Jets second-year quarterback Zach Wilson suffered a bone bruise and a meniscus tear during Friday night’s preseason win over the Eagles. He is expected to miss 2 to 4 weeks with the injury, which puts his status in jeopardy for the season opener.
Wilson missed four games in 2021 with a PCL injury in his right knee. (Atlanta Falcons)
Hopefully, this will truly be a short-term injury and we will all get a chance to see how much Wilson has developed from his rookie season to now. However, the Jets expected Mekhi Becton to only miss 6 to 8 weeks last season and he never played again. The need for a replacement seems less dire if Wilson is able to return early in the regular season, but it is possible the Jets would be in the market for a new quarterback. The other quarterbacks on the roster at the moment are Joe Flacco, Mike White and Chris Streveler.
It is important to note that head coach Robert Saleh is a fan of Flacco’s. He heaped praise on the former Super Bowl MVP not even two weeks ago, calling him a starting-caliber quarterback. It would not be a shock to see New York ride it out with Flacco while looking to add a third quarterback to the room for depth, but the Jets really hoped to take a step forward in Saleh’s second season. Keep in mind that Flacco is 0-5 as a starter for the Jets.
It is tricky to know which direction the Jets would head here. They are not really ready to contend, but I also believe this coaching staff and front office believes in doing everything possible to win. Let’s say general manager Joe Douglas decides that he wants to get aggressive and find someone to bridge the gap for Wilson’s return or perhaps find an insurance policy with a bit more upside given that this is now the second time that Wilson has suffered an injury to the same knee. There are not a ton of feasible options, but here are three quarterbacks the Jets could target.
Garoppolo went 31-14 as the 49ers starting quarterback. (Alexander Jonesi)
Jimmy Garoppolo This might seem obvious, but the 49ers quarterback has ties to the Jets coaching staff. Robert Saleh and Mike LaFleur both worked with him for three seasons in San Francisco. While Garoppolo would unquestionably have to build rapport with his new teammates, he should have a good understanding of LaFleur’s offensive system.
The Jets do not have a ton of cap space available, so it is likely Garoppolo would need to restructure his contract if the deal were to be done. San Francisco would likely be looking for a Day 3 draft pick and maybe a future conditional pick to move the 30-year old quarterback. It is clear they have moved on to Trey Lance as the starter and have been openly shopping Garoppolo for months. What’s more, Garoppolo is on an expiring contract, which means the Jets would still be moving forward with Wilson for the long term.
Love was a first-round draft pick in 2020. (All-Pro Reels)
Jordan Love It is unclear what Love’s future in Green Bay is at this point. Entering Year 3 in the NFL, it seems he is no closer to being the Packers’ starter than he was when they selected him. Aaron Rodgers is the two-time reigning MVP and signed a two-year extension this offseason. I’m not positive the front office in Green Bay will want to move on from him, but if he is available, he could be a cheap option in terms of cap space, to help the Jets stay competitive. New York would likely have to give up a bit more to acquire him than they would Garoppolo given his rookie contract situation and the fact that Love won’t turn 24 until November.
However, it could be a win-win for the Jets and for Love. For Love, he would at long last get a chance to prove he can be a starter in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Jets would be able to trade Love again next offseason, possibly for more than they paid if he plays well enough. In the event that Love plays so well that Wilson becomes available, he will still have enough upside and youth on his side to garner serious interest. Keep in mind that Josh Rosen netted a second-round pick for the Cardinals when he was acquired by the Dolphins.
I expect New York to stay loyal to Wilson, but having two starting-caliber quarterbacks under the age of 25 is a good problem to have. If Love does not pan out, the Jets will only be on the hook for the final year of his rookie contract. That cap hit is just under $4 million, which is pretty reasonable for a backup quarterback.
Rudolph has spent his entire career with the Steelers. (Erik Drost)
Mason Rudolph While I’m not altogether sure this would be much of an upgrade from Flacco or White, it is possible that the Steelers would be willing to move on from the former 3rd-round pick. The 27-year old is in the final year of his contract and Pittsburgh brought in Mitchell Trubisky and Kenny Pickett this offseason. Rudolph is part of the quarterback battle for the team’s job this preseason, but feels like the least likely candidate to win it at this point.
That being said, Rudolph has shown he can be at least an average starter in the league. He kept the Steelers afloat in 2019 when Roethlisberger missed eight games. Pittsburgh went 5-3 in that span. He earned spot starts in each of the past two seasons as well.
On one hand, it likely would not cost much for the Jets to acquire him and his cap hit would be very manageable. On the other, I don’t see him being a major upgrade over the quarterbacks that New York currently has on its roster. As much as Saleh wants to win this year, I don’t see Douglas making moves just for the sake of it. There are just not a ton of replacement options available across the league.
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Welcome to Year 7! This is one of my favorite exercises to conduct every year. It is always incredibly interesting to see which schools make the cut and if anyone can come close to catching Alabama (spoiler: hasn’t happened yet.)
Unsurprisingly, the SEC continues to dominate these rankings. Nine teams from the conference feature in the Top 25 this year. The Pac-12 is shockingly second with five. However, none of them are in the top 10 and that includes USC and UCLA, who are leaving to join the Big Ten in 2024.
For those wondering, this exercise was somewhat inspired by the Pro Potential rankings from the NCAA Football games in dynasty mode. This list is not meant to measure how successful any of these players were after reaching the NFL. It is a far better tool for high school recruits to see which schools are the best at getting players drafted.
Obviously, recruiting plays a huge role in all of this, but there is not a direct correlation between recruiting rankings and these rankings. Just ask Jimbo Fisher. Enough rambling. Let’s get to this year’s Top 25.
As a reminder as to how these rankings are created, I look at all the players drafted over the past five years and then score their draft spot using the scoring system below. The draft classes included in this year’s rankings span from 2018 to 2022.
1. Alabama Crimson Tide – 316 points Previous: 1 (343 points) Highest Drafted Player – Quinnen Williams, 3rd Overall, 2019 This was a disappointing draft, by Alabama standards. And yet, they still lead these ranks by 76 points. Still, two first rounders was the fewest for the Tide since 2016. ‘Bama dropped points for the first time since I started these rankings. Keep in mind, for any other school, this would be a really good class. I fully expect Alabama to be back in the range of four or five first-rounders next year with Bryce Young, Eli Ricks, Will Anderson and a few others in the mix.
2. Georgia Bulldogs – 240 points Previous: 7 (153 points) Highest Drafted Player – Travon Walker, 1st Overall, 2022 Georgia’s dominant 2021 season led to a monster draft class. The Bulldogs set a modern NFL record with 15 players selected, including five first-rounders. They broke the record set by LSU in the 2020 draft. I don’t know that Georgia will come anywhere close to that again in the near future, but they should have more than enough NFL production to stay in the top five. Kirby Smart might be the best recruiter in the country and he and his staff have done an excellent job of developing talent along the way.
3. Ohio State Buckeyes – 232 points Previous: 2 (248 points) Highest Drafted Player – Nick Bosa/Chase Young, 2nd Overall, 2019/2020 It was a bit of a quieter draft for the Buckeyes with six players selected, the fewest the school has had since 2015. However, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave gave Ohio State multiple first-round selections for the sixth time in the past seven years. Ryan Day has an unquestionable eye for talent at receiver and that room is still loaded. Hopes of catching Alabama seemed to have faded for now, but a spot in the top three feels pretty secure at this stage.
4. LSU Tigers – 207 points Previous: 3 (215 points) Highest Drafted Player – Joe Burrow, 1st Overall, 2020 Brian Kelly built Notre Dame into one of the better NFL pipelines in the country. Now, he will get to prove that he can do it in the Bayou with a huge recruiting hotbed to work with. Ed Orgeron had LSU among the nation’s elite producers in NFL talent already, so it shouldn’t be too hard to maintain that. The Tigers quietly had 10 players taken in this class. However, Derek Stingley Jr. was the lone first-round selection. Kelly will need to put a few more in the top 32 if LSU is going to keep up with Alabama, Georgia and LSU.
5. Michigan Wolverines – 145 points Previous: 4 (170 points) Highest Drafted Player – Aidan Hutchinson, 2nd Overall, 2022 The drop off from the top four to everyone else is massive. Aidan Hutchinson became the Wolverines highest drafted player since 2008 when Jake Long went No. 1 overall. However, Michigan lost an 11-man class from 2017 that caused them to drop in the rankings. Still, after a run to the College Football Playoff, Jim Harbaugh seems to have things headed in the right direction. He has revolutionized Michigan football and turned them into a true NFL factory. When I started these rankings in 2016, following Harbaugh’s first year in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines were not ranked. The following year, they skyrocketed to No. 11 and they have been in the top 10 since 2019.
6. Oklahoma Sooners – 144 points Previous: 8 (138 points) Highest Drafted Player – Baker Mayfield/Kyler Murray, 1st Overall, 2018/2019 Things are going to change a lot for Oklahoma. The Sooners had a solid seven-player draft class, but none were selected in the first round. With Lincoln Riley gone, there is no guarantee that this team continues to produce NFL draft picks at the same level. Brent Venables arrives from Clemson as a first-time head coach. He has proven himself as a developer of defensive talent. The Tigers had a bevy of first-round selections on that side of the ball during his tenure. Oklahoma actually picked up a few points this year after losing a lackluster 2017 class. This will be one of the more interesting schools to watch in the coming years with a change of leadership.
7. Florida Gators – 143 points Previous: 5 (167 points) Highest Drafted Player – Kyle Pitts, 4th Overall, 2021 A lack of on the field success and another coaching change have finally started to catch up with Florida. That being said, the Gators are still firmly entrenched in the top 10 and only two points out of the top five. With just three players selected this past season, it seems like the program is headed in the wrong direction from an NFL production standpoint. Kaiir Elam was a first-round pick, but if I had to guess, I would say it is more likely Florida falls a little further than climbs back into the top five. Billy Napier has his work cut out for him.
8.Penn State Nittany Lions – 138 points Previous: 11 (109 points) Highest Drafted Player – Saquon Barkley, 2nd Overall, 2018 Say what you will about James Franklin, but he has turned Happy Valley into a pro prospect goldmine once again. When I first started these rankings, Penn State was on the fringes and had not had a first-round pick since 2010. Now, they’ve had six straight draft classes with at least five players selected, including four first-rounders. There is still room for improvement when it comes to producing top-end talent, but make no mistake, the Nittany Lions are well entrenched in these rankings and have a very good base to build on.
9. Clemson Tigers – 137 points Previous: 6 (165 points) Highest Drafted Player – Trevor Lawrence, 1st Overall, 2021 A few years ago, I believed it was legitimately possible for Clemson to start challenging Ohio State and Alabama atop these rankings. Oh how times have changed. Now, Dabo Swinney’s program is on the verge of falling out of the top 10. Just two former Tigers heard their names called in the 2022 draft. Swinney’s defense is loaded with draft prospects this year though so, CLemson should stick in the top 10.
10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish – 135 points Previous: 10 (130 points) Highest Drafted Player – Quenton Nelson, 6th Overall, 2018 Notre Dame continues its run in the upper echelon of NFL draft prospect production. However, Brian Kelly is now headed to Baton Rouge. Marcus Freeman will now have to prove he is just as capable of recruiting and developing top-tier talent. There is no question the Irish still offer the big stage needed to get noticed by scouts. It will be interesting to see which direction Freeman will lead this team in the coming seasons.
11. Washington Huskies – 123 points Previous: 9 (132 points) Highest Drafted Player – Vita Vea, 12th Overall, 2018 There is a bit of a gap between Notre Dame and Washington, but the Huskies are closer to the top programs on this list than they are the bottom of it. However, much like the Irish, they are undergoing a coaching change. Jimmy Lake is out and Kalen DeBoer is in. It is a rapid rise for DeBoer, who spent just two years leading Fresno State before taking the job with Washington. A total of four former Huskies were drafted in 2022, headlined by Trent McDuffie in the first round. Don’t expect Washington to go anywhere any time soon given their past draft success, but DeBoer has big shoes to fill.
12. USC Trojans – 103 points Previous: 12 (108 points) Highest Drafted Player – Sam Darnold, 3rd Overall, 2018 Well hello there Big Ten-bound USC. The Trojans continue to hover outside the Top 10, but had a more transformational offseason than any program in college football. Southern Cal hired Lincoln Riley away from Oklahoma, added his former quarterback Caleb Williams via the transfer portal and announced that it, along with UCLA, will be headed to the Big Ten. This is huge news for many of the Big Ten schools, but it is significant for USC’s to recruit the midwest. I think we could see the Trojans rise rapidly over the next few seasons as Riley takes over and the impact of the conference realignment takes hold.
13. Iowa Hawkeyes – 97 points Previous: 13 (98 points) Highest Drafted Player – T.J. Hockenson, 8th Overall, 2019 Need an offensive lineman or a tight end? Iowa still remains the place to look. Tyler Linderbaum became the latest Hawkeyes lineman to go in Round 1. However, Only one other player from Iowa was selected this year. Producing first-round picks is always a good thing, but it would be good to see Kirk Ferentz’s program have more than two total prospects selected. I’m not too worried about their long-term prospects, but don’t expect the Hawkeyes to climb much higher than where they stand right now.
14. Mississippi State Bulldogs – 92 points Previous: 20 (77 points) Highest Drafted Player – Charles Cross, 9th Overall, 2022 I was a bit surprised to see Mississippi State climbing in these rankings after having just two players selected in the 2022 draft. Charles Cross going in the first round obviously made a big difference, but still. The reason for the jump is that the Bulldogs were getting very little value from the 2017 class no longer being included in the scoring. That class featured just one sixth-round selection. As long as Mississippi State’s 2019 class is still relevant, which included three first-round picks, they will be in the rankings. Things look rather murky beyond that point though.
15. Auburn Tigers – 91 points Previous: 15 (96 points) Highest Drafted Player – Derrick Brown, 7th Overall, 2020 Auburn is widely being described as a dumpster fire with no direction forward. That might start to catch up with them soon. The Tigers had just one player selected over the course of draft weekend this year. It was the first time since 2013 Auburn failed to produce multiple draft selections. That being said, Auburn has solid classes in the previous four years included in the scoring, so they won’t drop off any time soon, but Bryan Harsin will need to turn things around if Auburn wants to maintain its spot in the top 15.
16. Texas A&M Aggies – 88 points Previous: 16 (90 points) Highest Drafted Player – Kenyon Green, 15th Overall, 2022 Jimbo Fisher has yet to really deliver on the enormous expectations heaped on him when he arrived in College Station. That applies both on the field and on draft day. Fisher built Florida State into a draft juggernaut. The Seminoles were second when I debuted these rankings back in 2016. A&M has yet to crack the top 10. It was another solid draft class for the Aggies, featuring four players, including a first-round pick. For most other schools, this would be a really good place to be. I am just surprised they haven’t climbed higher.
17. Kentucky Wildcats – 83 points Previous: Others Receiving Votes: (60 points) Highest Drafted Player: Josh Allen, 7th overall, 2019 Well hello there Kentucky. The Wildcats were clawing at the door last year, but finally broke though. Four more draft picks, including three Day 2 selections, pushed them into the rankings. Don’t expect them to go anywhere either. Will Levis is drawing top-10 buzz in the 2023 class. What is even more important is that Kentucky did not have a single player selected in 2017 or 2018. The only way the Wildcats will be going is up.
18. North Carolina State Wolfpack – 76 points Previous: 23 (72 points) Highest Drafted Player – Bradley Chubb, 5th Overall, 2018 NC State continues to be one of the most underrated producers of NFL talent. The Wolfpack produced another first-round selection with Ikem Ekwonu this year. However, things have slowed down a bit in Raleigh in recent years. NC State’s seven-player class from 2018 won’t be included in next year’s rankings. They have only had nine players taken over the past four drafts combined. Producing first-rounders will keep them in the mix, but they need a bit more volume to solidify their spot.
19. Ole Miss Rebels – 73 points Previous: 25 (69 points) Highest Drafted Player – Greg Little, 37th Overall, 2019 Lane Kiffin seems to have the Rebels headed in the right direction, but it has yet to result in a ton of draft success. Ole Miss has had a bunch of mid-round selections in recent years, including a healthy 6-player class in 2022. However, it has been six years since their last first-round pick. Given a bit more time, I think Kiffin will get them back into the top 15. At the very least, I don’t think there is any reason to expect them to drop out of the rankings at this point.
20. Miami Hurricanes – 71 points Previous: 14 (97 points) Highest Drafted Player – Jaelan Phillips, 18th Overall, 2021 Given how irrelevant the Canes have been on the national stage, it is a wonder they are still in the top 25. That being said, no one has risen up to knock them out yet. This was easily the worst year we have seen from Miami from a draft perspective possibly ever. It was the first time since 2009 that the Hurricanes accounted for just one NFL draft selection. Jonathan Ford was taken in the seventh round as well. However, the window to push them out might have already passed. Mario Cristobal returns to his alma mater with hopes of restoring the program’s former glory. If he can successfully recruit South Florida and replicate the player development he displayed at Oregon, Miami will be back in a big way.
20.Florida State Seminoles – 71 points Previous: 19 (78 points) Highest Drafted Player – Brian Burns, 16th Overall, 2019 Much like Miami, Florida State is still trying to pick up the pieces. As I mentioned when talking about Texas A&M, Jimbo Fisher had the Seminoles among the country’s elite when it came to draft prospects. They were in the top five from 2016 to 2018. Now, Florida State is clinging to its spot in the top 25. Unlike Miami, there is not quite as much hope on the horizon. Mike Norvell has yet to get the Seminoles back to .500 and Jermaine Johnson II was the lone player from his program who heard his name called during the draft. Don’t be shocked if FSU falls out next year.
22. UCLA Bruins – 70 points Previous: 21 (76 points) Highest Drafted Player – Josh Rosen, 10th Overall, 2018 While there was a lot more made about USC joining the Big Ten than UCLA, the Bruins are a solid addition in the college football landscape. Chip Kelly has kept them in the mix. Unfortunately, UCLA finds itself in a precarious spot when it comes to these rankings. Its impressive 2018 draft class is in its final year of inclusion. While this was a solid class with six players taken, their earliest pick came at the end of the third round. Kelly will need another really good draft class in order to stick in the rankings.
23.TCU Horned Frogs – 69 points Previous: 24 (70 points) Highest Draft Player – Jalen Reagor, 21st Overall, 2020 Yup. The Horned Frogs are still here. Don’t ask me how. TCU did not have a single player drafted in 2022. However, its 2017 draft class featured just one seventh-round pick, so the needle barely moved. What I think this underlines is how steep the drop off is from the top programs and the lack of depth in these rankings. Looking at the scoring past about 17, we are splitting hairs. However, TCU will be an interesting team to watch with Sonny Dykes now taking over as head coach. The Horned Frogs won’t be shut out again either with Quentin Johnston looking like a potential first-round pick in 2023.
23. Stanford Cardinal – 69 points Previous: 17 (88 points) Highest Drafted Player – Walker Little, 45th overall, 2021 Somehow, some way, Stanford is still hanging on. It was a very quiet draft weekend for the Cardinal with just one fifth-round selection this year. The future outlook for David Shaw’s program is not great. That being said, Tanner McKee is drawing some NFL buzz and if Davis Mills has shown us anything so far in his very brief NFL career, it might be good to stop doubting Shaw’s ability to find and develop pro talent.
23. Oregon Ducks – 69 points Previous: NR (59 points) Highest Draft Player – Kayvon Thibodeaux, 5th Overall, 2022 The quack is back. Well in the rankings at least. Kayvon Thibodeaux became the Ducks’ highest drafted player since Marcus Mariota in 2015. However, Thibodeaux was also the only Oregon player selected. On top of that, Mario Cristobal just left for Miami. However, there is no reason to panic. The 2018 draft class from Oregon was nothing spectacular and Dan Lanning arrived from Georgia. There is no question that Kirby Smart deserves credit for building that team, but hopefully, Lanning learned a lot from his former boss.
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New episodes dropping every Friday! Football is finally back. Well, kind of. The Raiders and Jaguars kicked off the preseason with the annual Hall of Fame game on Thursday. With the season fast approaching, Chris breaks down his way-too-early rankings for the top quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL draft class.
You can find every episode on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or wherever you find your podcasts. As always, I appreciate reviews, feedback and when you hit that subscribe button.
NFL Draft Daily looks at top stories, historical trends, player performances and more all through the lens of the NFL Draft. After all, there are only 328 days until the 2023 NFL Draft. Check back in tomorrow for another entry.
I’m finally back to wrap up these quarterbacks. Turns out I needed a little break after the draft and sometimes life has its way of throwing other things your way.
It’s time for Part 3 of my watchlist, which includes 36 quarterbacks in total. Part 1 featured a lot of big names and Part 2 had a number of guys that could make things interesting with a big year. Part 3 of this loaded class has a couple of wild cards heading into this year that I think could make some noise. My final group also includes a few guys that have a lot to prove this year or likely candidates to return to school for another season. Let’s dive into these final 10 QBs.
Clayton Tune, Houston I definitely did not pick the best game to watch for Tune. He threw four interceptions in the season opener against Texas Tech in 2021. As it turned out, it would be one of just two losses for Houston all season, in part due to Tune’s impressive play. He finished the year with over 3,500 passing yards and 30 touchdowns. He cannot afford to have meltdowns like he did against the Red Raiders, where he was way too careless with the ball. Decision making can be improved though.
Payton Thorne, Michigan State This final group is definitely not among the favorites to be selected early in the draft. Thorne is no exception. Following an impressive 2021 season, he will be on the radar at least heading into the 2023 draft. He has good touch on his throws, but lacks elite arm strength. He is a solid athlete showing his ability to make plays on read options this past year. He definitely benefited from a lot of short passes and screens in the Michigan State offense. I would like to see him hit some more NFL throws more consistently this year across the middle and in rhythm with his receivers. Those throws are there on his 2021 film, but few and far between.
Hank Bachmeier, Boise State There was a time that I was very excited for Bachmeier to be draft eligible. The excitement has dropped off some, but he put together a solid junior season and I think could be in the mix as a late-round selection. He has a strong arm and throws a nice deep ball. The ball placement is a bit spotty at times. He has struggled with injuries, but he finally put together a full season in 2021. He is a decent scrambler, but he doesn’t do it too often. A bit undersized as well, he has a lot of questions to answer, but I like what he could become.
Jaren Hall, BYU Meet Hall, your typical fifth-year junior. COVID has really messed up eligibility for a long time to come. On first watch, my initial assessment of Hall is that he is incredibly mobile and can throw on the run, but he is much less effective playing from the pocket. His accuracy is inconsistent and he overthrew a number of receivers downfield in the game I watched. That being said, I could see him having a ton of success in an offense that moves the pocket and allows him to roll out. It plays to his strengths and helps minimize the impact of his smaller frame.
Dylan Hopkins, UAB Here’s a name you probably haven’t heard too much. Hopkins led UAB to a strong season with 18 touchdowns in his first full season as the starter. We don’t have a huge sample size with him given that he only attempted 235 passes last year. For reference, that’s less than half the number of attempts Bryce Young had in 2021. What I have seen is a player with a solid arm and a pretty deep ball. He also uses his eyes well to freeze or hold defenders. My concerns with Hopkins come to his mobility. He is not very quick in escaping the pocket and does not look overly comfortable throwing on the run. Hopefully, UAB will let him cut it loose a bit more often in 2022.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA From a name you don’t know to one you have likely heard of. Thompson-Robinson, aka DTR, arrived at UCLA with a ton of fanfare. He has not quite delivered on the hype, but he has developed into a solid player. A clear dual-threat option, he is a really fun player to watch in the open field. His accuracy is a bit inconsistent, with him missing high on a number of occasions down the field. The throwing motion is a bit elongated as well. The physical traits are enticing, but I think he would really need to work on his mechanics to have a shot at the next level. He will need to be a bit more polished to garner attention heading into his fifth season with the Bruins.
Jayden Daniels, LSU One of the most interesting transfers of this entire offseason, Daniels leaves an Arizona State program under fire for an LSU program that has a bit of a checkered history in its own right. One thing is undeniable though, Daniels will have weapons to work with in Baton Rouge. Kayshon Boutte and Jaray Jenkins are proven commodities at the college level. The Tigers have a few up-and-comers as well. Daniels will need to bounce back after throwing as many touchdowns (10) as he did interceptions in 2021. He has a very compact and quick throwing motion, but his footwork is a mess. The accuracy is good, but not great. I think it could improve with better footwork actually. As a runner, he is one of the best, scrambling to pick up extra yards and very capable on designed runs. He will get a chance to prove himself in the SEC this season.
Cameron Ward, Washington State Hat tip to my favorite subreddit NFL_Draft for putting this guy on my radar. A former FCS quarterback at Incarnate Word, Ward won the Jerry Rice award. He has a very quick release and looks very comfortable playing from the pocket. Now, he will have a chance to prove himself in a Power Five conference after transferring to Washington State. He will get some real tests at Camp Randall this September and then in Pac-12 play. I wouldn’t be surprised if he stayed another year, but he has the potential to be an NFL quarterback.
Cade McNamara, Michigan I had an old friend from high school reach out to me to ask why McNamara wasn’t part of my first two entries. After all, McNamara became the first Michigan quarterback to beat Ohio State since Denard Robinson. Plus, the Wolverines did reach the College Football Playoffs. McNamara undoubtedly benefits from a run-heavy scheme, but he is still talented. He lacks elite arm strength, but he has a nice deep ball. His release is a bit of a concern. His side-arm style leads to a number of passes to be batted at the line of scrimmage. I don’t think he will be garnering first-round attention, but he could be a late-round draft pick come April.
D.J. Uiagalelei, Clemson I’m going to be completely honest. I forgot about Uiagalelei when I first started putting together my watch list. He went from the dazzling replacement to Trevor Lawrence to an afterthought in just one season. I still don’t know what happened to the guy who racked up 439 yards passing and three total touchdowns against Notre Dame in 2020. Looking at his 2021 tape, his accuracy is all over the place. His throwing motion is a bit elongated. As a runner, he has a bit of wiggle, but he is not a burner by any means. He doesn’t have as much power as you would expect for a player listed at 250 pounds either. There are still some special moments on film and his physical traits are great, but none of that is going to matter if he continues to complete 55 percent of his passes and throw only nine touchdowns to 10 interceptions.
Follow the Aftermath via email to get every article delivered right to your inbox. Enter your email in the text box to subscribe. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also check out our weekly podcast Draft Season Never Ends with new episodes every Friday, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
NFL Draft Daily looks at top stories, historical trends, player performances and more all through the lens of the NFL Draft. After all, there are only 345 days until the 2023 NFL Draft. Check back in tomorrow for another entry.
Who is ready for part 2? I started my early look at the 2023 quarterback class Monday with my first 15 quarterbacks that I have started to evaluate heading into this 2022 college football season. There are still a lot of games to be played and a lot of work to be done before I am anywhere near ranking these players, but this has been a good way to start learning the names of the prospects that will make up this draft class.
As I have mentioned a few times, this is one of the deepest quarterback classes that I can remember. There are nearly three dozen quarterbacks currently on my watch list, which is simply outrageous. Not all of them will get drafted and there is a good chance many of them will return to school given the bonus year of eligibility granted to all NCAA athletes following the COVID-19 pandemic.
All of this to say, I will actually be dropping a part 3 to my watchlist on Wednesday. It’s been a busy week of watching film and I don’t want to shortchange any of these prospects by not taking at least a few minutes to get to know their game. With all of that in mind, let’s dive into this second batch of quarterbacks, featuring 11 more draft-eligible passers.
Phil Jurkovec, Boston College One of the more intriguing prospects in this draft class, Jurkovec had some big-time draft buzz surrounding him before he got hurt and missed half the season. He began his college career at Notre Dame before transferring to BC in 2020. He turned a lot of heads that season, taking over the starting job and posting some solid numbers. He has a prototypical NFL body, listed at 6’5″, 214 pounds. However, he lacks elite arm strength, oftentimes leading to him throwing short or low to his intended target. His arm is good enough to make it in the pros though. He is a solid runner, with the ability to extend plays outside the pocket. You will see some really nice touch passes on his film. I want to see how he plays fully healthy, because he did not look right when he returned last season.
Brennan Armstrong, Virginia Armstrong took a massive step forward in 2021, accounting for over 4,449 passing yards and 40 total touchdowns. He rewrote much of Virginia’s record book in doing so. While the numbers look nice, his throwing motion does not. It is elongated and a bit unorthodox. It definitely impacts his accuracy at times and limits his ability to throw on the run. He has decent arm strength with the ability to stretch the field. Additionally, he uses his legs well to extend plays and scramble for extra yards, even if he does not possess blazing speed. If he can shorten up his throwing motion and cut down on the interceptions a little bit, I think there will be some NFL teams interested.
Tanner McKee, Stanford It is hard to miss the latest Stanford quarterback to garner attention from NFL draft scouts. That may have something to do with the fact that he is 6’6″ and 226 pounds. McKee is a long-levered passer with a strong arm who has some inconsistencies with his accuracy and ball placement. He flashes decent wiggle in the pocket and can scramble for some extra yards when the play breaks down. I’ve only watched one game of him so far, and nothing popped that made me think he is going to be a special player, but he does a lot of the little things well. I would love to see him put a little more touch on his throws. He has a chance to answer a lot of questions in his second year as the starter.
Sam Hartman, Wake Forest If you are looking for a gunslinger, this might be your guy. Hartman excels in Wake Forest’s wide open vertical passing game. His 508 pass attempts in 2021 were the fifth most in the country. Unfortunately, he has a career completion percentage of 57.7, including a 58.9 mark this past year. That being said, Hartman looks like an NFL quarterback. He has great arm strength, a smooth release and plus athleticism for the position. However, he is a bit undersized and struggles a bit under pressure. I am looking forward to watching more of him this season.
Aidan O’Connell, Purdue How about some love for the Big Ten? I haven’t had too many quarterbacks from the conference pop up on my watchlist yet. O’Connell is likely the most promising after CJ Stroud. He put up some impressive numbers in his senior season. 3,712 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and a 71.6 percent completion percentage was more than enough to turn some heads. He checks the box from a size perspective and has enough mobility to be effective. Watching him against Tennessee in the Music City Bowl, I like the zip he puts on his throws and his ball placement. It’s really impressive. This kid doesn’t have a ton of hype right now, but he should pick up some steam as people start watching his tape more.
Tyler Shough, Texas Tech Yet another transfer quarterback, Shough started his career at Oregon before making the move to Texas Tech last year. His 2021 season got off to a solid start before it was cut short by a broken collar bone. Watching a little bit of him both at Texas Tech and Oregon, he runs a ton of RPOs and zone reads, but he actually does a decent job going through his progressions when asked. His arm is good, but not great. There are moments when he shows good zip on underneath or intermediate throws, but he is guilty of underthrowing deep balls on occasion. If he can stay healthy this season, I think he will be in the mix to be drafted this year.
Will Rogers, Mississippi State Rogers is a tough evaluation. Only Bailey Zappe attempted more passes than him in 2021. However, Zappe averaged 8.7 yards per attempt while Rogers had only 6.9. And that was despite Rogers completing nearly four percent more of his attempts. Unquestionably, Rogers benefits from playing in Mike Leach’s pass-happy system often featuring four or five receivers. Many of his attempts are at or behind the line of scrimmage. That being said, he can get into a rhythm and pick apart defenses if they drop back into zone or give him too much time. He also has some decent zip on his throws and a quick release. He almost always knows where his safety net is and has no problem taking the short, easy completion. I would love to see him show off his arm a bit more regularly this season, but he already looks like a good fit for any NFL team that runs a West Coast style offense.
K.J. Jefferson, Arkansas There are few players who made as big of a jump statistically in 2021 as Jefferson did. In very limited action through his first two seasons with Arkansas, he completed fewer than 50 percent of his pass attempts. In 2021, he completed 67.3 percent of his throws and posted a stellar 9.1 yards per attempt average, good for seventh in the country. I put on his Auburn tape, and it is kind of a mixed bag. He has some really nice throws down the field, but his ball placement is sporadic. He also seems to lack quickness. He is a good runner, but it takes him a bit to get up to speed and he is inconsistent when trying to throw on the run. I am going to need to see a lot more from him, especially playing without Treylon Burks this season.
Stetson Bennett, Georgia I felt obligated to include Bennett even though I don’t think he has too much of a pro future. What else are you supposed to do with a player that just won the national championship and is returning to school with hopes of running it back? He does have moments of sheer brilliance on film. He is clearly a fairly smart player, willing to check it down and throw it away when it’s not there. He also showed is capable of uncorking an impressive deep ball on that throw to George Pickens in the national title game. I want to watch more of him, but my initial assessment is that he lacks elite NFL traits. I hope he proves me wrong.
Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland This name should sound familiar. Unfortunately for Taulia, he is undersized as far as NFL quarterbacks go, much like his brother, Tua. The jury is still out on the elder Tagovailoa brother as a pro, but the Maryland quarterback has a chance to write his own story. He started off at Alabama, but transferred to Maryland in 2020 for a chance at more playing time. After some early struggles, he put together a much stronger 2021 season. Like many of the quarterbacks in this draft class, he benefits from a lot of short, quick throws. However, there are some flashes on film of impressive zip on intermediate routes downfield and even some solid deep throws. He is going to have to overcome the questions about his size, so I think there is a long road ahead for Tagovailoa. I wouldn’t be surprised if he returned to Maryland for his final year of eligibility.
Tanner Mordecai, SMU A former Lincoln Riley recruit at Oklahoma, Mordecai has put up some impressive numbers in his first year at SMU. He threw for 39 touchdowns and 3,628 yards with a solid 67.8 completion percentage. My initial assessment of him on film is that he is still a bit rough around the edges. He does well to step up in the pocket and is not afraid to make plays with pressure coming. However, his footwork is a bit of a mess, which leads to some wayward passes. He has a decently strong arm, but his ball placement is a bit spotty. Plus, there are definitely moments where he rushes his mechanics to try to get the ball out quicker. As of now, I see him being a late-round project with some upside.
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