The 2023 NFL Draft is less than a month away! As the NFL offseason rolls along, it's time to take a closer look at the top NFL Draft prospects for our upcoming fantasy football drafts this season. Whether you're participating in fantasy football best ball drafts, dynasty fantasy football leagues, or fantasy football mock drafts – knowing about the top incoming NFL rookies is an important strategy. Just last year, we saw Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy lead the San Francisco 49ers to the NFC Championship game as a rookie and a 7th Round pick. Kenny Pickett eventually took over the starting QB job for the Pittsburgh Steelers and became a relevant fantasy football option. Let's now dive into the top 2023 NFL Draft Quarterback prospects before the festivities get underway on April 27th.

If you missed it, check out more positional scouting reports for the 2023 NFL Draft:

 

2023 NFL Draft 1st Round QB Prospects

Bryce Young, Alabama

The 2021 Heisman winner was a stud at Alabama and now he’ll presumably be off the board by the No. 2 overall pick. Despite being a bit undersized, Bryce Young’s arm strength, accuracy, and passing instincts are elite and were on full display in college. Yes, Alabama had talented receivers around him, but Young took full advantage by distributing the ball to all levels of the field while reading defenses well. His confidence, playmaking ability, and mobility at the QB position make it easy to imagine Young turning into a superstar in the NFL. There are shades of Patrick Mahomes and Kyler Murray in Young's game – and maybe even some Steph Curry. The big concerns, of course, are his slimmer frame and lack of height after measuring in at 5-foot-10 and 204 pounds at the Combine. The durability questions are warranted as he benefited from playing behind plenty of NFL-caliber offensive linemen at Bama. Still, Young's intelligence and pure football IQ are undeniable. 

C.J. Stroud, Ohio State

It seems like a foregone conclusion that Stroud, along with Bryce Young, will be drafted either at No. 1 or No. 2 overall. Stroud is viewed as the most accurate passer of this draft class with a 69.3% completion rate and a 85:12 TD:INT ratio across two seasons at Ohio State. We got a good look at his precise, crisp, and strong throws at the NFL Combine – or if you turned on any Buckeyes game over the past couple of years. Stroud’s overall arm talent might be better than Young’s, but many prefer his larger 6-foot-3 frame either way. The slight knock on Stroud is his lack of mobility and willingness to make plays with his feet, though he does have the ability to do so. However, against Georgia in last season’s semifinal game, Stroud did show off the dual-threat potential while making impressive throws on the run.

Anthony Richardson, Florida

Every year we get a quarterback prospect with tons of raw potential and physical upside without the proven stats to back it up. That’s Anthony Richardson, who’s arguably the biggest boom-or-bust player in the entire draft class. Richardson started only 13 games over three seasons at Florida, had just a 54.7% career completion rate in college, and his 17:9 TD:INT ratio last year is nothing special. That resume doesn’t exactly scream first-round pick. However, NFL scouts rave about Richardson’s ceiling because of his powerful arm, physical build, and elite athleticism at the QB position. He’s drawn comparisons to Cam Newton coming out of college, for both the good and bad reasons. The arm accuracy and decision-making as a passer need development, but Richardson’s dual-threat upside and strong throwing ability will have teams salivating. 

Will Levis, Kentucky

Will Levis is one of those polarizing quarterback prospects who could either be a top-5 pick or slip to the back-end of the first round. Many have compared Levis to Josh Allen because of his strong arm, thick build, and physical dual-threat ability. However, similar to Allen coming out of college, Levis’ throwing accuracy and lack of touch on passes are concerns. Some scouts view Levis as the most pro-ready QB of this draft class after playing for a pair of former NFL coaches at Kentucky over the past two seasons. Plus, it’s worth noting that Levis showed his toughness last year while playing through multiple injuries and taking some big hits behind a shaky O-line – all while facing tough SEC defenses. 

 

2023 NFL Draft QB Prospect Sleepers

Hendon Hooker, Tennessee

If Hendon Hooker didn’t tear his ACL in November, we could be talking about the Heisman Trophy winner and a sure-fire first-round pick. Hooker excelled the past two seasons in Tennessee’s spread offense where quarterbacks need to make quick decisions, be accurate passers, and deliver the ball all over the field. He compiled a 58:5 TD:INT ratio in 25 games with Tennessee and boasted a strong 69.6% completion rate last year. You could argue that Hooker had good numbers because he played in a QB-friendly offense, but he still got it done in the tough SEC. Plus, we haven’t even mentioned Hooker’s athletic profile and dual-threat ability from the pocket. The late-season ACL injury could force him out for most, if not all, of his rookie season. Hooker’s current older age (25) is also a slight concern for an incoming rookie. If anything, though, Hooker tearing up Alabama’s defense last year is something not many current NFL QBs can claim on their resume. 

Tanner McKee, Stanford 

Despite having so-so numbers in college, Tanner McKee is still an intriguing QB prospect because of his refined throwing techniques and valuable experience in a pro-style offense. Over two seasons starting at Stanford, McKee gained plenty of reps as a traditional drop-back pocket passer in an offense that translates well to the NFL. His arm also looks ready for the next level with a quick, strong release and accuracy to all parts of the field. McKee’s tall 6-foot-6 frame is definitely something NFL teams will be interested in. Again, though, McKee had just a 28:15 TD:INT ratio over two years at Stanford and played on some bad teams. Some of the blame could go on him, but he also had some weak offensive lines and skill-position guys around him. McKee also notably doesn’t have great mobility and elusiveness while struggling to throw consistently on the run. Although he is a clear tier below the top quarterbacks in this class, McKee can certainly carve out a career in the NFL as a fringe starter or solid backup QB. Maybe like another former Stanford QB in Davis Mills?

 


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