A new age is dawning in the NFL. That’s the most intriguing take away from the NFL Draft weekend.
The Aaron Rodgers Era is over in Green Bay and his new team, the New York Jets, have done all they can to surround him with a championship roster. Gang Green missed out on an offensive tackle but took Wisconsin center Joe Tippmann, giving them an impressive interior offensive line.
The Bryce Young Era begins in Carolina and after the quarterback play Panthers’ fans have been subjected to over the last few seasons it can’t begin soon enough. The Alabama QB, will struggle, most rookie quarterbacks do (see: Trevor Lawrence). But he has the intangibles to worth betting on. They took Ole Miss wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, a playmaker waiting to happen, in the second round.
The Texans Go For It
But no team rocked the draft in terms of impact more than the Houston Texans. In an AFC South division with no clearcut dominant team, Houston is going for it now. After taking Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud with the No.2 pick, the Texas traded up to secure the third overall pick and took former Bama edge rusher Will Anderson, who might make life difficult for…
New Colts QB Anthony Richardson, arguably the most intriguing quarterback prospect in the draft. Richardson is a breathtaking athlete out of Florida but he doesn’t have a lot of experience. He will need RB Jonathan Taylor and a staunch defense to ease the load.
Another team in the AFC South, the Tennessee Titans signaled the impending end of the Ryan Tannehill Era, by drafting Kentucky QB Will Levis. Levis slipped to the second round of the draft where Tennessee believed they could get their QB heir apparent after taking Northwestern lineman Peter Skoronski in the first round. Levis, unlike Young, Stroud and Richardson, won’t be rushed into starting.
A New QB Era In Green Bay
Which is like the scenario Jordan Love experienced in Green Bay. He sat behind Rodgers, who once sat behind Brett Favre. Fans might forget that the Packers traded up in the 2020 draft to take the former Utah State QB. He inherits a team that has a young receiving corps including two tight ends taken in this year’s draft – Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave and South Dakota State’s Tucker Kraft.
The Packers aren’t the only NFL North division team that has signaled changed. The Lions took Tennessee QB Herndon Hooker in the third round. Some thought Hooker would sneak into the first round but a knee injury ended his college career early. Jared Goff will certainly be looking over his shoulder after this season.
The Next Patrick Mahomes?
That makes seven teams that have, or will have new quarterbacks perhaps by the end of this season. And next year, USC’s Caleb Daniels, will be eligible for the draft. He has already drawn comparisons to Patrick Mahomes. At -550 to be the No.1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, there’s no money to be made on Daniels. But North Carolina QB Drake Maye is +600. We love Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr at +2500.
When there’s this much movement at the most important position in football, we’re in for a wild ride. Buckle up, a new QB is coming to an NFL franchise near you.