NFL Draft: Weighing Whether The Top Callers In The Class Of 2023 Are Better Than Current Options From QB Needy Teams

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By Webdesk



While we’re starting to believe that Bryce Young will be number 1 with the Panthers, we don’t know where the rest of the top quarterback prospects will land. Who’s going to trade? And for which passer-by?

This article asks another, more specific question: Are the top-four quarterback prospects, most likely to be first-round picks, better than the veterans they could potentially replace?

I originally planned to have a wide variety of answers to that question for each quarterback, but then realized it would overcomplicate things. Below you will see a “yes” or “no”.

Of course, this is not a straight forward way of determining whether or not a team should select a quarterback in the first round. Team building is much more complex than that. Some, most, or all of these teams could theoretically “get by” in 2023 with their veteran penciled starters before turning their attention to the quarterback class of 2024.

Nevertheless, let’s run the question with the four teams with the most quarterbacks in this year’s draft.

Highest-ranked QB: Andy Dalton

Just when it looked like the league was ready to leave Dalton for good, he pulled everyone back with his best season since 2016. However, Dalton is Dalton. When pressure builds up, it crumbles. Behind a quality line, in an attack where he can get the ball out quickly, he can serve. The last point is why he’s been hanging out in the NFL for over a decade and still getting rookie gigs.

Are draft outlooks better?

  • Bryce Young: Yes
  • CJ Stroud: Yes
  • Anthony Richardson: No
  • Will Levis: No

Let’s divide this among prospects. Young is more athletic and creative than Dalton. Stroud is more accurate. Richardson is no better than Dalton at the moment. By year 2 it won’t be shocking if he is. In the meantime, he can lean on his legs to generate the splash plays on the ground – and the occasional low field hit – that were mostly absent from Dalton’s NFL career.

Houston Texans

Top Roasted QB: Davis Mills

Mills has shown that he can play in this league. As a former third-round pick, Houston should be pleased with the returns Mills provided during some difficult years as an organization. But just when you think Mills could be the long-term solution as quarterback for the Texans, he has a horrific multi-pick performance without many (if any) big pitches.

Are draft outlooks better?

  • Bryce Young: Yes
  • CJ Stroud: In principle
  • Anthony Richardson: Yes
  • Will Levis: No

Young and Stroud are both more balanced than Mills, though Young lacks Mills’ arm strength. Despite being a capable athlete, Mills is not a consistent improvisation type as Young proved to be in Alabama. I view Mills and Stroud in the same strict way from the pitching perspective, but Ohio State’s passer is more accurate from series to series and lacks the low lows that Mills has provided in Houston over the past two seasons.

Levis has more advantage than Mills, but isn’t ready to slide through progressions and launch attacks without a bevy of talented receivers around him. But of course, over time, mainly because of his physical prowess, he can outperform Mills at the NFL level.

Indianapolis Colts

Top Roasted QB: Gardner Minshew

Minshew has proven to be a fun starter in the NFL. Over time, his lack of mobility and mediocre arm talent at best hinders what his offenses can do in terms of explosive plays. Fast release. Account. Fairly accurate. Account. Good decision maker. Account.

Are draft outlooks better?

  • Bryce Young: Yes
  • CJ Stroud: Yes
  • Anthony Richardson: Yes
  • Will Levis: Yes

Young and Stroud are clear. Richardson not so much, and that’s mainly because Richardson and Minshew are almost opposites on the field. With Minshew you know what you get. Richardson’s intrigue lies in his favor and insecurity. Levis can do many of the same things that Minshew can, and while there would be more blatant misses, he would also provide more quality throws through the second and third tiers of defense. He is of course also more active as a runner.

Washington commanders

Highest-ranked QB: Sam Howell

Howell is essentially the incumbent in Washington by default. He didn’t exactly light it up during his late 2022 audition, but he’s young and was called up last season. Plus, with his athletic profile and disinterested style, there’s potential to tear the ball down the field that he showed in college.

Are draft outlooks better?

  • Bryce Young: Yes
  • CJ Stroud: Yes
  • Anthony Richardson: Yes
  • Will Levis: Yes

At this stage in his career, because we just haven’t seen much, I can’t make any big conclusions about Howell in the NFL. But of course I vividly remember scouting him last year, and I ranked him lower than the consensus. That’s why I like all the top four quarterback prospects, even Levis, more than Howell. Howell had those flashes even from his freshman season, but held the ball for way too long, wasn’t particularly accurate on the field far too often, and won’t be able to resort to scrambling as much in the NFL as he did in high school. Young and Stroud are more polished passers-by. Richardson is, of course, a freakier athlete and Levis can do anything Howell can as a passer while having a little more arm talent to stretch the defense vertically.





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