Power ranking the NFL’s 2023 rookie quarterback class
The 2023 NFL season set a new league record with 10 first-year signal callers, including two undrafted free agents, starting a game. It was the year of the rookie quarterback.
Several top overall picks displayed glimpses of why they were so much sought after in April, despite the uneven results. From best to worst, here’s how each rookie quarterback performed this season:
1. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
There’s little left to be said about Stroud that hasn’t already been said. Among rookie quarterbacks he ranks second in passing yards per game (273.9), third in passing yards (4,108) and passer rating (100.8) and sixth in touchdown passes (23).
Stroud is just the fifth player in NFL history to throw for over 4,000 yards in his rookie season and Dak Prescott is the only other rookie to throw for 20 or more touchdowns with fewer interceptions than Stroud’s five picks. The 22-year-old Ohio State alum looks like he’s going to be a Pro Bowler for the next decade.
2. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
Despite his 3-6 record as a starter, the Titans looked like a completely different offense with Levis at QB than Ryan Tannehill. His 1,808 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions look all the more impressive considering he played behind the worst offensive line in the league and was running for his life a considerable amount of time.
Levis’ star-making moment came in Week 14 when he led the Titans on a four-play, 64-yard touchdown drive in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter to upset the then-9-3 Miami Dolphins on “Monday Night Football.” Levis appears to be a piece the Titans will build around.
3. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Although Young’s stats (2,877 yards, 11 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 62 sacks taken, 73.7 passer rating) don’t look great at first glance, it’s reasonable to argue he did the best he could with what little he had.
Young’s 2-12 record as the starter makes Carolina’s six one-score losses appear worse than they were. He has the potential to develop into a pretty strong thrower if the Panthers can find him a legitimate No. 1 receiver to throw to and a couple of linemen who can hold him upright.
4. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
Though his was only a four-game sample size, Richardson showed glimpses of why the Colts valued him so high at the top of the draft. He started in wins over the Titans and Texans and nearly led Indy to an overtime win against the Rams.
Richardson rushed for at least one touchdown in three of his four games and threw for 577 yards, three touchdowns and only one interception before injuring his shoulder. If he returns fully healthy, he should have a strong bounce-back Year 2.
5. Aidan O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders
Thrown into the fire in Week 4 and then again as the full-time starter in Week 9, O’Connell held his own against some tough competition and had the Raiders right in the thick of the playoff race up until the end of the season.
He went 5-5 with wins over the Chiefs and Jets, who boasted the No. 2- and 3-ranked defenses, respectively, in the NFL. O’Connell threw for 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions a.l while working under an interim head coach, too.
6. Tyson Bagent, Chicago Bears
Throwing for 859 yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions in four starts may not seem overly impressive, but when you consider Bagent was an undrafted free agent out of Division II Shephard University, it suddenly becomes notable.
Bagent won two of his starts and nearly led the Bears back against the Vikings in Week 6. He also lost to the Saints by just one score in Week 9. Much of Bagent’s playing time came without the help to Chicago’s top two running backs, Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson, who were both banged up for much of the year.
7. Tommy DeVito, New York Giants
DeVito was the NFL’s darling for about a six-week period before being replaced in the Giants lineup by Tyrod Taylor. The 25-year-old New Jersey native had a 3-3 record as the starter, leading the Giants on a three-game winning streak and pulling them to within shouting distance of a playoff spot by Week 14 before he cooled down. DeVito likely did enough to earn a spot on the roster next year, but he probably won’t see starting time again unless there’s another injury.
8. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Cleveland Browns
After tearing it up in the preseason, Thompson-Robinson disappointed during his Week 4 start against the Baltimore Ravens in which he completed 52% of his passes for 121 yards while throwing three interceptions. He wasn’t much better in next two appearances, either (299 yards, one touchdown, one interception, 64 passer rating), though he did lead Cleveland to a 13-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11.
9. Jaren Hall, Minnesota Vikings
Hall’s first start actually got off to a pretty promising beginning, completing 5-of 6-passes for 78 yards and leading Minnesota on a nine-play, 78-yard scoring drive before he was knocked out of the game with a concussion. But he was yanked early in next start nearly two months later. Hall ended the year going 13-of-20 for 168 yards and an interception. He likely will be Minnesota’s No. 2 or No. 3 QB next year.
10. Sean Clifford, Green Bay Packers
Clifford only appeared in two games, running the ball three times for -2 yards and attempting just one pass (a 37-yard completion). He played the least amount of any of the rookie quarterbacks, but Clifford is ranked ahead of Tune because of the poorness of the latter’s lone start.
11. Clayton Tune, Arizona Cardinals
So how awful was Tune’s performance against the Cleveland Browns in his Week 9 start? The Cardinals managed just 58 yards of total offence on 48 plays, and were shut out 27-0. That’s an average of 1.2 yards each play for math illiterates.
In the defeat, Arizona managed just seven first downs, was just 1 for 13 on third downs, turned the ball over three times, and only possessed the ball for slightly more than twenty-three minutes. In addition to taking seven sacks, Tune himself completed 11 of 20 throws for 58 yards and two interceptions.
Did not attempt a pass in 2023:
Hendon Hooker, Detroit Lions
Jake Haener, New Orleans Saints
Stetson Bennett, Los Angeles Rams
Tanner McKee, Philadelphia Eagles
Max Duggan, Los Angeles Chargers
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