When Was Andy Dalton Drafted?

As of 2024, Andy Dalton is already a thirteen year veteran in the league and will be entering his fourteenth year come September. He has had a rocky career so far which has been filled with ups and downs. Coming to a team that was going through various problems, especially at the quarterback position, Dalton can be credited to a certain degree for steadying the ship over at Cincinnati back then.

The topsy-turvy situation with the Bengals in 2011 when their starting quarterback Carson Palmer requested a trade forced Dalton into the mix as a rookie. This was the perfect opportunity for him to show his mettle and leadership qualities. Along with the mental aspect of the game, the former Bengals starter had one of the best arms in the league which is still a strong point of his even today. He has great passing accuracy and his overall game skills are still noteworthy.

Andy Dalton NFL Draft

Andy Dalton was drafted in the second round with the thirty fifth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. Prior to his draft, Dalton spent five years at Texas Christian University (TCU) where he redshirted his freshman year. Starting his redshirt freshman season somewhat uneasily, he was able to adjust to the system for the remaining three years and improved his play substantially.

His freshman season accounted for 2,459 passing yards but the touchdowns to interceptions ratio was skewed at 10:11 respectively. However, from his sophomore season, things changed quickly and while he maintained a consistent 2,000 plus passing yards every year, his touchdowns increased exponentially each passing year while his interceptions became less.

Judged as a future Pro Bowl-caliber player, most scouts and analysts were of the opinion that Dalton would be selected somewhere in the middle rounds of the draft. Targeting Dalton as their man, the Bengals went and got him in the second round. The way his career started out in ‘Who Dey’ land, this pick turned out to be a good one for them as he turned the franchise from a less-than-mediocre one to an above-average one in his first five years.

Other notable players of the 2011 NFL Draft

The 2011 NFL Draft featured some other players who made a big impact on the game. First and foremost, the number one overall pick Cam Newton has had a pretty successful career winning the NFL MVP in 2015, the same year he reached the Super Bowl with the Panthers. The second overall pick was linebacker Von Miller who is still terrifying the offensive line even today. Miller is a two-time Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl 50 MVP, and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year winner amongst other accolades.

Wide receiver Julio Jones has also had a stellar career leading the league in receiving yards on two occasions as well as making the Pro Bowl 7 times in his career. And who can forget J.J. Watt, the number 11 pick who gave his heart and soul to the Houston Texans outfit on his way to a joint record 3 NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards?

Of course, there have been many more great players to have come out of this draft, but the main thing to note is that Andy Dalton is one of the names that will be remembered whenever the 2011 draft class is evoked.

Andy Dalton current team

As of August 2024, Andy Dalton is in the second year of his two-year deal with the Carolina Panthers, he signed in 2023. He will serve as the backup quarterback to second-year signal caller Bryce Young. More importantly, he will be able to mentor the young quarterback along the way and may be called upon in case the team wishes to go with the more experienced hand on deck.