Have you watched his tape? Put it up against the other guys in this draft and then draw your own conclusions. Its really not that hard. Williams FLIES off the film. Mouth ajar type of stuff. I hate comps in general, so I get the Mahomes stuff, but Caleb is the real deal.
My problem with punting on QB for next year for a guy like Williams isn't accepting that he could be an elite talent. It's that if he's that elite, he's going No. 1 overall. And if the Texans couldn't pull off getting the worst record with the dumpster fire teams they had the last two seasons, what are the odds they're going to pull it off this year with an actual coach and improved personnel?
It’s like talking to a wall with this point. Everyone just assumes we’ll get exactly what we want next year.
Right, but I also dont think this team is going to be as good as some fans think it will be. We wont be far from being able to make a ridiculous offer especially if Caserio works his jelly this draft and accumulates more picks. Even then there is Drake Maye, Quin Ewers and some others who would make you take a long look and compare favorably to any QB in this draft. I think Houston could offer up 3 or 4 (maybe more) first rounders if the deal presents itself and wouldnt be in bad place for future drafts if they hit a homerun tomorrow night.
So which QB in this year’s class will beat out Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, or Aaron Rodgers to reach the Super Bowl? Therein lies the problem. We’d be burning premium draft capital to lock ourselves in to mediocrity at best at the QB position. Not smart! Grab an elite player instead.
So instead of taking a QB with the #2 pick. We are going to punt to next year so we can give up 3 or 4 first rounders for a better qb? You realize we got 3 first rounders for deshaun Watson. You are really ready to bet the same amount on a qb that hasn’t played a down in the nfl??? But somehow risking zero extra picks on one of the top 2 QBs this year is worse? Talk about a team killer… here’s 3 first round picks, hope you live up to your potential!!
So instead of taking a QB with the #2 pick. We are going to punt to next year so we can give up 3 or 4 first rounders for a better qb? You realize we got 3 first rounders for deshaun Watson. You are really ready to bet the same amount on a qb that hasn’t played a down in the nfl??? But somehow risking zero extra picks on one of the top 2 QBs this year is worse? Talk about a team killer… here’s 3 first round picks, hope you live up to your potential!!
Yeah instead lets draft a QB with the #2 pick that has question marks and pray everyday that he pans out and waste years deceiving ourselves that he is "HIM" and start the merry go round again in 3 seasons. That sounds like an awesome plan.
Spoiler https://theathletic.com/4439821/2023/04/26/nfl-draft-name-guide/ Dane Brugler’s voluminous Beast is a treasure trove of information. The scouting reports, the insights, the verified testing results, the ages. And yet, the most precious jewels of all are found among the names of the 1,839 players profiled. Time to share the wealth. Best at praying 1. Maxwell Worship (DB, Vanderbilt) Most likely to have Daddy issues 1. Logan Kendall (TE, Utah) Most likely to appear later this season on ‘Succession’ 5. Aidan Borguet (RB, Harvard) 4. A.T. Perry (WR, Wake Forest) 3. Colton Dowell (WR, Tennessee-Martin) 2. Mason Pierce (CB, Colorado-Mines) 1. Jaquelin Roy (DT, LSU) Most likely to pay for Twitter Blue 3. Trey Botts (DT, Colorado State-Pueblo) 2. Tyler Hoosman (RB, North Dakota) 1. Jarret Doege (QB, Troy) Most likely to appear on the next ‘Sopranos’ reboot 4. Zach Angelillo (FB, Northern Colorado) 3. Vincent Picozzi (OG, Northwestern) 2. Dominick Fiscelli (WR, Northern State) 1. Tommy DeVito (QB, Illinois) Most likely Chris Berman-isms within the top 100 19. Marte Mapu “Sheisty” (S, Sacramento State) 18. Brenton Strange “bedfellows” (TE, Penn State) 17. “And I would walk 500” Myles Murphy (Edge, Clemson) 16. Trenton Simpson, “D’oh” (LB, Clemson) 15. Kelee Ringo “Starr” (CB, Georgia) 14. Josh “Churchill” Downs (WR, North Carolina) 13. Jordan Battle “of the Bulge” (S, Alabama) 12. Bryce Young “and the restless” (QB, Alabama) 11. “The Untouchable” Lukas Van Ness (Edge, Iowa) 10. Tucker Kraft “macaroni and cheese” (TE, South Dakota State) 9. Dawand “and datwo” Jones (OT, Ohio State) 8. Darius Rush “delivery” (CB, South Carolina) 7. “The San Francisco treat,” Rashee Rice “-a-roni” (WR, SMU) 6. Zacch “slim” Pickens (DT, South Carolina) 5. Michael Mayer “of Easttown” (TE, Notre Dame) 4. John Michael Schmitz, “his name is my name too” (C, Minnesota) 3. Jonathan “maybe the” Mingo “ate your baby” (WR, Ole Miss) 2. Henry “stubbed his” To’oTo’o (LB, Alabama) 1. Zach Charbonnet “sauvignon” (RB, UCLA) Worst wedding DJ 7. DJ Turner (CB, Michigan) 6. DJ Ivey (CB, Miami) 5. DJ Stuckey (OL, UNLV) 4. DJ Stirgus (CB, Missouri Western) 3. Shocky Jacques-Louis (WR, Akron) 2. DJ Dale (DT, Alabama) 1. Mac Hippenhammer (WR, Miami-Ohio) Funniest spoonerisms 22. Paul Garrett (RB, Greenville) 21. Cam Jones (LB, Indiana) 20. Joe Tippmann (C, Wisconsin) 19. Nick Herbig (LB, Wisconsin) 18. De Mays (CB, West Alabama) 17. Kyle Patterson (TE, Air Force) 16. Manny Jones (WR, Alcorn State) 15. Nick Pagano (WR, Olivet) 14. Blake Freeland (OT, BYU) 13. Marshon Ford (TE, Louisville) 12. Victor Talley (WR, Valdosta State) 11. Victor Tucker (WR, Charlotte) 10. Marcus Cooper (RB, Incarnate Word) 9. Cody Mauch (OT, North Dakota State) 8. Thyrick Pitts (WR, Delaware) 7. Broderick Jones (OT, Georgia) 6. Cole Tucker (WR, Northern Illinois) 5. Brian Cobbs (WR, Utah State) 4. Jake Chisholm (RB, Dayton) 3. Deon Pate (LB, Illinois) 2. Lummie Young IV (S, Tulane) 1. Luke Ford (TE, Illinois) Best ‘Lord of the Rings’ review 1. Elijah Cooks (WR, San Jose State) Best other full sentences 12. Keylon Stokes (WR, Tulsa) 11. Damon Bonds (RB, Lake Forest) 10. Robert Burns (RB, Connecticut) 9. Josh Downs (WR, North Carolina) 8. Zay Flowers (WR, Boston College) 7. Dontae Keys (OT, Colorado State) 6. Paiton Fears (OL, Arizona) 5. Shed Jackson (WR, Auburn) 4. Julien Gums (RB, Nicholls State) 3. Trey Mounts (WR, Montana Western) 2. Shannon Showers (DB, West Florida) 1. Karsten Battles (LS, Oregon) Most likely to have been teased in middle school 5. Kayshon Boutte (WR, LSU) 4. Hunter Johnson (QB, Clemson) 3. Hendon Hooker (QB, Tennessee) 2. Zack Kuntz (TE, Old Dominion) 1. Darius Pinnix (RB, Tiffin) Worst diagnosis for a Spanish parent’s child 1. Barney Amor (P, Penn State) Most likely to be said about Jake behind his back 2. Jake Bobo (WR, UCLA) 1. Jake Moody (K, Michigan) Most concise description of a painting 2. Art Green (CB, Houston) 1. Drew Bones (C, Illinois State) Best source of auto parts 1. Callahan O’Reilly (LB, Montana State) Most likely to colonize Isaiah 3. Isaiah Moore (LB, NC State) 2. Isaiah Land (LB, Florida A&M) 1. John Smith (CB, Holy Cross) Most likely to have a restraining order from Lil’ Penny 1. Anfernee Orji (LB, Vanderbilt) Most likely sandwich shop in ‘Coming to America 3’ 1. Jacorey Johns (Edge, Wake Forest) Creepiest classified ad 1. Will Lay III (OG, Georgia Tech) Most lyrical 13. Kyle Soelle (LB, Arizona State) 12. Steve Avila (OL, TCU) 11. Jordan Howden (DB, Minnesota) 10. Lorenz Metz (OG, Cincinnati) 9. Tuli Tuipulotu (Edge, USC) 8. Fotis Kokosioulis (WR, Fordham) 7. Nikko Remigio (WR, Fresno State) 6. Tyler Taylor (LB, UAB) 5. Toa Taua (RB, Nevada) 4. Andre Landry (Edge, Louisiana) 3. Tavis Malakius (DT, UNLV) 2. Puka Nacua (WR, BYU) 1. Yaya Diaby (Edge, Louisville) Most mid 1. Briggs Bourgeois (K, Southern Miss) Most badass 11. Scrappy Norman (S, Colorado Mesa) 10. Maverick Wolfley (TE, West Florida) 9. Elijah Mack (RB, Limestone) 8. Brandon Outlaw (WR, USC) 7. Antonio Strong (S, Grand Valley State) 6. Elijah Blades (CB, Buffalo) 5. Tank Bigsby (RB, Auburn) 4. Justus Smith (OG, Grand Valley State) 3. Stone Azarcon (S, Utah) 2. Jadakis Bonds (WR, Hampton) 1. Juice Scruggs (C, Penn State) Worst superpower 1. Issac Power (P, Baylor) Most French description of John Fetterman’s attire 1. Tre’Mond Shorts (OT, LSU) Best science fiction characters 54. Sidy Sow (OG, Eastern Michigan) 53. Shaheem Haltiwanger (Edge, Towson) 52. Momo Sanogo (LB, Louisville) 51. Henry Yianakopolos (S, Rhode Island) 50. Ferlando Jordan (S, SE Louisiana) 49. Jullen Ison (RB, Colorado Mesa) 48. Jayzen Armstrong (CB, Concordia-Nebraska) 47. Devodric Bynum (CB, UAB) 46. Khalan Laborn (RB, Marshall) 45. TyJuan Garbutt (Edge, Virginia Tech) 44. Ike Irabor (RB, Union) 43. Momar Fall (DT, Colorado State-Pueblo) 42. Wardalis Ducksworth (Edge, Memphis) 41. Latrell Bumphus (DT, Tennessee) 40. Jarrick Bernard-Converse (CB, LSU) 39. Kee Whetzel (LB, West Florida) 38. Kilian Zierer (OT, Auburn) 37. Kyu Blu Kelly (CB, Stanford) 36. Seyddrick Lakalaka (LB, San Diego State) 35. Reidgee Dimanche (LB, Stony Brook) 34. Naytron Culpepper (CB, Alabama State) 33. Korrell Koehlmoos (WR, Concordia) 32. Te’Vailance Hunt (WR, Arkansas State) 31. James Nyamwaya (DT, Merrimack) 30. Jevin Frett (WR, Louisiana-Monroe) 29. Kaejin Smith-Bejgrowicz (LB, Utah Tech) 28. Mataio Talalemotu (WR, Portland State) 27. Damien Crumitie (CB, Northern Iowa) 26. Zarak Scruggs (WR, Abilene Christian) 25. Zayin West (Edge, Kent State) 24. Nesta Jade Silvera (DT, Arizona State) 23. Lwal Uguak (DT, TCU) 22. Jeremie Karngbaye (TE, West Texas A&M) 21. Loic Ngassam Nya (OG, Wake Forest) 20. Dagan Rienks (TE, Colorado Mesa) 19. Tautala Pesefea Jr. (DT, Arizona State) 18. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR, Ohio State) 17. Janaz Jordan (DT, Towson) 16. Xach Gill (DT, Temple) 15. Brock Annexstad (WR, Illinois State) 14. Amechi Uzodinma II (CB, Ball State) 13. Adonicas Sanders (WR, Temple) 12. Mo Osling III (S, UCLA) 11. Ekow Boye-Doe (CB, Kansas State) 10. Jarques McClellion (S, Florida State) 9. Quent Titre (DT, Rice) 8. Exree Loe (LB, West Virginia) 7. Palaie Gaoteote IV (LB, Ohio State) 6. Muhindo Kapapa (DT, San Diego) 5. Kibet Chepyator (TE, Missouri) 4. Harrison Bagayogo (CB, Guelph) 3. Habakkuk Baldonado (Edge, Pittsburgh) 2. Korbyn Personett (Edge, Monmouth) 1. Cosmas Kwete (Edge, Northern Arizona) Best sound effect for someone spitting 2. Andre Szmyt (K, Syracuse) 1. Gabe Houy (OT, Pittsburgh) Best romance novel objects of desire 26. Devious Christmon (CB, Bethel) 25. Ty Van Fossen (LB, Cincinnati) 24. Francis Bemiy (Edge, Southern Utah) 23. Romello Kimbrough (FB, North Carolina A&T) 22. Barrett Banister (WR, Missouri) 21. Rontavius Groves (WR, Texas State) 20. LaQuinston Sharp (C, Mississippi State) 19. Cedrice Paillant (OG, Marshall) 18. Ellis Merriweather (RB, Massachusetts) 17. Marquallius Turner Jr. (CB, Louisiana Tech) 16. Emari Demercado (RB, TCU) 15. Delante Hellams Jr. (WR, Stony Brook) 14. Vandarius Cowan (Edge, Maryland) 13. Sylvonta Oliver (CB, Memphis) 12. Desmond Bessent (OT, Buffalo) 11. Dedrick Vanover (CB, Morehouse) 10. Lucious Stanley (RB, Miami) 9. Bentavious Thompson (RB, Oklahoma) 8. Monte Pottebaum (FB, Iowa) 7. Devin Dourisseau (LB, Langston) 6. Marques DeShields (RB, Rhode Island) 5. Deslin Alexandre (Edge, Pittsburgh) 4. SaRodorick Thompson (RB, Texas Tech) 3. Xazavian Valladay (RB, Arizona State) 2. Carrington Valentine (CB, Kentucky) 1. Alejandro Andrade (S, Concordia-Minnesota)
Spoiler Most likely to play at Coachella 8. Toriano Clinton (RB, Indianapolis) 7. Jalen Sample (WR, Minnesota State) 6. Dru Prox (LB, Texas-San Antonio) 5. JuanCarlos Santana (WR, Tulsa) 4. Cam Bright (LB, Washington) 3. Jamyest Williams (RB, Georgia State) 2. Johnny King (WR, SE Missouri State) 1. Skyler Perry (QB, Arkansas-Pine Bluff) Least likely to play at Coachella 6. Clayton Thrasher (LB, Peru State) 5. Seth Ham (Edge, Ottawa-Arizona) 4. Tanner Ingle (S, NC State) 3. Yul Gowdy (CB, Jacksonville State) 2. Johnny Lumpkin (TE, Louisiana) 1. Axel Ruschmeyer (OG, Minnesota) Most likely to be my colleague 1. Austin Mock (LS, Liberty) Most likely to have a large father 1. Wayne Taulapapa (RB, Washington) Most likely to sell bad water 1. Bernard Goodwater (RB, Prairie View A&M) Meanest thing to say about Percy Agyei 1. Percy Agyei-Obese (RB, James Madison) Best team fits 6. Philadelphia Eagles and Delano Ware (S, Western Michigan) 5. Houston Texans and Houston Heimuli (FB, BYU) 4. Cleveland Browns and Charlie Cleveland (Edge, Tiffin) 3. Miami Dolphins and Chandler Dolphin (C, Utah State) 2. Pittsburgh Steelers and Yo’Heinz Tyler (WR, Ball State) 1. New York Giants and Dylan Classi (WR, Princeton) Most likely to be evil 3. Gunner Romney (WR, BYU) 2. Chancellor Brewington (TE, Nebraska) 1. Jafar Armstrong (WR, Western Illinois) Most Canadian 2. Ontario Douglas (RB, Tarleton State) 1. Nijul Canada (S, Lane) Best use of repetition 3. Malaki Malaki (LB, Utah Tech) 2. Fa’Avae Fa’Avae (LB, Idaho) 1. Poutasi Poutasi (OG, Northern Arizona) Most unnecessary prequel 1. Boogie Knight (WR, Louisiana-Monroe) Best opportunity for a mistaken identity grift on Cameo 4. Daniel Trejo (P, Texas) 3. Samuel Jackson (OT, UCF) 2. Kortney Cox (CB, Florida A&M) 1. Jacky Chen (OT, Pace) Most likely mistranslation of ‘Gruden Grinder’ 1. Gannon Grider (OT, Benedictine) Funniest member of King Arthur’s court 4. Deneric Prince (RB, Tulsa) 3. Matthew Jester (LB, Princeton) 2. Ye’Majesty Sanders (OT, Jacksonville State) 1. Merlin Robertson (LB, Arizona State) Best beach drink 3. Bryan Bresee (DT, Clemson) 2. Massimo Biscardi (K, Mississippi State) 1. Dacquari Wilson (C, North Carolina A&T) Most mojo 1. Morris Joseph Jr. (Edge, Auburn) Most likely to be Rocky’s motivation 1. Adrian Hope (LB, Coastal Carolina) Most fun 1. Bumper Pool (LB, Arkansas) Best description of where Duke is 1. Ivory Durham (QB, Valdosta State) Most likely to own Kerwin 1. Mike Irwin (QB, Portland State) Most likely to work in finance 10. Braheam Murphy (RB, Army) 9. Olivier Charles-Pierre (DT, Incarnate Word) 8. Princeton Fant (TE, Tennessee) 7. John Wesley Whiteside (DT, Central Michigan) 6. John Samuel Shenker (TE, Auburn) 5. B.T. Potter (K, Clemson) 4. Charles Ellington III (DT, Wayne State) 3. Morgan Vest (S, Northern Arizona) 2. Trevor Brohard (LB, New Mexico State) 1. Jordan Boatman (OT, Sam Houston) Best religious leader 8. Bryce Cross (S, Western Illinois) 7. Lamont Bishop (LB, Oklahoma State) 6. Zion Bowens (WR, Hawaii) 5. Divine Obichere (DT, Boise State) 4. Praise Okorie (WR, Louisiana Tech) 3. Zane Pope (WR, Fresno State) 2. Mohamad Amen (LB, Ferris State) 1. Blessman Ta’ala (DT, Hawaii) Best pseudonym for a gorilla posing as human 1. David Zorrilla (WR, Bryant) Most accomplished athlete 12. Nolan Smith (Edge, Georgia) 11. Jack Wilson (OT, Washington State) 10. Chris Jackson (WR, BYU) 9. Nick Anderson (LB, Tulane) 8. Tobias Harris (CB, Old Dominion) 7. Troy Brown (LB, Ole Miss) 6. Ronnie Brown (RB, Shepherd) 5. Tyler Adams (WR, Butler) 4. Brad Johnson (LB, South Carolina) 3. Duane Brown (WR, Indiana-Pennsylvania) 2. Cam Smith (CB, South Carolina) 1. Trevor Hoffman (WR, Montana Tech) Most hastily thought of fake name 5. RJ Potts (LB, Northern Colorado) 4. Dresser Winn (QB, Tennessee-Martin) 3. Greg China-Rose (Edge, Maryland) 2. Adam Plant Jr. (Edge, UNLV) 1. Guy Thomas (LB, Colorado) Most likely to order pickup 1. Jamie Tago (DT, Missouri Southern State) Most free-spirited 1. Wylan Free (DB, Georgia Southern) Worst Halloween costume 2. Nugget Warren (CB, Jackson State) 1. Hombre Kennedy (CB, Charleston Southern) Most likely to have hippie parents 1. Jett Hendrix (DB, Eastern Kentucky) Worst news about your painting of Kiefer 1. Kiefer Askew (CB, John Carroll) Most likely to own a bar one day 1. Paddy Lynch (P, Youngstown State) Most definitive end to an argument with a stuffed animal 1. Teddy Wright (S, Marist) Most likely to be a dog’s inner monologue when the UPS driver arrives 1. Chase Brown (RB, Illinois) Most likely to make Kirk Cousins laugh 1. Michael Scott (LB, South Dakota) Worst news for Darion 1. Darion Chafin (WR, Incarnate Word) Biggest Chick-fil-A fan 1. Chuck Filiaga (OG, Minnesota) Best description of where the pertinent information is 1. Solon Page III (LB, Tennessee) Least likely to succeed 2. Peter Afful (WR, Washburn) 1. Chance Lytle (OG, Duke)
Personally, I wouldn't take one at 2. I think you get an elite defensive prospect with that spot who can have a huge impact from Day 1 and you look to get whoever's left at 12. Maybe you trade up a couple of spots if you just absolutely have to. Or you wait until the 2nd for Hooker at a lower risk spot. But if you don't feel great about any QB, you don't waste the No. 2 pick in the draft on it.
Which means every team in the NFL who needs a QB will want him. Texans can’t necessarily get him just because they want him. If the team that finishes last this season needs a QB, do you think they are going to trade away that pick if he is this great? It won’t matter what you offer.
Spoiler https://theathletic.com/4449493/202...oung-cj-stroud-will-levis-anthony-richardson/ There’s a fascinating dynamic at play at the top of the NFL Draft. Though the majority of executives and coaches polled by The Athletic in recent months believe Bryce Young is the best quarterback in the class, opinions have varied as of late over what the Panthers will do Thursday at No. 1. This lack of clarity has created a lot of intrigue in the Carolina operation. “If I were them, I could make an argument for all four (quarterbacks), which is the weird thing,” said a high-ranking team executive, who, like all the sources in this story, was granted anonymity so he could speak freely. Those four quarterbacks, of course, are Young, C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis. They’ve all got incredibly high potential with different strengths and weaknesses, so the evaluation process has been intensive. But is it as simple as taking the perceived best player when there are also concerns over Young’s size and arm strength? Or do the characteristics of the player take precedence, such as Stroud’s projection as the best pure pocket passer among the group? Panthers head coach Frank Reich and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown were also pocket passers in their playing days, and Reich’s primary quarterbacks as a coordinator and head coach since 2014 have been Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Nick Foles, Andrew Luck, Jacoby Brissett and Matt Ryan — all of whom typically preferred to play from the pocket. “I think Carolina makes more sense to go with C.J.,” an offensive coach said. “They’re going to want a quarterback. Bryce Young is still limited in terms of all that stuff. I feel like they’re going to want to build around a quarterback, like a true quarterback. I don’t care how you slice it. The NFL is still looking for the prototype. Bryce Young and Kyler Murray are the exceptions, not the rule.” The logic checks out, right? It could either be Young or Stroud, who have been viewed as the top pair of quarterbacks for much of the pre-draft process, so the complicating factors should be limited. Or not. “If it’s not Young,” an executive said, “then I think it’s Richardson.” The scenario had the executive thinking back to the 2007 NBA Draft, when the Blazers took Greg Oden at No. 1 and left Kevin Durant for the SuperSonics at No. 2. “I think it’s Bryce,” the executive said, “but I also think I’d rather be (the Texans) and take Kevin Durant.” Now tying in the original question, is there a Durant in this NFL Draft? Which quarterback is the best fit? Several executives and coaches broke it down. Bryce Young Young is the latest in a line of Alabama quarterbacks with promising draft stock, and the former top recruit might be the most decorated among the bunch. He’s a playmaker who passed for 8,200 yards, registered 86 total touchdowns and only threw 12 interceptions over his two full seasons as the starter. “Playmaking instincts are his obvious separator,” an executive said. Young has made plays in all types of ways, and he’s been clutch with his creativity. There’s a belief he can succeed as a Week 1 starter. “Bryce has unbelievable anticipation, touch, feel. That’s what makes him great,” an offensive coach said. “He’s Steph Curry with a football in his hands. He’s a magician. He’s a no-brainer early (in the draft). Wherever the first or second pick goes, he’s going to have to play. Bryce being someone who can extend the play and make plays on his own, those guys are going to have to play early, and those are the guys who have a little more success early because they can really create on their own and make plays.” But at 5 feet 10 and 204 pounds (his NFL combine weight), Young’s size is a real concern. He had a healthy career at Alabama against the best defenses in the country, and the Crimson Tide team doctor vouched for his durability this week. If Young is continually trying to make plays outside the pocket, though, can he sustain the number of hits from the bigger, faster competition? As noted earlier, the majority of evaluators who weighed in on this topic in recent months believed Young was the best quarterback. And yet, every single one of them pointed toward his size as a concern, simply noting the investment in a franchise quarterback also carries the uncertainty of career longevity based on projected — even though at this point largely unsubstantiated — injury risks. “The deterrent is size and stature,” an executive said. Another offensive coach added, “Size and ability to play in pocket are legit concerns.” The latter issue came up elsewhere. Though the trend is to find quarterbacks who can make plays off schedule when everything else breaks down, can Young do it consistently enough in the pocket? “I don’t think he has an elite arm,” an offensive coach said. “Kyler Murray is little, but Kyler Murray has a rip of an arm. But with Bryce, my fear is it’s third-and-8, they’re playing man coverage, tight-window throws where you can’t escape the pocket, you’ve got defensive ends (flying) off the edges. Can he stand in the pocket and deliver a ball in a tight window where you need to throw it?” C.J. Stroud The Ohio State product is a prototypical quarterback at 6 feet 3 and 214 pounds. He wants to stand in the pocket and deliver pass after pass to stay on schedule. “Total package in terms of the thrower,” an executive said. A coach who ranked Stroud as his best quarterback added, “Best combo of arm talent, pocket ability and athleticism.” But for teams in search of quarterbacks who can extend plays, Stroud might not be in play before Young, Richardson or Levis. There have also been knocks on Stroud’s ability to break away from his initial reads, and he reportedly didn’t perform well on the S2 test that measures a quarterback’s ability to quickly process information — though the validity of those reports is under some question. “I hope the test doesn’t kill the kid,” an offensive coach said. Anthony Richardson Richardson and Levis were essentially in a dead heat for the third quarterback off the board among executives and coaches who were polled in recent weeks. At 6 feet 4 and 244 pounds, Richardson is the most physically imposing quarterback in the top tier, and he’s got a massive arm and explosive running ability. “Richardson is a freak. I mean, he’s a physical freak,” a coach said. “If you put Bryce Young in Anthony Richardson’s body, you have a generational player.” An executive passed along his pros and cons: “High-level physical traits. Lack of experience.” The two concerns with Richardson have been the 54.7 career completion percentage and 6-7 record in 13 starts at Florida. Generally speaking, NFL teams want to see high-end quarterbacks win in college, and the precision throws aren’t going to get any easier at the pro level. “The accuracy is a little scary,” an executive said. “On tape, he just oozes a confidence about him. He’s got good athleticism and a strong arm. I think he can make plays off schedule, which is kind of what this league has turned into. There’s a lot to like there.” Another coach added, “Big athlete with big arm. Accuracy and decision-making are issues. Couldn’t win at Florida.” Will Levis Levis is another physically imposing signal caller at 6 feet 3 and 229 pounds, and the arm, athleticism, toughness and a lack of big-game experience have yielded comparisons to the Josh Allen projections. Levis advocates in the NFL believe his potential is incredibly high. His detractors point toward the 23 interceptions in 24 games over the last two seasons as a major caution. “I’d be scared to draft that guy in the first round,” an executive said. “He’s thrown 23 interceptions in the last two years. That’s pretty scary.” Though Levis’ 23 interceptions over the past two seasons are the second most among Dane Brugler’s top 22 quarterback prospects and nine more than the consensus top four prospects, it’s only fair to point toward the context between his breakout season in 2021 and a lackluster year in 2022. He admittedly tried making too many plays — a trend he’ll have to eradicate in the NFL — because Kentucky’s offensive line turned over and was battered by injuries. Furthermore, Levis’ running ability was eradicated by turf toe; two of his top receivers went pro and were replaced by true freshmen; the starting running back missed an extended stretch, and offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s replacement, Rich Scagarello, was fired after his lone season. So teams must weigh the positives — success under Coen, a Sean McVay disciple, in a pro-style offense — against the negatives of too many interceptions and inconsistent play. “Needs development, but arm talent, size and general athleticism are rare,” an offensive coach said. “Accuracy, decision-making and pocket presence are concerns.”
Spoiler So what happens? If the Panthers go with the consensus evaluation, Young is the safest pick because of his ability to play right away and perform at a high level after his career at Alabama. But if it’s a close evaluation, and Reich wants to coach a pocket passer, it’ll be Stroud. And if it’s about a projection that could wield the greatest results, they could lean toward Richardson. No, that doesn’t answer the question about what will happen early Thursday night, but it’s genuinely how the league is working to project the Panthers’ decision. It’s still a mystery, and the Panthers have not yet uncovered a beneficial reason to leak their strategy. There’s been some smoke the Texans could bypass a quarterback or trade down if their player isn’t on the board. If the latter is true, it means they’ve only got one quarterback worthy of a No. 2 pick, and they’re assessing their options. It remains unclear whether the Texans are trying to move down or they’re just doing their homework to get a jump on the best possible trade packages. “No one knows what they are doing at No. 2,” an executive said. For general manager Nick Caserio, the cloak of mystery is befitting of a decision-maker hailing from the school of Bill Belichick. But if he’s in search of a pocket passer to nearest resemble the long-time Patriots offense, Stroud should be the best fit with Young close enough behind. “Levis and Richardson aren’t going to sit back in the pocket and make throw after throw,” an offensive coach observed. The Texans’ other advantage to hiding their intentions: They might be comfortable enough with all four quarterbacks (or conversely, none of them) that they could bait a team into trading up to bypass the Cardinals at No. 3, which has long been viewed as an ideal trade spot because they aren’t taking a quarterback. For instance, if the Texans declared their intention to draft a quarterback at No. 2, other teams would recognize the unlikelihood of acquiring that pick and keep their focus on No. 3. With the obscurity, however, the Texans could be attempting to solicit a bidding war. Texans owner Cal McNair has given Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans a long runway to get through this major rebuild. So if the right quarterback isn’t there, trade down, keep adding quality pieces at other positions and hope for a shot at quarterback USC Heisman winner Caleb Williams in 2024. But if the Texans stay put? “I have to think it’s Stroud,” a coach said. With the Seahawks (No. 5), Raiders (No. 7) and Titans (No. 11) all lurking, it’s not a stretch to envision a scenario in which the quarterbacks are the first four players off the board due to trades. The Colts want a quarterback nearly as badly as the Panthers. The Seahawks could take a quarterback if the right one is available. Ditto for the Raiders. And evaluators have viewed the Titans as a strong offensive fit for the playing styles of Richardson and Levis. Depending on which way the Panthers are leaning and what the Texans choose to do, the ideal quarterback scenario might ultimately exist for teams in the middle of the top 10. And the opening hour of the draft could be wildly dramatic as a result. At some point, after a year of evaluations and months of jockeying for position at the top of the board, teams will have their answers.
Stroud picked apart Utah St without Olave and Wilson. Picked apart Georgia without JSN and Harrison Jr when he came out. Give me QB1.
As others have posted, Caserio seems to look for value and finding that diamond in the rough rather than taking the more logical pick. Tyree could end up being a really good pick but if injuries and/or production become a problem, all of those signs were there. The same goes for Stingley
