The Wait for a Highly Anticipated Explosive NFL Season

The 2023 NFL Draft produced a level of potential and talent at the quarterback position that has arguably not been seen in quite some time. Fans anxiously wait for their season opener with a new potential leader and face of the franchise to get their team back on the right track. However, the question remains: Do these top college quarterbacks have the potential, talent, and resources to make their newly found NFL home playoff contenders?

The Carolina Panthers had high hopes last season with newly acquired Baker Mayfield behind center. Halfway through the season, Panthers fans watched as their season seemed to fall apart with injuries and their star running back Christian McCaffrey finding a new home in San Francisco. With perhaps one of the worst offenses in the NFL, the team now looks to Alabama star Bryce Young at quarterback along with newly acquired veterans Adam Thielen, Myles Sanders, and Hayden Hurst to get the offense going. With many questions surrounding Bryce Young and whether he has NFL caliber potential, another factor is whether or not the offensive line will allow him the success that he had at Alabama. At just 5’10” Bryce Young’s size is also called into question potentially having a negative impact on his field vision and ability to find open receivers. The Carolina Panthers certainly have the tools to make this team a playoff contender, what is yet to be seen is the quality of leadership that Bryce Young will bring to a franchise that is in desperate need of a player to rally the troops and steer them in the right direction.

The Houston Texans seemed to have little to no hope in 2022 winning just 3 games and finishing last in the AFC South. While it is obvious this team lacks leadership, especially at the quarterback position, the question is whether the star quarterback from Ohio State will be enough to take this team to the next level. At 6’3” 215 pounds, CJ Stroud certainly has the physical characteristics of a franchise quarterback. His accuracy and athleticism in college was unmatched by many and arguably one of the best QB’s to be drafted in recent memory. With Damian Pierce, Dalton Schultz, and newly drafted John Metchie III from Alabama, Stroud will have access to a more high-powered offense than the team had in the previous season. The Texans will rely heavily on Stroud’s ability to extend plays using his mobility in the pocket and pinpoint accuracy to turn this offense into a threat to any caliber defense.

With the 4th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected Anthony Richardson, quarterback from the University of Florida. Richardson put up stats that have not been witnessed in history at the NFL combine adding to the hype around his potential that he had previously displayed at the University of Florida. Richardson put up freakish stats for a 6’4” 245-pound quarterback posting a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash, and a 40.5” vertical jump. He is without question what the Colts Franchise needed as their previous decisions at the quarterback position have been questionable and mediocre at best. An offense full of potential with running back Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman, and a fully capable offensive line, Richardson should have little issue moving the ball. With Gardner Minshew as the projected starter, the young quarterback should see some playing time as he eases his way into an offense that desperately requires his talent and ability. The Colts will undoubtedly rely on his size and Tebow-esque style in short yardage situations. The biggest factor in determining the level of success he will have will be in his passing accuracy and his ability to make the right decisions in crucial situations. With all of that said, Anthony Richardson deserves all of the hype around his NFL debut thus far and should be an exciting quarterback to watch as he progresses in his NFL career.