As has been previously stated, a lot of the success of a QB being drafted has to do with the stability of the team, is the team rebuilding, transition, injuries, scheme, and coach. When you look at the QB's selected in 2017, the situation they were drafted into had a huge bearing on their success. Trubisky who went 2nd overall by the Bears had a two-year record of 9-23. QB wasn't the only issue the Bears had when they drafted Trubisky. Mahomes was next at #10 by KCC. The Chiefs were 23-9 the previous 2-seasons with 2 playoff appearances (1-2). Obviously, most of the pieces were in place before drafting Mahomes. Watson was next at #12 by the Houston Texans. The Texans were fresh off winning the AFC South in 2015 and 2016. The Texans were 18-14 over that time period with a 2-year playoff record of 1-2.

In the case of Mahomes and Watson, they both were drafted by playoff teams (each of the previous 2-years) and at a minimum had a winning team nucleus already built with stability at the head coach and FO. Trubisky was not so fortunate. The huge difference was Trubisky was drafted to carry the team and change its fortunes. Mahomes and Watson were drafted to hopefully upgrade the position on teams that were already established, stable, not rebuilding, played in a scheme that highlighted their skill set, and got a head coach that actually participated in drafting the player. Mahomes also got to sit his first year as KCC went 10-6 and won the AFC West again while going 0-1 in the playoffs. Watson played in Houston's first game after the benching of Savage. Watson proceeded to go 3-3 in his starts with the playoff Texans before tearing his ALC and being lost for the season. The Texans went 4-12 in 2017 but injuries outside Watson had a huge bearing in the team success. Watson was back in charge in 2018 with the playoff caliber roster now fully healed.

Mayfield was presented to an even worse situation than Trubisky. Coming off a 1-31 record the previous 2-years and a head coach whose seat was on blazing fire presented Mayfield situations the other 3 QB's have never experienced. Dealing with 4 head coaches in 4 years, stability was not something Mayfield was afforded as a Cleveland Brown taking over a 1-31 franchise.