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The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine marks a critical milestone in the journey of aspiring NFL players. Each year, the combine provides an opportunity for college football prospects to showcase their athletic abilities and catch the attention of NFL coaches, scouts, and executives. This year, the event promises to be an exciting and competitive one, with top prospects from across the country eager to prove their worth on the field.
The NFL Scouting Combine consists of a series of physical and mental tests designed to evaluate players' athletic abilities, football skills, and mental toughness. From the 40-yard dash to the bench press, the combine tests players in a variety of ways, providing valuable insight into each player's strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, players are interviewed by NFL teams to assess their character and football IQ.
The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is expected to draw a significant amount of attention from football fans and analysts alike. With several high-profile prospects expected to participate, there will be no shortage of drama and intrigue as NFL teams look to identify the next generation of football stars. This article will provide an in-depth look at what fans and enthusiasts can expect from the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, including the top prospects to watch at the quarterback position as things begin to shake out for the NFL Draft.
Top Tier
The top of the board as we head into the combine varies among analysts around the league. But the two players most commonly viewed as the best in the class are Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. Both are being viewed as the potential number one overall pick, but that distinction differs depending on the opinions you see.
Bryce Young enters the Scouting Combine as a player that can wow you from a statistical standpoint as he has been highly productive in the Crimson Tide offense each of the last two years. But what many are waiting to see is his measurables. He is listed at 6 feet tall, but let's be honest, that could be a very modest measurement, to say the least. Odds are he will come in very short of that mark. Not to question his talent by any means, but players of that smaller stature have proven over time to either fight off the injury bug or just simply not consistently produce at a high level in the NFL.
This concern causes a little bit of a pause for me as I project his fantasy profile moving forward. He will be declared the starter from the time he steps on the field with a team, but producing as a QB1 may be a tall task. The consistency will be a factor for him and leave him as a fringe QB1/QB2 in dynasty for a number of years.
C.J. Stroud comes in as the top quarterback for me in this class. He looks the part and demonstrates as the necessary skills as a passer that you want to see at the next level. Although he does not have elite arm talent, it is good enough combined with his ability to manipulate a secondary as he reads coverage. He throws with great anticipation and his flashes of excellent accuracy is shown by the fact that his 26.7% rate of perfectly placed balls leads all of CFB since 2021. What he will have to fix at the next level is his tendency to back away from pressure in the pocket. If he cleans that aspect up and continues to grow as a passer, Stroud should be looked back on as the best QB in this class.
Projecting him out from a fantasy standpoint, Stroud should be the first QB off the board in dynasty rookie drafts as I believe he has the highest ceiling in Year One. Going forward, his potential will be determined by the offense built around him. If provided with solid weapons as we saw at Ohio State, the numbers could be gaudy. Especially if he progresses and uses his mobility to add in rushing capabilities in fantasy. In a nutshell, Stroud is the most polished and pro-ready quarterback in this class and for fantasy purposes.
The Best of the Rest
Will Levis is typically the next name you see on this list and was a Jekyll-and-Hyde player over the last two years at Kentucky. His name is all over the map according to scouts, where some believe him to be worthy of a top-three selection, while others see bust potential in his game. He has the prototypical combination of size, mobility, and arm strength you want to see from a prospect. But from a statistical standpoint, he fell short of what you'd like to see from a top prospect. In Fantasy, Levis could land anywhere on the map. He has the tools to become a solid QB1 depending on how an offense is constructed around him. But he could also become the next Zach Wilson, a big-armed QB that flashes in the testing process but ultimately cannot progress at the next level. In dynasty, I am betting on the latter and would let him fall to another manager to deal with the growing pains.
Anthony Richardson is currently the wildcard of the NFL Draft. His betting odds to become the top pick has looked like a rollercoaster at Six Flags in recent weeks. I won't doubt the athleticism as he displays a skillset that cannot be matched by any other prospect in this draft, but where he falls short for me is from the passing perspective.
Watching the film, you see flashes of brilliance, but mostly what you see is a quarterback that struggles with consistency in accuracy. His high mark will be what he can bring to the table as a runner in fantasy (654 yards in 2022). The NFL team that pulls the trigger on him in the draft will be hoping for the next Lamar Jackson from a production standpoint. That may be a tall task to take on as I believe Jackson was the purer passer coming out. Richardson's fantasy stock will solely be tied to the team and offense he lands on. As the team will need to shift their offensive mentality to fit him, similar to how we saw the Bears do that with Justin Fields in 2022. In dynasty, Richardson will be the ultimate boom-or-bust pick. If you are solidified at the position and can take the chance to watch his development, he's worth a shot.
Hendon Hooker is the quarterback being slept on during this drafting cycle. The late-season ACL tear absolutely killed his stock, but all things seem good to go as he rehabs the injury. He'll not be participating in drills at the Scouting Combine, but his interviews with teams will be vital. What see on tape and from a statistical standpoint speaks for itself. He perhaps has the best deep ball in this class, but he also takes great care of the ball (5 INT since 2021).
His year-over-year development has been impressive and has been a total student of the game during his tenure as a Vol. If he lands in the right situation and can make the adjustment to the next level, Hooker has the tools to be a solid contributor to fantasy managers for years to come. I'm not saying that he is Deshaun Watson, but the aspects of his game are very similar and there is a path to becoming a QB1 in fantasy in the right offense.
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