We are finally here, my final position rankings for the quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL draft. Before we get started, refresh yourself on my mid-season opinions on these prospects. Let’s start with the first group, which is expected to be an interesting one. After the top two guys there will be a lot of different and interesting takes.
2023 NFL Draft Quarterbacks: Top 5
- C.J. Stroud, Ohio State: Pretty easy pick for me. He has the most upside of the top two quarterbacks of the 2023 NFL draft class. He has ideal size and arm strength. He can make all the throws and really showed improvement against Georgia.
- Bryce Young, Alabama: You really can’t go wrong with either guy. Young is really smart and a better athlete than people think. But he is 5’10 and doesn’t have the arm that Stroud has.
- Anthony Richardson, Florida: He has all the upside in the world. After his combine workout, he has been compared to Cam Newton. He is just so inconsistent right now. He needs a year on the bench to learn.
- Will Levis, Kentucky: Will Levis hasn’t shown the growth that was hoped he would this season. He will also be an older rookie at 24. But he is still an elite athlete with elite size and arm strength.
- Hendon Hooker, Tennessee: Hooker is kind of like a mix between Young and Stroud physically. He has Stroud’s arm and size and Young’s athleticism and accuracy. The major flaws are his age and a torn ACL. It brings with it questions of how much upside is left, plus will he be able to even play as a rookie?
2023 NFL Draft Quarterbacks: Best of the Rest
6.Tanner McKee, Stanford: McKee is a 23-year old junior who spent 2-years on an LDS mission. He has good size and can play from the pocket, and has shown improvement each season. His arm is decent and he sill has some upside, but as with some other quarterbacks in this class, how much?
7.Jaren Hall, BYU: Hall will be a 25-year-old rookie with one good season to his name. He is also on the smaller side, and has just a decent arm. But, he can move and is a good athlete. Same question goes to him as Hooker: how much upside is there left?
8. Clayton Tune, Houston: Tune has been very underrated throughout this whole process — even by myself. He has good size, athleticism, and a better arms than most think. In the last two seasons, he threw for over 7,600 yards, 70 TDs, while also rushing for over 1,00 yards and five TDs. Tune still has developmental upside and should be a solid back up, at the very least.
9. Tyson Bagent, Shepherd: Bagent played at a tiny Division II school, but he definitely wowed at the combine with a 9.15 RAS score, and showed he had an NFL arm and is a very good athlete. Bagent also threw for 4500 yards and over 40 TDs. He has some significant upside.
10. Holton Ahlers, East Carolina: Holton Ahlers is somewhat similar to Bagent, except he did it at the FBS level. He was a slow burn as a prospect who got a little better each season, which allowed him to fly under the radar a bit. He is a big quarterback who can run in the Ben Rothlesberger mold. His arm is good enough, and at the least he should be a solid back up.
Be sure to check out all of my previous work, and if you want to check out the draft database that I help update almost daily, you can find it at risendraft.