2023 NFL Draft: Another Crop of Talented Signal-Callers is on the Way

Potential Big School Risers

Tyler Van Dyke (Miami)

The Miami Hurricanes found themselves without a starting quarterback when D’Eriq King went down with a season-ending injury early in 2021. Van Dyke took over and went on to start nine games, helping guide the team to five wins in their final six games. For his efforts, Van Dyke earned ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Van Dyke is locked into the QB1 role and enters the season with Heisman Trophy aspirations. During the aforementioned six-game stretch to end the 2021 season, the quarterback put up elite numbers: 66% completion, 2194 passing yards, and a sparkling 20:3 TD: INT ratio. He recorded at least 316 yards and three passing touchdowns for six straight weeks.

Mario Cristobal has all the talent in the world at his disposal heading into 2022. Van Dyke must continue to show better judgment and display improved ball placement to truly rise up this list. A lot of things are in Van Dyke’s favor, giving him the wide-open opportunity to earn his way into Day One draft talks.

Tanner McKee (Stanford)

Former Stanford Cardinal, Davis Mills, is the most recent quarterback to reach the NFL from the program. The circumstances aren’t apples for apples, but Tanner McKee is looking to follow in the footsteps of Mills, albeit with the hopes of being a much higher selection in the NFL Draft.

McKee was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, but he had other business to take care of before officially enrolling at Stanford. For his first two years after high school, McKee spent that time in Brazil on a Latter-Day Saints mission. This highlights the type of leader that the quarterback is, on and off the field.

McKee took over for Mills and started nine games in 2021, setting a slew of freshman records in the process. The biggest selling point for McKee’s NFL chances is the picture-perfect technique that he displays in the pocket. Even if the decision-making isn’t always where you want it to be, NFL coaches will buy into the talent and work on ironing out the rough edges.

Hendon Hooker (Tennessee)

A quick disclaimer here: I am a big believer in Hendon Hooker. He began his collegiate career in Blacksburg at Virginia Tech, spending 2017 as a redshirt and 2018 as a full-time backup. He accrued 15 starts over his final two seasons with the Hokies but entered the transfer portal following the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

With a newfound life in Tennessee, Hooker won the starting job for the Volunteers heading into 2021. He completed 68% of his passes, amassed a total of 2945 yards through the air, and threw 31 touchdowns to only three interceptions. Adding to his athletic profile as a runner, Hooker also recorded over 600 yards on the ground, along with five more touchdowns.

Are you starting to see why I love the guy so much? It’s not all perfect for Hooker as a prospect, though. Although he isn’t prone to turnovers, a look at his tape shows that Hooker takes far too long to get rid of the football at times. For a guy with the arm talent and running ability that Hooker possesses, it’s almost hard to blame him for thinking he can do the impossible.

To hear his name called on Day One of the draft, Hooker must cut down on the “hero ball” plays that litter his tape. To succeed in the NFL, the versatile signal-caller will have to become more comfortable inside the pocket and be more willing to give up on a play rather than costing his team valuable yardage on a low-percentage play. His 6’4, 218-pound frame is enticing for scouts, but he has to continue to improve on the fundamentals of the position to have a long career in the league.

Devin Leary (NC State)

Devin Leary is a name that has been gaining a lot of steam in NFL Draft circles over the past few months. Leary put together his first full season as the starter for the Wolfpack in 2021. He set a new school record with 35 touchdown passes, surpassing Philip Rivers in the process. To add to it, Leary is a better athlete than given credit for and should be able to use this mobility to his advantage on Sundays.

Leary is a smart player, but there are times when he trusts his arm a bit too much. There were a handful of passes on his tape that *should* have been intercepted, but the defense failed to capitalize on the mistakes. He possesses great velocity and overall arm strength, which alone will have him on many teams’ radars. Leary has the chance to prove that 2021 was not a fluke.

Cameron Rising (Utah)

The Utah Utes are one of the best rosters in the nation, and quarterback Cameron Rising ranks high on that list. Rising originally committed to the Texas Longhorns out of high school, redshirting the 2018 season. After sitting out 2019 as well, Rising assumed the role of starting quarterback entering 2020 but suffered a season-ending injury after only one start.

In 2021, the talent of Rising finally got a chance to show what he’s capable of on the gridiron. He helped lead the Utes to a PAC-12 Championship and Rose Bowl berth. During this offseason, Rising attended Manning Camp and turned heads with his lively arm and tough demeanor at quarterback. If Rising can play well and lead the team to the playoffs, there’s potential for a Heisman invite and a first-round contract.