Is Bryce Young too small to be a high QB within the NFL draft?

INDIANAPOLIS — 

Quarterback mobility was on show final month within the Super Bowl, and now it’s as much as some NFL groups to point out their mobility in addressing the place.

Are they keen to commerce up in subsequent month’s draft to land a quarterback?

Can they commerce again and nonetheless safe a very good one?

Are they able to restructure their offense to suit whichever participant they get?

These have been central questions on the annual scouting mix this week because the league evaluates the newest crop of prospects. There’s a robust risk that at the very least 4 quarterbacks will likely be chosen among the many first 9 picks in subsequent month’s draft, with Houston (second decide), Indianapolis (fourth), Las Vegas (seventh) and Carolina (ninth) all searching for solutions on the place.

It wouldn’t be a shock if three different groups in that vary additionally drafted quarterbacks: Seattle (5), Detroit (six) and Atlanta (eight).

Seasoned passers Aaron Rodgers and Derek Carr might determine into that blend, too, making a muddied image even murkier. Like a heaved deep ball, the way forward for Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson likewise is up within the air.

“In an ideal world you always want to draft the quarterback — draft, develop and then have that guy here for five, 10 years,” Panthers basic supervisor Scott Fitterer stated. “You want to have that consistency. It helps for many different reasons. The continuity of your roster, for salary cap reasons. There’s so many benefits to drafting and developing. That is the right route to go.”

The higher strata of quarterback prospects consists of Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Florida’s Anthony Richardson and Kentucky’s Will Levis. The pecking order there? Depends on whom you ask.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” stated Chris Ballard, Colts basic supervisor. “I think everybody’s going to see each guy for the strengths and weaknesses of what they see and how they fit their team. But it’s a good group.”

These 4 rookies-to-be aren’t cookie-cutter prototypes, however people with distinct strengths and weaknesses.

Young went 24-3 in two seasons with the Crimson Tide, in 2021 successful Heisman Trophy and Southeastern Conference offensive participant of the yr honors. He’s comparatively small, nevertheless, and is listed — generously, it seems — at 6 toes and 194 kilos.

“I’ve been this size, respectfully, my whole life,” he advised reporters Friday. “I know who I am, I know what I can do. For me, it’s fair, everyone can speculate, ask me every question. I’m going to continue to control what I can control, continue to keep working my hardest. … I’m confident in myself. I know what I can do.”

Stroud, of Rancho Cucamonga, is polished and skilled, throwing for 81 touchdowns with simply 12 interceptions in two seasons for the Buckeyes. Although there don’t look like a variety of holes in his sport, he did profit from wonderful cross safety at Ohio State— one thing he won’t have with a rebuilding NFL staff — and that college doesn’t have a repute for pumping out nice professional quarterbacks.

Levis wasn’t as productive final season as he was in 2021, and there are lingering questions on his accuracy and footwork. Kentucky went 10-3 with him beginning two years in the past, however 7-6 final season.

“I think this past year, season didn’t go as well as we would’ve wanted it to,” he stated. “But I learned a lot from it. Learned how to battle through adversity. Dealt with a lot of things physically and situationally that were tough, but I became a better player, a better quarterback because of it.”

There’s a variety of buzz on the mix surrounding the 6-foot-4, 231-pound Richardson, who has much less expertise than lots of the different quarterback prospects however throws scorching spirals. He was the full-time starter for one season at Florida (he accomplished a mixed 39 passes in 10 appearances earlier than that) and had a modest completion charge of 53.8% final fall.

It must be famous that Josh Allen’s completion charge popping out of Wyoming was solely barely higher at 56.2%, but he defied the historic pattern and really grew to become extra correct within the professionals. The Buffalo Bills star has accomplished 62.5% of this passes within the NFL.

Richardson raised some eyebrows in his media session Friday when, in reference to his school completion proportion, he stated: “I can definitely get better at delivering the ball and helping my guys out. But I can’t also catch every pass. If I could, I would, definitely.”

He later famous: “I’ve had a lot of people telling me I’m throwing it too hard. So when I’m trying to lighten up, it’s not as accurate as I want it to be. So I don’t care if somebody’s complaining about I’m throwing it hard. They better catch it.”

While some may discover these feedback innocuous, others may see them as pointing a finger at his receivers. That’s one thing which may not go over effectively in an NFL locker room, particularly if it got here from a rookie.

Regardless, though he might need answered that in a extra diplomatic manner, that isn’t prone to have any impression on the place he’s drafted. In truth, some groups may see it as simply the kind of fiery competitor they need.

Already, Richardson is holding himself to a lofty normal — and setting himself aside. He ran a 4.43-second 40-yard sprint, the fourth quickest by a quarterback since 2003, broke the mix file for QBs with a 40½-inch vertical leap, and his 10-foot 9-inch broad leap tied Matt Jones of Arkansas for finest by a passer since 2003.

“I want to be a legend,” he stated. “I want to be like Patrick Mahomes. I want to be like Tom Brady. I want to be one of the greats. I will be one of the greats because I’m willing to work that hard and get to that point. To answer your question, I feel like I’m going to be one of the greats for the next few years.”