The 2023 NFL Draft was filled with QB talent, and 3 of them went within the first 4 picks. Plenty of these rookies found themselves starting in games this season, and many showed why they were on the biggest stage.
The QBs in Question
Bryce Young
CJ Stroud
Anthony Richardson
Will Levis
Dorian Thompson-Robinson
Aidan O'Connell
Bryce Young (RI P1) Carolina Panthers (Alabama)
Despite the team's lowly 2-14 record, Young steadily improved throughout the season. Multiple times in the year, he showed flashes of what he was advertised as. The team around him was not built to win immediately, and they are without their first round pick this year. Unless they go out and sign big free agents this offseason, the team and their fans need to hope that Young takes a huge step forward.
CJ Stroud (R1 P2) Houston Texans (Ohio State)
Shortly into his rookie campaign, Stroud put the league on notice by throwing for 384 yards in week 2. He was successfully able to elevate the younger receivers around him, and used his legs when needed. Although there were a lot of speculations that he would not be successful because of a low S2 test score, Stroud has proven all the doubters wrong on the way to an almost surefire Rookie of the Year Award.
Anthony Richardson (R1 P4) Indianapolis Colts (Florida)
Before going down with an injury early in the season, Richardson showed his full potential in both the passing and rushing game. He constantly torched teams through the air, and was always a threat with his legs when given time in the pocket. The big problem with his playstyle, however, was often his inability to control his intensity, specifically not sliding. Failure to slide when scrambling put him out multiple times throughout the season, and knocked him off for good in week 5 against the Titans.
Will Levis (R2 P33) Tennessee Titans (Kentucky)
Levis stepped in when Ryan Tannehill went down with an injury in Week 8, and never for a second looked like he would be giving the job back. He led an improbable comeback against the Dolphins, and appears to have much of the organization's trust as the QB of the future. A big concern (especially late) in Levis' rookie year was his availability. Tannehill came back in when Levis was forced out with an ankle injury multiple times. If he truly is the franchise QB, Will Levis needs to find a way to keep himself healthy.
Aidan O'Connell (R5 P135) Las Vegas Raiders (Purdue)
O'Connell took over for an ineffective Jimmy Garoppolo officially against the Giants in week 9. After their dominating win against New York, (then) interim head coach Antonio Pierce named the Purdue Rookie the starter for the rest of the season. Although he was inconsistent at times, O'Connell exceeded expectations for a 5th round pick. Pierce being named the full time head coach certainly upped the (slim) chances of him remaining the starter, and he would likely be a high end backup if not.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson (R5 P140) Cleveland Browns (UCLA)
DTR was forced to step in for Watson multiple times early on, and was very close to finishing out the season if it weren't for Joe Flacco coming off the couch to lead the team to the playoffs. Thompson-Robinson never really found his footing this year, which is to be expected from a 5th rounder. Assuming they decide to not resign Flacco, DTR will certainly be retained to learn behind Deshaun Watson and possibly takeover one day in the future, but for now that is still likely a long way away.
-Eli Knight
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