Predictions for the 2023 QB Class

This quarterback class was interesting, to say the least. Bryce Young was drafted first by the Panthers. Young’s biggest concern going into the NFL was his below-average height for an NFL quarterback. The second player drafted overall was C.J. Stroud by the Texans. Stroud is known for being a pocket passer, he was widely loved by scouts but he underperformed a cognitive test which scared a few people. The third quarterback taken was Anthony Richardson by the Colts. Richardson is this class’s, Josh Allen, he has the physical traits to be an elite quarterback in this league but must polish his passing to take that next step. The last quarterback I will be discussing is Will Levis. Levis was by far the most polarizing player in the entire draft, you either loved him or hated him. I like many others thought Levis would be drafted in the late teens or early twenties. Instead, Levis shockingly fell all the way to the beginning of the second round. Levis was taken second overall in the second round by the Titans. Watching this class develop over this season and the future will be very interesting.

Bryce Young

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I predict Bryce Young to be a candidate for Rookie of the Year. Young will be starting in week one so he will have all season to develop. I think Young was great in college, I loved watching him improvise and escape the pocket to throw for a first down under pressure. Escaping and improvising is one of his strong suits. His weight does concern me but I’m not too worried about it. Yes, he does need to bulk up but I think him playing in the SEC was a huge factor in getting him ready for NFL competition whether it be the speed or physicality of the game. I also do have concerns about Carolina’s weapons too, Adam Thielen being your best receiver does not scare me. Though I don’t fear the move on the field, I like that the front office is bringing in a veteran receiver to mentor the young quarterback. I predict Young to throw for 3,100 yards, 21 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.

C.J. Stroud

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Just like Young, I see Stroud contending for Rookie of the Year. Stroud looks to start in week one as well, he too will get lots of reps this season. I enjoyed Stroud’s game at the college level, he was fairly accurate and had a beautiful deep ball as well. This isn’t necessarily a concern but he is not very mobile, thankfully he is great in the pocket. The Texans made several moves this offseason to help Stroud’s transition into the NFL. The team hired the 49ers passing coordinator Bobby Slowik and promoted him to their offensive coordinator. The Texans also signed tight end Dalton Schultz, he’s a solid player that should give Stroud of a safety blanket over the middle or in the short passing game. Overall, I see Stroud having a solid rookie year. He will pass for 2,900 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

Anthony Richardson

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This is the wildcard of the 2023 quarterback class. Richardson broke onto the scene last year with his performance against Utah. He showed his versatility by making plays with both his arms and legs. Though Richardson had stellar performances, he struggled with consistency. At times, he would have a Heisman-like stat line one week and then the next week would throw for two interceptions. He is extremely raw as a prospect but that has not deterred some analysts, many believe in his upside and physical traits. Luckily for Richardson, he may have been drafted into the perfect situation. Richardson will now be coached by first-year Head Coach Shane Steichen. Many love this paring due to Steichen’s resume which consists of developing Jalen Hurts over the last two years while also leading the Eagles to have an elite offense in 2022. Another plus for Richardson is the weapons he will be working with. He has both Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce as his main receivers and has Jonathan Taylor to hand the ball off to as well. I do not see Richardson being able to compete for the Rookie of the Year award due to him likely not starting till week four or five. Richardson needs some polishing to become an NFL-ready quarterback, also the Colts signed quarterback Gardner Minshew who played for the Eagles last year as their backup. Realistically, he will start for a few weeks and then Richardson will be given the reins. I predict Richardson to throw for 2,500 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. In the rushing game, I think he can be an elite threat as well. He and Taylor will be a nice read-option duo to watch out for. I predict Richardson to rush for 550 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

Will Levis

Photo by: Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean

Predicting Levis’s stat line in 2023 is going to be difficult. Levis is viewed as a project quarterback, he is going to need time to develop. Also, based on Tennessee’s most recent move in signing Deandre Hopkins, the team looks to compete for the AFC South once again instead of taking this year to rebuild. Another factor contributing to Levis’s play time is that Ryan Tannehill is still on the roster. Barring any serious injury or major decline in play, I see Tannehill continuing to start for the Titans in 2023. Though I can’t give a confident enough prediction for Levis’s passing stats, I could see him occasionally being used in short-yardage situations or at the goal line. He would be used similarly to Taysom Hill but only for rushing, he would not be catching any passes though that would be interesting to see.