The 2023 NFL Draft is two weeks away, and we couldn’t be more excited here at NFL Draft Blitz! The 2023 quarterback class is full of intriguing names and faces, with guys that can potentially impact the league for a long time. Let’s look at the new quarterbacks entering the 2023 NFL Draft and where they could fit best across the league.

1. Bryce Young, Alabama

NFL Combine Invite (Accepted)

Hands down my favorite quarterback in this class, Bryce Young projects to have the same immediate impact that players like Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence brought to their teams in the NFL. He’s a savvy playmaker with an understanding and passion for the game that rivals no one in this class. His improv ability is among the best I’ve ever scouted, with the way that he stays mobile and looks to make a play without turning into a runner immediately. The only real question mark to his game is his lack of size and frame. Holding up as well as he did in the SEC paints the picture of how he holds up at the next level.

Perfect fit: New Orleans Saints (Starter) – It’s not happening because the Saints spent way too much money bringing home Derek Carr (why?) to upgrade over Jameis Winston. All things considered, the Saints are locked into at least two seasons with Carr because of how they locked into his contract. But the Saints have been trying to find a way to replace Drew Brees, and if they could somehow get their hands on Young, it would do the trick. Bryce in New Orleans would be so much fun.

Projection: Houston Texans (#2 overall – Starter) – I know many talking heads say that the Panthers will take him first. The staff in Carolina loves CJ Stroud. Ownership, supposedly, loves Bryce Young. The question will be who they will trust more – the new coaching staff or the ownership. With the lack of precedent set on a smaller quarterback like Young in the NFL, they must go with Stroud. In Houston, the Texans are bringing a Shanahan-style offense to Texas, and Bryce can run that system like a charm.

Other fits: Las Vegas Raiders (Starter), Tennessee Titans (Starter). Anyone willing to design an offense around him would fit.

2. CJ Stroud, Ohio State

NFL Combine Invite (Accepted)

CJ Stroud has received so much love throughout his career since he replaced Justin Fields at Ohio State. A talented quarterback who produced well in the system, Stroud has arguably the best performance of the 2022 season out of all of these quarterbacks he saved for the Playoff game against Georgia. The issue is that he showed so much potential and ability in that one game but didn’t show it much anywhere else. How do you unlock that ability for every game?

Perfect fit: Baltimore Ravens (Starter without Lamar Jackson) – The uncertainty with Lamar Jackson begs us to ask who else can play quarterback in Baltimore. CJ Stroud looks prepared to walk into Baltimore and play the system that the Ravens are fixing to change. No, it won’t be the same system they’ve run if they get another quarterback. It’ll be a much more traditional system. And Stroud would be a very good fit.

Projection: Carolina Panthers (#1 overall – Starter) – Stroud’s ideal fit is going to Carolina. I had to find another team for the article that would fit him well. Carolina makes the most sense because Stroud plays taller than he’s listed. Frank Reich and his entire staff have traditionally coached taller pocket quarterbacks, which is why Stroud makes so much sense at one to Carolina.

Other fits: Las Vegas Raiders (Starter), Atlanta Falcons (Starter), and Detroit Lions (Backup).

3. Anthony Richardson, Florida

NFL Combine Invite (Accepted)

When you look at the game that Anthony Richardson brings forward, you’re talking about a massive upside with his elite talents. Yes, he has elite talents, and I never use that word lightly. He has a top-five cannon for an arm as soon as he walks into the league; not many players have the cannon he has. He will be a top-five athlete in the quarterback position. Only Lamar Jackson and Justin Fields are better overall athletes. Richardson is full of massive tools but has the raw ability that needs refining.

Perfect fit: Indianapolis Colts (#4 overall – Starter) – Look at what Shane Steichen built in Philadelphia with Jalen Hurts, a developing passer when he arrived with the Eagles. Anthony Richardson, too, is a developing passer. He built a system that allowed Hurts to continue to develop as a passer but used his intelligence to get the ball out of the pocket quickly. He could replicate a similar system for Richardson and produce the same results.

Projection: Indianapolis Colts (#4 overall – Starter) – I can’t skirt around this one. My conscious will not allow me. See the perfect fit to understand the projection.

Other fits: Tennessee Titans (Starter), Atlanta Falcons (Starter).

4. Will Levis, Kentucky

NFL Combine Invite (Accepted), Senior Bowl Invite (Declined).

Will Levis is certainly one of the more intriguing personalities in the class. From putting mayonnaise into his coffee to eating bananas without peeling them first, Levis certainly has that “wild man” mantra that follows him. A transfer from Penn State, Levis turned down a Senior Bowl invitation to only struggle through interviews at the NFL Combine, which was not a good look on his part at all. The talent was evident behind a capable offense in 2021, but the regression of talent destroyed his 2022 season and the injuries he played through.

Perfect fit: Houston Texans (#2 overall – Starter) – Levis is familiar with the Shanahan/McVay style of offense after playing a year with offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who came from the Los Angeles Rams to Kentucky in 2021. He looked great in that system, and it should be very similar to the system Houston is preparing to install. As much as Houston Texans fans may not like it, Levis fits there very well.

Projection: Tennessee Titans (via trade-up between #3-#8 overall – Starter) – The Tennessee Titans need a quarterback to replace Ryan Tannehill. The best of his career is far behind him. They have no faith in Malik Willis, as reports and the last few games of the season proved, which means that Tennessee should be in the market for a starting quarterback. Levis could learn the system, especially if that’s who the Titans have zeroed in on as the face of their franchise. It certainly could be that.

Other fits: Las Vegas Raiders (Backup), Minnesota Vikings (Backup), and New York Jets (Backup).

5. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee

NFL Combine Invite (Accepted), Senior Bowl Invite (Accepted)

Hendon Hooker was on the fast track to winning the Heisman Trophy last season, but a torn ACL in the eleventh game of 2022 ended his college career and hurt his initial projections in the NFL Draft. However, his recovery has remained well ahead of schedule. By attending the Senior Bowl this offseason, Hooker could start his interview process earlier than most quarterbacks in this class. The results are outstanding, as Hooker has skyrocketed back into the first-round conversation even though he is 25.

Perfect fit: Seattle Seahawks (#20 overall – Backup) – Hendon Hooker is the absolute system quarterback. I don’t mean that in a bad way. I mean that in the sense that he can run a system very well, especially the systems designed to do a specific thing. Seattle’s offense is designed for grinding an opposing defense before stretching the play over the top of the secondary when they come out with a bomb. That’s Hooker’s game. He would be a perfect fit in Seattle and play well there.

Projection: Minnesota Vikings (#24 – Backup) – The Minnesota Vikings have clarified that 2023 will be the last season Kirk Cousins will be under center. It would be smart for Minnesota to go ahead and grab their future, and a guy like Hooker could make a ton of sense. He fits what head coach Kevin O’Connell wants in a quarterback and should have ten years of good football in him.

Other fits: New Orleans Saints (Backup), Indianapolis Colts (Starter), Washington Commanders (Backup).

6. Clayton Tune, Houston

NFL Combine Invite (Accepted), Senior Bowl Invite (Accepted), Shrine Bowl Invite (Declined).

Flying quietly under the radar, Clayton Tune is one of those quarterbacks who put a solid career together at Houston that was largely ignored by the national media. He has the skill set to fit in several systems and be a very successful spot starter in the NFL, much like Case Keenum has served, who ironically comes from the same school.

Perfect fit: Tampa Bay Buccaneers – They have two quarterbacks in their room right now – Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask. I think it’s very clear that the Buccaneers aren’t looking at a future with Kyle Trask, which means they have an open position for a developmental backup quarterback. Tune fits that description well, as he’s built similarly between Trask and Mayfield.

Projection: 3rd Round (Developmental Backup) – From here on out, it’s hard to pinpoint teams because everything is shaky outside the first round. So instead, we’re going to start projection positioning. That being said, there are a lot of teams that a guy like Clayton Tune potentially fits on, which drives his draft positioning up.

Other fits: San Francisco 49ers (QB3), Las Vegas Raiders (QB3), New England Patriots (QB3), Green Bay Packers (QB3).

7. Tyson Bagent, Shepherd

NFL Combine Invite (Accepted), Senior Bowl Invite (Accepted)

The all-time college football career passing touchdown leader, Tyson Bagent comes from division two football, where he dominated over the last several seasons at Shepherd University in West Virginia. As we learned at the Senior Bowl this year, he’s a developing prospect with some sharper mechanics in the class. It will be up to his team to teach him above the ears and help him adjust to the speed of the NFL game, but the promise is there.

Perfect fit: New England Patriots (QB3) – The New England Patriots typically like prospects who aren’t as strong-armed as some players in the league, especially during the Bill Belichick era. Looking at the room as it stands now, between Mac Jones (who reportedly isn’t on good terms with Belichick) and Bailey Zappe, Bagent would have a slightly better arm than both. As a prospect who can develop with time, he could potentially be a guy who has to play for the Patriots and spot start effectively.

Projection: 4th/5th Round (QB3) – As I mentioned previously with Clayton Tune, the number of teams that Bagent could fit in with will push his value up the board. It’s hard to find guys who are as smart as Bagent. He gets the game and has some solid play recall. I think that Bagent will find himself a role where he develops into a good backup in the NFL on the right team.

Other fits: Cincinnati Bengals (QB3), Dallas Cowboys (QB3), Pittsburgh Steelers (QB3), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (QB3).

8. Stetson Bennett, Georgia

NFL Combine Invite (Accepted), Senior Bowl Invite (Declined), Shrine Bowl Invite (Declined).

Stetson Bennett is a polarizing prospect that has been the topic of many social media and television anchors’ arguments over the last three years of college football. Bennett, a walk-on who left Georgia for JUCO and then came back, defied all odds to win back-to-back National Championships over the last two years. He’s a bit of a frat boy personality, but in a good way because teammates gravitate toward him consistently.

Perfect fit: New Orleans Saints – Bennett has drawn comparisons all off-season to Saints legend Drew Brees, mostly because of his size and play style. People didn’t realize it in the media until the NFL Combine for some reason, but Bennett has a cannon for an arm and went toe-to-toe with Will Levis regarding arm strength. The Saints would do well to draft and develop him behind Derek Carr and see if they can’t get anything more out of him than a long-term backup.

Projection: 5th/6th Round (QB3) – Bennett’s off-field issues, including the arrest in Dallas for public intoxication, have forced teams to scrutinize who Bennett is and what he brings to their locker room. They will push him down the board farther than his talent and resume may indicate.

Other fits: Denver Broncos (QB3), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (QB3), Arizona Cardinals (QB3), Atlanta Falcons (QB3).

9. Jake Haener, Fresno State

NFL Combine Invite (Accepted), Senior Bowl Invite (Accepted).

If you want to talk about a moxie quarterback, there isn’t much better in this class than Jake Haener. A gritty, passionate, and charismatic leader, Haener won the MVP at the Senior Bowl this year after a stellar performance in the all-star game. Haener’s only real limitation is his size. He already has the injury history for that to be concerning, missing three games in 2022 due to it and playing through some in 2021.

Perfect fit: Washington Commanders – The Washington Commanders are projected to enter the 2023 season with Sam Howell as their starter. Haener is built similarly to Howell and, while his arm isn’t as strong, can provide the same skill set that Howell does to the field. It would make sense for Washington to grab this guy to sit behind Howell and Jacoby Brissett and learn for a year or two.

Projection: 5th/6th Round (QB3) – 5th/6th round makes a lot of sense for Haener, who looks like he can develop into a long-term backup in the league. It will take some developing for Haener to get there, as he will have to adjust to the game’s speed.

Other fits: Denver Broncos (QB3), Detroit Lions (QB3), San Francisco 49ers (QB3), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (QB3).

10. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA

NFL Combine Invite (Accepted), 2023 Shrine Bowl Invite (Accepted).

Dorian Thompson-Robinson certainly has been a name-generating hype late in the process, with some reports saying he could go as early as the third round. I don’t think he goes that high, but his game has some upside, especially for a team that wants a mobile quarterback. “DTR,” as he has been affectionately nicknamed, has interviewed well and displayed good football intelligence that intrigues NFL teams.

Perfect fit: Chicago Bears (QB3) – The Chicago Bears are all in on Justin Fields and added a similar quarterback in PJ Walker from the Carolina Panthers. Consider all that, and DTR fits this team very, very well. Who could potentially push Walker for the backup role as a developmental quarterback three? That makes a lot of sense and would do good things for the Bears, especially if Fields goes down for a few games during the season again.

Projection: 5th/7th Round (QB3) – The reports say he could go in the 3rd/4th round range. I’m just not buying it. Rumors like that normally start because teams want players to get pushed down the boards. I simply don’t believe there is enough demand for DTR to push him that high.

Other fits: Arizona Cardinals (QB3), Baltimore Ravens (QB3).

Bonus: Malik Cunningham, Louisville

NFL Combine Invite (Accepted), 2023 Senior Bowl Call-Up (Accepted), 2023 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Invite (Accepted).

Most people don’t realize that Malik Cunningham is as hot of a quarterback prospect as he is, even after performing at the NFLPA Bowl in Pasadena, California, and being called up the next week to play in the Senior Bowl. Malik has had to fill in the large footsteps of Lamar Jackson, getting onto campus the very year after Jackson left for the NFL. Cunningham has the athletic ability to make things happen as a spot starter but needs to go somewhere he can continue to develop his passing mechanics.

Perfect fit: Arizona Cardinals (QB3) – Kyler Murray missed several games in 2022 with a season-ending injury that put the Cardinals behind the eight ball. The backup quarterbacks that the struggling staff had left to deal with were Colt McCoy and Trace McSorley. It’s time to bring in someone who can somewhat play the system designed for Kyler, Malik Cunningham. The Cardinals must go all in on this system because they have Murray for at least another four years.

Projection: 6th/PFA (QB3/4) – Cunningham is a much smarter quarterback than most people realize, and he’s interviewed extremely well throughout the process. He has to get into a system designed for a more mobile quarterback, which is the tough part about his projection.

Other fits: Baltimore Ravens (QB3), Chicago Bears (QB3), Cleveland Browns (QB3).

Bonus: Tanner McKee, Stanford

NFL Combine Invite (Accepted)

One name that has received a lot of attention over the entire process is Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee. I know most people in the league like McKee much more than me, but I didn’t see much ability on tape outside of a good arm and some accuracy when he has time to throw. McKee doesn’t maneuver the pocket as well as I’d like to see and didn’t show any mobility throughout his college career.

Perfect fit: San Francisco 49ers (QB3) – Tanner McKee has the smarts to sit back in the pocket, and deal throws well. That has the makings of a Kyle Shanahan backup quarterback who plays six games due to a series of injuries at the position and looks like an all-pro. It may be the only system I could see McKee thriving in.

Projection: 7th/PFA (QB3/4) – McKee certainly has a big arm that shines through the tape when he has time. It’s hard to project a player in the future who struggles to move in the pocket. It’s vital to a quarterback’s success to be able to move around. McKee doesn’t do that. To me, that’s concerning going forward.

Other fits: Green Bay Packers (QB3), Pittsburgh Steelers (QB3).

Bonus: Aidan O’Connell, Purdue

NFL Combine Invite (Accepted), 2023 Shrine Bowl Invite (Accepted).

One of the more underrated quarterbacks in the class has been Aidan O’Connell, who put together a solid career in the Big Ten as an underdog who couldn’t be denied the starting position over time. O’Connell has what most people would describe as a “noodle arm,” or a very weak arm, and struggles to drive the ball effectively. His entire skill set is built between rhythm and timing, and he can move and extend the play from the pocket to keep that alive. However, there isn’t a lot of demand for that type of skillset in the NFL.

Perfect fit: Cincinnati Bengals (QB3) – I’m not saying that Aidan O’Connell is anywhere near the level of quarterback that Joe Burrow is. Still, his play style and strengths are very similar to Burrow. So while there is something to work with there, O’Connell still has much to learn between the ears to become a better quarterback and be remotely ready to face an NFL field.

Projection: 7th/PFA (QB3/4) – As I mentioned, O’Connell’s style of a quarterback doesn’t have much demand in the modern NFL. He’s a traditional west coast quarterback who lacks some maneuverability and probably won’t ever be much more than a QB3. As a result, O’Connell is, to me, the player in this group most likely to be undrafted.

Other fits: New England Patriots (QB3), Las Vegas Raiders (QB3).

Bonus: Kory Curtis, Gannon

2022 FCS Bowl Invite (Accepted), 2023 College Gridiron Showcase Invite (Accepted).

Kory Curtis might be the best quarterback you have never heard of in this draft. A transfer from Ohio State through Bryant, Curtis became a two-time Harlon Hill Trophy finalist at Gannon University. Curtis has a ridiculously strong arm that he showed off at the Duquesne pro day, where he threw a football 84 yards. His main issue coming into the offseason was his platform, which has shown massive improvement over the last three months.

Perfect fit: Pittsburgh Steelers (QB3) – If there is a player to who you can compare Curtis’ style, it’s Ben Roethlisberger. He’s big, tall, and built like a brick wall. Curtis made several plays on tape where he broke tackles with his sheer size and power in the pocket and could extend plays, very much in the mold of the Steelers’ great. The Steelers need a developmental quarterback three, so Curtis makes a lot of sense for the Steelers to take a shot with.

Projection: 7th/PFA (QB3/4) – Several NFL teams have draftable grades on him, and I’ve been told not to be surprised if he is drafted. Either way, Kory Curtis will be in a camp and should be, at the very least, on a practice squad throughout the 2023 NFL season.

Other fits: Buffalo Bills (QB3), Kansas City Chiefs (QB3), Green Bay Packers (QB3).