in Arizona. There will be plenty of pressure on Sanchez, considering the Jets traded up to grab him, and he'll be following the hype and eventual disappointment that Brett Favre brought to the team. Sanchez will be able to hand the ball off to running backs Thomas Jones and Leon Washington, but he'll be missing Laveranues Coles, who was cut at the end of last season. Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery returns, but the others in the group are unproven. Last year's first round pick, tight end Dustin Keller, should be improved. Because of the lack of weapons at receiver and the weight that will be on the rookie's shoulder, he'll probably fit in the group "Should Have Sat" more so than "Learning Experiences." While they aren't the same type of quarterback, the last top QB that was drafted by a New York team, Eli Manning, struggled during his rookie season with the Giants.
Josh Freeman, 17th overall in 2009, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris has no reason to rush Freeman, with four other quarterbacks on the roster. Three of them are veterans – Luke McCown, Byron Leftwich and Brian Griese. At best, the fourth – second-year pro Josh Johnson – will be the third-stringer. The former Kansas State star will likely fit in "The Backups" group. He might get some playing time at the end of the season, and maybe even start a few games, especially if Tampa Bay is having a rough year.
Written by Mike Kemmeter of Football.com. To read more from Football.com click here.
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