Surprise! Elderly QBs Are All the Rage at 2023 NFL Draft
As the 2023 NFL draft nears its conclusion, Day 3 of the event saw a number of experienced quarterbacks hear their names called in Kansas City.
Georgia’s Stetson Bennett, 25; Penn State’s Sean Clifford, 24; and BYU’s Jaren Hall, 25, all were selected Saturday, joining the Rams, Packers and Vikings, respectively. The group of seasoned signal-callers joined another veteran rookie QB in former Tennessee standout Hendon Hooker, who was drafted by the Titans in the third round Friday night.
A two-time national champion at Georgia, Bennett, the No. 128 pick, will look to continue his successful career in L.A. after walking on at UGA and transforming into a key piece for the Bulldogs and an eventual NFL draft prospect.
Drafted in the fifth round at No. 149, Clifford, who famously once beat out No. 33 pick Will Levis for the starting job at Penn State, is set to join a Green Bay team transitioning from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love ahead of the 2023 season. As for Hall, the fifth-round pick (No. 164) will compete for a spot behind Kirk Cousins in Minnesota after enduring numerous injuries during his five years at BYU.
In addition to making headlines for their ages, the three QBs selected on Saturday helped boost this year’s rookie class in another notable way. According to ESPN, the 12 QBs drafted in 2023 set a new record for the most QBs selected in the first five rounds during the common draft era (since 1967).
