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QB Scouting Reports - 2023
Bird’s Eye View: Positional Analysis
The 2023 QB draft class has evolved considerably since the season began in September. There were several intriguing prospects that decided to return to school or entered the transfer portal instead of entering the draft. This leaves the depth of this class as lacking in many high caliber prospects. In fact, four prospects seem to stand tall above the rest (Young, Stroud, Levis, and Hooker – recovering from ACL surgery) and none of the QBs appear to be elite talents. The most buzz and excitement being generated is about Anthony Richardson (Florida). He is big and fast with a rocket arm. He is oozing upside. But he has limited starting experience and needs work in developing the finer points of the position. Richardson is the epitome of risk vs reward.
Positional Grade: B-
Bryce Young, Alabama
Player Comparison:
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami
Bryce Young, Alabama
5101 / 204 / 9.6” Hands
Marginal height and a thin frame with little room to add size. Excellent arm strength – can make every NFL throw. Excellent accuracy/timing/touch. Very good athlete with good mobility but prefers to stay in the pocket and read coverages. Very good field vision – adept at manipulating defenders with his eyes. Composed in the pocket and not rattled by pressure. Natural leader. Performs well in clutch situations. Surrounded by great talent at Alabama. How will his body hold up to an NFL season? Seems to possess that “it” factor that distinguishes good from average and great from good. Special player – hopefully his body doesn’t betray him.
Anthony Richardson, Florida
6036 / 244 / 10.4” Hands
Prototypical size and frame. Extremely strong arm. Tends to be pretty accurate but touch is sometimes lacking – too often throws fastballs when an off-speed pitch is required. Timing is developing on deep throws. Very good athlete – offers mobility and big play ability with the ball in his hands. Limited starting experience but his upside is undeniable. Gritty and tough and willing to take a beating to make a play. The most divisive prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft. If you were to make a QB in Madden, you’d draw up Richardson. Nearly 6’4”, weighing 244 pounds with huge, 10.4” hands. Fantastic physique. Recorded a 10’ 9” broad jump and a 40.5” vertical (combine record for a QB)! Amazing athlete – can dunk a basketball with ease. Freak of nature. 23.44 MPH on GPS when he ran his 4.43 40 at the combine! 60 MPH GPS fastball. The ball flies off his fingers and he has elite arm strength – as good of an arm as Mahomes and Allen. The is a need for a lot of development before he can be counted on to lead a team as a starting QB. Timing and anticipation need developing. Too many throws slightly off-target. Footwork is choppy and base is often narrow – does not set his feet or stride into enough passes resulting in a lack of lower body coordination with the upper body. Needs reps and time to develop – but as a first round pick, will he get that time to develop? Inconsistent placement on out routes and timing patterns. Needs real improvement in touch and trajectory. Feast or famine as a prospect.
Anthony Richardson, Florida
Player Comparison:
Cam Newton, Free Agent
Clayton Tune, Houston
Player Comparison:
Jimmy Garoppolo, Las Vegas
Clayton Tune, Houston
6025 / 220 / 9.3” Hands
​Good size with NFL height and frame. Good release point and quickness. Good arm strength and can throw every pass in the NFL route tree. Accurate and throws with touch when he can set his feet. Athletic and covers ground quickly when flushed from the pocket – team’s leading rusher in 2022. Very experienced – 44 career starts. Smart and has really matured in his third-year as starter. Has continuously improved throughout his time in Houston. Team leader.
CJ Stroud, Ohio State
6030 / 214 / 10” Hands
Prototypical size for the position. Very good fundamentals. Quick release - snaps ball off at his ear. Smooth delivery. Excellent arm strength. Highly accurate – even throwing on the move. Athletic and fast. Game breaking throwing and running ability. Throws with anticipation and timing. Feet don’t need to be set to deliver any NFL-caliber pass. Great footwork and base. Well-coordinated body. Pro-ready QB. Smart and a team leader. Sound decision-maker who reads coverages well. Accustomed to great supporting talent, Stroud sometimes gets rattled by pressure in his face or rattled by the situation (see 2021 game vs Michigan). Rose to the occasion and tore up the vaunted Georgia defense in the National Semifinal Playoff Game in 2022.
CJ Stroud, Ohio State
Player Comparison:
Justin Fields, Chicago
Aidan O’Connell, Purdue
Player Comparison:
Jared Goff, Detroit
Aidan O’Connell, Purdue
6030 / 213 / 9.6” Hands
Not tall but thickly built. Mature team leader – clearly is in charge of the offense. Operates almost exclusively out of the shotgun. Average arm strength and ball flutters when his feet aren’t set. Clean, efficient delivery. Displays good accuracy/timing/touch on intermediate throws. Reads coverages well. Throws with anticipation. High football IQ but has a tendency to force plays and doesn’t have any special quality that stands out. Understands coverages and throws a nice back shoulder pass. Needs to throw with timing to maximize effectiveness.
Stetson Bennett, Georgia
5112 / 192 / 10” Hands
Marginal size. Lacks typical height and body mass of an NFL QB. Marginal arm strength. Very accurate and displays nice timing and touch. Extremely smart with a high football IQ – makes smart decisions consistently. Reads coverages very well and processes like an NFL starter. Manipulates coverages with his eyes like a seasoned pro. Winner and leader – performs very well in pressure situations. Surprisingly athletic and is fast in the open field. Slightly overaged combined with perceived lack of upside will undoubtedly impact his draft status in April.
Stetson Bennett, Georgia
Player Comparison:
Baker Mayfield, Cleveland
Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
Player Comparison:
Dak Prescott, Dallas
Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
6031 / 217 / 10.4” Hands
Transfer from Virginia Tech. Good size and stature with a solid build. NFL-caliber arm strength with a quick, efficient delivery. Nice, over the top delivery. Very quick release. Extremely accurate. Displays consistent timing and touch. Footwork is clean and fundamentally solid. A difference maker with the ball in his hands with RB type burst, agility, and vision. Throws a beautiful deep pass. Proven winner who performs well in clutch situations. Slightly overaged but the maturity on the field is noticeable. Operates Josh Heupel’s fast tempo, high paced offense efficiently. Suffered his second career ACL injury against South Carolina in November and this will impact his draft status. Slightly overaged. Prior to the injury, Hooker was shooting up draft boards and he is in the same class as Young and Stroud as a QB.
Chase Brice, Appalachian State
6020 / 237 / 9.3” Hands
Former transfer from Duke, via Clemson (where he backed up Trevor Lawrence) who showed improvement in his two years at App. State. Good size with an NFL frame. Consistent, over the top delivery – quick release. Displays good accuracy/timing/touch. Throws with anticipation. Very good arm strength. Can drop passes into a bucket when he is on. Athletic and offers some running ability. Experienced and he seems to be the clear team leader. Has a tendency to stare at the rush and lose sight of receivers downfield.
Chase Brice, Appalachian State
Player Comparison:
Chad Henne, retired NFL player
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA
Player Comparison:
Geno Smith, Seattle
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA
600.5 / 218 lbs / 9.1” Hands
Nice size and height. Good arm strength. Good arm mechanics with a solid release. Footwork needs development – tends to throw more with the upper body than the lower body which leads to accuracy issues. Inexperienced reading coverages – typically makes one read and either throws or runs. Has a tendency to stare at receivers and needs to learn to manipulate defenses with his eyes. When given time, will read his progressions and make the right decision. Extremely athletic with excellent mobility – quick with good burst and solid lateral agility. Leader. Has consistently improved during his time in Westwood but decision-making and reading coverages still need development. Accurate to the short and intermediate zones but ball sails when feet are not set. Throws better on the move going to his right than left.
Jake Haener, Fresno State
6000 / 207 / 9.3” Hands
​Marginal height and overall size. Quick release with an over-the-top delivery. Good arm strength. High football IQ – decisive reading coverages and throwing with anticipation. Very accurate passer who throws with good touch. Team leader. Tough and resilient – badly injured in loss to USC but only missed a few games, instead of the season, and led Fresno State to the Mountain West Championship. Displays ability to manipulate defenses with his eyes. Accuracy is dependent on utilization of proper footwork. Timing needs additional development. 2023 Senior Bowl MVP.
Jake Haener, Fresno State
Player Comparison:
Brock Purdy, San Francisco
Will Levis, Kentucky
Player Comparison:
Josh Allen, Buffalo
Will Levis, Kentucky
6037 / 229 / 10.5” Hands
Transfer from Penn State. Ideal NFL size – prototypical height and body type. Excellent arm strength and can make every NFL throw. Extremely quick release – similar quickness to Dan Marino. Throws with anticipation and typically throws his receivers open. Generally, demonstrates good timing and touch to all levels of the field but sometimes throws fastballs when change ups are required. Very accurate. Scans the field and reads coverages effectively. Fundamentally solid footwork. Stands tall in the pocket and willingly faces the rush to complete the pass. Pocket presence still needs development – too often does not sense backside pressure. Throws significantly better from a clean pocket – needs to be able to step into throws to demonstrate his skills. Relatively immobile and doesn’t fit systems featuring RPOs and requiring running QBs. Burst on the scene in 2021 leading Kentucky to one of the best seasons in school history and is a candidate to go #1 in next April’s NFL Draft.
Holton Ahlers, East Carolina
6027 / 237 / 9.6” Hands
Left-handed. Excellent size – good height and a thick build reminiscent of Tim Tebow. Fourth year as the starter. Excellent mobility – runs like a fullback and runs over CBs. Effectively conducts pre-snap defensive reads and adjust calls at the LOS. Adequate arm strength. Slight hitch in his delivery. Needs to improve anticipation and throwing receivers open but is getting noticeably better in this regard. Generally, accurate in the short and intermediate passing game. Tough. Team leader. MVP of the Hula Bowl and NFLPA Bowl games. Smart, experienced multi-year starter.
Holton Ahlers, East Carolina
Player Comparison:
Tim Tebow, ex-NFL player
Malik Cunningham, Louisville
Player Comparison:
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore
Malik Cunningham, Louisville
5117 / 192 / 9.4” Hands
Average height and adequate build. Extremely athletic and mobile with explosive skills in the open-field. Quick and fast – looks like a young Randall Cunningham. Very good run vision. Release is marginal in terms of speed. Good arm strength. Footwork requires development – tends to be too narrow based which leads to accuracy issues. Slightly elongated delivery. Fundamentals are not as developed as you’d like for his experience level but that could be a product of the system. Not experienced in or comfortable with reading coverages – many “one read then run” plays. High football IQ. Improved significantly in 2021 and his draft value could rise with another good season in 2022. Nice ball handler and is effective in play action.
Max Duggan, TCU
6015 / 207 / 9.7” Hands
Average height with a solid, stocky build. Three-year starter who began the 2022 season as the back-up to Oklahoma transfer Chandler Morris but took hold of the job after injury and became a Heisman finalist. Good arm strength, when he steps into his throws, but lacks zip on passes. Generally, displays accuracy and touch on short and intermediate routes. Ball flutters on deeper routes. Very good field vision and ability to scan the field. Very good pocket presence and senses the rush well. Very athletic with balance, burst, and lateral agility with the ball in his hands. A true running threat that TCU uses on designed runs. Team leader who his teammates rally around. Tough and will take a big hit to complete the pass. Inspires others with his toughness and grittiness. Mature. Had heart surgery and his medical evaluation will be a factor on his draft status in April.
Max Duggan, TCU
Player Comparison:
Andy Dalton, Carolina
Adrian Martinez, Kansas State
Player Comparison:
Tyler Huntley, Baltimore
Adrian Martinez, Kansas State
6016 / 219 / 9.5” Hands
Transfer from Nebraska. Good size and build. Veteran and experienced QB with natural leadership qualities. Very athletic with speed to bust deep runs. Throws with a clean and efficient delivery. Very good arm strength. Prone to bad decisions – has a riverboat gambler mentality and forces passes. The knock-on Martinez at Nebraska was his decision-making and poise under pressure and both have seemed to significantly improved this year in Manhattan. Fast and explosive with the ball in his hands, Martinez is a nightmare for LBs in space. Missed significant time due to a leg injury to end the 2022 season. 49 career starts over 5 years between Nebraska and Kansas State.
Lindsey Scott, Incarnate Word
5102 / 228 / 9.3” Hands
Transfer from LSU and has been in college for 7 seasons. Lacks prototypical size for the position with marginal height and a thin frame. Excellent release quickness – with a clean, over the top delivery. Strong arm. Superb athlete with agility, rare burst, and excellent run vision. Has 70+ TD passes (FCS record) and 70%+ completion percentage in 2022 operating the Cardinals’ Air Raid offense. Operates exclusively out of the shotgun. Very accurate. Triggers an offense with simplified reads and where progression reads are de-emphasized. Displays burst and vision with ball in his hands and light feet to make defenders miss. Needs development in his field vision and looking off receivers. Unlikely to get drafted but will be in a team's camp this fall.
Lindsey Scott, Incarnate Word
Player Comparison:
Kyler Murray, Arizona
Sean Clifford, Penn State
Player Comparison:
Daniel Jones, NY Giants
Sean Clifford, Penn State
6016 / 213 / 9.3” Hands
Decent size. Smart. Leader. Surprisingly athletic with good mobility. Good arm strength when he can step into the throw. Nice, efficient over the top delivery. A gamer. Has a tendency to be streaky and accuracy is inconsistent as a result. Performance dropped after injury sustained v. Purdue late in 2nd quarter but gutted it out and led Penn State to a come from behind victory. Smart and has taken on more responsibilities for audibles and making pre-snap adjustments as a senior. Played his best at the end of his senior season in leading Penn State to the Rose Bowl. Tough and gritty.
Tanner McKee, Stanford
6055 / 231 / 9.3” Hands
Prototypical size – looks the part with excellent height and a solid build. Very good arm strength. Release speed is adequate due to a slightly elongated delivery. A good athlete with decent mobility but not a running threat. Throws best when his feet are set and accuracy falls when he throws on the move.
Tanner McKee, Stanford
Player Comparison:
Jacob Eason, Seattle
Tyson Bagent, Shepherd
Player Comparison:
Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis
Tyson Bagent, Shepherd
6026 / 213 / 9.4” Hands
159 career passing TDs (an all-division NCAA record). 43-10 record as a starter. Poised and mature. Good arm strength. Consistent, over the top delivery. Limited mobility but uses the depth of the pocket to buy time for routes to develop. Accuracy suffers when feet aren’t set. Not effective throwing on the move.
Tim DeMorat, Fordham
6032 / 221 / 9.2” Hands
Good height and a solid build – looks the part. Slight wind-up in his delivery but release speed appears adequate. Throws with anticipation. 56 TD passes in 2022. Arm strength is adequate but needs to step into the throw or the ball dies in the air.
Tim DeMorat, Fordham
