Stetson Bennett 40 time: Why speed could help make up for Georgia QB's height, weight, age concerns

Stetson Bennett IV achieved greatness at the college level when he helped lead Georgia to its second consecutive national championship win over TCU.

Now, the veteran quarterback will be looking to take his talents to the NFL. His first big chance to make a case for himself post-Georgia will come at the 2023 NFL Combine.

Bennett isn't projected to be an early-round draft pick and will instead be fighting to establish himself as a potential Day 3 flier. Doing so won't be easy, especially in a class that features four potential first-round quarterbacks.

Still, Bennett will have a chance to shine when he runs his 40-yard dash.

Bennett won't be the fastest quarterback at the 2023 NFL Combine, but if he can clock an above-average 40 time, that could go a long way toward helping improve his draft stock. Here's why testing well in that area will be so important to Bennett.

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What is Stetson Bennett's 40 time?

Bennett is projected to run the 40-yard dash in 4.67 seconds, per NFLDraftBuzz.com. That would place him in the 81st percentile among quarterbacks, meaning that he has well above-average straight-line speed.

This would line up with what Bennett showed at Georgia. He was a strong scrambler and often caught defenses that prepared more to corral the Bulldogs' stable of running back weapons off-guard.

Of course, if Bennett could post a mark better than the 4.67 second projected at the 2023 NFL Combine, that could help his draft stock rise.

However, if he doesn't reach that threshold or runs a time worse than expected, it could quickly become a problem for him. Why? Because of the other concerns he has related to his physical attributes.

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Stetson Bennett height, weight

Bennett was listed at just 5-11, 190 pounds by Georgia during his final season with the Bulldogs. That would make him among the smallest quarterbacks to play in the NFL.

Bennett's 5-11 height ranks in just the second percentile among NFL quarterbacks, per NFLDraftBuzz.com. Shorter quarterbacks can endure issues operating within the pocket, as they have trouble seeing the field over the offensive linemen. Players like Drew Brees, Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray have succeeded despite smaller statures, but they are exceptions to the rule.

If Bennett's height wasn't problematic enough, his 190-pound frame ranks in the first percentile among quarterbacks. That could make him a bit more injury prone as he absorbs NFL-level hits.

Of course, some will point out that these issues are similar to the ones facing Bryce Young (6-0, 194 pounds), yet the Alabama passer is expected to be a top-five selection. That may be true, but there is one other factor that could drag down Bennett's draft stock: his age.

MORE: Bryce Young says his size doesn't matter in NFL: 'I know what I can do'

How old is Stetson Bennett?

Bennett is already 25 years old, and that will make him one of the oldest rookies in the 2023 NFL Draft class. He will turn 26 midway through his rookie season and is already older than the likes of Trevor Lawrence, Lamar Jackson, Tua Tagovailoa and MVP runner-up Jalen Hurts.

Why does that matter? Simply put, the older a player is when entering the league, the closer they are to their prime as a player. That's not to say that Bennett won't be able to improve and sharpen his game at the next level; but he won't have the same type of physical ceiling as the likes of the 21-year-old Young.

So, that's why having at least one high-level, above-average physical trait — like speed — will be important to Bennett. It will help offset the other shortcomings that scouts may see when evaluating him.

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Stetson Bennett highlights

With all that said, it's also important to remember that the physical part of prospect evaluation is just one piece of the puzzle. While the NFL Combine will tell scouts about Bennett's ceiling, the tape he put together winning back-to-back national titles with Georgia should demonstrate his ability as a mobile, accurate game manager.

Below are some of Bennett's biggest plays and best highlights from his time with the Bulldogs.

Stetson Bennett stats

It will also help Bennett's cause that he posted solid numbers at Georgia. Sure, he was surrounded by quality receiving weapons, especially at tight end, but he still made the most of his two years as a starter with the Bulldogs.

Here's a look at how he fared in those two campaigns and how he improved his accuracy from year to year.

As one would expect, Bennett was also an effective scrambler and was able to use his legs to make a lot of plays for the Bulldogs, especially in the red zone as a senior. Below is a look at his rushing stats.

MORE: How Stetson Bennett matched a Joe Burrow record in the 2023 national championship

Stetson Bennett draft projection

It's difficult to get an exact read on where Stetson Bennett will be selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, as ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. detailed in a recent TV appearance.

“Nobody can really give you any answer on Stetson Bennett other than, 'Bryce Young is going to go in the Top 5, where’s Stetson Bennett going to fall?’ This guy wins games, he’s a gutty competitor," Kiper said. "He had guys leaving that program after last year, this year no fall back. He didn’t have all the pieces they had back in 2021 this season. Yet he still leads his team to a national title.”

That said, Kiper said during that segment that he believes that Bennett could ultimately go in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. That would seem to be the ceiling for the Georgia quarterback.

Other draft analysts disagree with that notion, including CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson. He outlined that Bennett might be a late Day 3 pick — if he gets drafted.

"I think there’s a situation where Stetson probably gets drafted late on Day 3 in the seventh round,” Wilson said. “He’ll be the leader from Jump Street. He’s incredibly smart. He can run the scout team for you."

And why would Bennett be selected that late while a guy like Young could go early? As Wilson explains, it's all about athleticism.

"Stetson Bennett’s 25 years old and he’s been around forever," Wilson said. "He’s the same size as Bryce Young, but the difference is athletically, he doesn’t do the same thing Bryce Young does."

So, there seems to be a wide range for Bennett to land within. But the safe bet appears to be that he will be a Day 3 pick if he is selected during the 2023 NFL Draft.