It’s not long now until the 2023 NFL draft! From April 28th, the mega event will take place in Kansas City. As always, the selection of the best collegiate players is eagerly awaited, but this year the course of the draft seems to be more open than in previous years.
The reason for this is, among other things, the four top quarterbacks of the draft. Almost all experts agree that CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis will be picked in the first round. The order in which the playmakers will leave the board is anyone’s guess.
The prospects are too different. Equipped with their own strengths and weaknesses, there is no clear number one this year, as was the case recently with Trevor Lawrence or Joe Burrow, for example.
This creates a lot of tension, because the famous domino effect could go in many directions. A lot will depend on the Carolina Panthers’ first pick. But what really defines quarterback options?
The Ohio State quarterback is the right choice for teams that don’t want to take big risks. Stroud has a high floor and will be able to start quickly in the right system.
That was evident in college too, as Stroud took over from Justin Fields at Ohio State in 2021 and found excellent circumstances. Stroud can show off his qualities under these. He was able to show off his passing skills, such as accuracy and ball placement, and prove himself on the biggest stage.
His game against Georgia in the playoffs was one of the best of his college career, despite a narrow 41-42 loss. Against what is arguably the best defense in college football, Stroud looked great, posting 348 yards and four touchdowns.
Nonetheless, you don’t get the feeling that the 21-year-old can put a shaky team on his shoulders in the NFL. In addition, Stroud will need a good O-line for the time being, since he has problems against pressure. He can improvise in his pocket at home, but that’s not one of his greatest strengths. Maybe the coaches in the NFL can get a few more percentages here, the physical requirements would at least be there.
Especially early in the drafting process, Bryce Young seemed like the most likely option for the first overall pick alongside Stroud. However, the Alabama quarterback has the greatest physical disadvantages among the top quarterbacks.
Young is limited by his stature and arm talent. The teams will be aware of this, as these are attributes that cannot be remedied by coaching.
Young, meanwhile, scores on another level. The 21-year-old has an extremely high football IQ. He already knows how to quickly read the opponent’s defense and how to move correctly. He reportedly scored a “98 out of 99” on the S2 cognition test, a test that shows processing skills.
Also due to his high understanding of the game, Young moves outstandingly in the pocket and thus gives his receivers the necessary time.
His game does not live from the plays as such, but from making the right decisions.
Anthony Richardson, Fla
At least in terms of physical constitution, Anthony Richardson is the exact opposite of Bryce Young. The Florida quarterback is equipped with an enormous physique and will easily be able to create plays with his feet in the NFL.
The 20-year-old’s arm strength is also impressive, not least since he effortlessly threw the ball to the ceiling at Pro Day. Speaking of Pro Day: Richardson showed a really good side here, also in terms of his accuracy and his ball placement.
Previously, he was often pared down to physique and arm strength, but as the drafting process progressed, he continued to climb the pundits’ big boards.
He shows good pocket management on tape and moves very well behind his O-line, cleverly avoiding pressure. However, if his feet are not in the right position, this is always at the expense of accuracy. Richardson will have to work on that.
Also, at just 20 years old and not even two dozen college games under his belt, Richardson still lacks the necessary experience, which will take time and coaching on top of his occasional accuracy problems. But if he can still improve significantly here, he has a huge upside.
Will Levis is also equipped with a particularly strong arm. The Kentucky quarterback says he can throw 80 yards. And from what we’ve seen of him, that might not be out of the question.
With his arm talent, Levis would definitely fit into a more vertical offense that would suit him significantly better
Basically, as a prospect, he is the biggest wild card of the four top quarterbacks, also because he still has big problems inside the pocket and moves a bit sluggishly.
In addition, after a very strong 2021 season, he dropped significantly last year. However, in 2022, to save his honor, he played mostly battered and not in the best sporting environment in Kentucky.
Not to mention Will Levis’ strength at the quarterback sneak. The play made famous by Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles. Here Levis and his team were successful in 22 out of 23 attempts in his career.
Marcel Schmidt