Beyond the interests of the draft sickos and armchair GMs, NFL draft classes are defined by the quarterbacks at the top of the first round. The draft is an exercise in hope above all else. Everyone is undefeated in April, and the new signal-caller in your team’s uniform immediately changes your outlook for a few months because QBs don’t just move the needle, they the needle in the NFL.
The top of 2023’s quarterback class blows ’22’s out of the water from a prospect basis. The earliest QB taken last year was Kenny Pickett (20th) and another wasn’t selected until the third round. This year’s class may not have the no-doubt talent at the top that ’21’s had with Trevor Lawrence, but it does match ’21 and ’18’s prospect depth at the top as far as draft classes in recent years. Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson, C.J. Stroud and Will Levis should all be gone within the first 15 picks. The flaws they have as prospects are unique to each, and are so wide ranging it offers for compelling comparison. The below is in no order but rather what approaches a scouting report for the regular fan that just wants to know a little about what makes each top passer in this year’s class tick.
