I kid you not —- as many as 10 QBs could be taken in the 1st round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
In his recent mock of the 2023 top ten picks, ESPN’s Todd McShay has 5 QBs going in the top 10.
Are you kidding us, Todd?
In my opinion, there actually could be 6 QBs taken in the top ten.
The timing of these young dynamos entering the NFL could not be more auspicious now that Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, Matt Ryan, Derek Carr, Kirk Cousins, Ryan Tannehill and Russell Wilson are in the twilight of their careers.
I cannot even begin to tell you how difficult it is to rank the QBs of the 2023 class.
My Current Top 20: (with NFL Player Comps)
- Bryce Young, Alabama —- NFL Player Comp: Russell Wilson
First Three Plays:
- 1 —- keen manipulation of the pocket under pressure
- 2 —- deep passing precision
- 3 —- red zone scrambling ability
2. C.J. Stroud, Ohio St.—- NFL Player Comp: Deshaun Watson
First Three Plays:
- 1 —- superior arm strength
- 2 —- tight window accuracy
- 3 —- downfield vision and ball placement
3. Will Levis, Kentucky —- NFL Player Comp: Josh Allen
First Three Plays:
- 1 —- play action, downfield home run ability
- 2 —- RPO red zone accuracy
- 3 —- Josh Allen type running ability
4. Anthony Richardson, Florida —- NFL Player Comp: Cam Newton
First Three Plays:
- 1 —- talk about Josh Allen running ability
- 2 —- puts the romance into the RUN RPO option, particularly in short yardage situations
- 3 —- excellent arm and accuracy on RPO deep post pass
5. Tyler Van Dyke, Florida —- NFL Player Comp: Justin Herbert
First Three Plays:
- 1 —- deep pass ball placement
- 2 —- flea flicker pass on a rope to TE up the right sideline
- 3 —- red zone tight window TD throw over the coverage
6. Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina —- NFL Player Comp: Patrick Mahomes
First Three Plays:
- 1 —- air and touch on throw to far sideline
- 2 —- quick pass release on RPO
- 3 —- quick intermediate TD post pass off RPO
7. Phil Jurkovec, Boston College —- NFL Player Comp: Matt Ryan
First Three Plays:
- 1 —- consistently accurate on TE crossers
- 2 —- play action home run TD with good touch
- 3 —- precision fade pass TD
8. Jaren Hall, BYU —- NFL Player Comp: Dak Prescott
First Three Plays:
- 1 —- quick feet escapability
- 2 —- throws perfectly on the move to his left
- 3 —- quick release on RPO back up on his own goal line
9. Jeff Sims, Georgia Tech —- NFL Player Comp: Lamar Jackson
First Three Plays:
- 1 —- Lamar Jackson type of run threat
- 2 —- ditto
- 3 —- ditto
10. Tanner McKee, Stanford —- NFL Player Comp: Davis Mills
First Three Plays:
- 1 —- nice air and touch pass up left sideline into tight window
- 2 —- excellent back shoulder TD pass to his left
- 3 —- precise fundamentals on fade pass up left sideline
11. Devin Leary, North Carolina St. —- NFL Player Comp: Drew Brees
First Three Plays:
- 1 —- excellent TD throw on wheel route up left sideline
- 2 —- picture perfect red zone post pass TD
- 3 —- well executed play action waggle with TD pass on the move to back end of end zone
12. Will Rogers, Mississippi St. —- NFL Player Comp: Mac Jones
First Three Plays:
- 1 —- quick swing pass TD
- 2 —- red zone quick WR screen TD
- 3 — red zone seam pass TD with excellent timing and ball placement
13. D.J. Uiagalelei, Clemson —- NFL Player Comp: Jameis Winston
First Three Plays
- 1 —- money throw on corner route up right sideline
- 2 —- money throw on corner route up left sideline
- 3 —- excellent RPO run read for TD
14. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee —- NFL Player Comp: Michael Vick
First Three Plays:
- 1 —- high speed scramble
- 2 —- perfect RPO fake and TD toss
- 3 —- superb timing and burst on QB draw
Could Move Up:
15. Spencer Rattler , South Carolina
16. Malik Cunningham, Louisville
17. Sam Hartman, Wake Forest
18. Brennan Armstrong, Virginia
19. Max Johnson, Texas A&M
20. Dylan Gabriel, Oklahoma
Questions:
In light of the elite nature of this 2023 QB class wouldn’t the Cardinals be wise to wait another year to decide whether to extend Kyler Murray’s contract?
if we are looking at the big picture, wouldn’t you agree that this off-season for the Cardinals does not have the feel of an organization that is going all-in to try to win a Super Bowl?
Wouldn’t you agree that as long as Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford are playing in the NFC, the Cardinals’ chances of making the Super Bowl, let alone winning it, are slim?
If the Cardinals have a down year and have a pick in the top 10 in the 2023 NFL Draft, then wouldn’t you want the Cardinals to have all of their options open? Including the ability to trade Kyler Murray, if need be?
If Kyler Murray removes all doubts this year, no one would be more happy than I would. We all would rejoice, right?
But, I just wish the Cardinals would keep all of their options open, just in case.
Especially because Kyler is already signed for the next two years, with all $35.5M of his salaries guaranteed.
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