The NFL Draft is just hours away. Tonight, 31 young men will have their lives changed forever when Roger Goodell announces their name and they are welcomed into the NFL as a First Round Draft Pick. Some will go on to be Pro-Bowlers, All-Pros, and possibly Hall of Famers, while a majority will become obsolete and irrelevant by the time their rookie contract is up, however only time will tell who becomes an all-time great or an all-time bust.
Before the draft tonight, let me throw a couple of my takes out on the internet where they will stay forever, and years from now I will be able to tell my children “look how beyond accurate your dad’s takes on the 2023 NFL Draft were”, and we will all be amazed.
QB’s – How Will Their Careers Play Out?
This year projects 4 – possibly 5 – QB’s to be taken in the 1st round of the draft. Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, Anthony Richardson, Will Levis, and some believe Hendon Hooker my slide into the draft’s first night. While no one can ever truly project how an NFL Quarterback will fair in the league, we can sure try.
Bryce Young – Solid NFL career, 10+ seasons of good to great, but never amazing play.
CJ Stroud – Never has success or gets near it, similar to all other Ohio State QB’s in the NFL. Another take – He will play for another NFL team within his rookie contract.
Anthony Richardson – See my article here for my answer, just absurd.
Will Levis – He will be forced to play due to being a 1st round pick (Paxton Lynch esque), with little to no success.
Hendon Hooker – Back-up for 1-2 seasons before he steps in to have a solid NFL career
That was a quick run down and summary of how I believe the top 5 QB prospects in the draft’s career will play out. I don’t see the next Peyton Manning or Patrick Mahomes in the group, but I do see a couple of guys who will have some success in the league and potentially play for a while.
Jalen Carter will not find NFL success
Whenever NFL players have something major off the field happen, it takes a toll on them regardless of how mentally tough or well put together they are. Unfortunately for Jalen Carter, his off the field situation involves the death of mulitple individuals. While Carter is currently still on NFL teams draft boards, some teams have said they will be staying away from him due to off (and on) field issues. In the past months, it has come to light that Carter is not a team player, that Georgia is not too concerned with him declaring early, and that he is not someone who practices in preparation for the game. I do not know him personally (obviously) and I’m going off of other websites and reporters articles, but off and on the field issues seems to have a less than ideal track record when it comes to players finding success.
“Why did he go so late in the first” – Michael Mayer (TE Notre Dame)
It has been a known fact that Michael Mayer is going to be a first round pick for some time now (just like Brock Bowers will be next year), and that says something coming from the Tight End position. He is a freak of nature, standing at 6’4 and weighing in at 250, he is exactly what you want from your Tight End position. When it is all said and done, we will look back on Mayer being the steal of this draft in the teens (possible twenties). While he may not be the flashiest player like Travis Kelce, he can do it all like Gronk. I don’t like comparing guys to Hall of Famers/Greatest of All-Times, but when you can block and catch the ball similar to the ability of one of the greatest to ever do it, you have to talk about the comparisons.
While Mayer my not find as much success as Kelce and Gronk when it comes to Super Bowls and Hall of Fame resumes, he will be an outstanding TE in the NFL and contribute to his teams success year in and year out, being a relable blocker for his runningbacks and someone his QB’s will be able to count on as well. He’ll be your favorite TE’s, favorite TE.
Sleeper – Ravens Draft a QB
UPDATE – Thursday afternoon prior to draft – Lamar has resigned for a record $260M, and my final sleeper take is now irrelevant!
Lamar Jackson saga is still continuing in Baltimore, with the agentless QB still unsigned as a non-tendered free-agent. While the Ravens are trying their hardest to keep their former MVP QB happy by signing OBJ, I think that some point the head ache isn’t worth it and the Raven’s decide to move on. Whether it is Hendon Hooker in the back half of the 1st round, or a QB like Max Duggan in a 2-4th round pick, I think the Ravens show Lamar that they are no longer going to wait on him to decide and are going to take the necessary steps to help their future should he sign elsewhere (in which case the Ravens would receive Two First Round picks from the team who signs him. So in theory they could end up with a QB in this years draft, along with a teams next two first round picks.
All of this depends on how the Ravens view their chances to resign Jackson to a deal that makes both sides happy (which is seeming more and more unlikely).
Happy Draft Day and I hope your team makes you happy tonight!
Till Next Time,
Trevor
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