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

Middle of the Pack

Phil Jurkovec (Boston College)

Phil Jurkovec leads this section of passers, all of which have some starting qualities but more than likely project as high-end backups and/or spot starters in the NFL. Jurkovec does a lot of things well, but nothing particularly great. To be fair to the Boston College field general, he is coming off of a 2021 season that was mired with a hand injury.

He possesses an NFL-sized frame and the toughness to hold up throughout a full season. It will take some quick improvement to earn his way into the first-round discussions, but all reports indicate that Jurkovec is looking like a brand new man with his newly-found health. Could he make it back-to-back drafts with a Golden Eagle coming off the board on Day One?

Aidan O’Connell (Purdue)

The talented Purdue signal-caller has taken a crazy path to get to where he is today. O’Connell only started for one season in high school, and thus earned essentially no recruitment interest on the national scene. He chose to walk on to the Boilermaker team in 2017.

He spent the next season without earning any time on the field, but that began to change in 2019. O’Connell started three games, and then went on to start the first three games of the 2020 season as well, before suffering a season-ending injury. He stayed healthy for the 2021 campaign and put together one of the best seasons in program history.

O’Connell flexed a precise completion percentage (71.2%) while averaging over 300 passing yards per game. Sometimes these numbers can be misleading, but a look at the tape shows that these are more than just empty numbers. With picturesque size as a quarterback and a pinpoint accuracy that is reminiscent of former Boilermaker Drew Brees, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him shoot up draft boards by the time next April gets here.

Brennan Armstrong (Virginia)

Brennan Armstrong put up numbers at quarterback that have never been seen before for the Virginia Cavaliers. Last season, Armstrong attempted 500 passes, completing 65.2% of them. His 4449 passing yards rank No. 1 all-time in program history, as do his 31 passing touchdowns.

Armstrong is likely to etch his name atop every passing record in Virginia history. He enters the 2022 season with Matt Schaub’s career passing yard and passing touchdown records well within reach. Individual records are not the only thing in sight for Armstrong, as he has a chance to elevate the team to new heights this year.

The Cavaliers have only won double-digit games one time ever, and that came way back in 1989. It is a tall task to ask the team to do this in 2022, but given who they have at quarterback, paired with a relatively easy schedule, means that the possibility exists.

Armstrong is only matched up against two ranked teams, as of right now, and they’ll both be played at home against Miami and Pittsburgh, respectively. If Armstrong shows that his raw numbers can translate into wins, there’s a chance that is enough to win over scouts that are on the fence regarding his physical talent.

Sam Hartman (Wake Forest)

Wake Forest put together only their second double-digit winning campaign in 2021, and quarterback Sam Hartman is a major reason why. Hartman will never be confused for a precision passer, but he has real talent in that right arm of his. He is a contributor on the ground as well, showing as much by recording 11 rushing touchdowns last season.

When you combine those rushing touchdowns with his 39 passing touchdowns, Hartman ended up second all-time in the ACC in single-season touchdowns with 50. The Demon Deacons scored *at least* 35 points in 12 of their 14 contests in 2021, ranking among the best in the nation when it comes to total offense.

The level of talent was certainly a step below the SEC and Big Ten, so those numbers must be taken with a grain of salt. Even while competing against lesser competition, Hartman still struggled with ball security throughout the season. He tossed 14 interceptions, which will surely draw the ire of scouts.

Hartman has a lot of things to clean up as he enters his final season at Wake Forest, but unfortunately, there’s a chance that we’ve seen the last of him on the collegiate level. It was recently announced that Hartman would be out indefinitely due to an undisclosed medical condition. Here’s to hoping that the strong-armed quarterback regains a clean bill of health going forward, not only for football reasons but just life in general.