Stetson Bennett is a 'Round 4 range' pick after combine, Mel Kiper Jr. says

Mel Kiper Jr. is locking in his prediction for Stetson Bennett as it pertains to the 2023 NFL Draft.

The ESPN NFL Draft guru believes the former Georgia star did himself a massive favor with a fantastic performance at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, and Kiper believes Bennett will be a fourth round selection come April.

“I thought Bennett had an outstanding workout Saturday, both in the passing drills and in the athletic testing,” wrote Kiper. “Since he didn’t play in an all-star game after his season ended, this was the first time NFL teams have gotten to see him up close. He threw the ball very well. He ran a better-than-expected 4.67 40-yard dash.

“Bennett’s college production isn’t in question; he completed 68.3% of his passes with 27 touchdowns and seven picks in 2022. The question is more about his frame, as he measured just under 5-foot-11 — a little taller than Bryce Young — and his arm strength. He throws the ball hard, but can he consistently connect on a deep out down the field? An arrest for public intoxication in January didn’t help his stock in the eyes of front-office execs. Bennett also will turn 26 as a rookie. Still, he’s in the Round 4 range on my board, and I think he’ll have a long NFL career.”

For a former walk-on and afterthought, a fourth round grade with room to grow is a great turn of events. Still, we doubt Bennett will be satisfied, and he’ll be willing to do the work to prove to NFL teams he can be their guy.

Nevertheless, Kiper makes some strong points against drafting Bennett earlier — his advanced age, questions about his deep ball and public intoxication arrest from January won’t make him a franchise quarterback in the mind of scouts. Regardless, he overcame all his shortcomings at Georgia in one of the toughest conferences week-in and week-out, so it’s tough to bet against him.

It remains to be seen what becomes of Stetson Bennett at the NFL level, but his future will be a fascinating one to watch.