25 most sought after NFL quarterback draft prospects of all time

The Atlanta Falcons were desperate for a quarterback in 1975. After a 3-11 campaign where they averaged fewer than eight points per game, the Falcons passed up future Pro Football Hall of Fame defenders Randy White and Robert Brazile, as well as dynamic Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton to select Cal passer Steve Bartkowski with the No. 1 overall pick in that NFL Draft.

Bartkowski was the top quarterback in the Pac-8 in 1974, as he led the Golden Bears to the a 7-3-1 record and dealt USC their only draw in an otherwise perfect conference campaign.

Individually, Bartkowski finished his last season in Berkeley with more passing yards than any other player in the NCAA. Most importantly, the Golden Bears averaged more than 25 points per game on offense.

That piqued the interest of Atlanta, which used its first pick to bring the Cal slinger to the other side of the country. With no other quarterbacks picked in the first or second rounds in 1975, Bartkowski was head and shoulders above the rest of the options available in that year’s cohort of draft-eligible passers.

Over 11 seasons in Atlanta, the Cal alumnus threw for more than 23,000 yards and piled up 154 touchdowns through the air. Bartkowski earned a spot on the 1975 NFL All-Rookie Team, despite going just 4-7 as a starter. After a rough start to his career, Bartkowski led Atlanta to the playoffs three times, in 1978, 1980 and 1982. The Falcons never made it past the divisional round in the NFC.

While Bartkowski never enjoyed much professional success on a team level, his achievements as a passer were notable. He was an early member of the club of NFL quarterbacks who have thrown for 30 or more touchdowns in back-to-back seasons, doing so in 1980 and 1981.

He finished 1983 with the top passer rating in the league, and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection with the Falcons. Bartkowski played one final year with the Los Angeles Rams in 1986.