With pro day season in the books, teams are now turning to top-30 visits as the 2023 NFL Draft approaches. Each club is allotted 30 in-house meetings with draft prospects as they dive deeper into their draft boards.
Let’s check in on the latest updates from around the league, including notes on Hendon Hooker, Bryce Young, and Anthony Richardson. Be sure to check back daily for the most important takeaways from the news and rumors circuit.
NFL News and Rumors
A few NFL franchises have a surprising QB3 in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Panthers are meeting with a couple of the top signal-callers in the class. And the Titans and Falcons are getting in on the QB frenzy.
‘Plenty’ of Teams Have Hendon Hooker Rated as QB3
Although Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker is widely viewed as the No. 5 quarterback in the NFL Draft, some clubs have him rated ahead as the third-best option in 2023, as NFL Network’s James Palmer recently suggested on Steve Smith’s “Cut to It” podcast.
“You want to hear what teams think of Hendon Hooker? There are plenty of teams that have him above the bottom two that you mentioned [Anthony Richardson and Will Levis],” Palmer said. “There are plenty of teams that have him third on their list, right below those top two in Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud.”
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Hooker was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year after completing 70% of his passes for 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns, and two interceptions last season. However, he is facing a potentially lengthy recovery process after tearing his ACL in November, and he’s also already 25 years old.
The Detroit Lions will host Hooker for a visit on Tuesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. While the Lions are unlikely to consider Hooker with their No. 6 selection, they could eye the Tennessee quarterback at No. 18 or later in the first round if they trade down.
Panthers Meeting With Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson
Owners of the No. 1 overall pick, the Carolina Panthers did their due diligence on all the top quarterback prospects during their respective pro days. Now, the club is using its top-30 visits to further investigate its options at the top of the draft.
The Panthers will host Young on Tuesday, per Rapoport. While Stroud had become the betting favorite to be the first pick of the draft, Young may end up being Carolina’s selection. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen recently indicated that Young “is the pick,” while previous reports have suggested team owner David Tepper prefers Young to Stroud.
Carolina met with Richardson on Sunday, and his visit will continue into Monday, according to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. Richardson blew the doors off the Scouting Combine and offers tantalizing upside, but he’s perceived as a riskier pick than either Young or Stroud.
Titans, Falcons Hosting Will Levis
Levis is expected to be drafted at some point in the first round of the draft, and he’ll continue his tour of teams by meeting with the Titans and Falcons this week, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network and Jordan Schultz of The Score.
Tennessee still has Ryan Tannehill on its roster, but the team needs to plan for the future, given that Tannehill is 34 years old. Holding the No. 11 pick, the Titans might have to trade up to land Levis, depending on how the top of the draft shakes out. But there’s also a chance they could stay put and grab Levis if he falls outside the top 10 picks.
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The Falcons are in a better position to draft a quarterback at No. 8, but they’ve seemingly committed to second-year passer Desmond Ridder. General manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith have both indicated that Ridder, who started four games in his rookie campaign, will be Atlanta’s starter in 2023, but they’re still doing work on the top QB prospects.
Jalen Carter To Meet With Seahawks
Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter will meet with the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Carter’s agent has maintained that he won’t visit any teams with picks outside the top 10. Seattle is scheduled to make its first selection at No. 5.
Carter is perhaps the most talented player in the 2023 draft, but he could slip after being involved in a fatal car crash that killed Georgia recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy and offensive lineman Devin Willock.
Seattle has already reinforced its defensive line this offseason by signing prized free agent Dre’Mont Jones and reuniting with Jarran Reed. Pete Carroll and Co. could further revamp the Seahawks’ defensive front by drafting Carter, and there’s a chance they could trade down from No. 5 and still land the talented defensive tackle.
