Here are the top 10 quarterback prospects (with projected round) for the NFL draft, which is set for April 27-29 in Kansas City, Missouri:
1. Bryce Young, Jr., QB, Alabama, 6-0, 194, 1st round: He won the Heisman Trophy after the 2021 season, but has issues with a shoulder injury last season. He completed 65.8 percent of his passes, tossed 80 touchdowns and 12 interceptions over 34 games for the Crimson Tide.
2. C.J. Stroud, So., QB, Ohio State, 6-3, 218, 1st: He had a spectacular showing against Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. He passed for 348 yards and four touchdowns in the 42-41 loss. He finished third in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Over his career, Stroud completed 69.3% of his passes, 85 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions.
3. Will Levis, Sr., QB, Kentucky, 6-3, 232, 1st: He started his career at Penn State before transferring to the Wildcats. He completed 479 of 738 passes (64.9%) for 5,876 yards, 46 touchdowns and 25 interceptions.
4. Anthony Richardson, So., QB, Florida, 6-4, 232, 1st: Richardson passed for 3,105 yards, 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions for the Gators. The knock on Richardson is that he has made only 13 college starts. He was mostly inconsistent, but dazzled at times for the Gators. Richardson completed 176 of 327 passes (53.8%) for 2,549 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
5. Hendon Hooker, Sr., QB, Tennessee, 6-4, 208, 2nd-3rd: Started his career at Virginia Tech, thrived in the Volunteers’ quick-strike offensive attack. He is recovering from a late-season knee injury. He completed 66.9% of his passes, threw 80 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions.
6. Tanner McKee, Jr., QB, Stanford, 6-6, 230, 3rd: He completed 63.2% of his passes over 23 games for the Cardinal.
7. Jake Haener, Sr., QB, Fresno State, 6-0, 208, 4th: He started his career at Washington and is being compared with 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. He passed for 6,992 yards and 53 touchdowns over the past two seasons for the Bulldogs.
8. Stetson Bennett, Sr., QB, Georgia, 5-11, 190, 5th-6th: Bennett played at Pierce County High School before his storied college career which ended with him leading the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships.
9. Aidan OConnell, Sr., QB, Purdue, 6-3, 212, 5th-6th: He was coached by the Falcons in the East-West Shrine Bowl. He completed 6 of 16 passes for 61 yards for the East. He played four seasons for the Boilermakers and completed 826 of 1,239 passes (66.7%) for 9,219 yards, 65 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. He finished with a college passer rating of 141.6. “I was a walk-on at Purdue,” O’Connell said. “Went there for six years. Overstayed my welcome a little bit. I was the old man on the block.”
10.Clayton Tune, Sr., QB, Houston, 6-2, 216, 6th-7th: He was three-time captain for the Cougars. He passed for 11,994 yards over five seasons and tossed 104 touchdown passes.
Best of the rest: TCU’s Max Duggan, UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Brigham Young’s Jaren Hall, Shepherd’s Tyson Bagent, Fordham Tim DeMorat and Louisville’s Malik Cunningham
Local prospect: Bennett. “Stetson Bennett, because of the Todd Monken connection, he’s obviously somebody you’d immediately think about with the Ravens on Day 3,” ESPN’s draft analyst Mel Kiper said.
Teams in need: Panthers, Colts, Texans, Raiders and Ravens
Need area for Falcons: No. The Falcons have dubbed Desmond Ridder as their starter and signed Taylor Heinicke to back him up. They have done their due diligence on the top quarterbacks in the draft.
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