Recapping the Top QBs Selected in the 2023 NFL Draft
The order of quarterbacks taken in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft went exactly as we thought it should. Bryce Young was the best overall prospect followed by C.J. Stroud. Anthony Richardson might not be the 3rd-best quarterback of the group right now, but his off-the-charts talent is worth the risk of using a high first-round pick on him. Will Levis and Hendon Hooker both have the potential to become effective starters in the NFL, but it didn’t make sense to draft either in the first round or in situations where they would have to start right away.
Let’s take another look at each of these signal-callers now that we know where they’ll be playing.
Bryce Young (Alabama) - 1st Overall Pick by the Panthers
Young is such an intriguing prospect because he doesn’t play the game like he’s 5’10.” He operates mostly from the pocket instead of relying on his legs to run around and make plays. When he does scramble, it’s almost always to buy time and find receivers downfield. He has similar ability to Patrick Mahomes when on the move in terms of his vision and patience while looking for receivers outside of the pocket.
While his size is a concern from a durability standpoint, and might limit some of what the Panthers will be able to do from under center, his ability to play the position with intelligence and savvy should make up for any of those shortcomings.
Young will join a Panthers team that has a good defense and a solid assortment of weapons around him (Adam Thielen, D.J. Chark, Jonathan Mingo, Hayden Hurst, Miles Sanders, Chuba Hubbard). Carolina is already in great position to win a wide-open NFC South in Young’s first season.
Read our full Bryce Young breakdown here.
C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) - 2nd Overall Pick by the Texans
In Stroud, the Texans have a QB who can make any type of throw. He’s got a strong arm, but that’s not really his calling card. Instead, it’s his exceptional accuracy on intermediate and deep passes. He’s particularly good on those throws that require firm touch, meaning the ability to put the ball over 2nd-level defenders and under 3rd-level defenders.
Probably the biggest knock on Stroud is that he had it too good at Ohio State. The design of the play often worked, whether that was because of the scheme or because of his receivers (Possibly 5 first rounders when it’s all said and done: Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Emeka Egbuka).
Because he won’t have those same advantages to the same degree in the NFL, we’ll see more snaps where he has to hold onto the ball longer because the play isn’t working as cleanly. Stroud tends to rush himself the later he gets into a play, leading to some inaccurate throws. Gaining consistency late in the play will be the thing to watch for him.
Read our full C.J. Stroud breakdown here.
Anthony Richardson (Florida) - 4th Overall Pick by the Colts
If you’re judging Richardson by the type of player he is right now, there’s no way he’s worthy of a 4th overall pick. If you’re judging him based on his potential, taking him with the 4th pick is a no-brainer.
Richardson’s talent is off the charts. And while he’s extremely raw right now, he has shown flashes of playing the position with nuance. I’ve seen anticipation passes, the ability to diagnose coverage that changes post-snap, and some especially accurate throws (he just doesn’t do it consistently). A great finished product is in there somewhere, and if anyone can get it out of Richardson, it’s new Colts head coach Shane Steichen.
Steichen’s last two stops were major successes with two young quarterbacks. In Philadelphia, he helped turn another young, dual-threat quarterback in Jalen Hurts into an MVP-caliber player in just two years. Before that, Steichen was the offensive coordinator for the Chargers in 2020, where he helped guide Justin Herbert to an Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.
If Steichen can get the same out of Richardson, that AFC South could belong to the Colts for a long time.
Read our full Anthony Richardson breakdown here.
Will Levis (Kentucky) - 33rd Overall Pick by the Titans
The bottom line on Levis is that he’s a talented thrower without much precision or nuance to his game. While his strong arm was responsible for numerous great plays at Kentucky, his ball placement just wasn’t consistent enough.
From a processing standpoint, there really weren’t that many snaps in college where Levis would get to his 3rd or 4th option. Some of that was the system. But some of this was his inability to see the field after the snap, quickly process the coverage, and work through his reads. There were too many plays where Levis would get hung up on his initial receiver, even if it was clear that he wouldn’t be open.
Prior to the draft, I said that an ideal situation for Levis would be if he was taken in the second round by a team that doesn’t have an immediate need at the position and can allow him time to develop. It looks like that will happen in Tennessee (assuming the Titans don’t deal Ryan Tannehill before the season).
Read our full Will Levis breakdown here.
Hendon Hooker (Tennessee) - 68th Overall Pick by the Lions
Similar to Levis, my pre-Draft analysis of Hooker was that he wasn’t worth a first-round pick. The Lions were able to get him in the beginning of the third round. That should be a great fit for Hooker, who will be able to sit behind Jared Goff for a year or so, get the time to transition from the Air Raid to an NFL offense, and then inherit a group of dangerous play-makers once he does take the reins.
So what does Hooker bring to the table? He’s a quarterback with good traits, but they don’t necessarily blow you away. He’s got good size (6’3”) and a decent arm, but it’s not a gun. He’s accurate, but not incredibly precise. He showed a good understanding of coverage based on what he was asked to do in college, but there are legitimate questions about how his ability to execute in the Air Raid translates to the NFL. His decision-making and college production were really good, but much of that was a result of the system and players around him. He has good mobility and can make plays with his legs, but he isn’t explosive or sudden. And who knows what impact his ACL injury will have on his ability to run?
Ultimately, Hooker can become a reliable starting quarterback in the NFL. That’s not meant to be a knock on him. In the right situation, a reliable starting quarterback can have incredible production.