• Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud led the way in 2021: The Alabama and Ohio State quarterbacks tied with Kenny Pickett for the highest-graded quarterbacks in the 2021 season.
• Hendon Hooker excelled at two schools: Hooker was among the highest-graded quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft both at Tennessee and Virginia Tech.
• Clayton Tune was the best in two separate seasons: The Houston quarterback paced all 2023 NFL Draft quarterbacks in both 2022 and 2020.
Estimated Reading Time: 3 mins
The 2023 NFL Draft is nearly a month away, making it almost time for teams to start finalizing their grades on prospects.
Here’s a look back at the highest-graded college football quarterbacks by season who are eligible to be picked in this year’s draft.
2022
- 1. Clayton Tune, Houston Cougars: 92.0
- 2. Bryce Young, Alabama Crimson Tide: 91.5
- 3. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee Volunteers: 90.8
Tune tied with Ohio’s Kurtis Rourke for the highest-graded quarterback in college football this past season. The fifth-year senior’s 30 big-time throws were the fifth most in the country, and he finished with the fourth-highest adjusted completion rate (79.5%). Overall, his 91.3 passing grade was tied for the best in the country. Tune is currently the 10th-best quarterback on PFF’s big board and projects to be a sixth-round prospect.
What can't @ClaytonTune7 do?! 🤷 @UHCougarFB pic.twitter.com/0RthHQSqFW
— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) September 3, 2022
2021
- T-1. Bryce Young, Alabama Crimson Tide: 92.2
- T-1. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State Buckeyes: 92.2
- 3. Malik Cunningham, Louisville Cardinals: 91.5
Both Young and Stroud were tied with Kenny Pickett for the highest-graded quarterback in the 2021 season.
Young won the Heisman Trophy that year and led the Power Five with 36 big-time throws. He’s currently the No. 1 overall prospect on PFF’s big board. Meanwhile, Stroud won by being deadly accurate. His 46.5% rate of perfectly placed passes 10-plus yards downfield was second among FBS quarterbacks. He’s PFF's third-best quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft — and a top-five overall prospect.
All of these plays are absurd, but my favorite from this game is this.
Breaks out of a sack from Travon Walker, somehow has the awareness to flip it to Robinson and even runs downfield to throw a block.
QB1. Don’t overthink itpic.twitter.com/rMzpnqkLwN https://t.co/Twowl5w18S
— Max Chadwick (@Chad_Maxwick) March 4, 2023
2020
- 1. Clayton Tune, Houston Cougars: 84.7
- 2. Hendon Hooker, Virginia Tech Hokies: 81.5
- 3. Max Duggan, TCU Horned Frogs: 79.2
Tune was the highest-graded quarterback from this draft class in both 2022 and 2020. As a junior, he ranked 10th among Group of Five quarterbacks in big-time throws (18). His 6% big-time throw rate also led all quarterbacks in the American Athletic Conference.
2019
- 1. Tanner Morgan, Minnesota Golden Gophers: 85.5
- 2. Hendon Hooker, Virginia Tech Hokies: 74.6
- 3. Max Duggan, TCU Horned Frogs: 74.0
As a redshirt sophomore, Morgan posted an 89.1 passing grade that ranked sixth among Power Five quarterbacks. He also placed sixth in the Power Five in rate of perfectly placed passes (16.4%). Morgan was recently selected eighth overall by the Michigan Panthers in the 2023 USFL Draft.
This dime from Tanner Morgan 😍 @GopherFootball pic.twitter.com/aMt4o5aIDA
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 16, 2021
2018
- 1. Adrian Martinez, Nebraska Cornhuskers: 73.9
- 2. Holton Ahlers, East Carolina Pirates: 71.4
- 3. Tanner Morgan, Minnesota Golden Gophers: 61.8
Before transferring to Kansas State, Martinez spent four years as Nebraska’s quarterback. As a true freshman in 2018, he ranked sixth among Power Five quarterbacks in rushing yards after contact (452). He was recently taken with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 USFL Draft by the New Jersey Generals.
And just like that @HuskerFBNation takes one back! @MartinezTheQB with the 75-yard run to the 🏠 pic.twitter.com/tsFqJ6B5CL
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 28, 2021
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