Who is QB4 in the 2023 NFL Draft? – Anthony Richardson, Hendon Hooker Lead the Race
2023 NFL Draft: Who Lays Claim to the QB4 Mantle?
At this point of the CFB season, the leading names are well-known throughout the NFL Draft community. And in the QB position, that distinction lies mainly with three players: Ohio State’s CJ Stroud, Alabama’s Bryce Young, and Kentucky’s Will Levis.
As they are all seen as high first-round picks, there will be more QBs drafted in the top 100 and some might even be taken in the back end of the first round. So, who is QB4 in the 2023 NFL Draft? In my opinion, there are three main front-runners for this honor…
Anthony Richardson (Florida)
Following his performance against the Utah Utes in the first week of the CFB season, many were quick to move Richardson up their NFL Draft boards, myself included. However, after seeing a lot more of him, it is safe to say that the opening-day reaction was a bit of an overreaction and perhaps the dozens who flooded to move him up to QB3 were incorrect.
After having hardly played prior to this season, he looked like he would be the next big riser at the QB position, similar to Joe Burrow and Zach Wilson in prior years. However, he has slowed down a bit since the Utah game and has only thrown 9 touchdowns to 3 interceptions. Despite this, he still looks as electric as ever in the ground game, having rushed for 5 more scores since the opening weekend.
Richardson makes for such an intriguing prospect due to his physical profile. His 6’4″ height, combined with his ability in the run game and his rocket arm, have made scouts draw comparisons to some of the best QBs in the NFL. To truly cement himself as a solid option in this year’s class, he will have to work on the mental aspect of his game more.
Richardson still makes some truly boneheaded plays from time to time, and can be wildly inaccurate, even when not under pressure in the pocket. But Richardson is only a redshirt sophomore, so it could be preferable for him to return to college to fully hone his abilities before declaring for the NFL Draft in 2024.
Current ranking: QB4, #33 ranked prospect overall
Hendon Hooker (Tennessee)
This year’s big riser, Hendon Hooker, has led a Tennessee team that looked to be a competitor in the SEC to a legitimate contender for the CFP (despite their loss to Georgia). The game that truly put him on the radar of scouts was the Alabama game, where he shared a memorable duel with Bryce Young, as his Volunteers prevailed over the favored Crimson Tide team.
Ever since transferring from Virginia Tech at the beginning of last year, Hooker has looked like a new player. He posted an 8-8 record as the starter in Blacksburg but has gone 14-6 while playing for Tennessee. Hooker boasts an astounding ratio of 52 touchdowns to only 5 interceptions while playing for Tennessee, in addition to rushing for 9 extra scores.
However, as an NFL Draft prospect, Hooker is at a grave disadvantage given his age: he is currently 24 years old and will be 25 come draft day. Daniel Jones, who was drafted in 2019, is the same age as him and will be a 4-year veteran when Hooker gets drafted. Furthermore, the scheme in which he plays is incredibly favorable to QBs, as his receivers usually get schemed open and, even then, he still misses some easy throws.
Current ranking: QB6, #64 ranked prospect overall
Grayson McCall (Coastal Carolina)
Perhaps one of the most underrated QBs in the nation, Grayson McCall, has buckets of talent and deserves to be talked about more, especially given his traits and his production. As a two-star recruit, McCall received offers from very few teams, but the Chanticleers were one of them, and alongside head coach Jamey Chadwell, the Coastal Carolina program has been propelled to greatness, with their first bowl victory coming in 2021 over Northern Illinois.
McCall has thrived as a passer in Chadwell’s system, recording the highest PFF passing grade (93.2) in the FBS in 2021, as well as having the highest passer rating (144.1) out of any passer with over 100 dropbacks. He has put up some incredibly impressive numbers since being named starter in North Carolina, having thrown for over 7,000 yards and 71 passing touchdowns to only 7 interceptions, as well as rushing for 14 more.
Before this season, the offense that McCall commanded was one that relied on him very frequently to make big plays with his arm. However, that has ramped up even more, as the Chanticleers have made him attempt 244 passes so far this season, despite only having played 7 games. Unlike in 2021 and 2020 where he only attempted 242 and 250 passes over 14 games respectively.
From a technical standpoint, McCall has an NFL arm in terms of both range and velocity and is a very able runner. From the mental side of things, McCall looks to have improved leaps and bounds from his 2020 season and reads defenses very well, showing that he can make the correct reads even when under pressure.
His biggest shortcoming will end up being his level of competition, and he will have to show up in a big way when they face Virginia later this year. If he delivers a victory for the Chanticleers, it should not only put CCU on the map for a potential NY6 bowl game (as they beat another strong opponent in App State earlier on this year) but could also put McCall on the 2023 NFL Draft map as a truly high-end QB prospect.