Logan Blackman
- May 4, 2022
- 14 min read

The Draft "Expert" - Insanely Early 2023 Quarterback Prospect Rankings

Updated: Jun 24, 2022

I hate myself for doing this, but welcome everyone to our first 2023 NFL Draft post here on our website! This is way, way to early to be doing this. Like, the 2022 NFL Draft just ended last Saturday, and now we're already looking ahead to 2023? When we really have absolutely no idea what's going to happen? Well, yeah. You want to know why? Because I'm a sad person who has nothing better to do with their lives, so please subscribe to the podcast to make me feel better (not a guilt trip at all).

All that being said, though I hate myself for this post, I can't lie, it is always fun to make these, no matter how inaccurate they may end up being. Quarterback is widely considered to be the most important position on the football field, and there are some very good quarterbacks that'll be available in the '23 Draft. Let's just say this, the chances of three of the top four quarterbacks sliding all the way to the third round is not likely. I would argue that we may see the top four, maybe five, all go in the first round. (I'm not saying based off this list, but the list once the draft gets closer)

In this post, we take a look at who we feel are the best quarterbacks in college football that'll be available for next year's draft. We go through the top 10, providing their size, stats, and reasoning, while also giving out 15 more names at the bottom, with no reasoning, just so we don't miss out on anyone. So, without any further delay, here is the Draft "Expert's" insanely early 2023 quarterback prospect rankings! Enjoy!

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Pictured: Phil Jurkovec, Boston College; Bryce Young, Alabama; CJ Stroud, Ohio State

1. Bryce Young, Alabama

6'0" 194 lbs.
2021 Stats - 366/547 4,872 yds 47 touchdowns 7 interceptions/81 carries 0 yds 3 touchdowns
If you've listened to the Logan Blackman Show long enough, you would know how much we like Alabama's Bryce Young. Ever since he de-committed from USC, we have talked about the quarterback that has been compared to Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray, on steroids. After not starting during his freshman year at Alabama, sitting behind eventual 15th overall pick, Mac Jones, Young went off during his first season as the starter. In a season that saw him rank second in the nation in passing yards and touchdowns, Young became the first ever Alabama quarterback to take home the Heisman Trophy, and only the third in Alabama's distinguished history, with the others being Mark Ingram (2009) and Derrick Henry (2015). For what Young lacks in real prototypical size, he makes up for in decision making and athleticism. Though his rushing numbers aren't the greatest, Young is a very mobile quarterback. He moves around the pocket extremely well is very good at throwing on the move, which has become a very desirable trait in today's NFL. Not only that, but Young puts a whole lot of zip on the ball and can contort his body to make throws from any angle, very Patrick Mahomes esq. in some situations. Though Young lost both Jameson Williams and John Metchie III to the NFL, I don't expect his production to drop off too much. Young's talent is immense and he does anything close to what he did last season, we may see the second ever two time Heisman winner.

2. CJ Stroud, Ohio State

6'3" 215 lbs.
2021 Stats - 317/441 4,435 yds 44 touchdowns 6 interceptions/32 carries -20 yds 0 touchdowns
In the early portions of last season, the jury was really out on Ohio State's CJ Stroud, with me having to dedicate whole segments of the show defending the freshman quarterback. I remember seeing whole Twitter accounts dedicated to bashing Stroud for his play against Minnesota, Oregon, and Tulsa, and though I don't think he played his best ball early in the season, Stroud did show signs of things to come. After sitting out Ohio State's game against Akron due to injury, Stroud came back with a vengeance, throwing five touchdowns against a pretty helpless Rutgers team, who though they themselves were on the right track after winning their first three games and then losing a close one to Michigan on the road. Stroud threw for 330 yards and five touchdowns with no turnovers in the 52-13 win. After throwing three interceptions in the first three games, Stroud threw only two in the remaining eight games in the regular season. Including an absolutely insane display against Utah in the Rose Bowl, where he threw for 573 yards and six touchdowns, Stroud finished the final four games of the season with 19 touchdowns and one interception, all against ranked opponents. Stroud's size and arm strength arm two very desirable traits in today's NFL. Though he didn't put up insane rushing numbers, the exact opposite actually, he's not exactly a meat statue back there. The debate going into the '23 NFL Draft will be who's the better quarterback between Stroud and Bryce Young. Though Stroud has the size, I think Young's consistency and athletic ability gives him the edge, for now. With Jaxon Smith-Njigba returning, I could see Stroud putting up some monster numbers, as he did to finish out last season. I'm really glad Stroud shut a lot of people up with his play towards the latter stages of the season, because the dude can ball.

3. Will Levis, Kentucky

6'3" 232 lbs.
2021 Stats - 233/353 2,826 yds 24 touchdowns 13 interceptions/107 carries 376 yds 9 touchdowns
Will Levis is one of the best athletes at the quarterback position in this draft, as you could probably tell by the picture. At 6'3" 232 lbs., Levis can run over, side step, or even hurled defenders in the run game. His size and mobility makes him a hard tackle for defenders, not just in the open field but in the pocket as well. A Penn State transfer, Levis was rarely used in the pass game. With Sean Clifford in as the starter, Levis was used mostly in the run game, kind of in a similar-ish role to that of Taysom Hill. A bigger guy who is a great athlete that can pick up big gains on the ground but, if needed, can do somethings in the passing game. After two seasons serving as Clifford's back-up Levis transferred to Kentucky for his chance to be a full time starter. Now, though he showed flashes throwing it, you can tell this was really his first time getting consistent minutes throwing the football, as he needs to refine some things in the passing game, as he threw at least one interception in every game last season, apart from three. Though he'll need to sure some things up, Levis does have a lot of potential, and could be one of the first quarterbacks off the board when the '23 NFL Draft roles around. Like we said before, his size and athletic ability make him a very desirable prospect. He also possesses a very nice touch on the football as well as a strong enough arm to make every throw on the field. I'm intrigued though to see how he does without his top two receivers from a season ago, with Wan'Dale Robinson, who was just drafted by the New York Giants in the '22 NFL Draft, and Josh Ali both gone. With Robinson and Ali combing for 1,935 of Levis' yards, he'll have to really on Izayah Cummings and DeMarcus Harris, both of who didn't have over 200 yards receiving last season. With Chris Rodriguez still in the backfield, Levis will at least have him to rely on. Hopefully Levis doesn't suffer the same fate as Sam Howell, who lost all of his talent from the season before his last. Like we've said, Levis has all the talent in the world, let's just see if he can get a little more consistent in the passing game.

4. Tyler van Dyke, Miami

6'4" 224 lbs.
2021 Stats - 202/324 2,931 yds 25 touchdowns 6 interceptions/53 carries 57 yds 1 touchdown
I'm really excited to watch Miami's Tyler van Dyke this upcoming season. Not just because this'll be his first time as the unquestioned starter for the Hurricanes, but I want to see if he lives up to the expectations placed on him by new head coach, Mario Cristobal, who called him the best signal caller in college football. First off, you gotta love the confidence from the new head coach. Second, I don't think there's any question van Dyke has the skills to get up there, eventually. With incumbent starter, D'Eriq King, battling through a shoulder injury, van Dyke made his first start against Central Connecticut, where went 10/11 with 270 yards and three touchdowns. Though it was a good start to his career, it was against a really bad FCS team that ended up finishing 4-7 on the season, so most people weren't reading too much into that performance. The next two games for van Dyke, against ACC opponents in Virginia and North Carolina, heralded two completely different outcomes for him statistically. Combined, van Dyke completed 47% of his passes with just one touchdown and three interceptions. After that North Carolina game though, things started to changed, for the better. Against back-to-back ranked conference opponents, van Dyke threw for 325 and 426 yards and had seven total touchdowns through the air. Following those games, van Dyke threw for three, or more, touchdowns in every game for the rest of the season, which has caused a lot of excitement for Canes fans for the upcoming season. van Dyke's size mixed with his arm talent is very fun to watch. That being said, there are a lot of throws he short armed last season, probably because he doesn't want to over throw his receivers, but the dude can absolutely lace it when he lets one loose. A capable runner, van Dyke may not be as allusive as D'Eriq King, but he has proven to be effective, at times, cranking out a few 10+ yard rushes this past season. Again, I'm excited to see how van Dyke does as the unquestioned starter. If Cristobal can get the best out of van Dyke, he may very well be the best signal caller in college football.

5. Anthony Richardson, Florida

6'4" 236 lbs.
2021 Stats - 38/64 529 yds 6 touchdowns 5 interceptions/51 carries 401 yds 3 touchdowns
Anthony Richardson has everything you're looking for in a quarterback. His size mixed with his athletic ability make him a very intriguing product for the '23 NFL Draft, he just needs to get some consistent playing time. Last season, Richardson, kind of, split time with Emory Jones, who was supposed to have a very nice season in his own right. The thing was, Jones battled with consistency issues, and was benched during the latter stages of Florida's win against USF after throwing two really bad interceptions. After coming in for Jones, Richardson, in limited time, put up over 100 yards passing, 100 yards rushing, and three total touchdowns with an 80 yard run to seal a game that was pretty much already over at that point. The thing was, Richardson suffered a concussion, forcing him to miss the next few games, which allowed Jones to regain the starting spot. If he's given that consistent game time, "AR-15" could really become one of the best quarterbacks in college football. Given his size, I think Richardson may be the best athlete out of the top quarterbacks in this class. The dude has been hurdling, running past, and cutting through opposing defenses throughout his time at Florida. Though he's primarily been used as a runner up until this point, with Bill Napier coming in as head coach, I think he could really unlock all of Richardson's potential, as he worked with another very good quarterback in Levi Lewis while he was the coach at Louisiana. I'm really excited to see what Richardson does this season for Florida.

6. Phil Jurkovec, Boston College

6'5" 226 lbs.
2021 Stats - 52/96 914 yds 7 touchdowns 4 interceptions/50 carries 322 yds 5 touchdowns
Phil Jurkovec will be one to watch this upcoming season. One of my favorite quarterbacks in college football, Jurkovec suffered an injury in his throwing hand week two against UMass. With the injury, he was supposed to miss the remainder of the season, but he came back against Virginia Tech in November, going 7/13 with 112 yards and an interception. Though he found success against Georgia Tech the following week, throwing for 310 yards and two touchdowns, he struggled throwing the ball against Florida State and Wake Forest, completing just 37% of his passes with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Though he may have been up and down in regards to his passing numbers, I'm assuming some of that can be attributed to his injury because again, he was supposed to miss the remainder of the season. His rushing numbers on the other hand were very solid, with Jurkovec rushing for 65, 71, 59, and 66 yards with five touchdowns in the final four games of the season. Before last season, I compared Jurkovec to a Miami (OH) version of Ben Roethlisberger because of his size, arm power, and underrated rushing ability. Though his numbers weren't exactly where you'd want them to be for a possible top five quarterback, I think this season he'll be back to his normal self. A full offseason of recovery should serve the BC quarterback well, and could see him end up mentioned as one of the top quarterbacks in the class.

7. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee

6'4" 218 lbs.
2021 Stats - 206/302 2,945 yds 31 touchdowns 3 interceptions/167 carries 620 yds 5 touchdowns
Hendon Hooker is a very fun quarterback to watch who pretty much, single handily, transformed Tennessee's offense from an unwatchable mess into a very entertaining product. After the original starter, Michigan transfer Joe Milton, struggled in the passing department against Bowling Green and got hurt against Pitt, Hooker was made the starter, and really ran with the opportunity. Over the course of the season, Hooker threw for two or more touchdowns in every game, apart from one, saving his best performance for last against Purdue in Tennessee's bowl game. Though the Vols came up short, losing 48-45 in overtime, Hooker threw for a career high 378 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions to go along with 59 yards on the ground. Like, just to throw some more stats at your head top, Hooker had more competitions that went for 70+ yards (4) than he had interceptions (3). His decision making, both in the pass and run game, make him a very dangerous quarterback. Combined that with his size and that makes him an insanely imposing threat running down the field. I think if Hooker continues to develop at this rate he should be one of the best statistical quarterbacks, not just in the SEC, but in the nation. He's got a lot of desirable traits to make it to the next level and I am really excited to see how things go for him and the Vols this upcoming season.

8. Spencer Rattler, South Carolina

6'1" 200 lbs.
2021 Stats - 140/187 1,483 yds 11 touchdowns 5 interceptions/43 carries 77 yds 3 touchdowns (Oklahoma)
To be 100% honest, I really don't know what to expect from Spencer Rattler this upcoming season. If we're just speaking on talent alone, he may be the best quarterback in college football, but he comes off as somewhat of a douche when you watch him interact with some of his teammates, past and present, and see the relationship between him and the Oklahoma fans. Coming from the state of Iowa, I know for damn sure that Iowa State fans cannot stand the former Oklahoma quarterback, and are probably thrilled that he is finally out of the conference. After he was benched for Caleb Williams against Texas, the second straight year Rattler was benched against the Longhorns, it wasn't a matter if he was going ton transfer, it was just a matter of where. Out of all the possible locations for Rattler to transfer to, I don't really think anyone was expecting him to head out east to South Carolina to replace a former Cyclone in Zeb Noland. Like, given how talented Rattler is, this has to be one of the most surprising transfers in college football history, right? I mean, sure, he's playing in the SEC, which is widely considered to be the best conference in college football, but South Carolina? A team that finished 7-6 last season and had an offense that was almost on par with Iowa's? I know that Shane Beamer, the Gamecocks head coach, was once at Oklahoma, but still, this is still a weird move, at least to me. All that being said, I wouldn't be surprised if it did end up working out because again, Rattler is insanely talented. Out of everyone in this class, Rattler may very well have the strongest arm. If not, he is at least the most effortless thrower of the football, not just in this class, but possibly out of everyone in college football. He can make throws on the run, he can stand in the pocket, and, most importantly, can makes any throw from any angle. Like we said before, after getting benched in the same game two years on the bounce, the jury is kind of out on Spencer Rattler. If he can realize his potential, he could easily be the top quarterback in this class once it's all said and done.

9. Cameron Ward, Washington State

6'3" 225 lbs.
2021 Stats - 384/590 4,648 yds 47 touchdowns 10 interceptions/77 carries 61 yds 1 touchdown (Incarnate Word)
Cameron Ward is an FCS transfer from Incarnate Word, so this is all projection that he'll be the same quarterback he was moving up to the FBS level with Washington State. That being said, Ward did put together a nice little performance at the Cougars spring game, going 21/30 for 246 yards and four touchdowns, so it's obvious to see that the potential is there. While at Incarnate Word, Ward put up some crazy numbers, throwing for 4,648 yards with 47 touchdowns, which saw him rank third and second in the FCS respectfully. Since Mike Leach headed down south to coach at Mississippi State, Washington State's offense hasn't been as proficient, going from the nation's best passing attack in 2019 to somewhere closer to the middle in 2021. That being said, this will be the first official year under new head coach Jake Dickert, who took over from Nick Rolovich mid-way through last season. Though nothing has been announced, Ward looks to be the favorite to be the Cougars starting quarterback for the upcoming season. Though Ward has a pretty interesting throwing motion, it's effective, as he was able to carve up defenses left and right at the FCS level. Though Incarnate Word ran a lot of RPOs and short passes, Ward wasn't afraid to let one rip down the field, as he has a strong enough arm to make every throw on the field. Like I said before, this is all projection, but if Ward's play at Incarnate Word is anything to go off of, he could sneak up there as one of the best in college football.

10. Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina

6'3" 210 lbs.
2021 Stats - 176/241 2,873 yds 27 touchdowns 3 interceptions/93 carries 290 yds 4 touchdowns
Grayson McCall is a very fun quarterback playing for a very fun team. A couple of years ago, Coastal Carolina grabbed the nation's attention. A team that plays on a teal football field that was supposed to come in last in their conference is not only top of their conference, but ranked in the top 25, finishing the 2020 season ranked 12th in the nation, above the likes of Iowa, USC, Texas, Oklahoma State, and Oregon. Though the Chanticleers didn't reach the same heights this past season as they did in 2020, they still finished with an 11-2 record and picked up a bowl win against Northern Illinois. Like we said before, Coastal Carolina is the hipsters favorite college football team, with Grayson McCall being the leader of the squad. What is there not to like about Grayson McCall? The flow? The binky mouthguard? The smeared on eye black? Everything about him exemplifies everything Coastal Carolina is all about, which is just fun. The thing is, for McCall, though he's putting up very good numbers, he's not necessarily playing a murderers row of teams or anything. I understand Appalachian State, Georgia State, and Louisiana are tough opponents, but they're not necessarily going to move the needle, are they? I hear what you're saying, players like Zach Wilson and Malik Willis didn't play extremely tough teams but you were high on them, so why not McCall? That's fair. Like I said before though, the dude is putting up very nice numbers, but, as of right now, he doesn't possesses the same skill set and natural abilities that Wilson and Willis had/have. Now that's not saying McCall isn't skilled, he is. The dude has a nice arm, he's accurate, he's a good decision maker, and he's decently athletic, not to mention he's got good size. But right now, I just don't see the decision makers in the draft moving for McCall, at this point and time. This list is fluid, so I'm not saying he can't move up the list, but right now, I think he slots in nicely at nine. (Like Levis, McCall is losing some key pieces on offense, with Shemari Jones, Jaivon Heiligh, and Isaiah Likely all moving on to the NFL)