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Joe Nicely provides a comprehensive breakdown of the top quarterback prospects of the 2023 NFL Draft. Our expert scouting reports and analysis provides valuable insights into each prospect.
Let's cut right to the chase, shall we? The modern NFL is all about the QB position. Yes, of course, teams need great linemen, explosive edge rushers, sharp coaches, etc, etc, etc. But if we're being honest - and if NFL front offices are being honest – none of it matters all that much – or at least won't matter for very long – if a team doesn't eventually land a great QB, preferably one on a rookie contract.
To find a quarterback such as Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, or Joe Burrow in the NFL Draft opens a legitimate Super Bowl-winning window for franchises, as they are able to spend big at other positions while having their QB at a relative financial bargain for the first several years of their career.
Landing a young superstar QB can literally change the trajectory of a franchise by bringing years of stability and success. The 2023 NFL Draft is an interesting one, as there isn't a consensus slam-dunk, Trevor Lawrence-type, No. 1 QB. However, there are multiple signal callers that could be the guy for a struggling franchise, which raises the stakes for the teams with early first-round picks and raises the debate factor about what order this year's crop of QBs should be selected. With this year's draft fast approaching - and what will unfold in the first round still very much up in the air – here are the scouting reports, analysis, and rankings for my top-five quarterback prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft.
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Bryce Young, Alabama, Jr.
- Height: 5'10"
- Weight: 204
- Age: 21.7
- 2022 Stats: 3,382 Passing Yards, 8.8 Yards Per Attempt, 64.5% Completion Rate, 32 Passing TDs, 5 INTs
- 2023 Draft Positional Rank: QB1
- Player Comp: If Drew Brees, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Montana had a baby.
We might as well address the (undersized) elephant in the room right out of the gate. Bryce Young is small. Like, really small. Like, no-player-this-small-has-ever-been-drafted-this-high-before small. At 5'10", 204 lbs., Young lacks the prototypical size of a QB that would normally be selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft. That he's squarely in the conversation ahead of this year's draft should tell you just how exceptional a player he is in every other area.
If Young were 6'3" and 225 lbs. we wouldn't be having the types of debates we've had leading up to this year's NFL Draft. He'd be the no-brainer top overall pick and that would be that. However, Young isn't that type of physical specimen, which leads NFL teams to be concerned about his durability at the professional level. He did miss one game with an AC sprain to his throwing shoulder last season, while perhaps playing at less than 100% with the issue in other outings, though that is the extent of any injury issues during his pristine college career at the University of Alabama.
Outside of the concerns around his durability and lack of height, there are few other legitimate question marks surrounding Young, who was a highly sought-after recruit and five-star prospect coming out of football powerhouse Mater Dei high school in California.
Young lived up to the billing after arriving in Tuscaloosa, leading the Crimson Tide to the SEC title and a National Championship game appearance during his Sophomore campaign and first full season at the helm of the 'Bama offense. He shined in the role, passing for 4,872 yards and 47 TDs in 2021 en route to winning the Heisman Trophy.
While his 2022 campaign failed to live up to his previous season statistically, Young still accounted for 3,328 passing yards and 32 TDs to just five INTs across the Crimson Tide's 2022 contests, often carrying the offense in what qualified as a down year for his supporting cast and the storied program.
His arm strength isn't elite but is good enough for him to succeed at the pro level. Young's true strengths lie in his accuracy, creativity, and football IQ. He gets through progressions quickly and processes information in an instant. Though not a traditional rushing quarterback, he's an effective scrambler that has a knack for extending plays outside of the pocket, while also capable of making all the throws when dropping back. Young is a natural quarterback that seems to innately know what to do and when to do it. He's the type of leader that will instantly command respect from his teammates, even as a rookie.
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State, Jr.
- Height: 6'3"
- Weight: 214
- Age: 21.5
- 2022 Stats: 3,688 Passing Yards, 9.5 Yards Per Attempt, 66.3% Completion Rate, 41 Passing TDs, 6 INTs
- 2023 Draft Positional Rank: QB2
- Player Comp: A young Matt Ryan. If you engineered an NFL pocket passer in a lab, he would look like C.J. Stroud.
After a decorated high school career at Rancho Cucamonga, Stroud was a heavily recruited four-star prospect that signed with a powerhouse Ohio State program. Following a red-shirt season during his first year in Columbus, Stroud looked every bit the part of a superstar during his first year at the helm of an explosive Buckeye offense, shredding opposing defenses for 4,435 passing yards and 44 TDs while tossing just six INTs. Stroud completed passes at an eye-popping 71.9% clip in 2021 and Ohio State to a Rose Bowl victory.
It was more of the same in 2022, as Stroud led the nation in passing efficiency and became the first QB in Big Ten history to log back-t0-back seasons with 30 or more TDs. He averaged 9.5 yards per attempt, finishing his second year as Ohio State's starter with 3,688 passing yards, 41 TDs, and six INTs.
Stroud is the best pure pocket passer in the 2023 NFL Draft and appears to be the most pro-ready QB of this incoming rookie class. The dream scenario for him on draft night would be to land on a team that already has a good supporting cast in place and is looking for the final piece of the puzzle at the QB position, as he could likely be a Day One starter in the coming season. He possesses prototypical size and can best be classified as a traditional quarterback with great arm strength and terrific deep-ball accuracy.
Most of the knocks on Stroud feel nitpicky, probably because they are. He played in an elite, QB-friendly offensive system at Ohio State that has led to huge statistics for numerous quarterbacks in recent years, while his wide-receiving corps was the best in the nation and filled with superstars that often made his job easy.
One legitimate concern with Stroud is his lack of natural playmaking outside of the pocket. To this point, he's shown limited mobility, which might allow NFL edge rushers to tee off on him in the pocket. He didn't often need to run while at Ohio State, though he displayed little scrambling ability. Stroud could struggle to handle and elude the type of heavy pressure that he'll face at the professional level.
Anthony Richardson, Florida, So.
- Height: 6'4"
- Weight: 244
- Age: 21.9
- 2022 Stats: 2,549 Passing Yards, 7.8 Yards Per Attempt, 53.8% Completion Rate, 17 Passing TDs, 9 INTs, 654 Rushing Yards, 6.3 Yards Per Attempt, 9 Rushing TDs
- 2023 Draft Positional Rank: QB3
- Player Comp: A raw Cam Newton
After the 1A, 1B debate between Young and Stroud, things really get interesting for this QB class. Interesting is just one word that can be used to describe Anthony Richardson, an athletic phenom with physical gifts that make him a literal 1-of-1 prospect when it comes to measurables.
He broke the NFL Combine with his size, as well as his herculean performances in the 40-yard dash (4.43 seconds), vertical jump (40.5"), and broad jump (10'9"). Those measurables, as well as his elite, cannon arm, has NFL front offices drooling over the possibilities.
A four-star dual-threat prospect out of Georgia, Richardson committed to the University of Florida and redshirted as a freshman. He started just one game during his second season in Gainesville, seeing spot action in eight total contests for the Gators.
Following a coaching change at Florida, Richardson was named the starter for the 2022 season. His time at the helm was marked by inconsistency, as he flashed moments of his superhuman potential, while also displaying his inexperience against high-level SEC competition. He ended the year with 2,549 yards, 17 TDs, and nine INTs through the air, while adding 654 yards and nine scores as a runner.
The definition of a boom/bust prospect, Richardson's ceiling is the Hall of Fame, while his floor is being out of the league in five years. There's that much disparity in his potential outcomes, which understandably, has NFL front offices feeling a combination of both excited and reluctant.
During the 2022 season, Richardson displayed his bazooka-like arm by making throws of 50+ yards appear effortless. Frustratingly, his arm talent would often be offset by poor decision-making, and he completed passes at an anemic 53% clip. His NFL QB rating across his only season as the full-time starter at Florida was a worrisome 84.3.
Raw feels like the most appropriate one-word description for Richardson, though potential is probably next on the list. Many seasoned scouts consider him the best athlete at the QB position in the history of the NFL Draft. It only takes one, as they say, and an organization will undoubtedly fall in love with his physical tools and sky-high upside on draft night. He'll need plenty of time to develop as a passer, but his elite rushing ability, as well as the evolution of modern NFL offenses, will help him to get on the field.
Will Levis, Kentucky, Sr.
- Height: 6'4"
- Weight: 229
- Age: 23.8
- 2022 Stats: 2,406 Passing Yards, 8.5 Yards Per Attempt, 65.4% Completion Rate, 19 Passing TDs, 10 INTs
- 2023 Draft Positional Rank: QB4
- Player Comp: Somewhere between Josh Allen and Kyle Boller
It feels as though Levis's stock is trending in the wrong direction as the NFL Draft draws near – at least among football fans and prospect analysts. Despite that sentiment, chances are that the Kentucky signal caller will still hear his name called early on draft night thanks to his prototypical size and physical skill set that has impressed many NFL decision-makers.
A former three-star prospect, Levis spent the beginning of his collegiate career at Penn State, where he primarily backed up Sean Clifford and started just two games in three years. He elected to transfer to Kentucky for his Junior season and made an immediate impact, passing for 2,812 yards and 24 TDs, while picking up 376 yards and nine scores on the ground en route to leading the Wildcats to a 10-3 record in 2021.
Levis's statistical output regressed during his second season as the Kentucky starter. His numbers dipped almost across the board, as he failed to match the production of his breakout 2021 campaign.
In his defense, he fought through a multitude of nagging injuries throughout the season, while also adjusting to a new Kentucky play-caller that was let go in the middle of the year. Levis was also saddled with a less-than-impressive supporting cast of talent around him.
That lack of offensive depth forced him to make mistakes in some cases, which leads to legitimate concerns about his ability to take care of the football at the NFL level. Over the course of his entire college career, Levis was responsible for an alarming 42 total turnovers, many of which can be attributed to his inconsistent decision-making, inability to get through his progressions, and streaky accuracy.
He sports elite arm strength and excellent running ability, both of which will serve him well in the modern NFL. All the tools needed to be a legitimate franchise QB are present, though Levis has yet to put everything together consistently and still needs work on his development as an overall quarterback.
Hendon Hooker, Tennessee, Sr.
- Height: 6'3"
- Weight: 217
- Age: 25.3
- 2022 Stats: 3,135 Passing Yards, 9.5 Yards Per Attempt, 69.6% Completion Rate, 27 Passing TDs, 2 INTs
- 2023 Draft Positional Rank: QB5
- Player Comp: Seattle Geno Smith
It has been a circuitous route to the NFL Draft for the 25-year-old Hooker. A two-time state champion at Dudley High in North Carolina, he signed with the Virginia Tech Hokies and served as backup as a redshirt Freshman in 2018. Hooker's breakthrough came in 2019, when he started eight games for VT, winning his first six starts at the helm. His ability to take care of the football was evident right away, as he set a school record with 124 completions without an interception.
After completing 65.3% of his passes for 1,339 passing yards and nine TDs across seven appearances for the Hokies in the COVID-impacted 2020 season, Hooker decided to leave Blacksburg for a fresh start in Knoxville.
Despite opening the 2021 season behind Joe Milton on the depth chart, Hooker quickly earned the starting role for the Vols. He passed for 2,945 yards and 31 TDs, tossing only three INTs. Hooker also accounted for five scores and 616 yards on the ground while proving to be the main catalyst for the turnaround of a long-dormant Tennessee program.
Hooker's leadership qualities continued to shine in 2022, as he completed passes at an eye-opening 69.2% clip en route to throwing for 27 TDs and 3,135 yards with only two picks. He also picked up 786 yards on the ground, proving himself to be a legitimate dual-threat weapon before his Senior campaign ended prematurely with a torn ACL.
Though he's been unable to participate in physical workouts due to the injury, Hooker has reportedly impressed in interviews at the NFL Combine and in scheduled meetings with interested teams. At 25, he is an old prospect, especially when considering the time he'll miss as a rookie while he continues to rehab the ACL injury.
He's proven himself to be a smart player, terrific leader, and excellent caretaker of the football that possesses solid arm strength and above-average rushing ability. NFL teams will likely carry legitimate concerns about how Hooker will adapt to a professional offense after playing in a spread, up-tempo system at Tennessee.
Hooker has a tendency to hold the ball too long when his first read isn't available and can be inaccurate on throws down the field. While his maturity, leadership, and dual-threat nature make him a potential starter in the NFL. However, concerns about his age, injury status, and ability to thrive outside the cushy confines of Tennessee's highly-scripted offense will likely make him the fifth QB off the board in this year's draft.
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