Jan 28, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin visits the field during Senior Bowl practice for the American team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Steelers to add 2 QBs; Aaron Rodgers won’t affect draft plans

Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan addressed the team’s quarterback situation on Tuesday by saying the club plans to add a pair of signal callers to the roster.

Quarterbacks currently on the roster are Mason Rudolph, a former Steeler who is returning after a season with the Tennessee Titans, and Skylar Thompson, the former Miami Dolphins backup.

“I know you’re gonna ask about the quarterback position,” Khan said. “I’ll just tell you guys the same thing we discussed in Palm Beach (at the league meetings) a couple of weeks ago. We go to camp with four quarterbacks. Right now we have two on the roster. All options are on the table on how we acquire the last two. I assure you we’ll have four when we get to (training camp at) Latrobe.”

Head coach Mike Tomlin then was asked how the uncertain situation involving free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers affects the Steelers’ approach to the NFL draft, which begins Thursday.

“It does not,” Tomlin said.

The Steelers hold the No. 21 overall pick of the first round. Should the team select a quarterback, that would have an impact on Rodgers.

“I think what you do in the draft oftentimes affects maybe some talent acquisition that happens after,” Tomlin said. “We’ll see how the acquisition goes this weekend.”

Russell Wilson and Justin Fields were the starters in Pittsburgh last season and both signed free agent deals to play in New York — Wilson with the Giants, Fields with the Jets.

Rodgers, 41, passed for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns with the New York Jets in 2024, returning from a season-ending Achilles injury suffered in his first game with the team in September 2023.

The 10-time Pro Bowl selection ranks fifth in league history in touchdown passes (503) and seventh in passing yards (62,952).

–Field Level Media

Oct 5, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) rushes for a touchdown /across the/ during the fourth quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

2025 NFL Draft position series: Quarterbacks

Value equations and position priority can vary by NFL franchise, general manager and coaching staff with one glaring exception tested by history and proven out in hardware.

Quarterbacks are the ultimate NFL wildcard, a top necessity with very noteworthy exceptions.

Of the 14 starting quarterbacks in the 2025 playoffs, 12 entered the league as first-round picks. The Lombardi Trophy winner — Jalen Hurts of the Eagles — was an exception, as was 2024 NFC Super Bowl quarterback Brock Purdy. Hurts was a second-rounder (53rd overall in 2020) and the lowest drafted playoff starter other than Steelers veteran Russell Wilson (a third-round pick, 75th overall, in 2012). Ten of the quarterbacks starting 2025 playoff games were drafted in the top 12 overall.

The roundabout point on the table goes well past the history of teams drafting quarterbacks in the top five.

Most years, a franchise finds its way to the No. 1 pick because of a QB need. Six of the top 12 picks in 2024 were spent on quarterbacks.

It’s largely true again this year of the three teams in the top three: Titans, Browns and Giants. All had high-profile fires breakout around the planned development of touted saviors and prized picks and with three wins last season are under major heat to get the position fixed.

Can the supply available in the 2025 NFL Draft meet the demand of teams with no proven answer at the position?

FIELD LEVEL MEDIA 2025 Draft QB rankings:

1. Cameron Ward, Miami
With 158 career TD passes and a three-program track record of winning with peak production in five years at the college level, Ward stands as the lone quarterback with the first-round grade in FLM rankings. Fit has become critical at QB — while that was always the case, synergy and an established developmental platform are now pass-fail metrics falling on the organization, not the player. Ward might’ve been No. 3-5 in the historic class of 2024 between J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix.

There is risk, of course, but Ward’s tools are enticing: pocket mobility, decent short-area speed, power to rip in a crowded pocket and touch downfield.

He is not fully programmed. The penchant to freelance and trust his instincts led to rich success at Miami and Washington State. The same off-script escapades and live arm can lead to him overtrusting his ability to make something out of nothing. The combination of all of these factors invite loose comparisons to Patrick Mahomes, and GMs taking deep-dive looks at Ward are blown away by his impactful leadership and follow-me style expected from a franchise quarterback.

2. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Developed by his dad, Deion Sanders, at Jackson State and Colorado, the spotlight has never been overly engulfing for Shedeur Sanders. An easy target as the coach’s kid under the tutelage of flashy and famous Hall of Fame cornerback, Shedeur Sanders was 13-11 in two seasons at the FBS level and completed 73 percent of his passes as a junior before declaring for the draft.

Deion Sanders made his fortune with rare speed, explosiveness and playmaking instincts. Shedeur Sanders’ ticket to pro success resides in his competitive toughness and ability to deliver the ball on time while staring down the barrel of the pass rush. He’s not suited for every NFL offense and some coordinators fear he can’t be pulled out of an overly cautious in-game approach. Shedeur Sanders might only succeed in a scheme focused on a strong running game with a full-trust, tough-love situation similar to Bo Nix with the Broncos.

3. Jalen Milroe, Alabama
All sorts of variations of the pecking order of this QB class are out there among the NFL’s 32 opinions that matter. For any franchise preparing for a rainy day, Milroe is highlighted as a player who could take the Jordan Love (26th overall) or Jalen Hurts route to an NFL starting job.

A quarterback in a running back’s body, Milroe’s pro progress has almost no chance of being a straight-line to success. He’s admittedly raw, new to reading beyond his second option and accustomed to getting by with natural gifts — rare as they might be — to win. This can often mean retreating to the point of highest training as a run-first mindset when plays go off-script.

He made a leap training under first-year coach Kellen DeBoer and brings a game-changing ability as a runner — 20 rushing touchdowns last season — to add value while using his workmanlike and professional approach to evolve as an NFL passer. Parallels to current Packers backup Malik Willis are wide of the mark and those making comps to run-happy Syracuse product Donovan McNabb (No. 2 overall, 1999) and Mississippi State project Dak Prescott (fourth round, 2016) are only marginally closer.

If he’s drafted into ideal circumstances with pro redshirt possibilities, Milroe’s home-run speed and upside are being undersold.

4. Jaxson Dart, Mississippi
Not to suggest a daily driver can’t compete in a car show, but a value ceiling appears to be inevitable for Dart in the 2025 draft. He passed for more than 10,000 yards and embodied the chip-on-shoulder approach to the position coach Lane Kiffin loves. As an NFL prospect, there are elements of Dart’s game that easily transfer to a timing-based offense. He’s 28-10 as a starter and throws the ball with accuracy, timing and can escape or use his legs to create openings.

He’s not going to cut the ball through gusty winds but would willingly die trying with a gunslinger mentality some coaches are certain to embrace.

There are winning traits in common with Brock Purdy (49ers) and Kirk Cousins (Falcons) but his greatest production and performance has come in helter skelter pacing or comeback situations and a season or two might be necessary to build him into a more complete starter.

5. Quinn Ewers, Texas
One of the more high-profile recruits in recent memory and a foundation stone of the start of the NIL era, Ewers brings the profile of a backup quarterback to the table despite success and playoff experience at Texas and in the SEC.

A touch passer with enough mobility to manipulate the pocket, Ewers has undeniable similarity to former Pitt first-round pick Kenny Pickett. Pickett is on his third NFL team in three seasons after being acquired from the Eagles by the Cleveland Browns. He’s good enough to win a game, but perhaps not the player coaches want in the driver’s seat long-term.

6. Tyler Shough, Louisville
A seven-year college journey paved the path for Shough to hit the NFL draft at nearly 26 years old holding an incomplete resume. He only played in more than eight games once in his career and that came last season at Louisville, where his pocket prowess made him a perfect fit in a downfield passing game. Given durability concerns and advanced age, the upside to selecting Shough ahead of younger, developmental options is limited. Shough turns 26 in September, and if a team isn’t going to start him as a rookie, what in the name of Brandon Weeden are we doing here?

7. Kyle McCord, Syracuse
Turnovers, risk tolerance and a rigid release are the issues scouts can’t get past in the final grade for McCord. His mental makeup, experience, reps and controlled aggressiveness as a decision-maker push him into top backup and fringe starter territory.

8. Will Howard, Ohio State
Went from Kansas State to the Buckeyes and a season directing a Cadillac offense skyrocketed his efficiency and he won over some scouts with his toughness. Questions about arm strength and inconsistent accuracy aren’t going away.

9. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
As a second- or third-day draft pick, Gabriel’s size (5-11, 200) and limited exposure to a pro-style scheme cast him in the same light as former career backup Chase Daniel.

10. Kurtis Rourke, Indiana
Six seasons in college and playing through a second torn ACL (August 2024, surgery January 2025) reduce Rourke to a backup-level ceiling.

–Field Level Media

Feb 6, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA;  Jameis Winston and his wife Brieon Winston on the red carpet before Super Bowl LIX NFL Honors at Saenger Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Jameis Winston ‘ready for anything’; Giants not ruling out QB at No. 3

Though the New York Giants have signed both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this spring, another quarterback early in the draft is not off the table.

However, general manager Joe Schoen made clear he isn’t going to “force” taking a quarterback that early in the draft, setting a high bar for such a selection.

“Yeah, if you’re talking about where we’re picking, you’d like that guy to be able to be a franchise quarterback that you can win with, you’re winning the NFC East every year,” Schoen said. “The ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl if you’re taking a guy that high, so they have to be able to check (all) those boxes.”

Schoen added that the Giants are in a position to take the best player available at No. 3, regardless of position.

The Giants are picking behind the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns, two quarterback-needy teams, and Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are the two QB prospects universally projected to be high picks.

Giants owner John Mara said at the start of the offseason that finding a “quarterback of the future” was their No. 1 priority. Since then, New York signed ex-Super Bowl champion Wilson, 36, and former No. 1 overall pick-turned-journeyman Winston, 31.

Wilson said in his introductory press conference that he expects to be New York’s starter. Schoen said Monday that the team didn’t guarantee to Wilson that it wouldn’t also draft a quarterback.

“I didn’t tell him what we’re going to do at (Pick) 3, but I said we’re open to everything,” Schoen said. “So yeah, you can’t give a promise that you’re not going to take a certain position or something like that. That’s not fair.

“We can go any which direction. We can go play a game right now. So, it doesn’t force you into a corner or force you to have to take something based on needs, so gives us optionality to go many different directions.”

Winston met with reporters Monday and said he was looking for a team that could offer a starting or “bridge” quarterback role. The Giants signed him before adding Wilson.

“My role was explained to me as there is an opportunity at the quarterback position that we’re looking forward to getting better at,” Winston said. “I signed up for that because I’m looking forward to getting better and being my very best self myself.

“So that’s how was it. I didn’t get a clean explanation of my role because I played so many different roles already. I’ve played every role that the quarterback room has to offer, so I’m ready for anything.”

Winston said he had a good relationship with Wilson, revealing that Wilson once let him have a look at how “Russ ran his enterprise, ran his businesses, how he took care of his body and how he trained and what did he do to go into his mental approach.”

If the Giants add a quarterback in the draft, at No. 3 or in a later round, Winston will be happy to play the mentor.

“Me having that experience, being in rooms with great veteran quarterbacks such as Ryan Fitzpatrick, being in rooms with … Derek Carr, Deshaun Watson last year, having the chance to mentor Dorian Thompson-Robinson when he had a chance to get back in his starting role with the Cleveland Browns. I’ve been able to learn so many different things from my time, my career,” Winston said.

“So catering to a young quarterback and serving them would be something that I would definitely take on with a great responsibility and cherish it.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 26, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) scrambles in the backfield in the third quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Browns hold QB cards close to vest

Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski wants to sleep on his decision at quarterback before making the choice for Week 14 public.

The TBD atop the depth chart was needed after rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson was able to practice on Friday, his first in two weeks since suffering a concussion at Denver last month. Veteran Joe Flacco, who started last Sunday’s game, also is in contention to start.

“Both guys practiced this week,” Stefanski said Friday. “Both guys practiced well, and I have faith in both guys, but not going to name a starter.”

The Browns host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

The Jaguars are in a similar — yet different — spot with their own starting quarterback, unnamed as of Friday afternoon. Trevor Lawrence is recovering from a high-ankle sprain suffered in Monday’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He was limited in practice Thursday and Friday and wants to play in the game for Jacksonville (8-4), one of three AFC South teams currently in the seven-team playoff picture in the conference.

But head coach Doug Pederson said Lawrence is “probably” a game-time decision, one that will include medical personnel and could go down to the hours before kickoff in Ohio.

Stefanski said the quarterback he doesn’t start on Sunday would be the backup, with PJ Walker acting as the No. 3.

Flacco didn’t look uncomfortable last week in a loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Pressed into the starting role 14 days after signing with the team as a street free agent, Flacco had the Browns driving for the go-ahead score, trailing 20-19 in the fourth quarter, when he threw an interception.

His most recent start at Cleveland came last season, when he led the New York Jets to a 31-30 victory over the Browns in Week 2.

Thompson-Robinson lost two of his three starts this season, guiding the Browns to a Week 11 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers but losing to the Baltimore Ravens and Broncos.

–Field Level Media

Nov 10, 2023; Frankfurt, Germany;  New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick speaks to the media before an NFL International Series practice at the Deutcher Fussball-Bund facility. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Bill Belichick: Patriots QB call is gameday decision

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick plans to hold a decision on his starting quarterback until gameday.

“Will let you know on Sunday,” Belichick told reporters Tuesday morning, when pressed about whether he’ll stick with starter Mac Jones or turn to backup Bailey Zappe or No. 3 Will Grier.

Jones was benched late in the fourth quarter of a 10-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 12. The Patriots had a bye this past week.

Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien said Monday that Jones was still taking first-unit reps in practice but noted that the decision will ultimately be up to Belichick.

“Mac took the first-team reps. Bailey rotated in there. Will Grier rotated in there,” O’Brien said. “For me, I basically get everybody ready to play,” he said when asked if Jones was still the team’s starter. “At the end of the day, Bill (Belichick) will make that decision at some point and we’ll go from there.”

“It will be based on what I think is best for the team,” Belichick said of his QB decision. “…I’ve told all the players the same thing: be ready to go. So hopefully they will be.”

The Patriots are wallowing in last place in the AFC East with a record of 2-8 and look to be headed for the worst season since Belichick’s first with the Patriots when they finished 5-11 in 2000.

New England ranks 31st in the league with an average of just 14.1 points per game.

–Field Level Media

Oct 21, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up prior to the game against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Arch support: Texas weighs options without QB Quinn Ewers

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian admits he’s fortunate to be contemplating whether to ready freshman Arch Manning or redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy to face BYU this week.

Sophomore Quinn Ewers was classified as “week to week” two days after he left a 31-24 win over Houston with a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder.

No. 7 Texas called only two pass plays after Murphy entered the game, but he’s taking the starter’s reps in practice this week ahead of Manning.

“Not every school is as fortunate as we are to have a quarterback room like we have,” Sarkisian said Monday.

Ewers was “clearly limited” after scrambling in the third quarter with the game tied at 21 when he lowered his shoulder to take on a Houston defender. Ewers finished the 11-play drive, which ended with Bert Auburn kicking a 25-yard field goal, but he did not return. Ewers went 23-of-29 passing for 211 yards and two touchdowns. He has completed 63.5 percent of his passes (323 of 509) for 4,092 yards and 28 TDs in 17 career games with Texas.

Sarkisian said Ewers’ work ethic makes him hesitant to put a timeframe on his potential return date.

“These injuries, some guys come back earlier than others,” he said. “He’s in the best shape of his life, so hopefully we get him back sooner rather than later.”

Texas (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) is one of four teams tied for second in the conference behind unbeaten Oklahoma (7-0, 4-0).

With five games left in the regular season, Manning could play in all but one of them and still be classified as a redshirt. Sarkisian said if he had to make the decision on his starter on Monday, it would be Murphy over Manning, but both could play.

As for the actual plan on paper without Ewers available?

“Go through the week with Maalik Murphy and Arch Manning both getting first-team reps. If the game was being played today, Maalik would start the game,” Sarkisian said.

“Inevitably, as a quarterback, you’re only as good as the guys around you,” he said.

One of those guys is running back Jonathan Brooks, who had 28 touches — eight receptions — against the Cougars and rushed for 99 yards. He’s seventh in the FBS with 825 rushing yards this season.

–Field Level Media

Jul 26, 2023; Costa Mesa, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) throws the ball as quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier watches during training camp at Jack Hammett Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Fantasy football: 2023 QB rankings; trust Russ, Rodgers?

Rush to draft your quarterback if you must, but the depth implies there’s plenty to go around at the position in 2023.

Teams holding late picks in fantasy drafts should still be in position to land a volume scorer.

For the sake of argument, the chances Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert meets or exceeds Joe Burrow’s passing totals this season are quite high, even before Burrow limped his way out of training camp with a calf injury.

Here’s a peek at the fantasy football QB rankings for 2023:

1. Josh Allen, Bills
Until the Bills establish a formidable running game, we continue to punt the theory that Allen won’t run the ball in the red zone. He tied for 15th in the NFL last season with seven rushing TDs and tied for second with 35 TD passes.

2. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
No more doubting Mahomes. Travis Kelce serves as an enormous security blanket and even without a proven No. 1 wide receiver outside, Mahomes was his MVP self last season. He averaged more than 300 yards and had at least one TD toss in every game.

3. Jalen Hurts, Eagles
Next-level Michael Vick is where Hurts took the bar last season, his second consecutive with at least 10 rushing touchdowns, a claim no other QB can make. Hurts accounted for at least one touchdown (passing or rushing) in 14 of his 15 starts in 2022.

4. Joe Burrow, Bengals
Burrow passed for at least 300 yards in 11 regular-season games over two seasons even while being sacked an NFL-high 92 times.

5. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
He’s etching plays in the playbook and not sweating his next payday. The return of MVP Lamar? He topped 750 rushing yards for the fourth consecutive season and the Ravens might finally have the right mix at wide receiver.

6. Justin Fields, Bears
Three games with 130-plus rushing yards in 2022 helped fantasy owners, but it’s no path to longevity in the NFL. Significant additions on the offensive line and at receiver — hello, D.J. Moore — elevate Fields’ potential to chase 30 (passing TDs) and 10 (rushing TDs).

7. Justin Herbert, Chargers
Looking for a QB to reach for in the draft? This might be the guy. Kellen Moore plans a lot of nine routes — fly patterns, go routes and verts, if you will — as offensive coordinator and Herbert won’t be shy about letting it rip.

8. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars
Calvin Ridley brings a relevant receiver to the equation and ups the chess options for Lawrence.

9. Deshaun Watson, Browns
Teams knocked rust off Watson last season and he’s driving the Cleveland offense with a co-pilot in top-rated running back Nick Chubb.

10. Dak Prescott, Cowboys
A more complete WR corps gives us confidence Prescott’s numbers are ready to jump and those INT totals drop.

11. Aaron Rodgers, Jets
12. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins
13. Derek Carr, Saints
14. Kirk Cousins, Vikings
15. Jared Goff, Lions
16. Daniel Jones, Giants
17. Geno Smith, Seahawks
18. Russell Wilson, Broncos
19. Matthew Stafford, Rams
20. Kenny Pickett, Steelers

2023 Sleeper: Jordan Love, Packers
Green Bay is well-stocked at running back but if the Packers get rapid growth from their wide receiver and tight end projects, Love could quickly jump into spot-start consideration as a No. 2 fantasy QB.

Pass on this QB: Jimmy Garoppolo, Raiders
With one 300-yard game in San Francisco last season, Jimmy G is not a notorious high producer and history says at age 31 he’s more likely to land on IR than post his first 30-TD season.

–Field Level Media

Florida Atlantic quarterback Casey Thompson (11) participates during practice at the Schmidt Family Complex, Thursday, August 3, 2023 in Boca Raton.

Transfer QB Casey Thompson to start for FAU

Former Texas and Nebraska quarterback Casey Thompson was pegged as the starter for FAU to open the season.

Thompson started 10 games for the Longhorns in 2021 and 10 for the Cornhuskers in 2022. He’ll be QB1 again in his sixth and final season of eligibility.

The Owls begin the 2023 season under former Texas head coach Tom Herman, who nabbed Thompson from the transfer portal on May 10, well after the completion of spring football practices.

A graduate transfer, Thompson considered Notre Dame and a return to Nebraska before committing to Herman, for whom Thompson played at Texas. He competed with Daniel Richardson for the right to start Sept. 2 when Monmouth visits FAU.

Thompson had a Big 12-best 24 TD passes for the Longhorns in 2021.

Herman said Monday that Thompson’s familiarity with the offense, though differently schematically than it was three years ago, eased his learning curve.

–Field Level Media

Mar 4, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee (QB09)  participates in drills at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Eagles draft QB Tanner McKee to back up Jalen Hurts

Not long after signing Jalen Hurts to a $255 million extension, the Philadelphia Eagles added some insurance to their quarterback room in the sixth round of the NFL draft by taking Stanford QB Tanner McKee on Saturday.

The Eagles used the No. 188 overall pick on McKee, a 6-foot-6 pocket passer who joins a team that also signed quarterback Marcus Mariota in free agency.

McKee threw for 5,336 yards, 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 23 games at Stanford from 2020-22.

He was the 13th quarterback taken in the 2023 draft after a record-setting 12 signal-callers were chosen through the first five rounds.

The NFC champions locked up Hurts with a five-year extension earlier this month. Former backup quarterback Gardner Minshew left in free agency to sign with the Indianapolis Colts.

–Field Level Media

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young (9) is the right choice at No. 1. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

NFL draft position series: Quarterbacks

For the 27th time since 1967, the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft will be a quarterback. Which one, the Carolina Panthers aren’t quite ready to say.

General manager Scott Fitterer, groomed under John Schneider and the Seahawks’ scouting department when third-round pick Russell Wilson proved to be solid gold in relative draft terms, has been down the road before in Carolina, too.

Fitterer is under orders from Panthers’ ownership to find the franchise quarterback by any means possible. He swung a trade with the Chicago Bears in March to move up from the No. 9 spot to be “able to control it from the top.”

Until the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Travon Walker No. 1 in 2022, a four-year run of quarterbacks at the top produced mixed results. Trevor Lawrence (2021, Jaguars) and Joe Burrow (2020, Bengals) are already playoff quarterbacks — Burrow a Super Bowl runner-up with two AFC Championship game appearances — and Kyler Murray (2019, Cardinals) and Baker Mayfield (2018, Browns) have also been to the postseason but with less consistent results. Mayfield had a layover in Carolina last season in a trade with the Browns and begins a tour with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023 representing his fourth stop since the end of the 2021 season.

The Panthers aren’t the only team thirsty for a fixture at the position. The Houston Texans (No. 2, No. 12), Indianapolis Colts (No. 4), Seattle Seahawks (5), Detroit Lions (6), Las Vegas Raiders (7) and Atlanta Falcons (8) all hosting top quarterback prospects in this class and could take a swing at replenishing the depth chart in the first round.

There have been five drafts in which four quarterbacks were chosen within the top 15 selections, including 2021 and 2018.

With demand as high as ever, here’s a review of the 2023 draft supply at quarterback:

1. Bryce Young, Alabama

Projected Pick: 1

Power Points: Young’s size and weight (5-10 1/8, 204 pounds) invite durability questions even without an injury history because he’s a far cry from the prototype at the NFL’s most important and challenging position. While there are exceptions, there are also injury incidences with each of the most prominent “small” quarterbacks, from Murray (torn ACL in 2022), Mayfield (multiple injuries in 2020, 2021) or retired Drew Brees (separated shoulder) that might give a team pause. But Wilson, who measured half an inch taller than Murray at 5-10 5/8, has never had a major injury and Mike Vick’s playing style at 6-0, 199 pounds was a hazard.

Young missed one of his possible 37 career games at Alabama (2022, sprained shoulder).

Scouts love the mental makeup that helps Young thrive. He already carries himself like a professional and the type of posterboy personality and humble leadership team ownership and fan bases can firmly stand behind.

Groomed for success at California’s high school quarterback factory — Mater Dei HS in Pasadena, which produced Matt Barkley and Matt Leinart plus current Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown — Alabama coach Nick Saban called him an “all-time leader” and his college production speaks in exclamatory terms: Young had 80 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions as Crimson Tide quarterback, and he left Tuscaloosa as a Heisman Trophy winner and national champion.

Last Word: He’s not the only QB in the 2023 draft, but he’s definitely the one.

2. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
Projected Pick: 4

Precision decision: Another California kid, Coleridge Bernard (C.J.) Stroud IV nearly rode a late rise on the recruiting circuit to Georgia, where he could’ve dramatically shifted the Stetson Bennett storybook ride in Athens. He had clipboard duty behind Justin Fields as a redshirt in 2020 and then was a two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, claiming the silver football for tossing 85 total touchdowns and 12 interceptions and completing an insane 69.4 percent of his 830 pass attempts. Bigger than Young but by no means bulky at 6-3, 210, Stroud looks like a wide receiver in street clothes but also missed just one college game (shoulder).

His right arm is more of a precision tool than a cannon, but he can make all the throws. There’s a poetry to Stroud’s dropback and release and his ability to parachute the ball over coverage down the field and place it on the target in traffic stands as the eye-catching NFL QB trait that gets him drafted. He bears no similarity to Fields as an athlete in or around the pocket and speed rarely shows up with defenders in pursuit. Potent as a sniper in the pocket, Stroud won 21 games in 25 starts in two seasons and had better per-game averages than Burrow (LSU record 305.9 yards, 2.8 TD passes per game) with 324.9 and 3.4.

Last Word: An incomplete quarterback, but Stroud stands out as the best pure passer in this class.

3. Anthony Richardson, Florida
Projected Pick: 7

Delta, Bravo: Deciphering whether Richardson is the second coming of Cam Newton or an athlete with superhuman arm strength brings the inexact science of scouting under the microscope. All of the positives are scintillating. He’s bigger than most linebackers and faster than many wide receivers at 6-4, 245 with a 4.43 40 time. Testing ball speed on short and long throws is John Elway-like, and the right coaching staff couldn’t help but picture the man child in a Jalen Hurts-type role operating a system revolving around RPOs. A believable follow-me personality who takes ownership of his inconsistency at Florida, there’s a maturation and humility to Richardson balanced by the open desire to collaborate and yearning to improve. Teammates will follow Richardson.

Then there’s the tiny devil on every general manager’s shoulder poking the play button on his 33 percent completion night at Florida State or perhaps a skidding 5-yard pass with a receiver running clean on a 10-yard crosser. Less production means more projection, a hope for the best type of proposition filed under make-a-wish items that cost GMs jobs. Three games into the 2022 season, Richardson had five interceptions before his first TD pass (41 of 77). There’s a strong argument he failed his two stiffest tests of NFL-readiness in starts against pro-prospect packed Georgia that were borderline disastrous.

2022 (42-20 L)
— 18 comp 37 att 271 yards 48.6 comp % 1 TD 0 INT 78 long 3 sacked 11 rushes 19 yards 1.7 avg 0 TDs 14 long

2021
— (34-7 L)
— 12 comp 20 att 82 yards 60.0 comp % 0 TD 2 INT 18 long 2 sacked 12 rushes 26 yards 2.2 avg 0 TDs 9 long

In fairness, Young wasn’t his best vs. Georgia in a second game facing the Bulldogs in 2021: four sacks, two interceptions but 369 yards in the 33-18 national championship game defeat. He carved up the same defense in the SEC title game (four total TDs, 421 yards passing, zero sacks and no picks) five weeks prior.

When considering a “bust” factor, scouts arguing Richardson isn’t ready, might never be the total package, or needs years of training could be proven correct.

Counterpoint: What if he hits the NFL runway with all of the unicorn athlete natural tools, bundled promise and drive displayed over the past year and takes flight?

He’s just 20 years old and started only 13 games in college. Scouting buzzwords — potential and upside — are insufficient to properly emphasize the reach of Richardson’s ceiling as an NFL quarterback.

Last Word: One GM, likely in the top 10, stakes his job — and perhaps his head coach’s, too — on the educated and researched, convicted and cross-examined opinion that Richardson’s undeniable elite athleticism and potential accumulatively equal not only starter material, but star status. And he might be right.

–Best of the Rest

4. Will Levis, Kentucky
Projected Pick: 11
Only two starts and a redshirt season at Penn State pushed Levis to Kentucky, where he became a team captain because somehow his Wildcats teammates forgave his sinful indulgence of mayonnaise in his coffee (just once, he says). Quirky, confident and built for the part of pro quarterback, Levis lands in the NFL at more of a developmental stage facing the same type of test and steep expectations and learning curve that sat former first-rounders Jake Locker (Titans), Christian Ponder (Vikings) and Josh Rosen (Cardinals) on their rears. There are some similarities to Ryan Tannehill and Carson Wentz, untamed athletes who’ve experienced highs and lows in multiple stops in the pros after being drafted too high. To that end, Levis was under constant pressure from the pass rush at UK (nearly 30 percent of his pass-play snaps in 2022), a fault not entirely his own, and there are other signs he’ll need a high number of reps before stepping into a starting role.

5. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
Projected Pick: 18
Barring a torn ACL 11 games into his sixth college season and relatively advanced age (25), the former Virginia Tech quarterback might have been in the conversation as the top arm in the ’23 class. There are some decision-makers who believe he’ll be the best of the bunch. For Hooker to take off, he’ll need a built-to-suit offensive system and patience as he returns to health and evolves to a pro scheme.

–Second- and Third-Day Shopping List

6. Jake Haener, Fresno State
7. Aidan O’Connell, Purdue
8. Clayton Tune, Houston
9. Tanner McKee, Stanford
10. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA

–By Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media