NFL Draft Mailbag: Where Does Anthony Richardson Belong Among 2023 QB Hierarchy?
The quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL draft class epitomize the give-and-take found when discussing potential vs. production.
Will Ohio State's C.J. Stroud be the quarterback whom everyone saw against the Georgia Bulldogs in the national semifinals, or will he struggle when moved off his spot and not add much as a runner?
Can Alabama's Bryce Young thrive in the NFL even though he'd be the ultimate outlier based on his listed size?
Is Kentucky's Will Levis closer to the version everyone saw in 2021 or the one who didn't play nearly as well this past season?
Will Florida's Anthony Richardson continue in his development and become an efficient passer or continue to rely primarily on his awesome natural gifts?
These types of questions drive the makeup of the 2023 class, particularly near the top.
Much will be discerned among other high-profile names at different positions—TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston, Northwestern offensive lineman Peter Skoronski, Minnesota offensive lineman John Michael Schmitz, Texas Tech defensive lineman Tyree Wilson, Pittsburgh defensive lineman Calijah Kancey, Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez and Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo—between now and the draft on April 27-29.
Bleacher Report's Scouting Department of Brandon Thorn, Cory Giddings, Derrik Klassen and Matt Holder checked in to address the biggest concerns and discrepancies found among this year's incoming crop of talent and current grades.
Why Has Anthony Richardson Surpassed Bryce Young as B/R's QB2 Behind C.J. Stroud?
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The short answer is simple: upside.
Florida's Anthony Richardson is by far the class' toolsiest quarterback prospect when it comes to size (6'4", 232 lbs), athletic ability and natural arm talent. Conversely, Alabama's Bryce Young is going to be the smallest quarterback in the league right away, and his arm and athletic ability—while nice—are more above-average than elite, unlike Richardson's.
While Richardson is a raw prospect in some ways, he isn't as incomplete as it might seem at first glance.
The one-year starter needs to find more consistency with his ball placement. But his baseline processing skills are solid, and he's arguably the class' best pocket manager right now. Those aren't normally things ascribed to a truly raw prospect in the way Richardson is often billed.
Richardson's floor is worrisome based on where he currently sits on the developmental curve. Then again, the same can be said about Young given his stature and reckless playing style. As such, Richardson gains a slight advantage because of his immense potential.
— Klassen
What Traits Does Quentin Johnston Display To Make Him a Potential Top-10 Selection?
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TCU's Quentin Johnston has a pretty unique profile as far as wide receivers go.
In college, Johnston had an extremely high average depth of target, but he was also one of the most productive players in the country after the catch. That isn't how it typically works.
Normally, a wide receiver is either a high-depth-of-target option with limited yards after the catch or a low-depth-of-target player with outstanding YAC skills.
The fact Johnston can be both—thanks to his speed, explosiveness and fluid change-of direction-skills as a ball-carrier—is exciting.
The 6'4", 215-pound Johnston still needs to cut down on his concentration drops and learn to attack the ball more cleanly in the air, but he's an outrageous athlete for the position and has better route-running chops and fluidity than a typical receiver of his stature.
— Klassen
Where Does Peter Skoronski Project in NFL and How Will It Affect His Draft Value?
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Peter Skoronski's NFL projection comes down to each individual team. I have repeatedly heard from numerous evaluators that teams are largely split on seeing him more as a tackle or guard, possibly even center.
The safest and best long-term bet is projecting Skoronski at guard in a similar mold of the successful collegiate left tackle-turned-guard transitions that Zack Martin, Joel Bitonio and Joe Thuney experienced.
Skoronski faced good competition at left tackle against Big Ten defenders and deserves the chance of sticking on the blind side. But he would also need to prove to be an outlier in terms of arm length, especially if his levers measure below 33 inches.
His lack of length itself isn't a disqualifier, but he has had trouble preventing certain rushers from establishing first meaningful contact, gaining quick control and winning with power, which speaks to potential problems as a pro. Moving inside to guard would help address that issue to an extent.
These concerns do ding Skoronski's draft value, but not dramatically. The unanimous All-American pretty much checks every other box, and the value of having a top-flight guard is more widely appreciated and understood as of late.
With a floor of becoming a standout guard while remaining a potentially viable option at tackle, the upside far outweighs the downside with Skoronski's outlook. That should keep him as a top-15 draft pick.
— Thorn
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Will Top-Rated Center John Michael Schmitz Be 1st Interior Blocker Drafted?
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Minnesota's John Michael-Schmitz has a good chance of being the first interior blocker drafted due to his experience level, starting caliber run-blocking skills and play strength.
If teams wanted to go in a different direction with a prospect who has similar strengths and more versatility, someone like TCU's Steve Avila could be selected first. If teams value a pure guard higher than a center, Florida's O'Cyrus Torrence could be the first to hear his named called.
Aside from those three, Wisconsin's Joe Tippmann should be the only other player in the running for first interior blocker off the board, especially since he's expected to test well. Schmitz is unlikely to reach the same level in the athletic testing portion of the combine.
Despite a strong Senior Bowl effort, Schmitz's performance didn't solidify him as the runaway favorite to claim the top spot among this year's interior options.
— Thorn
Could Tyree Wilson Surpass Will Anderson Jr., Jalen Carter as Top Defensive Prospect?
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In Daniel Jeremiah's latest mock draft on NFL.com, Tyree Wilson landed at No. 3 overall to the Arizona Cardinals. He was behind Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter, who went No. 1 overall, but ahead of Alabama edge-rusher Will Anderson Jr., whom he had the Seattle Seahawks taking with the fifth overall pick.
I don't see that scenario happening.
Wilson is a good player and an impressive athlete at 6'6" and 275 pounds. Currently, he's ranked 15th overall on B/R's big board. He is a well-regarded prospect, but he isn't as athletic as some of the other top defensive linemen in this draft class. That's a significant reason why he's behind other defensive line prospects such as Clemson edge-rusher Myles Murphy and defensive lineman Bryan Bresee among our rankings.
With that being said, excellent testing numbers at the NFL combine could push Wilson ahead of those Clemson prospects and into a similar category as Carter and Anderson. However, he'll have a hard time getting ahead of those two, who are considered the top two overall prospects in the entire class. They're special.
— Holder
Will Calijah Kancey's Less-Than-Ideal Measurables Keep Him Out of 1st Round?
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The short answer (no pun intended) is yes.
A lot of people have compared Calijah Kancey to Aaron Donald, which is natural. Kancey, an undersized defensive tackle listed at 6'0" and 280 pounds, was Pittsburgh's first unanimous All-American at the position since Donald, who was also knocked for his size coming out of college.
They have some similarities. Most notably, they're both extremely quick and impressive pass-rushers. The problem with the comparison is that Donald is an outlier. Just about every other elite 3-technique—Chris Jones (6'6", 310 lbs), Jeffery Simmons (6'4", 305 lbs) and Quinnen Williams (6'3", 303 lbs) and DeForest Buckner (6'7", 295 lbs)—are much bigger.
The then-St. Louis Rams still drafted Donald in the top 15 despite his size concerns, but he measured about an inch taller and five pounds heavier than what Pitt lists Kancey as. He also blew the doors off the building with his on-field workout at the combine. We'll see what Kancey's official measurements are soon.
Kancey's lack of top-tier size and strength does show up in run defense. He isn't terrible against one-on-one blocks, but he struggles against combo blocks, which he'll see plenty of at in the NFL.
The two-time first-team All-ACC selection will probably be more of a situational pass-rusher to start his career, while most teams will likely be looking for a more complete defensive tackle during Day 1 of the draft.
— Holder
What's Holding Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez Back From Being a Top-10 Prospect?
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Christian Gonzalez has many traits that make him arguably the best cornerback in this year's draft class. He's long (6'2', 201 lbs), athletic and physical. The 20-year-old is coming off a season where he nabbed four interceptions, defended 11 more passes and earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors.
However, his change-of-direction skills are suspect.
Gonzalez struggles to sink his hips to quickly get out of breaks at times, which allows separation by wide receivers. Though he is a bigger cornerback, he will need to clean up his footwork going into the combine.
He also tends to be quite handsy, hugging on receivers downfield. He even got flags thrown on him for the excessive physical play.
These might be small issues now, but they can become bigger problems in the NFL. If he doesn't rectify them, it could affect his draft position.
— Giddings
Can Kelee Ringo Make Position Switch to Safety or Does He Only Fit a Specific Scheme?
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Georgia defensive back Kelee Ringo flashed in various techniques from press-man to off-zone. However, he could still struggle making the transition to the NFL.
Ringo will need the help of a Cover 3 scheme with a safety to stay on top of routes. He is a bigger cornerback (6'2", 210 lbs) who often needs an extra step or two to reach top speed. He could struggle playing press against some of the elite receivers in the NFL who know how to beat the jam and create separation.
At times, he also gave up space to shiftier receivers he faced. That lends to the argument that he may need to play more zone coverage in the NFL.
Switching to safety would be a last resort for Ringo since he has never played the position and isn't a great tackler. If he gets asked to make a position change, it may be a last-ditch attempt to get something out of a talent who was once considered an elite corner prospect.
— Giddings
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