In the Market: Looking at the top QB prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft class after Week 8
C.J. Stroud did not have the perfect performance in Week 8. Let’s take a look at how the top quarterback prospects performed in the latest edition of “In the Market.”
Week 8 of the 2022 college football season is done with. There was some drama, as the Clemson Tigers held on to defeat the Syracuse Orange and the LSU Tigers pulled off a huge upset win over the then-undefeated Ole Miss Rebels.
When it comes to the quarterback play, there were some good performances from some of the big names in the 2023 NFL Draft class. There was, however, a start from Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud where he did not have a, let’s say, perfect game. Not to mention, one signal caller did not play very long due to injury.
In Week 8, there were two quarterbacks on a bye week, and they were Kentucky’s Will Levis and Florida’s Anthony Richardson.
Let’s take a look at how the top quarterback prospects performed this past week in the latest edition of “In the Market.”
Previous editions of the “In the Market” column can be found in the links below:
Taking Stock: How top 2023 NFL Draft QBs fared in Week 8
Bryce Young, Alabama
Bryce Young and Alabama may have ended up on the losing end to Tennessee, but the reigning Heisman Trophy winner was impressive in his first game back from a shoulder injury. Immediately after suffering their first loss of the season, Young and the Crimson Tide faced off against the then-No. 24 Mississippi State Bulldogs.
Young showed off his ability to extend plays. Credit can be given to his offensive line giving him near 10 Mississippi seconds (pun intended) alone in the pocket, but Young has the agility to evade defensive pressure to find room and wait for his receiver to get open. Look no further than his touchdown pass to JoJo Earle in the first quarter.
In the 30-6 victory, Young completed 21-of-35 pass attempts for 249 yards and two touchdowns.
Alabama is in a position where they have to win out this season to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive. They do have an advantage as long as Young is healthy.
Next Game: vs. No. 18 LSU on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 7:00 p.m. ET
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
When it comes to who is the best quarterback in college football in 2022, that is undoubtedly C.J. Stroud. The Ohio State offense thrived with him leading the way. It was only a matter of time before he fell down to Earth. That just so happened to take place in Week 8.
The Buckeyes took on the Iowa Hawkeyes, a team with a bad offense, but a spectacular defense. As it turns out, Iowa’s defense gave Stroud fits this past Saturday.
Early on in the first quarter, Stroud got rocked by defensive end Joe Evans, causing the quarterback to fumble the ball. That allowed Evans to pick up the football and jog into the end zone to extend Iowa’s lead to 10-0.
On the very first play of the third quarter, Stroud intended to throw a pass to wide receiver Julian Fleming in the middle of the field. The thing is, Fleming was crowded by defenders, and linebacker Jack Campbell leaped in front of the wideout to make the one-handed interception.
Even with the struggles, Stroud was able to break out of it and really pull away from Iowa. He had some impressive throws, such as his incredibly accurate pass to Marvin Harrison Jr., and touchdown pass to Emeka Egbuka on the side of the end zone in the third quarter.
Stroud completed 20-of-30 of his pass attempts for 286 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception.
Next Game: at No. 13 Penn State on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 12:00 p.m. ET
Tyler Van Dyke, Miami
After back-to-back impressive performances, Tyler Van Dyke’s time on the football field when facing the Duke Blue Devils in Week 8 was short.
Van Dyke did show off his connection with tight end Colbie Young once again, one week after the they recorded nine receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown. The sophomore quarterback was able to hit Young in the end zone for a touchdown.
Unfortunately, Van Dyke had to exit the game in the second quarter. He was sacked by two Duke defenders and landed hard on his shoulder. He was later declared out due to an upper body injury.
Van Dyke completed 11-of-16 for 81 yards and one touchdown.
It will be interesting to see if Van Dyke will be able to play in the team’s Week 9 game against the Virginia Cavaliers.
Next Game: at Virginia on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 12:30 p.m. ET
Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
Hendon Hooker had his Heisman moment last week by defeating Alabama. He had the chance to follow that performance up against UT Martin, a 3-3 team out of the Ohio Valley Conference. Let’s just say that Hooker did not have any issues facing the Skyhawks defense.
In this game, Hooker actually broke a program record set by Heath Shuler for the most consecutive games with a touchdown pass after connecting with Ramel Keyton on an eight-yard touchdown pass. He now stands alone with 19 games.
Out of Hooker’s 24 pass attempts, he completed 18 for 276 yards and three touchdowns in the 65-24 win. It is important to note that Hooker did not play at all in the second half, due in part to the game’s final result is set in stone.
Next Game: vs. No. 19 Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 7:00 p.m. ET
One 2023 NFL Draft QB sleeper who turned heads in Week 8
Bo Nix, Oregon
There is a new name to add to the sleeper quarterback list, and that is Oregon’s Bo Nix. Early on in his collegiate career, Nix did not exactly thrive with the Auburn Tigers. He then transferred to Eugene to play for a program led by new head coach Dan Lanning, who has Kenny Dillingham as the offensive coordinator.
Oregon took on the No. 9 UCLA Bruins and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Nix put on a show. He completed 22 passes for 283 yards and five touchdowns on 28 attempts, while rushing for 51 yards on eight carries in the 45-30 victory.
Just take a look at his 49-yard touchdown pass to Troy Franklin. A huge throw that landed directly in the hands of the wide receiver.
If Nix keeps it up, he could be a sleeper quarterback prospect in the upcoming NFL Draft process.
One 2023 NFL Draft QB who needs to show teams more after Week 8
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
This was a down game for Stroud, who otherwise was phenomenal for the majority of the 2022 season. Stroud is going to be one of the first quarterbacks selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, but will he be the first one taken? That is a question that teams will have throughout the entire pre-draft process. Let’s see how Stroud rebounds against the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Who’s buying in the NFL?
Here is what the Top 10 of the NFL Draft would look like if the season ended today, per Tankathon.
- Detroit Lions (1-5)
- Houston Texans (1-4-1)
- Carolina Panthers (2-5)
- Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans Saints (2-5))
- Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns (2-5))
- Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos (2-5))
- Pittsburgh Steelers (2-5)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-4)
- Atlanta Falcons (3-4)
If you needed any further proof that the Lions need a new quarterback, look no further than Jared Goff’s performance against the Dallas Cowboys. While he did complete 21-of-26 pass attempts for 228 yards, he threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles in the 24-6 loss. The Lions need to draft a quarterback this upcoming April. There’s no excuse.
Meanwhile, the Texans continue to linger near the bottom of the league after getting run over by Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs.
As for the Panthers, they shocked the world by defeating Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21-3. That’s right, the Panthers beat the Buccaneers. Even with the victory, they would hold the No. 3 spot in the first round if the season were to end today.
The remaining teams in the Top 10 are unlikely to select a quarterback, besides potentially the Seattle Seahawks, depending on if Geno Smith continues to exceed expectations for the rest of this season.
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