Dustin Gandof
The 2023 NFL Draft has come and gone, bringing with it the usual excitement and drama that accompanies one of the most important events in the NFL calendar. This year’s draft was especially noteworthy, as it saw three quarterbacks go in the first round. However, one of these quarterbacks had to endure an agonizing wait before finally hearing his name called.
The first quarterback to go off the board was Bryce Young, who was selected by the Carolina Panthers with the No. 1 overall pick. Young, who played his college football at Alabama, was widely regarded as the best quarterback in the draft and many experts predicted that he would be the first player selected.
The second quarterback to be taken was Malik Willis, who was selected by the Detroit Lions with the seventh overall pick. Willis, who played his college football at Liberty, was considered by many to be a bit of a wildcard. Some experts felt that he had the potential to be a star in the NFL, while others were more skeptical.
The third and final quarterback to be selected in the first round was Jaxon Dart, who was taken by the New Orleans Saints with the 20th overall pick. Dart, who played his college football at USC, was another player who had divided opinions among experts. Some felt that he had the potential to be a franchise quarterback, while others felt that he was too raw and needed more time to develop.
The quarterback who had to wait the longest was Kentucky’s Will Levis. Once considered a dark horse candidate to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick, Levis had to endure an agonizing wait before finally being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 32nd and final pick of the first round. Levis, who played his college football at Kentucky, had a strong arm and was seen as a potential starter in the NFL, but his lack of experience and inconsistent play caused some teams to hesitate.
Overall, the 2023 NFL Draft was a fascinating and unpredictable event. While some players, like Bryce Young, were always going to be selected early, others, like Will Levis, had to wait until the very end of the first round to hear their names called. Only time will tell which of these quarterbacks will live up to the hype and become stars in the NFL.
