Todd McShay offers insight on where 2023 NFL Draft quarterbacks will go

The 2023 NFL Draft is right around the corner and the first round is likely to be shaped by what happens with the quarterbacks at the very start of the draft.

Teams have already done some jousting for position atop this year’s NFL Draft, with the Carolina Panthers maneuvering to get the top overall selection.

But it’s what happens after the first overall pick that will be most interesting.

“We know Bryce Young‘s going one, right?” ESPN analyst Todd McShay said on the Pardon My Take podcast. “CJ Stroud, if it’s not two, I don’t think it’s going to be four. Indianapolis at four is the next team that needs a quarterback, assuming no one trades up, and they’ve been linked heavily, I think that’s real, with Will Levis. I think that’s their guy.”

McShay sees a real possibility that Stroud could slip past the first four picks.

There’s been some discussion about whether a low NFL S2 cognitive test might negatively impact Stroud’s 2023 NFL Draft status, or whether his lack of mobility compared to the other potential first-rounders is a legitimate hang-up.

In any case, McShay could see a scenario unfolding where Stroud falling actually bounces another quarterback back.

“All the information I’m getting is that Will Levis is going to go four,” McShay said. “So if that’s the case you’ve got two quarterbacks off the board and Stroud’s still sitting there. Five I’ve heard Seattle is — everyone’s going to tell you this week that Seattle’s not in the quarterback market and I don’t know if it’s going to be at five — but I’m told there’s a very strong chance they exit round one with a quarterback.

“Now it could be five, it could be 20, it could be them moving from 20 back up to get a guy who starts to fall. I’ve heard with Seattle Stroud’s a possibility because he’s young. Whether it’s Stroud or Anthony Richardson, and I’ve heard Richardson there, but that’s about the only team I’ve heard with Richardson. All these guys have been linked to different teams. Richardson has gotten a little loving in Seattle but I’ve not heard many other teams with him. But if Seattle’s going to take a guy it makes sense, because Stroud’s going to be 21 before the, or he turns 21 I think in season. They’re both going to be 21 as rookies, Richardson and Stroud.”

The point being that Seattle is one of the destinations that can afford to give a first-round draft pick at quarterback a little bit more time to develop.

“So if you’ve got Geno (Smith) you’re at least going to sit them for a year,” McShay said. “You don’t want Hendon Hooker, who’s going to be 26 next January. You don’t want Will Levis, who’s going to be 25 by his second season. You’d rather a younger quarterback.”

However, if Stroud lasts past pick No. 4, it could mean Richardson is set to further tumble down the 2023 NFL Draft board.

After all, he’d be the only first-round selection at quarterback in the last 20 years to have started as few as 13 games in college. He doesn’t have the lengthiest track record, nor the most consistent performance in his lone year as the starter.

Could Richardson be the odd man out tumbling down draft boards come Thursday evening?

“If it goes Young one, Levis four, maybe Stroud five or six to Seattle or Detroit, then all the sudden Anthony Richardson’s the fourth guy up,” McShay said. “And I’ve heard Houston has interest in Hendon Hooker, possibly at 12. And Tennessee’s picking at 11, I’ve heard has some interest in Hendon Hooker if they can’t move up to go get their guy.

“So Richardson could be in for a little bit of a fall, because you get past 11, who’s taking a quarterback? Washington is apparently happy with its situation at 16. I don’t understand how they are, but they are. And then Tampa Bay’s at 19 and Seattle’s at 20, Minnesota’s at 23. So it could be a little bit of a long night for Anthony Richardson assuming a team like Minnesota from 23 or Seattle from 20 doesn’t move up to get him somewhere in the teens.”