On a night that was filled with several surprises and selections, the 2023 NFL Draft also tied a long-standing record.
According to Tom Pelissero, there have been four separate instances where three quarterbacks were selected within the first five picks in an NFL Draft.
3 QBs in the Top 5 tied an NFL Draft record.
1971: 1 Jim Plunkett, 2 Archie Manning, 3 Dan Pastorini
1999: 1 Tim Couch, 2 Donovan McNabb, 3 Akili Smith
2021: 1 Trevor Lawrence, 2 Zach Wilson, 3 Trey Lance
2023: 1 Bryce Young, 2 C.J. Stroud, 4 Anthony Richardson @NFLResearch
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 28, 2023
As Pelissero indicates, Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Anthony Richardson helped tie this record.
The other three years that this has happened were 1971, 1999, and recently, 2021.
As evidenced by these three previous drafts, taking quarterbacks early hasn’t always panned out.
When looking at the 2021 NFL Draft, Trevor Lawrence is the only one of the three that is a bonafide starter.
Zach Wilson has been relegated to a backup role, and Trey Lance was injured last season, and his status is unknown.
How will Young, Stroud, and Richardson fare on their new teams?
Young joins the Carolina Panthers, who have been in desperate need of a franchise quarterback since the early days of Cam Newton.
Stroud joins the Houston Texans, who are rebuilding after the departure of Deshaun Watson.
As for Richardson, he joins the Indianapolis Colts, who have also been on the hunt for a new quarterback as of late.
The NFL’s quarterback landscape is slated to change dramatically over the next few months, given the influx of young talent that is entering the league.
What other dominoes will fall as the draft continues into the later rounds?
There are several quarterbacks left on the board who could also make an immediate impact as a team’s starter.
NEXT:
Key Stat Highlights Will Levis’ Shocking Draft Night Slide
