With all eyes on the upcoming NFL Draft, it’s essential to look at this class in the proper context. Our Combined ‘21-‘23 Class Dynasty Rankings provide that context to dynasty managers.
Would Malik Willis be anywhere close to QB1 of the class if he was coming out next year (2023)?
Where would Breece Hall have ranked among running backs had he come out last year (2021)?
I constantly hear about how great the 2023 class is going to be. Should I trade away my 2022 rookie picks in order to add 2023 picks?
In dynasty and devy formats, questions such as these often come up. I believe having an idea of the relative strengths and weaknesses of past, current, and future classes is beneficial as we consider how to construct our rosters over the short and long term.
To help aid in that process, this DynastyNerds Combined ‘21-‘23 Class Dynasty Rankings series will combine all of the fantasy football-relevant prospects from the 2021, 2022, and 2023 draft classes and rank them position by position in order of their current value as dynasty/devy assets.
Without further ado, let’s jump into the Combined ‘21-‘23 Class Dynasty Rankings at quarterback:
1. Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars – 2021)
Let’s just go ahead and say it. Lawrence was horrible in 2021.
Lawrence started all 17 games, throwing just 12 touchdowns against 17 interceptions. There was an eight-game stretch last season during which Lawrence threw just a single touchdown. He also failed to eclipse 250 passing yards in 13 of 17 games.
Usually, horrific numbers like this from a rookie QB would tank his long-term outlook in dynasty. Still, Lawrence has one man to thank for his relatively steady dynasty value heading into 2022: Urban Meyer.
Meyer failed spectacularly in every aspect of being an NFL head coach, and his biggest blunders are already highly publicized. Meyer’s tenure in Jacksonville was so bad that Lawrence’s dynasty value had been effectively insulated from a more appropriate drop in rankings. Lawrence, the QB23 in 2021, still sits firmly in QB1 territory as KeepTradeCut’s QB11.
Seemingly the entire dynasty community has decided to give Lawrence somewhat of a pass for his poor rookie season because of how toxic the situation under Meyer was in Jacksonville. I am no different. I’m still in on T-Law, at least for now.
The additions of Doug Pederson, Christian Kirk, and Evan Engram have brought about some chuckles from people in the media. At least these moves represent an effort to provide Lawrence with an actual professional set-up as opposed to the absolute clown show that was in place in Jacksonville last year. As such, I would still take Lawrence over anyone else on this list at this moment.
2. Trey Lance (San Francisco 49ers – 2021)
Dynasty managers were disappointed that Lance never managed to unseat Jimmy Garoppolo in 2021. However, the youngster did show plenty of flashes of brilliance as a rookie in limited action. His impressive arm talent and his elite rushing ability were on full display in his cameo appearances last year. Lance rushed for 89 yards on 16 carries in Week 5 against Arizona. He also threw for 250 yards and a couple of touchdowns in Week 18 versus the Texans.
There was an initial concern when the 49ers were reluctant to name Lance their 2022 starter this off-season. In reality, though, I believe this had more to do with the team’s desire to protect Garoppolo’s trade value than it was an indication of their feelings towards Lance. The 49ers moved three first-round picks to take Lance at third overall last year.
Lance is someone whose value is probably higher as a future asset than his actual game-winning ability right now. He is still incredibly raw, comes from an FCS school, and has not shown he can consistently play QB in the NFL. At this moment, Lance’s value is in his upside and potential, which he may never reach. I would not blame any contending manager for trying to move off of Lance for safer assets.
The obvious counter-argument in favor of Lance is his rushing ability being able to more than compensate for his shortcomings as a passer, at least in fantasy football. That rushing floor argument would be good, but I’ll offer one more: Who else would you take over Lance here?
The 2022 class is weak, and it’s headlined by a guy who is similar to Lance except with even bigger question marks about rawness and level of competition. The 2023 quarterback class is more promising. But with so much projecting involved when talking about prospects another year away, would any fantasy manager give up on a tantalizing prospect like Lance now? Now that he’s finally about to start games for San Francisco, in favor of waiting even longer for a 2023 rookie to perhaps pan out?
3. Justin Fields (Chicago Bears – 2021)
The same argument for Lance also applies to Fields when comparing them to the 2023 quarterback class.
Yes, Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud might be intriguing. Yes, Fields might have struggled as a rookie. However, Fields gets extra points for being ready to start NFL games this year rather than next. So much can happen to a player’s value during just one year of college football (Hello, Spencer Rattler!). Because of that, I am always hesitant to do too much projecting with a guy like Young or Stroud when I could just take Fields, who not only is already in the NFL but already has a starting role in 2022.
Fields also gets a little bit of that T-Law, “he wasn’t bad, the situation was.” love we talked about previously. Matt Nagy did not do what needed to be done to put Fields in situations to succeed as a rookie. Presumably, Matt Eberflus and Luke Getsy have been hired to do what Nagy could not and that in itself should encourage Fields managers.
Fields’ pedigree and the coaching changes in Chicago are enough for me to have him third in these rankings. I could see him moving ahead of Lance, depending on what Chicago does in the draft. To do that, Fields would also need to make strides as a pocket passer. His 58.9 completion percentage in 2021 will not cut it regardless of his rushing ability.
4. Bryce Young (Alabama Crimson Tide – 2023)
Our first 2023 quarterback, Young, comes in at No. 4 in our Combined ‘21-‘23 Class Dynasty Rankings.
The “bird in hand” argument is good when discussing top prospects like Lawrence, Lance, and Fields. After those three, though, I prefer the upside of Young over the likes of Zach Wilson and Mac Jones.
The relative early NFL success of Jones, Young’s Alabama predecessor, helps Young’s stock, in my opinion. Young put up a ridiculous 4,872/47/7 stat line last season (including playoffs) on his way to the Heisman Trophy. In his final collegiate season, Jones threw for 4,500 yards and 41 TEs but also had significantly more high-end talent around him in 2020 than what Young had last year. While John Metchie and Jameson Williams were very good in 2021, they are not the same caliber as DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle.
As we’ve discussed, this 2022 quarterback class is not great. Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett, and the rest of this class might be entering the NFL a year earlier and thus can help your dynasty teams right away. Still, the gap in overall quarterbacking talent is such that I think I’d rather wait a year for Young, even with the added risk.
5. C.J. Stroud (Ohio State Buckeyes – 2023)
Stroud is right up there with Young in terms of quality at the top of 2023 prospect rankings. Accordingly, he comes in right behind Young on this list. His 4,435/44/6 line was impressive, especially for a redshirt sophomore in his first season as the full-time starter.
Although Young eventually edged Stroud out for the Heisman, Stroud collected plenty of accolades for himself last season. He was First Team All-Big Ten, a finalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, and was the only QB in Ohio State history to throw five or more TDs against Big Ten competition four times in a single season. Stroud was, of course, also a Heisman Trophy finalist.
Some will grumble about the incredible trio of receivers Stroud played with at Ohio State. It’s true. Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jackson Smith-Njigba were far and away the most talented trio of receivers any of these QBs had the luxury of throwing to. However, it’s hard to penalize Stroud for this too much, especially with his numbers.
Again, just as with Young, a fair amount of projecting is necessary to have Stroud ranked this high. But is the same not true of Willis, Pickett, and the rest of this 2022 class? I’ll take the high-upside talent of Stroud over the entire ‘22 group of quarterbacks even if I have to wait an extra year.
6. Malik Willis (Liberty Flames – 2022)
By now, we all know the deal with Willis as a prospect. He possesses mouth-watering physical tools with his arm talent and rushing ability. Those physical attributes, along with the overall weakness of the 2022 class, have vaulted Willis up towards the top of rookie Superflex rankings this year despite the long list of concerns with him as a passer.
There are concerns about Willis’ level of competition as well. Liberty and Willis ate against the likes of Middle Tennessee and UMass. However, Willis struggled against better competition in Ole Miss and Louisiana, so the concern is there.
In terms of Willis’ dynasty outlook, I think it’s clear that he will get the necessary draft capital to be successful. He is expected to be a first-round pick in the real-life NFL Draft. That should mean Willis will get at least a few seasons to prove himself regardless of his eventual landing spot. If, for some reason, Willis drops to the second round in the NFL Draft, his dynasty stock and his place in these rankings would also fall.
I think it’s clear that Young, Stroud, and several others from the 2023 class are more advanced passers than Willis. Still, we play fantasy football. We don’t have to care about whether or not Willis plays good, sound, winning football. We just want him to put up numbers. With his tantalizing rushing upside, that is an excellent possibility for as long as an NFL team will allow him to be their starting QB. For that reason, I still have Willis as a top-six option in my Combined ‘21-‘23 Class Dynasty Rankings.
7. Mac Jones (New England Patriots – 2021)
I’m slotting Jones here after Willis and the top two 2023 quarterbacks. He is a safer pick than anyone listed below him because he’s already in the NFL with a starting job. Prospects like Anthony Richardson and any other non-Young/Stroud 2023 quarterbacks simply require too much projection to take over Jones at this point, at least for me.
I even debated putting Jones ahead of Willis in these rankings. However, I decided it’s safe enough to take the rushing upside of Willis over Jones. All indications suggest that Willis will get the draft capital to give him more immediate dynasty value than Jones, even if Willis doesn’t play right away.
Jones, though, was solid in 2021, especially for a rookie. He threw for nearly 4,000 yards and 22 touchdowns. He had seven multi-touchdown-pass games and only three games with more than one interception. Jones finished Top-10 in the NFL in completion percentage and was the best rookie QB in 2021. Jones did all of this without much in the way of WR help. The Patriots were also a very run-heavy outfit, ranking eighth in the league in rush attempts.
I don’t know if it’s because Jones has a #dadbod. Or if it’s because he came into the league last year firmly behind Lawrence, Fields, Wilson, and Lance in terms of perceived talent level. It feels like if any other rookie would have performed like Jones did in 2021 (New England was the sixth-highest scoring offense last year), there would be more respect attached to his name with the idea that continued development would be coming in 2022.
The Patriots are poised to add WR help in the draft. They have a strong running game to support Jones. There is a lot to like about Jones. It feels like the dynasty community thinks he has peaked already. I, however, think Jones still has room to grow as a real-life QB and a dynasty asset.
8. Zach Wilson (New York Jets – 2021)
Another season is needed to fairly judge Wilson as a QB, but things didn’t go great in 2021. Wilson threw only nine touchdowns in 13 games. He had seven games in which he failed to throw a single score. He threw multiple touchdown passes in just three out of 13 games.
Still, like Jones, Wilson has a starting job in the NFL. That’s something we can only project for the 2023 class right now (and the 2022 class, too, for now).
New York has already pledged to add help for Wilson this off-season. They have a lot of early draft capital to make that happen. They’ve also been at the forefront of all kinds of trade rumors involving big-name WRs, including D.K. Metcalf and Tyreek Hill (before the latter ultimately ended up in Miami).
Assuming the Jets get Wilson some more help in the draft, I’m comfortable with him at No. 8 in my Combined ‘21-‘23 Class Dynasty Rankings. As I mentioned, he’s a safe option since he’s in the NFL. He still has upside thanks to his plus arm talent and underrated athleticism (four rushing touchdowns as a rookie). I’ll rank him here and hope for development in his second season in New York.
9. Anthony Richardson (Florida Gators – 2023)
Speaking of projecting, let’s do that here with Richardson!
I mentioned Jones is ranked seventh because he is a safe option. Well, Richardson is the complete opposite. What he lacks in safety and security as a dynasty/devy asset, Richardson more than makes up for with sheer athletic upside. His ceiling is so high that he could be first on this list next year.
Richardson’s dynasty/devy potential is so exciting due to his jaw-dropping abilities with the ball in his hands. If you’re willing to throw caution to the wind on someone like Willis in dynasty because of his immense rushing upside, then you have to be on Richardson as well, at least at this point of the year.
The kid looks like a cross between Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson in the way he can run around or run through defenders. He is 6’4″ and 236 pounds with plus arm talent and insane athleticism.
As impressive as Richardson’s potential is, he doesn’t come without red flags. His accuracy as a passer thus far in college is not great (sub-60 percent). His passing accuracy was not good in high school either, so it remains to be seen if he can ever learn to be NFL-caliber in terms of passing efficiency. Richardson was also recently cited for driving over 105 miles per hour last week. While that in and of itself is not a red flag, it does not reflect well on his overall decision-making. Hopefully, it is a one-time occurrence, and there will be no legal issues for Richardson in the future.
Plain and simple, Richardson is a textbook “boom or bust” prospect at this point. There’s no greater stat to sum this up than the following: Richardson appeared in three games in 2020, the first action of his college career. In that first season in limited action, he threw just two passes. One was a 27-yard touchdown pass, and the other was an interception.
10. Matt Corral (Ole Miss Rebels – 2022)
Corral comes in at No. 10 in my Combined Class Dynasty Rankings, but I believe I’m higher than most are on the former Ole Miss quarterback.
Corral has plus arm talent to go along with good athleticism at the position to be a factor in the run game. He’s no Willis or Richardson in this regard, but he’s got enough juice to make defenses respect it.
I love Corral’s nimble hands and quick release to get the ball out fast, especially in run-pass option situations. The NFL is trending in this direction with more of an emphasis on stretching defenses sideline to sideline, as opposed to stretching teams deep. Corral, on paper anyway, seems to fit this trend very well. I also love that Corral plays with an edge, with swag. He seems like a kid who can command a huddle just based on the confidence he exudes. Add in Corral’s rushing upside, and you’ve got a very intriguing NFL prospect.
Corral’s detractors are concerned about his ability to read the entire field. His running style and small frame are causes for injury-related concern as well. In my opinion, however, these concerns aren’t any redder flags than any of the other 2022 quarterback prospects have.
Pickett especially — who might ultimately garner better draft capital — is a notch below Corral for me. The level of competition, athletic profile, and just the way Corral plays with that edge has him ahead of Pickett in my rankings.
11. Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh Panthers – 2022)
Kenny Two-Gloves rounds out the top ten of my Combined ‘21-‘23 Class Dynasty Rankings. After talking about the huge upside of Richardson and Willis, it feels a little boring to switch gears to Pickett.
Pickett is being billed as the safest and most NFL-ready QB prospect in this 2022 class. That may be true with the likes of Willis and Desmond Ridder being relatively raw as passers, but that doesn’t mean Pickett is a lock to be a great NFL starter.
He sometimes shows nervous feet in the pocket on film. From time to time, he would allow the threat of a rush to ruin the play before it actually did. Pickett’s overall timing with his receivers seemed out of sync at times as well. All of these factors could be correctable, but I don’t necessarily agree that Pickett is as NFL-ready as people are saying. I think some have given him that label because he doesn’t have the same raw athletic gifts as others in the class.
Still, Pickett is expected to have first round draft capital. He will more than likely get several seasons to prove himself. That type of certainty is more than you would get from any of the 2023 prospects at this point. There’s something to be said for that, especially in Superflex where any NFL starting QB is valuable.
Pickett himself is evidence that college football is unpredictable, and players can rise and fall tremendously in value from season to season. Even the most hyped 2023 prospects could fall off by this time next year.
12. Davis Mills (Houston Texans – 2021)
Mills was the most unexpected star of the 2021 rookie QB class. After returning to the starting role full-time in Week 14, Mills averaged 251 passing yards over the last five weeks, throwing nine touchdowns against just two interceptions. That pace extrapolated over a full season: 4,267 yards, 31 touchdowns, and seven picks.
Mills would be higher in these Combined ‘21-‘23 Class Dynasty Rankings if the Texans weren’t expected to be in the running for a top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. With one of the worst rosters in the league, it’s reasonable to project Young or Stroud or another of the top 2023 quarterbacks to Houston at this time next year. Combined with Mills’ third-round draft capital and relatively low athletic ceiling, Mills will have to play lights-out in 2022 to compel the Texans front office to pass on a top QB in the 2023 NFL Draft.
With a solid draft and some fortuitous bounces, it’s within the realm of possibilities that Mills and the Texans could surprise some people this year. That’s why I have Mills here and not lower. I’m willing to take Mills over the likes of Carson Strong or Desmond Ridder. They have similar concerns that make me wonder if they can be NFL franchise QBs. Their upside might be higher than Mills, but at least he already has a starting role in 2022.
It will remain to be seen if Davis’ play in 2022 can prolong his starting status past this season.
13. Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati Bearcats – 2022)
Ridder’s real life draft stock seems to be on the rise of late. He’s a popular first-round pick in mock drafts, often finding his way to Pittsburgh. The temptation will be to move Ridder way up in your dynasty rankings based on draft capital if that happens. I just see several things when I watch Ridder that gives me pause. I feel like I’m much lower than the consensus on Ridder, but I’m okay with that. I’ve accepted that this means I will likely not be getting many shares of him this rookie draft season.
Ridder’s release and overall quickness to get the ball out are too slow. According to PFF, he had 26 passes batted at the line in his career at Cincinnati. His accuracy is poor on anything intermediate or deeper. Sometimes it’s like he just throws in the general area of his receiver and hopes for the best. The concept of precise ball placement seems beyond him most of the time. He’s consistently short on deep balls, partly due to the fact that his arm talent is just okay.
By all accounts, Ridder is a hard worker and possesses many of the intangibles as a leader that you look for. He is pretty good pre-snap, and he understands how to use his eyes to hold defenders when he needs to. Ridder proved at the NFL Combine as well that he has very good overall athletic tools. There is plenty there for Ridder to eventually develop into a good NFL QB, but I’m not going to hold my breath.
Ridder is someone who will likely rise to mid-first round status in Superflex rookie drafts this spring once draft capital is revealed. That’s too early for me, despite the security that high draft capital often affords a prospect. I’d much prefer Corral and Pickett from the 2022 class. I think I even like Carson Strong more than Ridder as a prospect. But I don’t think Strong will ultimately get the necessary draft capital to leapfrog Ridder in these combined rankings.
14. Tyler Van Dyke (Miami Hurricanes – 2023)
Van Dyke comes in at No. 14 in my Combined Class Dynasty Rankings. However, he has the potential to skyrocket much higher in the coming year. It all depends on if he can continue to build on an impressive 2021 season for the Hurricanes.
After taking over for the injured D’Eriq King, Van Dyke exploded onto the scene. Van Dyke threw for nearly 3,000 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and only six interceptions in just nine games. He ended the season with six straight 300-yard games. He threw at least three touchdown passes during that stretch in every game.
In addition to the impressive statistical production, Van Dyke led the Canes to a 5-1 record down the stretch. He helped revitalize a proud and long-suffering fanbase hungry to relive the glory years from decades past. This season, Van Dyke has the starting role to himself and all the expectations that come with it.
Van Dyke has the prototypical size (6’4″ 220) and the big arm that the NFL loves. He will likely shoot up draft boards with swiftness if he picks up where he left off last season,
As I mentioned, Van Dyke has the potential to rank much higher than this based on how he plays in 2022. Van Dyke’s athletic profile, along with the promising level of production last season, suggests his ceiling is much higher than most of the 2022 class. Everything hinges on how he performs this season. Van Dyke is one of the players I’m most excited to watch in 2022.
15. Carson Strong (Nevada Wolf Pack – 2022)
As I mentioned, I like Strong. His stock has fallen due to concerns about his mobility, durability, and overall talent in recent weeks. I think Strong is the best pure passer in the 2022 class, though.
Unfortunately for him, both real NFL teams and the fantasy community alike have become obsessed with QB rushing ability. Strong isn’t going to provide any of that, but I think his reputation as a complete statue is unfair. He understands how to slide around and make subtle movements in the pocket to buy himself an extra second.
Strong’s arm talent is towards the top of this class. He’s got an easy release, and I’ve seen him throw from several different arm angles like we see from Matthew Stafford. Strong can make throws on or off platform, and can make spectacular plays look routine. In terms of throwing the football from a clean pocket, I don’t know if anyone is significantly better than Strong from the 2022 class.
The knee injury as well as the lack of rushing upside will likely temper Strong’s draft capital. And so, I don’t know if he can ultimately climb any higher in these rankings, but if Strong does get a chance to start for an NFL team, I would not be surprised at all if he succeeds. I hate to have him below Ridder in these rankings, but the NFL will sort of make that call with where both are drafted.
16. Will Levis (Kentucky Wildcats – 2023)
After Corral and Pickett from the 2022 class, I’m perfectly willing to take another high-ceiling player like Levis. I’d take a shot on him before any other of the 2022 QBs. Levis comes in at No. 16 here, our fifth-ranked 2023 QB on these Combined Class Dynasty Rankings.
At 6’3″ and 232 pounds, Levis has the size and arm that scouts love. He also brings very good athleticism at that size, although he’s more Taysom Hill than Lamar Jackson in that regard. His style of play could become particularly useful to NFL teams in the red zone.
Again, as is the case with any 2023 prospect, a fair amount of projection goes into ranking Levis here. He threw for a 2,826/24/13 line last season, his first at Kentucky. Before 2021, Levis backed up Trace McSorley and Sean Clifford at Penn State. Seeing where those two QBs are now, it might be a concern that Levis was unable to unseat them while at Happy Valley. Additionally, Levis will be a redshirt senior next year. He will be 23 years old already before he steps foot onto an NFL field, old for a rookie.
Another strong season at Kentucky would go a long way in securing his place in the 2023 NFL Draft.
17. Sam Howell (North Carolina Tar Heels – 2022)
At this time last year, Howell was the consensus top 2022 QB. He comes in seventeenth in these Combined Class Dynasty Rankings.
During the 2020 season, Howell threw for 3,586 yards with 30 touchdowns versus just seven interceptions. Howell also completed 68.1 percent of his passes and averaged 10.3 yards per attempt. He was well on his way to being the No. 1 overall pick in 2022.
Then Javonte Williams, Michael Carter, Dyami Brown, and Dazz Newsome left for the NFL. Since then — and somewhat predictably — Howell’s level of play has dropped. He had only a 62.5 completion percentage, and his yards per attempt dropped to 8.8 in 2021. In the process, Howell’s draft stock has tumbled as there’s scarcely a mock that has Howell in the first round. He could still sneak into the bottom half of the first, perhaps due to the fifth-year option first-rounders receive. In all likelihood, though, Howell will wait a while to hear his name called.
If there was any silver lining for Howell in 2021, it was that he made a leap as a runner. After topping out at 146 rushing yards in 2020, Howell exploded for 828 rushing yards on 183 attempts in 2021. Remember, college football subtracts rushing yards for sacks, so Howell’s totals are even more impressive.
That rushing upside could ultimately land Howell an NFL starting job one day, but it appears as though, at best, Howell will need to battle to find a job. With how highly he was regarded a year ago, I could see a team giving him a chance.
18. Spencer Rattler (South Carolina Gamecocks – 2023)
Similar to Howell, Rattler has suffered through a recent fall from grace. Once considered a candidate to go first overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, Rattler instead entered the transfer portal after losing his job at Oklahoma to Caleb Williams.
Rattler has landed on his feet at South Carolina, and he reportedly had some thoughts about the situation at Oklahoma. There’s no question that Rattler is talented. We’ve seen it. The kid is a former five-star recruit and top-ranked pro-style prospect in the nation. If his mind is right this season and the Gamecocks can put him in good situations, the sky’s the limit.
Rattler has a smooth, natural throwing motion and plenty of arm talent to reach all areas of the field. He’s not a great athlete in terms of running with the ball, and he’s a bit undersized. Overall though, Rattler has solid physical attributes.
If Rattler has a strong season in 2022, he could absolutely repair his tattered NFL Draft stock. He still has the big-name cache needed to vault up rankings with a good season. Maturity and leadership will be the major areas of concern he must rectify in the next calendar year.
19. Phil Jurkovec (Boston College Eagles – 2023)
Jurkovec is a QB who just oozes talent, and it’s plain to see when you watch him play. He’s got a great arm and possesses the mental fortitude to stand tall in the pocket against pressure.
He was an extremely highly-touted recruit for Notre Dame, and a lot was expected of him. For whatever reason, however, he has failed to put it all together since then.
Switching schools and injuries have thus far derailed a lot of the promise he had as a recruit. Luckily for Jurkovec, his pedigree and talent are intriguing enough to where a great 2022 season could help his NFL Draft stock immensely.
Jurkovec reportedly looked great in Boston College’s spring game this past week. He showed composure in the pocket and a calm command of the offense. Above all, Jurkovec looked healthy, and he and WR Zay Flowers are poised to put up great numbers this season. All of this is good news for Boston College as well as Jurkovec’s future outlook as a pro.
20. Jake Haener (Fresno State Bulldogs – 2023)
Haener is a personal favorite of mine. There are some intriguing 2023 names that still haven’t been mentioned, but I love Haener. He ultimately makes the cut at the tail-end of my Combined Class Dynasty Rankings. Of course, anything can happen as we are still a year away with any of these 2023 prospects.
Haener started the 2021 season on fire with five 300-yard games in his first six. This included a 455-yard masterpiece in a gutty win against UCLA. A week later, he threw five touchdowns against UNLV. Injuries affected Haener’s play down the stretch in 2021, but he toughed it out. By season’s end, Haener had compiled 4,096 passing yards to go along with 33 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Some experts wondered early on in the season whether Haener would ultimately declare for the 2022 NFL Draft. With the perception that this year’s QB class is weak, many thought Haener should have gone pro this year. He decided to stay in college and entered the transfer portal amid coaching changes at Fresno State. Ultimately, Haener decided to return to Fresno State in 2022, and he is poised for a big year.
Haener is a bit undersized at 6-1, under 200 pounds. His arm talent is probably not elite, but it’s plenty good to get the ball to where he needs it. His willingness and confidence to fit throws in tight windows are impressive. Haener excels in off-script situations and is eager to push the ball down-field. He will need to work on his touch and ball placement, but I think he can keep himself in the mix with a strong 2022 season.
Other 2023 names to watch:
Kedon Slovis (Pittsburgh Panthers – 2023)
Tanner McKee (Stanford Cardinal – 2023)
Jalen Hall (Brigham Young Cougars – 2023)
Grayson McCall (Coastal Carolina Chanticleers – 2023)
D.J. Uiagalelei (Clemson Tigers – 2023)
Hendon Hooker (Tennessee Volunteers – 2023)
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