This Year’s Quarterback Class Could Have a Lot of Success in the NFL

All 32 NFL franchises have been busy preparing for the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City, hoping they can add the best talent available from college football this year. Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles showed back in February that if you get it right in the draft, you can reach the Super Bowl.

The Chicago Bears were set to have the number one overall selection this year, after finishing the 2022/23 campaign with the worst record, however, they have been involved in a trade with the Carolina Panthers. The Bears have given up that first overall selection and received a first and second-round selection, a first-round selection in 2024, a second-round selection in 2025, and wide receiver D.J. Moore.

Carolina has given away a lot to jump to the top of the board as they are desperate to select a quarterback who can help them get back to the top of the sport. With such a strong class this year, they feel now is the time to go in for a franchise QB.

It is not just the Panthers who are in need of a QB this year. The likes of the Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders, and Indianapolis Colts are also thought to be weighing up their options this year.

C.J. Stroud Expected to Be Selected by Panthers

Former Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud has had two fantastic seasons with the Buckeyes and that may have been enough to convince Carolina that they should make a move for him in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Stroud broke many records at Ohio State in his two full seasons in college football. He became the first Buckeye to throw six touchdowns in a game three times. In the 2021 Rose Bowl against Utah, he threw 573 passing yards, a record for the Big Ten Conference team.

The Panthers’ target was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy in 2021 and 2022. In his first full year as the starter, he led his team to a 10-2 record. He threw for 4,435 yards, scoring 44 touchdowns with his arm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8IzuFdIz4M

Stroud was unable to top those numbers in 2022, but he still produced another set of impressive stats. He finished the year with 3,340 passing yards and 37 passing touchdowns. The area he did improve on was rushing, as he accumulated 74 yards across the season.

Should Carolina select Stroud, he would most likely start for the franchise in week one. Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker, the two quarterbacks on their roster last season, have since signed for the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears respectively. The Panthers have signed veteran QB Andy Dalton, but he is likely to be used to mentor their first-round pick and act as a backup.

It has been a while since Carolina had a quarterback who was considered an elite player. Cam Newton won the MVP award while with the franchise in 2015. They will be hoping Stroud can have a similar season with them should he sign.

Bryce Young

Alabama QB Bryce Young finished his college football career with an impressive list of achievements and records. He played two full years for Crimson Tide, while in his debut season, he was the backup QB in their College Championship victory. He took the final knee against Ohio State to seal the 52-24 success.

Young was named the Heisman Trophy winner in 2021 in his first year as a starter. He received 83% of the points, which is one of the largest winning percentages in the history of the award. It was the second consecutive year that an Alabama player had won that prize, as wide receiver DeVonta Smith was successful in 2020 while playing for Crimson Tide.

In his sophomore year for Alabama, Young broke their record for the most passing yards in a game. He finished with 559 yards in a victory over Arkansas, breaking Scott Hunter’s previous record. That season, he ended the campaign with 4,872 yards, 47 passing touchdowns, and three rushing touchdowns.

Young had another solid year in 2022, as he led his team to a 10-2 record through the 12 games he started. As well as 3,328 passing yards and 32 passing touchdowns, he showed what he was capable of with his feet, rushing for 185 yards and four rushing touchdowns.

The former Crimson Tide man has had a meeting with the Las Vegas Raiders. They released Derek Carr in the offseason. He spent nine seasons as the starting QB with the franchise. They have signed former 49ers man Jimmy Garoppolo, but they will likely be in the market for one of the leading quarterbacks in the draft.

Anthony Richardson

Florida’s Anthony Richardson opted to miss the Las Vegas Bowl at the end of last season to prepare for the 2023 NFL Draft. He is a player who is thought to be high on many franchises’ scouting reports.

Of all the quarterbacks declared for the draft in 2023, Richardson is one of the most versatile. He rushed for 654 yards and had nine rushing touchdowns in 2022. Florida could only manage a 6-6 record, but those defeats were not down to their QB.

Like Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts, Richardson is an explosive quarterback who is not afraid to come out of the pocket, particularly on third downs where he can be used as a weapon with his feet to gain the yards needed for a first down.

Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, and Los Angeles Rams are all thought to be considering Richardson. The latter will be hoping to bounce back from a disappointing campaign in 2022. 

The popularity of the NFL among sports bettors is high, particularly in betting on NFL future markets. If the Rams were able to secure Richardson, then interest in the Super Bowl champions to win the NFC West in the 2023/24 campaign is likely to increase. At the time of writing, they are +425 second best in the betting pre-draft, behind -125 favorites San Francisco 49ers.

Will Levis

With 38 games under him in college football, Will Levis is one of the most experienced quarterbacks available for selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. The QB played for Penn State Nittany Lions before switching to the Kentucky Wildcats in 2021.

Levis had his best year in college football in 2021 when he led the Wildcats to a 10-3 record in his debut season as their starting QB. He had 2,826 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, and nine rushing touchdowns in the campaign.

One of Levis’s best games in a Kentucky uniform came in the 2022 Citrus Bowl. The SEC team won a tight game 20-17, with their QB finishing with 17/28 passes, 233 yards, and a touchdown. He held his nerve to score a touchdown in the fourth quarter which was enough to prevail.

Washington Commanders is the franchise that is most linked to Levis. Their starting QB from last season, Taylor Heinicke, has now left the franchise and has joined the Atlanta Falcons. They have signed Jacoby Brissett, but if they select a QB in the first round, the starting position next season could be up for grabs in summer training.

The 2023 NFL Draft will take place between April 27-29. Those selected will then join their respective franchises to prepare for the 2023/24 NFL season which begins on September 7.