One of the major storylines coming out of the 2022 NFL draft was the fall of the quarterbacks. While in the closing days it looked like we could see three, or even four, passers in the first round in the end only Kenny Pickett came off the board on the first night.
If the questions about the 2022 quarterback class as a whole were one foundation to that story, another is this:
Expectations for the 2023 class.
After all, mixed in with the stories about “late risers” and “QB-needy teams” as the draft approached were line items about the “strength” of the 2023 crop. Fans of teams with a need at the position spent the finals hours before the draft debating whether taking a quarterback this spring was the right move, or waiting for the next class would pay off in a year.
It is true, that as we sit here right now it looks like the 2023 quarterback class will be stronger and deeper. Many of the “way too early” mock drafts have anywhere from four to six quarterbacks listed in the first round, and as of this moment the “consensus big board” at NFL Mock Draft Database has seven players in the top 32.
Yet one of those players, South Carolina passer Spencer Rattler, is perhaps the ultimate cautionary tale regarding these early projections. This time last year Rattler was viewed as a lock for the first round.
As the quarterback for Oklahoma.
So, things can change in a year.
Still, the summer scouting season is underway and many of you are building your own watch lists. Here is another watch list for you to peruse.
(Before anyone gets upset, this list is in alphabetical order.)
