1. CJ Stroud – Ohio State

6’3″ 218 lbs.
A surprise to many, apparently not all 32 teams are as high on CJ Stroud as others. He has shown the talent to play with the best and be the best when all goes right, but when things need to happen “off script”, that’s where the question marks begin for Stroud. He is a traditional big bodied pocket passer that has exceptional football iq. He has shown off his ability to read defenses and cycle through his reads in college. Strouds game is all about accuracy, and he did that in his college career with a 71.9 completion percentage in 2021 and a 66.3 completion percentage in his final season with the Buckeyes. He has good zip on the ball, and has shown that he can fit the ball in tight quarters down the field thanks to the touch he possesses. When a big hit is coming, he doesn’t let it impact the throw showing poise when taking a hit. He shows good ball placement in the short and intermediate routes, and is able to get it to his receivers in a spot that they want it, putting them in the ideal situation to gain yards after the catch. He truly shined when he played the Georgia defense in the college semi final. He was able to show off his escapability and make plays outside the pocket. Despite his great game against a great defense, he hasn’t shows his ability to get outside the pocket at an extremely high level throughout his career which leads to some doubts. Stroud has played with some of the top talent in college with NFL ready players at all positions. This sparks the debate to whether he is able to play at the next level when playing for a team in a rebuild that doesn’t possess great talent at all positions. Stroud struggled against the heavy rush again and again because of his inability to make plays outside the pocket. Stroud is the #1 quarterback on my board, but it seems like he could fall slightly especially if he isn’t taken at 2 by the Texans. 

2. Bryce Young – Alabama

5’10 1/8″ 208 lbs.
Bryce Young is a great leader who has been quarterbacking arguably the top team in the country for the last 2 seasons. He possesses a high football iq, and shows his innate ability to clutch up and make big plays when it matters the most. Young shoes off his elite agility as he is super instinctive in the pocket and can make plays on his feet with ease. A common knock on Alabama quarterbacks is that they play in a great system with top level athletes around him. However Young lost his top 2 receivers in the 2022 NFL draft, and was still able to put up elite numbers in his final year with the Crimson Tide. He has shown his development as a passer throughout his college career, and always gives his receivers a shot to catch the pass in tight situations. Young has the awareness of the pass rush to always keep his eyes in the defensive backfield. Although he doesn’t possess elite arm strength, he is still able to make every pass that they look for in the NFL. He has great mobility to move around in the pocket and escape defenders. He is a smaller quarterback, which hasn’t seen a ton of success in the NFL. Due to his smaller stature and playing against bigger opponents, teams could view his size as a potential injury risk. Although Young can zip the ball anywhere on the field, he doesn’t have the cannon you would hope he would have as he is a future franchise quarterback. Bryce young should be the first pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He himself canceled all other meetings with teams after he met with the Carolina Panthers. 

3. Anthony Richardson – Florida

6’4″ 244 lbs.
With the help of the NFL combine, Anthony Richardsons stock amplified 10 fold. He has rare athleticism at the position, with 4.43 speed, and 6’4″, “AR15” has the highest upside in the draft this year. Unfortuantely for him, he is far from being an NFL starter. One of the main reasons is his inability to throw the ball in the short game. In college he had less than 54 completion percentage. He showed off his ability to make plays on his feet, but the main play of a quarterback is to get the ball into the hands of your playmakers and for them to do the rest. At his pro day, Richardson showed off his pretty deep ball, even hitting the roof on one pass. But again, he really struggles underneath, and this is where he needs to develop. The best case scenario for Richardson is if he goes to a team with an aging quarterback that he can sit behind for at least a year. With the help of coaches, and a veteran quarterback, Anthony Richardson could become the top quarterback in this class. He has shown off his legs and ability to make plays in games, but without the threat of the pass he really becomes 2 dimensional. Anthony Richardson is this years top boom or bust prospect, which may stray teams away from him. Due to his upside alone, he should go within the top 12, and he has a fair shot of going in the top 5 depending on who is willing to take the chance on him. 

4. Hendon Hooker – Tennessee

6’3″ 217 lbs.
Hendon Hooker’s draft stock would look a lot different right now if he didn’t tear his acl last year at Tennessee. Projected as a 2nd round draft pick, the 25 year old quarterback has an elite arm and has shown great athleticism when making plays with his feet. Hooker had a quick release when throwing the ball, and had shown throughout his career that he can deliver deep balls with great touch. He also shows great throwing ability while on the run, getting it to where receivers are going to be not necessarily where they are. He has great accuracy in the short game, especially on timing routes. Hooker had shown that he can read defenses well, and is a smart player on the field. When extending plays, Hooker tends to hold onto the ball for a little too long making some panicked throws. You would like to see Hooker fill out his frame with some more muscle and weight as I’m not sure how many hits a quarterback that lean could take. When on the move he can make plays with his arm, but he gets sloppy with his mechanics and relies too heavily on his pure arm talent. Hooker worked in an incredibly abstract offense that is not similar to anything tan in the NFL and will need time to adapt. When moving outside of the pocket, Hooker looks to make plays with his feet rather than his arm. Hooker is an older prospect coming into the NFL draft at 25, pair that with some injury concerns he should see himself drop to the middle or late second round. 

5. Will Levis – Kentucky

6’3″ 229 lbs.
Will Levis is one of the larger quarterbacks in this class as he is listed at 6’4” and 230 pounds who is built like a linebacker. Levi’s is known for his arm strength, and claims that he can throw the ball 80 yards down the field. He possesses one of the quicker releases in this draft which is a rarity to pair with his arm strength. Levis has shown great promise as a deep ball thrower and places the ball in front of receivers for them to chase down the field. He played at a school with a sub par offensive line, meaning a lot of his throws were made while under some serious pressure. Levis was not only accurate down the field with a pretty deep ball, Levis has established himself as an accurate passer in tight windows in the short game as well. He has ideal size for a quarterback, and can use his legs well to make plays outside the pocket and up the field. Despite having a cannon as an arm, he is still pretty raw with his throwing mechanics. Levis is a top prospect that shows good football iq, but he doesn’t pick up blitzes or changes in coverage as quickly as you would like. Given the size of his arm, he needs to be able to adjust at the next level, he should look to add more touch on the ball. Levis lacks the patience and comfortability in a tight pocket and tends to give up on plays early to utilize his legs. He is a little loose with the football and doesn’t show great ability to read though his progressions which lead to interceptions. Levis doesn’t always come across as a great leader, and has some over confidence and attitude problems you would like to see him correct. He truly came out of nowhere and really boosted his stock with a strong year at Kentucky. Really hard to judge where he will go, but with his arm strength and great size, teams seem to be willing to take him in the top 5.