Welcome to NFL draft season: 30 questions on QBs, standout prospects, intriguing teams

It’s official: NFL draft season is here. As the 2022 NFL season hits the stretch run and college football turns its attention to bowls and the College Football Playoff, intrigue will start to grow around a talented 2023 draft class.

With the first round set to begin nearly five months from now — April 27 in Kansas City — plenty can change. The draft order, for one, won’t be fully set until mid-February. Most players entering the draft still have at least one game to play, along with all-star events, combine and pro day workouts and tons of pre-draft interviews. But we are at least starting to get some clarity on this group of prospects, which is led by two elite defenders and a pair of franchise quarterbacks.

We brought in our NFL draft experts — Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay, Matt Miller and Jordan Reid — to answer 30 big questions about the class at this point in the process. Who will be the No. 1 pick — and which team will have it? What will the Eagles, Lions, Seahawks and Texans do with multiple first-rounders? Which quarterbacks, receivers, edge rushers and cornerbacks have first-round upside, and who are potential late-round sleepers? What are the best pro comps in the class, and which prospects will post eye-popping numbers at the combine?

Let’s start to prep for the draft, beginning with a look at the quarterback class.

Let’s talk through this quarterback class: How many have Round 1 grades right now?

McShay: Three, and I don’t think it will change. In some order, it will be Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis. I have Young as the QB1 right now, thanks to excellent poise under duress and the arm flexibility to make off-platform throws. His size (6-foot, 194 pounds) and durability might be issues for some teams, but I think Young is a special prospect who is capable of transforming a franchise.

Stroud has fast eyes and excellent touch, timing and placement to all three levels of the field. But his efficiency dips a bit when pressured, and he’s at his best working within the confines of a structured offense. Levis has the strongest arm and the sturdiest build (6-foot-3, 232 pounds) of these three quarterbacks, though he needs to improve his pocket presence and turnover avoidance (10 interceptions).

And Young is the favorite to go No. 1 overall?

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