There are more than a few unanswered questions entering the 2023 NFL Draft, but one thing is clear: This quarterback class couldn't be more different than last year's.
Kenny Pickett was the only quarterback taken in the first two rounds last April. This time around, as many as five quarterbacks are in play in the first round.
This draft might not look much like 2022, but we've seen quarterback classes like this before. The 2018 draft evokes more than a few similarities, both in terms of the number of highly-rated signal-callers and, in some cases, their styles of play.
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The Sporting News takes a look at how the 2023 quarterback class resembles the 2018 class.
Revisiting the 2018 quarterback class
The 2018 NFL Draft is one of two with four quarterbacks selected in the top 10. Five quarterbacks were drafted in the first round overall:
- Baker Mayfield, No. 1 (Browns)
- Sam Darnold, No. 3 (Jets)
- Josh Allen, No. 7 (Bills)
- Josh Rosen, No. 10 (Cardinals)
- Lamar Jackson, No. 32 (Ravens)
The results have been mixed, as is the case with most quarterback classes.
Allen and Jackson have emerged as premier NFL quarterbacks, with Jackson owning an MVP award, while Darnold and Mayfield have both had multiple chances as a starter but have been far too inconsistent. Rosen is considered a colossal bust and only made three starts after his rookie season.
In all likelihood, the 2023 quarterback class will play out similarly. It's unlikely that the top four prospects all live up to expectations, but there's almost certainly going to be at least one gem that emerges out of the group.
MORE: Which draft had the most QBs selected in the top 10?
Here's a look at how the rookie quarterbacks of 2023 stack up against their 2018 counterparts.
How does the 2023 QB class compare to 2018?
This year's class isn't just similar to 2018 because four or five quarterbacks could be drafted early on. The makeup of this year's top quarterback prospects actually resembles some of the top prospects from 2018.
Anthony Richardson vs. Lamar Jackson
Anthony Richardson has faced some of the same criticisms that Jackson faced in 2018, with concerns about the Florida quarterback's arm talent and questions about whether he'll be able to hold up as a quarterback who relies so heavily on his mobility.
Like Richardson, Jackson is an athletic specimen. His athleticism still wasn't enough to make put him in the same class as Mayfield, Darnold, Allen, and Rosen on draft night, but most of Jackson's critics have been proven wrong by how successful he's been as a passer with the Ravens.
The comparison is far from exact. Richardson didn't have nearly the same level of college production as Jackson, who won a Heisman Trophy and started for the bulk of three seasons at Louisville. Richardson started for only one year and was limited to 17 touchdown passes. It's Jackson's success that has made NFL scouts so intrigued by Richardson's ceiling.
MORE: Anthony Richardson scouting report, NFL comps
Will Levis vs. Josh Allen
Will Levis has drawn comparisons to Allen because of how unproven they both were coming out of college.
With Allen, draft evaluators insisted that underwhelming numbers at Wyoming should be ignored because his arm talent was outstanding. That turned out to be totally accurate. Allen has morphed into one of the NFL's most exciting players, overcoming accuracy issues and emerging as the face of the Bills.
Is Levis capable of following the same track? He's the wild card of this quarterback class after posting pedestrian numbers at Kentucky (2,406 yards, 19 touchdowns, 10 interceptions in 2022).
Levis' arm strength and prototypical NFL size have captivated teams, and we will find out on Thursday night just how much front offices are willing to overlook a lack of college production.
MORE: Will Levis scouting report, NFL comps
Bryce Young vs. Baker Mayfield
So who is the Baker Mayfield of this draft? It just might be Bryce Young. No, Young might not struggle to latch on like Mayfield has in the NFL, but there are similarities in their backgrounds.
Mayfield was a Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma and overcame size concerns to get drafted first overall by the Browns. Young, also a Heisman winner at Alabama, is even shorter at 5-10 and weighs 11 fewer pounds than Mayfield did at the 2018 NFL Combine.
Time will tell if the Panthers decide his slight frame is worth overlooking with the top pick. The Browns decided late in the process that Mayfield was their choice, and the results were mixed. Mayfield helped lead Cleveland to a playoff win in 2020 but only lasted one more season with the franchise.
If Young can capitalize on the tools and decision-making he flashed in college, he can exceed that.
MORE: Bryce Young scouting report, NFL comps
C.J. Stroud vs. Sam Darnold
Remember, this is only a comparison of prospect profiles, not necessarily their styles of play.
Darnold entered the 2017 college football season as the favorite to be selected first overall and, despite underwhelming a bit with some turnover problems, was in contention for the top pick until the morning of the draft. He had the size, he showed the flashes in college, and he came from a major program. That's C.J. Stroud this year.
Stroud was even better than Darnold in college, though he also fell short of a Heisman Trophy after entering this past season as one of the clear-cut favorites. He didn't make too many mistakes as the Buckeyes' quarterback and seemed to make strides from 2021 to 2022.
Like Darnold, Stroud's most impressive game came on the big stage. Darnold drew NFL attention with a tremendous performance in the 2017 Rose Bowl, while Stroud's excellent showing against Georgia in the Peach Bowl impressed fans and scouts.
The flashes and the tools made Darnold a surefire top-10 pick. That seems to be where Stroud is headed, though he's obviously hoping for much better results at the NFL level.
MORE: C.J. Stroud scouting report, NFL comps
How many quarterbacks will be drafted in the first round?
At least three quarterbacks seem poised to be selected early in the first round. Young and Stroud are projected top-five picks, while Richardson's stock has risen to the point that it might be a surprise to see him slip out of the top-10. SN's Vinnie Iyer has all three coming off the board within the first four picks.
Levis has long been a projected first-round pick. Despite his stock slipping a bit this spring, Iyer still has him being taken 19th overall by the Buccaneers. It would take a significant fall for Levis to slide to Day 2.
Is there a fifth first-round quarterback this year, like there was in 2018? If so, Hendon Hooker should be the guy.
The 25-year-old Tennessee product is coming off a season-ending knee injury that could keep him sidelined for part of his rookie season, but reports in the days leading up to the draft indicate indicate he could sneak into the first round.
