2023 NFL Draft Quarterback Prospect Rankings
An Early look at the Top 15 Quarterback Prospects to keep an eye on for the 2023 NFL Draft.
The 2022 NFL Draft has come and gone. It was a Draft that was generally viewed as a weak class for Quarterbacks. That rang true as only 9 Quarterbacks were taken in the entire Draft. Kenny Pickett was the 1st Quarterback to be taken off the board with the 20th pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The next Quarterback wasn't taken until the 3rd Round when the Tennesse Titans took Desmond Ridder with the 74th overall selection.
Teams that seemingly needed a Quarterback chose to take the veteran route and wait for the more loaded 2023 Quarterback Class. This Class has been headlined by many experts, pundits, and scouts' eyes by Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. However, if you've read my previous NFL Draft Rankings lists, you would know I do my research and due diligence on eligible prospects every year in the NFL Draft. These are just my own opinions of what I think, see, and have analyzed.
Spoiler Alert! NO, my list does not headline Bryce Young, and it especially doesn’t headline C.J. Stroud. With that being said let's get into these 2023 NFL Draft QB Prospect Rankings!
1. Will Levis, Kentucky
Analysis:
Levis has everything you’d want in an NFL Franchise Caliber Quarterback. He’s mobile and throws with anticipation, timing, and accuracy. He has more than enough arm strength and can process the entire field and go through his progressions. It’s still early, but because of the aforementioned attributes, Levis should be the first Quarterback taken in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Draft Grade: 1st Overall Pick
2. Bryce Young, Alabama
Analysis:
Young makes a lot of great plays and throws when things break down in the pocket. He doesn’t have a rocket arm but he does possess more than enough arm strength and accuracy to make every throw. Young is a great leader for his age and is still getting better. He’s another early favorite to go number 1 in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Draft Grade: Top 3 Pick
3. Phil Jurkovec, Boston College
Analysis:
It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Jurkovec enters the Number 1 Pick conversation. He’s built like Jay Cutler with great size and arm strength but much more accurate and slightly better mechanics. If Jurkovec can stay healthy and put forth a good 2022 College Football Season, with his physical attributes, there is no reason why he can’t or won’t be a high 1st Round Draft Pick.
Draft Grade: Top 10 Pick
4. Will Rogers, Mississippi State
Analysis:
One of the more underrated Prospects of the 2023 NFL QB Draft Class, Rogers possesses a rocket of an arm and throws a tight spiral. This is a loaded Draft Class at the Quarterback position and in almost any other year, Rogers is the Top-rated Quarterback instead of 4th. Rogers made big strides in his 2nd season as a Starter for Mississippi and if he has another big year of tape for scouts to analyze, they’ll see a potential Franchise Quarterback worthy of a high 1st Round Selection.
Draft Grade: Top 15 Pick
5. Anthony Richardson, Florida
Analysis:
If Richardson had better film as a passer, he’d be graded a little higher on this list. Richardson is Cam Newton 2.0 but not as refined throwing. He’s got a huge frame and a rocket of an arm. However, his ability to go through his progressions and ability to throw the ball is still a work in progress. I like his chances of moving up Draft Boards if Richardson can throw the ball a little more next year and show scouts that he’s more than an athlete at the position.
There's not enough tape of Richardson as a passer to make a final projection on just how good of a thrower he can be. He’s only thrown 66 passes in his College Football career, so, me having him this high is betting on him making major strides as a thrower going into his 3rd year.
Draft Grade: Top 25 Pick
6. Jeff Sims, Georgia Tech
Analysis:
Another Quarterback Prospect who is underrated. Simms, much like Anthony Richardson is still developing as a thrower. However, I like Sims more as a thrower than I do Richardson. Sims hasn’t put up the best numbers throughout his early College Football career with Georgia Tech, but when you evaluate him on his tape and not look at the stats, there's a lot to like.
Sims is very mobile and has tremendous arm strength and great mechanics when he’s playing well. When he’s not playing well he looks like a mid-round prospect that forces throws and doesn’t see the field well. Right now he’s somewhere in the middle and if he can put it all together during the 2022 College Football Season he could find himself being a 1st Round Pick.
Draft Grade: Late 1st — Early 2nd Round Pick
7. Tyler Van Dyke, Miami
Analysis:
Another sleeper and name many might not know about, Van Dyke is a Quarterback that looked really good at times during his 2021 College Football Season with the Miami Hurricanes. He has kind of a funky delivery and a slow-release that is kind of reminiscent of Philip Rivers.
The problem with Van Dyke is he has just one good year of tape and will have to prove he can do it again this upcoming Season. The arm strength and accuracy are there though and if he continues to put the ball in the right spots to his receivers, it will be very easy for scouts to overlook his unorthodox mechanics.
Draft Garde: Late 1st — Early 2nd Round Pick
8. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
Analysis:
Maybe the biggest surprise on this list, Stroud is very overrated as a prospect in my honest opinion. The young man was throwing to two 1st Round Receivers and played in an offense where almost every throw was open by a couple of yards. That's not a slight against Stroud, but rarely when I watched the tape did I see a Quarterback that goes through his progressions and fits the ball into tight windows. Still, Stroud has the arm strength and playmaking ability to be a developmental Quarterback that could develop into a Starter if given time.
Draft Grade: 2nd Round Pick
9. Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
Analysis:
For what McCall lacks in superior arm strength, he more than makes up for with accuracy and rhythm timing. He’s best suited as a game manager or Quarterback that can pick you apart in the short to intermediate game. If he can continue to throw the ball down the field with more consistency, there’s no reason he could improve his Draft Stock tremendously.
Draft Grade: 2nd — 3rd Round Pick
10. Josh Jones, UNC Pembroke
Analysis:
I wouldn’t be doing my due diligence if I didn’t scout Divison II and III Quarterbacks. Josh Jones out of UNC Pembroke is a Quarterback to keep an eye on. He has good size (6–3), accuracy, and zip on the ball. However, he’s not much of a runner and his playstyle as strictly a pocket passer may be a little outdated for today’s NFL. However, if he can put together some tape of being able to run or be more mobile in the pocket, NFL scouts could key in on him and it would certainly go a long way in improving Jones’s Draft Stock.
Draft Grade: 3rd — 4th Round Pick
11. Jake Haener, Fresno State
Analysis:
If you are a team looking for a mature leader with lots of film and experience to add to your Quarterback room as a potential Backup, you could do a lot worse than Jake Haener. He doesn’t possess a high ceiling and isn’t the best decision-maker, but his maturity, arm strength, and leadership will be valuable to an NFL team.
Draft Grade: 5th Round
12. Jaren Hall, BYU
Analysis:
Hall is another late-round prospect that can find himself getting Drafted as a developmental project. He had a good year for BYU where he displayed good accuracy and mobility. He’s a bit undersized though and inexperienced and would benefit from staying in school until the 2024 NFL Draft.
Hall projects as a highly rated Quarterback for the 2024 Class. If he decides to enter the 2023 NFL Draft, he’ll likely be drafted in the mid to late Rounds because the 2023 NFL Draft Quarterback Class is very strong.
Draft Grade: 5th Round
13. Spencer Rattler, South Carolina
Analysis:
In all honesty, Rattler is lucky to even be on this list. I'm not big on prima donnas at the Quarterback position, who are immature, lack respect from their teammates, and have no leadership skills. Talent will only take you so far. Rattler has a lot to prove with how he carries himself as a leader of men before a team will be willing to throw millions of dollars and hand him the keys to a Franchise.
As a thrower of the football, I have no doubts he can play. His talent is 1st round caliber but his intangibles, on and off-field issues, as well as teammates not viewing him as a leader, are all major red flags that won’t do him any favors when Draft Season comes around.
Draft Grade: 6th Round
14. Tanner McKee, Stanford
Analysis:
McKee is a nice accurate Quarterback with the smarts and mechanics to have a long career in the NFL as a backup. He’s a solid College Football Player but will have to greatly improve this upcoming College Football Season to prove he’s more than just a game manager.
Draft Grade: 6th — UDFA
15. Dillion Gabriel, Oklahoma
Analysis:
Gabriel has entered the transfer portal and is on his way to Oklahoma. Do you know what that means? He’s a dark horse to have a breakout 2022 College Football campaign and become a high 1st or 2nd round pick. While it seems unlikely, it’s certainly possible as his predecessors such as Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray, and Baker Mayfield have all recently earned themselves a high Draft grade while transferring/playing for Oklahoma.
Who knows? Maybe Oklahoma is the place to be for Gabriel. Maybe Oklahoma can get the most out of his talents on display for the NFL Scouting community to see. It’s unlikely but you have to have fun with the 15th ranked Quarterback on this list, and while unlikely a lot can change a year from now.
