The 2023 NFL Draft quarterback class will be one of the event’s most polarizing groups, but how does the scouting report of Georgia QB Stetson Bennett factor in? Bennett is one of the most recognizable figures in college football, but his NFL projection is less distinct.
Stetson Bennett NFL Draft Profile
- Position: Quarterback
- School: Georgia
- Year: Redshirt Senior
- Height/Weight: 5’11”, 190 pounds
There are a select few players whose journeys define certain eras in college football. Bennett is one of them.
In 2017, Bennett was a little-known walk-on at Georgia who eventually transferred to junior college for a year before returning to the Bulldogs. In 2019, he was the backup to Jake Fromm before earning his first starting action in 2020.
At a highly visible school like Georgia, Bennett quickly earned a reputation on the CFB stage. But it wasn’t until 2021 that his career as the Bulldogs’ starting QB would take flight. Bennett completed 185 of 287 passes for 2,862 yards, 29 scores, and seven picks in 2021. He helped his team reach the playoffs and ultimately take home the National Championship trophy.
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Now, “the Mailman” is aiming to deliver again in 2022. Georgia went 12-0 through the regular season and blew out LSU in the SEC Championship. Bennett has once again produced at a high clip and is a Heisman finalist. And his Bulldogs are on the doorstep of another yearly crown.
Through Georgia’s dominant run in recent years, Bennett has been a fixture. As much as it may not seem like it, however, his collegiate career will end after this season. When it does, how much weight does he carry as a 2023 NFL Draft prospect with his scouting report?
Stetson Bennett Scouting Report
Strengths
- Mobility and athleticism
- Pocket poise and navigation
- Experience and toughness
- Off-platform throwing ability
- Ability to distribute
- Consistent mechanical rotation
- Quick release
Areas for Improvement
- Middling arm talent
- Inconsistent layering and precision
- Late trigger at times
- Mechanics under pressure
- Lighter frame
- Over-aged
Georgia QB Stetson Bennett Current Draft Projection
In the big picture, Bennett isn’t going to be near the top of the QB board in the 2023 NFL Draft. He grades out as a late Day 3 pick at best and could very well fall into the PFA pool. But there are some redeeming qualities within his report that could help him land a backup role.
The biggest thing working against Bennett is his middling arm talent. His arm strength isn’t a liability, but he, at times, struggles to generate velocity on his throws, and his arm isn’t the most elastic, either. He doesn’t have the level of arm talent necessary to layer throws into tight windows, and that limits the amount of throws he can make at the next level.
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Also working against Bennett are the conceptual factors. He’s an over-aged rookie who will turn 26 years old in October of his rookie year, and he’s relatively undersized for a QB. He stands at 5’11” and around 190 pounds — similarly sized to fellow QB prospect Bryce Young, who’s also fielded questions because of his frame.
For all his flaws, however, Bennett does have a few coveted qualities in a potential backup. He’s a legitimately good athlete with exceptional short-area twitch and speed, and with that athleticism comes strong improvisational ability. He’s an experienced QB and a capable distributor in the short and intermediate ranges, and he’s also a tough, poised competitor who’s willing to either stand in the pocket or sell out on the ground to move the chains.
Athletic testing and interviews should be kind to Bennett, and NFL teams will like his story as a former walk-on. All it takes is one to like him as a potential backup, and he could end up being a sixth or seventh-round pick. In that range, or as a PFA, he’ll have a chance to earn a place in an NFL rotation.
