The best NFL fit for Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee in 2023 NFL Draft

Tanner McKee is trying to standout amongst a talented crop of quarterbacks eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft, and franchises will have their eyes on the Cardinal signal caller ahead of next April.

Prior to McKee making his case, Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus forecasted the best fit for the Stanford quarterback, projecting the Carolina Panthers as the perfect home for him.

“Let’s face it, the Panthers’ roster is too good to really compete for the No. 1 overall pick in 2023,” wrote Renner. “More likely than not, they won’t have their pick of the litter to replace Sam Darnold.

“That being said, there very well could be a number of franchise-type options in the upcoming class, with McKee being one of those names. In his first year of starting after taking a two-year LDS mission, McKee earned a 69.0 overall grade and flashed a big-time NFL arm.”

Last season, McKee passed for 2,327 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Cardinals, but showed impressive throwing ability from inside the pocket. Additionally, the Stanford quarterback completed 65.4 percent of his passes, along with adding four rushing touchdowns.

If he can continue to build on his momentum built from 2021, Tanner McKee could be part of the immense competition to be one of the first quarterbacks off the board come next April.

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Moreover, Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus also recently ranked his top ten quarterback prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft, where Tanner McKee earned the three spot on the list.

“In his first season as a starter last season, he showed a number of high-end NFL traits,” wrote Renner. “Most impressive was McKee’s footwork in the pocket. No returning quarterback in college football throws with a more consistent base — especially when forced past their first read.

“He also has a live arm and already some of the best ball placement in the class, which is necessary given the surrounding talent he’s working with at Stanford. The Cardinal didn’t have a single offensive player drafted in 2022 and may not again in 2023 unless junior tight end Benjamin Yurosek declares early. Even still … he’s a tight end. That’s the only NFL talent McKee is working with. He has to play the position completely different than the two guys above him on this list because of that, fitting the ball into windows like the one below routinely if he wants to generate big plays.”

While Renner believes McKee can ascend to the top of some draft boards, there’s still some things he’s hoping to see the Stanford quarterback improve before next April.

“Of course, McKee is not without things to improve on,” added Renner. “Of his turnovers, most came in panicked situations under pressure. He’ll too often throw with anticipation even when a defender’s leverage makes a route untenable.

“We’ll see if he can clean up those issues for a more productive 2022 season that could lock him into the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.”