Looking forward to the 2023 NFL Draft, there are a lot of questions as to who might be picking first. Many experts suggest the Houston Texans, while others predict the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions or even the Carolina Panthers as potential options.ย
If there is something specifically known about next year’s draft, it’s that the focus will be on the quarterback class. While the 2023 draft consists of a long list of overall players at every position, the QB class stands out the most.ย
With that said, letโs look at which QBs are the most notable.ย
Who will go First Overall Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud or Alabama’s Bryce Young?
Last year at this time, Sam Howell and Spencer Rattler were protected to go one and two as the first QBs were taken. Both QBs put up less than stellar numbers and found themselves out of that conversation come draft time.ย
Weโve got two QBs once again: Alabamaโs Bryce Young and Ohio Stateโs C.J. Stroud. Both QBs put up outstanding numbers last year and are expected to lead their respected teams yet again.ย
First, letโs start with Stroud, who completed 73 percent of his passes last season with the Buckeyes, en route to a Rose Bowl victory over Utah.ย
While Stroud will look to build off his 2021 season, he does come into this year without Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, his top two targets from last season. However, he does get Jaxon Smith-Njigba back, who led the Buckeyes with 95 receptions for 1,606 yards and nine TDs.ย
While Stroud put up video game-like numbers last season, he still finished runner-up in the Heisman voting to none other than Alabamaโs Bryce Young.ย
Despite only standing justย 5โ11, Young proved to be the nationโs best player. Alabama had an uncharacteristically bad offensive line last season, but Young still managed to thrive under pressure. While he did have help in the form of 12th overall pick Jameson Williams and second round pick John Metchie, I think Young will get to have a little bit more time to navigate the pocket next season.ย
As mentioned earlier, the one knock on Young is his size, as heโs generated a lot of comparisons to guys like Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson. Given that both of those guys have panned out, could Young thrive as well?ย
That brings me to the initial question: Who will go first in the 2023 NFL Draft? According to multiple mock drafts, many people suggest that the Houston Texans will end up with the first pick.ย
While Houston will start young Davis Mills at QB this year, my prediction is that they will more than likely draft a franchise QB, and I believe that C.J. Stroud is that guy.ย
Yes, Bryce Young may have more talent, but heโs a bit undersized and I think Stroudโs accuracy and arm talent will get him picked first. However, I see Bryce Young getting picked second, right behind Stroud.ย
Three Other QBs to Look Out Forย
Will Levis, Kentucky
Projected 1st Rounder
- With so many teams in need of a QB next season, the options are endless. One of the QBs looking to make a name for himself is Kentuckyโs Will Levis. The Penn State transfer put together a solid season for Kentucky and will look to continue that success next season. Standing at 6โ3โ, 232, Levis has the ideal build for an NFL QB, mixed in with good arm talent. Levis is certainly a guy to watch out for come draft time. The one question surrounding him is whether or not he can clean up his mistakes from last year. According to CBSSports latest mock draft, Levis would be the first overall pick to the Houston Texans.
Anthony Richardson, Florida
Dark Horse First Rounder
- Out of all the QB prospects, we probably know the least about Florida QB Anthony Richardson. Thatโs not his his fault, he just didnโt get a whole lot of playing time, and he had Dan Mullen as his head coach. As a die-hard Gator fan, I know quite a lot about Richardson. Out of the QB prospects, Richardson has the most to prove. He is athletic as hell and has almost the same build as Cam Newton. As I said before, we donโt know a lot about Richardson, but if heโs worth all the hype, he could be a potential top 10 pick in next yearโs draft, but for now, expect to see Richardson as a Day 2 or Day 3 pick.ย
Tyler Van Dyke, Miami
Top 10 Pick
- As of right now, Miamiโs Tyler Van Dyke sits as one of the QBs that could go in the top 10 of this yearโs draft. After DโEriq King suffered an injury three games into the season, Van Dyke took over and there was no turning back. He ended up winning ACC Rookie of the Year and is a tall athlete with unique size and speed. Heโs got good arm talent and has immense accuracy on his intermediate passes. As of right now, his arm talent mixed in with his ideal QB size makes for an intriguing QB in next yearโs draft. The main question surrounding Van Dyke is whether or not he can build off last year.ย
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