Ranking AFC South QBs Post 2023 NFL Draft: Explosive QB Revolution.

The AFC South was one of the most lacklustre divisions in football last season.

Only the Jacksonville Jaguars had a winning record last year. They scraped into the playoffs with a 9-8 record, representing the AFC South in the postseason. The three remaining teams were all an absolute mess.

The Houston Texans (3-13-1) and Indianapolis Colts (4-12-1) earned top five selections. With Trevor Lawrence reigning supreme as the clear premier quarterback in the AFC South, both teams took a signal caller with their initial selection. The Titans, while a disappointment, did manage to drag themselves to a mediocre 7-10 record, yet seemed in the market for a quarterback successor to Ryan Tannehill.

The 2023 NFL Draft saw a complete revolution of the quarterback position in the AFC South. As a result, each team now has a potential franchise player under centre, which if successful will rapidly narrow the gap in the division.

In this piece, we take a look at the quarterback revolution and rank the AFC South’s quarterbacks and their potential.

QB1 – Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars)

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a promising young superstar at the sport’s most important position. The AFC South responded to this threat with a proportional investment.

Jacksonville is leg by the emerging face of the NFL, Trevor Lawrence. Although the Jaguars starting quarterback had a tough start as a rookie, the environment that he found himself thrust into was dysfunctional and turbulent. After the swift firing of one-and-done coach Urban Myer, Lawrence’s evaluation could truly begin in earnest.

In his second season in Jacksonville, Lawrence made significant strides. Now under the tutelage of esteemed Super Bowl winning head coach Doug Pederson, the generational college prospect flashed the brilliance that was promised. He racked up a total of 4,113 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and threw just eight interceptions. Lawrence also managed to contribute as a runner. He had 291 yards rushing and five touchdowns in the 2022 season.

Unfortunately, Lawrence did have some major ball security concerns. Over the course of the season, the Jaguars’ quarterback lost nine out of his 12 fumbles, including four in a single game in Philadelphia.

In juxtaposition, Lawrence provides a plethora of hope in the city of Jacksonville. He led them to a playoff win in 2022, and ended the season with a fantastic 77.4 overall PFF grade. H

Other than that, Lawrence really did provide the city of Jacksonville with hope, leading them to a Divisional Round Playoff game. He had 28 Big-Time-Throws to only 20 Turnover-Worthy-Plays. Lawrence is poised for a breakout season where he will be in competition for the MVP award and a dominant force in the AFC South.

2023 Projections:

4,580 passing yards, 37 TD and 7 INT

320 rushing yards, 5 TD

QB2 – Anthony Richardson (Indianapolis Colts)

This one certainly feels the most volatile.

If Richardson hits, the Colts will have a legitimate chance to be the best team in the AFC South. At 6’4″, 244 pounds, the Florida prospect has the most tantalising athleticism of any quarterback ever entering the NFL Draft. He achieved a perfect 10 in Relative Athletic Score, and has absolutely absurd arm talent. He flashed the ability to make any throw, evidenced by his incredible 2022 PFF passing grades of 93.1 (deep) and 85.8 (intermediate).

Those elite physical tools give Richardson a limitless ceiling. The questions are his floor. Richardson’s accuracy may need development, as he completed just 53% of his passes in the 2022 season. However, his flashes may indicate the potential for foundational refinement, to increase his consistency across throws. Richardson’s rushing upside also significantly raises his floor, as he is truly an elite athlete in the open field. The Colts will be able to use him and Jonathan Taylor in option plays to stretch defenses and use their athletic offensive line to dominate on the ground.

Richardson also goes to a terrific situation, where he can develop under the tutelage of new head coach and offensive genius Shane Steichen, who assisted Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts breakout in the 2022 NFL Season.

The Indianapolis Colts now have a signal caller that simultaneously raises the floor and ceiling of the organisation. Thus, Richardson achieves the second spot on the AFC South QB rankings until Stroud or Levis can snatch it from him.

2023 Projections:

2,855 passing yards, 17 TD and 12 INT

902 rushing yards, 13 TD

QB3 – C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans)

The Houston Texans have the new face of their franchise.

C.J. Stroud is arguably the quarterback prospect with the highest floor in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Ohio State prospect was praised for his pocket presence and elite accuracy acumen. Critics questioned his creativity outside of structure, but Stroud threw a spanner in that with his incredible performance against the national champion Georgia Bulldogs.

Stroud produced at an elite level for the Buckeyes. In 2022, the Ohio State prospect passed for a total of 3,688 yards, 41 touchdowns and had just six interceptions. PFF credited him with an overall 89.0 overall passing grade. He completed 65.9% of his passes in his second season as a starter, showing fantastic accuracy on a variety of different throws.

His game against Georgia was an emphatic message to NFL scouts. Stroud showed the ability to create outside of structure despite his criticisms, while further galvanising his elite pocket presence and accuracy. He flaunted his ability to rip the ball into tight windows, layer the ball deep and put the ball on the money all over the field. Stroud also then showed the ability to evade the imposing Bulldog pass rush and create after the play. He ended the game with 348 passing yards and four touchdowns, in a performance that had critics scratching their heads and updating their scouting reports.

Stroud has a legitimate chance of being a superstar in the NFL. Being ranked third in these AFC South QB rankings shows just how competitive this division is becoming.

2023 Projections:

3,315 passing yards, 22 TD and 7 INT

185 rushing yards, 4 TD

QB4 – Will Levis (Tennessee Titans)

Will Levis could be the steal of the draft.

Projected as a top five selection, the Kentucky quarterback prospect slid all the way into the second round, where the Tennessee Titans traded up to select him. Levis may sit behind incumbent veteran Ryan Tannehill initially, but with the proper development has the tools to be a terrific quarterback.

Levis figures to be a future starter in the AFC South. He has an absolutely scorching arm, with the ability to effortlessly push the ball downfield with a quick flick of the wrist. He rips throws into extremely tight windows and has prototypical size at the position.

The Kentucky prospect has the arm talent to give him significant potential. With the right developmental plan, he can rebuild his fundamentals and become a much more accurate passer. As it stands currently, he must show significant improvement in these areas. PFF’s NFL Draft Big Board had Levis’ accuracy as “borderline untenable at this point”. In 2022, he threw just 19 touchdowns to ten interceptions.

At 6’4″, 229 pounds, Levis has all the tools of an NFL quarterback. Flashes of powerful running, a huge arm and a 90.6 PFF grade in 2021 all show some promise of a starter in the league for a long time. Behind veteran incumbent Ryan Tannehill, Levis has a unique opportunity to learn the ropes and sit for a year before trying to turn the Tennessee Titans into a juggernaut in the AFC South.

2024 Projections:

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