• Lamar Jackson is No. 1: The Ravens quarterback has earned a 90.2 PFF grade on first-read throws this season, the best mark in the league through seven weeks.
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Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
It’s never too early to start preparing for next season, and for PFF, that means looking at ways to improve PFF Premium Stats. One way we’re looking to enhance the experience is by introducing more data into the mix.
Over the last several weeks, we've introduced a wide variety of potential new metrics, ranging from separation percentage and lockdown percentage to pass-blocking win rate and fourth-down aggressiveness.
This week, we are introducing the ‘First-Read Passing Grade,' a metric that can be used to evaluate quarterbacks' performance when targeting their first read on passing plays.
What is First-Read Passing Grade?
This metric analyzes quarterbacks' performance when targeting their first read on passing plays. As the name suggests, the first read is the initial option the passer looks to upon dropping back.
We do not count situations where the quarterback progresses through multiple reads. This means that if a quarterback looks to his first read, moves on to his second or even third option, and then returns to the initial target, that throw will not be counted as a first-read throw.
The data table includes the total number of first-read throws, the first-read percentage (the proportion of attempts that are to the first read) and the first-read grade.
It includes plays nullified by penalty.
2024 Regular Season Centers (min. 50 dropbacks)
| Name | Team | First-read dropbacks | First-read % | First-read grade |
| Lamar Jackson | Ravens | 138 | 56.10% | 90.2 |
| Joe Burrow | Bengals | 175 | 64.81% | 88.7 |
| Derek Carr | Saints | 94 | 63.95% | 85.2 |
| Jayden Daniels | Commanders | 147 | 64.19% | 79.9 |
| C.J. Stroud | Texans | 178 | 62.68% | 79.3 |
| Brock Purdy | 49ers | 170 | 62.96% | 79 |
| Geno Smith | Seahawks | 232 | 67.84% | 78.1 |
| Baker Mayfield | Buccaneers | 193 | 66.32% | 76.9 |
| Aaron Rodgers | Jets | 189 | 64.51% | 76.4 |
| Trevor Lawrence | Jaguars | 185 | 74.90% | 76.3 |
| Sam Darnold | Vikings | 128 | 59.81% | 73.9 |
| Andy Dalton | Panthers | 132 | 71.35% | 73.5 |
| Justin Herbert | Chargers | 113 | 58.55% | 71.3 |
| Joe Flacco | Colts | 86 | 68.80% | 70.9 |
| Kyler Murray | Cardinals | 158 | 66.11% | 70.6 |
| Kirk Cousins | Falcons | 170 | 60.50% | 69.7 |
| Patrick Mahomes | Chiefs | 128 | 55.17% | 69.1 |
| Caleb Williams | Bears | 140 | 54.47% | 68.7 |
| Justin Fields | Steelers | 141 | 66.51% | 68.6 |
| Josh Allen | Bills | 134 | 57.02% | 68.1 |
| Jared Goff | Lions | 119 | 59.20% | 67.3 |
| Drake Maye | Patriots | 69 | 66.35% | 65.7 |
| Jordan Love | Packers | 120 | 58.25% | 65.3 |
| Dak Prescott | Cowboys | 184 | 68.66% | 64.9 |
| Tyler Huntley | Dolphins | 63 | 69.23% | 64.4 |
| Bo Nix | Broncos | 174 | 61.70% | 63.8 |
| Daniel Jones | Giants | 215 | 73.38% | 63.5 |
| Jalen Hurts | Eagles | 135 | 63.98% | 63.1 |
| Deshaun Watson | Browns | 198 | 68.28% | 63 |
| Gardner Minshew | Raiders | 131 | 61.50% | 58.8 |
| Matthew Stafford | Rams | 147 | 64.76% | 56.8 |
| Aidan O'Connell | Raiders | 52 | 57.78% | 53.5 |
| Spencer Rattler | Saints | 63 | 64.29% | 51.2 |
| Jacoby Brissett | Patriots | 107 | 62.94% | 47.6 |
| Anthony Richardson | Colts | 89 | 73.55% | 42.1 |
| Bryce Young | Panthers | 59 | 71.08% | 41 |
| Will Levis | Titans | 109 | 68.13% | 29.9 |
2023 Regular Season (min. 100 dropbacks)
| Name | Team | First-read dropbacks | First-read % | First-read grade |
| Tua Tagovailoa | Dolphins | 412 | 64.78% | 91.8 |
| Matthew Stafford | Rams | 419 | 69.60% | 87.1 |
| Jared Goff | Lions | 436 | 64.78% | 86.6 |
| Kirk Cousins | Vikings | 215 | 60.91% | 86.6 |
| Jalen Hurts | Eagles | 444 | 68.41% | 85.9 |
| Lamar Jackson | Ravens | 379 | 63.27% | 85.4 |
| Dak Prescott | Cowboys | 492 | 69.30% | 84.7 |
| Patrick Mahomes | Chiefs | 401 | 55.85% | 83 |
| Geno Smith | Seahawks | 389 | 65.82% | 83 |
| C.J. Stroud | Texans | 364 | 61.38% | 82.1 |
| Jordan Love | Packers | 433 | 65.31% | 80.6 |
| Trevor Lawrence | Jaguars | 487 | 71.51% | 80 |
| Justin Herbert | Chargers | 341 | 61.78% | 79.3 |
| Brock Purdy | 49ers | 332 | 63.24% | 79 |
| Jake Browning | Bengals | 178 | 59.73% | 78.6 |
| Josh Allen | Bills | 453 | 65.18% | 76.7 |
| Derek Carr | Saints | 422 | 69.29% | 76.3 |
| Joe Burrow | Bengals | 288 | 68.25% | 76.2 |
| Baker Mayfield | Buccaneers | 478 | 69.88% | 75.9 |
| Joe Flacco | Browns | 159 | 70.98% | 73.7 |
| Deshaun Watson | Browns | 156 | 71.56% | 73.7 |
| Jimmy Garoppolo | Raiders | 109 | 53.69% | 70.9 |
| Ryan Tannehill | Titans | 189 | 64.95% | 70.2 |
| Russell Wilson | Broncos | 333 | 58.63% | 69.7 |
| Kenny Pickett | Steelers | 262 | 67.88% | 69.4 |
| Kyler Murray | Cardinals | 207 | 63.50% | 68.9 |
| Tyrod Taylor | Giants | 172 | 71.07% | 66.9 |
| Aidan O'Connell | Raiders | 257 | 67.63% | 65.7 |
| Easton Stick | Chargers | 146 | 70.19% | 65.6 |
| Will Levis | Titans | 201 | 64.84% | 65.1 |
| Tommy DeVito | Giants | 172 | 70.78% | 64.9 |
| Justin Fields | Bears | 288 | 60.25% | 63.7 |
| Joshua Dobbs | Vikings | 351 | 66.98% | 63.1 |
| Nick Mullens | Vikings | 127 | 73.84% | 59.5 |
| Sam Howell | Commanders | 515 | 68.67% | 58.9 |
| Zach Wilson | Jets | 294 | 63.50% | 58 |
| Bryce Young | Panthers | 447 | 67.42% | 57.2 |
| Daniel Jones | Giants | 162 | 73.64% | 56.1 |
| Desmond Ridder | Falcons | 337 | 72.63% | 56 |
| Gardner Minshew | Colts | 391 | 67.41% | 53.7 |
| Mac Jones | Patriots | 273 | 69.11% | 53.6 |
| Bailey Zappe | Patriots | 160 | 63.24% | 46.7 |
| Trevor Siemian | Jets | 117 | 66.10% | 36.7 |
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