I will update these power rankings as we go along. It’s a bit of fun — but also a review of how the players with first round potential are progressing through the season. It’s also not a ranking. This isn’t necessarily the order I expect them to be drafted (and it’d be too early to make any predictions anyway).

I will add names to the list if needed as we go along. It will only ever be the players I expect to garner first round interest, though.

#1 C.J. Stroud (Ohio State)
This week I had Stroud and Richardson swap places. That’s how contrasting their fortunes were. Admittedly Stroud had the luxury of playing an overmatched Arkansas State team but what he showed was exciting, complex throws that get you out of your seat. His throwing base was textbook in this game (a stark difference to former Buckeye Justin Fields) and from that base he was able to deliver some of the prettiest passes you’ll see all season. An inch-perfect 34-yard throw — so on target it was virtually handed to the receiver. A 50-yard bomb — flashing plus arm strength and sensational downfield ball-placement. A near 40-yard toss to the front left corner of the end-zone, placed perfectly despite tight coverage and safety help for a touchdown. This was Stroud flexing and showing what he’s capable of. Now we need to see it consistently along with improved intermediate accuracy and processing in close games.

#2 Will Levis (Kentucky)
We don’t need to see quarterback perfection in every game. Sometimes it’s about avoiding mistakes, doing what you need to do and leading your team to a big road win in a hostile environment against an opponent with momentum. Levis didn’t do enough against Florida to go from #1 to #2 but he certainly didn’t do anything to harm his stock either. He flashed the traits we all know he has — showing easy arm strength on a +60-yard downfield throw for a touchdown. He’s mastered the play-action offense Kentucky has been using since he transferred to the team. When he was getting absolutely hammered in the first half and had zero support from the running game, he still put points on the board. He kept Kentucky in it until they finally established the run — and then all he had to do was avoid errors. The “interception” he had was really a sack-fumble. Put him on an offense with a good O-line and give him some weapons and he can have a lot of success in the NFL. Quick stat for you — he is now 12-3 as a starter at Kentucky. In their previous 10 seasons, Kentucky averaged 5.6 wins a season.

#3 Bryce Young (Alabama)
After three quarters against Texas, Young was having the kind of day Anthony Richardson was having. He should’ve been picked off after a horrendous decision to throw across the middle after sensing moderate interior pressure. He should’ve conceded a safety after sitting in his own end-zone for five seconds, getting hammered and being bailed out by some weirdness from the refs. He toiled and struggled and appeared set to lose the game and Alabama’s #1 ranking. Yet in the hour of the need, he got his act together and dragged his team to victory. In the fourth quarter all of the customary poise returned. He was creative as a runner and accurate as a thrower. He scored one of the touchdowns of the season on a scramble in the red zone. Sometimes you have to give credit to a QB for getting the job done on an off-day. That is what Young did on Saturday.

#4 Tyler Van Dyke (Miami)
Watching Miami’s game against Southern Miss was like a trip to the dentist. Within 10 minutes of the ordeal starting, you just wanted it to be over. The Hurricanes decided to try and bore Southern Miss into submission and congratulations to them, they pulled it off. TVD captured the imagination a year ago when he took over the starting job. He galvanised Miami and turned them into a formidable force — defeating Kenny Pickett and eventual ACC Champions Pittsburgh in their own backyard along the way. They showed off their quarterback as he sprayed the ball around the field. Now he has to resort to dump-offs, extended hand-offs, running the ball +40 times and a few slants. He’s double-clutching in the pocket and throwing late (see: horrible interception). I want to see them unleash TVD against a very beatable Texas A&M this weekend. Will they? Probably not. I fear the Mario Cristobal offense is going to do to Van Dyke what it did to Justin Herbert at Oregon.

#5 Anthony Richardson (Florida)
There’s not much more to say that wasn’t said already in Saturday’s piece. Richardson had a total clunker. All of the poise, processing and excitement of the Utah game disappeared. He wasn’t a running threat at all. His passes were mainly a series of 100mph fast-balls thrown with reckless abandon. He had one unlucky interception and a pick-six he’ll have nightmares about all week. Richardson looked like a player with three college starts and he deserves an opportunity to develop and learn without the pressure of the NFL draft lurking in the background. This might be the last time I include him in the power rankings because he looks like a young player who needs time. Truth be told, more time than is probably permitted in the remainder of the 2022 college season.

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This is also available via ‘The Rebuild’ podcast streams

Is that repeatable?

Social media is awash with emotive comments today from Pete Carroll, discussing the meaning of a win against Russell Wilson and bringing back certain ex-players who may or may not have had beef with Wilson in the past.

It certainly appears the Seahawks put a lot into winning this game.

After all — it’s not like they can trot out Marshawn Lynch and co. again for the Falcons game. Having the older players hang around during practise was undoubtedly inspiring — but it’s also something that won’t have endless value.

Then there was the crowd — whipped into a frenzy for Wilson’s return, not so subtly nudged along by Carroll and the non-stop media talk of whether booing the returning quarterback was the right thing to do.

People at the game have talked about it being louder than it has been in Lumen Field in years.

All of this contributed to the victory. I do wonder, though, whether that same energy and vibe can stretch into the upcoming home contests against Atlanta, Arizona and the New York Giants.

Can the team play at the same intensity level when there’s less hoopla around the opponent? Can the fans be as vociferous?

At times, yesterday, the Seahawks looked to have found the physical edge they’ve been seeking for years.

It can’t be a flash in the pan saved for Russell Wilson and Denver, though. It has to show up again next week. That might be harder when you’re 1-0. San Francisco, losers in week one to Chicago, can’t afford to overlook Seattle. They’ll be on it. The Seahawks will be taken more seriously in the media, in the bleachers and on the field in week two.

The next two games will be a fascinating study point.

It also has to be said — they’ll need to be better in certain aspects.

As brilliantly as Geno Smith played in the first half, he was 6/10 for 31 yards and a turnover in the second half. Is he capable of reaching the highs of the first half without the lag of the second? Is there, at worst, a happy medium between the two halves to be found against San Francisco?

Can they continue to force turnovers? Or were the two goal-line fumbles — akin to a football lottery win — a freakish occurrence that played as big a part as anything on a night that ended with a one-point win?

Will opposing Head Coaches continue to make totally nonsensical decisions over when to attempt game-winning field goals?

Can you afford to concede a 433-253 yardage split and win many games in the NFL?

Can the running game thrive unless Geno Smith continues to play like he did in the first half to keep the offense honest?

I wish it was Sunday already to start answering some of these questions. I’m eager to learn about this team. I want to know if Monday was a performance for the occasion (and I predicted a Seahawks win against Denver because of the occasion) or was it a sign of a rekindling of the ‘we all we got, we all we need’ attitude that served the team so well in the first go-around?

Was this more about ‘beat Russell Wilson at all costs’ or was it indicative of a team that has found its mojo again?

Don’t overreact to individual college games

I’ve seen some sniffy reviews of Will Levis’ performance against Florida and Bryce Young’s display against Texas on Saturday.

Here’s something to remember…

— In Patrick Mahomes’ final year at Texas Tech he had a run of six straight games with an interception. He lost seven games in total. He had 25 interceptions in his last two seasons in college.

— In Andrew Luck’s final year at Stanford he ended with a run of six straight games with an interception. He lost two games in his final year despite playing on a loaded Stanford team. He had eight games with 256 passing yards or fewer.

— Josh Allen had 21 interceptions in his final two years in college. He had a completion percentage of just 56.3%. He had three games in 2017 with sub-100 passing yards and he started his final season with six picks in his first seven games.

Speaking of Allen — the front-runner to be MVP this year — here’s PFF’s scouting report on him before the 2018 draft:

The first thing usually mentioned about Allen is his size, arm and athleticism, but he needs work on the important things like accuracy and decision-making. His high-end plays are spectacular as he can create downfield opportunities with his arm, but he must improve in the short game and cut down on his turnover-worthy plays. There’s an offense to be built around Allen’s skillset, but his great velocity is overrated unless he improves his accuracy, touch and willingness to work efficiently in the quick game. Allen showed plenty of promise with an 84.7 overall grade in 2016, but he regressed to only 73.1 last season.

— Finally, Russell Wilson. He had 25 interceptions in his final two years at NC State. He never had a completion percentage above 60% at NC State. He had 11 games at Wisconsin where he threw 255 yards or fewer — including six sub-200 yard games. He also lost three games in his final season at Wisconsin.

None of the top quarterbacks eligible for 2023 have to be flawless. They just need to show well in the right areas — physical traits, processing, mechanics, footwork, leadership, an ability to elevate and lift their teams, accuracy and the ability to extend plays when necessary.

And to bring it back to Levis and Young:

— Levis just helped Kentucky record back-to-back wins against Florida for the first time since 1976/77. He’s 12-3 as a starter for the Wildcats. In the 10 seasons before he arrived in Kentucky, they averaged 5.6 wins a season.

— When the game was on the line, Young (the reigning Heisman Trophy winner) had enough about him to pull one out of the bag. Alabama were poor against Texas and for three quarters, so was Young. Until it mattered — and he won them the game.

BYU’s Jaren Hall shows well

I don’t think Hall is destined to be an early pick. People complain about Will Levis’ age but Hall is a year older than Levis. There are some moments where he throws into tighter windows where I just think he lacks that top-level arm strength to really fire it into good coverage. I do think his ceiling is lower than some other quarterbacks in college football.

That said, his performance against Baylor was also very impressive. I watched it on Monday and saw a handful of real quality throws, some good athleticism to extend plays and move around and he clearly lifts and elevates his team.

I like his throwing base, he’s generally accurate and while he lacks great size and traits — he does actually play like a point guard. There were some throws to the sideline where, dare I say it, his throwing velocity, release and touch did look a lot like Russell Wilson at Wisconsin. He can drop the football into difficult areas of the field with great touch at times.

Pete Carroll name-dropping Justin Hebert, Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes earlier today on 710 makes me think this team is going to have its heart set on one of the big, physically impressive QB’s eligible for 2023. I’m not only going to focus on those players, however. Hall — if nothing else — carries some mid-round intrigue and I look forward to watching him play again soon.

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Earlier today, I read an article discussing the size of Mike McDaniels, well, ‘man bits’.

Then, as it happens, I read a second article. This one had a very similar theme discussing the very same part of Brian Daboll’s anatomy.

In both cases the coaches were praised for an aggressive fourth down call — inspiring big wins and creating buy-in with their new teams.

I think what we’ve just witnessed is the reverse of that.

Nathaniel Hackett had plenty of time, three timeouts and needed five yards. Instead of trusting the quarterback his team had just paid a kings ransom for (picks and salary) — he decided it was better to trust his kicker to tie the NFL record for a field goal with an improbable 64-yard attempt.

It’s frankly one of the strangest and most baffling decisions I think I’ve ever written about. What on earth was he thinking?

The Seahawks start 1-0 as a consequence and have a lot to feel good about. The team played with its hair on fire. They made up for a lack of talent in key areas with a fearsome tenacity.

Whether it was Al Woods holding the interior, Uchenna Nwosu stepping up to the plate, Quandre Diggs making a crucial tackle on the one-yard line or Michael Jackson hitting and recovering fumbles with joyous abandon — the defense came ready for action.

They were brilliant in the red zone, denying the Broncos four times.

It’ll barely be remembered that the Seahawks didn’t score a point in the second half. Or that their win was heavily inspired by those two Denver fumbles on the goal line or the gobsmacking decision of Hackett. Or that Denver gifted Seattle 106 penalty yards.

Geno Smith did just enough. The defense set a tone. Pete Carroll got the win he almost certainly craved as much as any over the last few years.

I’m not sure this will be a repeatable formula. Especially with the offense grinding to a halt in the second half, the running game failing to spark and the generous Broncos feeling especially charitable.

But the new era starts with a win. And frankly, as much as the 2023 draft is integral to the future of this team, I’ll be hoping for another next week.

And I did predict the Seahawks would win this one…

This is a guest article by Curtis Allen. After the game tonight, tune into the instant reaction live stream which will be available on here and on our YouTube channel

Welcome to a whole new cycle of Seahawks football.  The team has shed themselves of two of the greatest players in franchise history, brought in a whole new defensive staff and recommitted to key areas like the offensive line, pass rush and the cornerbacks.

We are about to see the first official results of this experiment.  What better way to get started on the new than to face the old, lined up right across from you?

This game will be filled with all kinds of palace intrigue.  The relationship troubles between Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll over the years have been aired in a very passive-aggressive manner.  A thinly veiled threat here, a leak there, a clearly staged photo op with hugs and smiles and press conference statements that doth protest a bit too much all made for high drama in Seattle.  They even handled themselves after the trade in the same way, with couched language wrapped in a wry smile and a wink.

We will see the truth of the matter in their actions on the field.

Both are very proud figures.  Both have never budged on their football philosophy.  Both have the ambition to prove their viewpoint was more effective.  Therefore, both will have more than the usual incentive to win this game.

There will be some hard feelings being played out on the field Monday night.  Who will come out on top?  There is a possibility that this game will be the only time Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson ever face each other in their storied careers.  They might not get another chance to make their statement.

So buckle up.  This is appointment watching.

Before we address the elephant in the room, let’s start with a factor that could be crucial for the Seahawks.

The Seahawks Must Use the Unknown to Their Favor

A Week One matchup might be the best-case scenario for the Seahawks in facing Russell Wilson and the Broncos.  It might be too much to ask a new quarterback with a brand-new head coach to come out firing on all cylinders right out of the gate.  That is obvious.

What is less obvious is there will also be a feature that the Denver offense may struggle with that is beyond the typical ‘new quarterback new coach growing pains’ dynamic:  Russell Wilson is not the easiest quarterback to play with.  His superpower of relying on his ability to extend plays takes some getting used to.

Offensive linemen are required to be effective longer than they normally would.  They cannot intuitively know where Wilson will be or which way he is going to go when the play breaks down.  This can cause some traffic jams at the edges of the pocket and some holding calls that backs up the offense.

Then there’s the receivers.  They will need to grasp that if they get to the end of their route and the ball is not coming to them, the play is not necessarily over.  They will have to keep running and find pockets to scramble into to provide a target for Wilson.  That does not naturally come to every player.  For some it needs to be learned over time. 

The Seahawks will need to take advantage, particularly early in the game, if the Denver offense has challenges getting going.

Another factor is the Seahawks’ track record in the last two season openers.  In 2020 and 2021, they scored convincing wins by successfully implementing new elements that caught their opponent off guard:

• In 2020 against the Falcons, they only ran the ball with their running backs 13 times, preferring to use them nearly as much in the passing game.  Russell Wilson had a career-highlight passing day and after the game Atlanta Defensive Coordinator Raheem Morris publicly fell on his sword, saying they had not prepared for the Seahawks to throw that much.  
• New weapon Jamal Adams had probably his best day as a Seahawk, with 12 tackles, a sack, 2 pressures, a QB knockdown, and 2 tackles for loss, causing all kinds of trouble for the Atlanta offense.
• In 2021 against the Colts, the Seahawks came out with some brilliant misdirection in the running game, utilizing Chris Carson well and keeping a very good Colt defensive line off balance.

That game was also Darrell Taylor’s coming out party.  He announced his presence with authority, as if he were trying to make up for a whole missed season in one game.

What surprises do the Seahawks have in store this year?

Who will be the player that catches the Broncos off guard and has an impact?  Uchenna Nwosu?  Dee Eskridge?  Tariq Woolen?  Ken Walker as a receiver?  Or will it be Clint Hurtt’s scheme?  

It will be very intriguing to watch.

Defend Russell Wilson

Pete Carroll said Monday that he knows Russell better than any other player he’s worked with.  Can he use that to his advantage?  You have to believe the minute he traded Wilson to Denver, Carroll started collecting his ten years of experiences with him to devise ways to beat him on defense.

Nathaniel Hackett and Wilson will have some new wrinkles schemed up to be sure.  Yet even the best players in the NFL have habits and plays they revert to when under pressure.  Hackett of all people probably knows this better than anyone after working with Aaron Rodgers.

Some of Wilson’s habits, in a nutshell:

• He loves to throw to the edges of the field, between the numbers and the sideline
• Inside pressure obscures his vision and forces him to make decisions faster than he would like
• A good deal of his magic happens when he gets out of the pocket and buys time for his receivers
• If his offensive line is not adept at adjusting to blitzes, he will struggle

The move to more of a 3-4 defense will really benefit the Seahawks against Wilson when you consider these factors.  Why?

In their standard package, they will have three big-bodied defenders occupying the inside.  This is designed to keep the lanes clogged and limit inside escape routes for the quarterback.  On the outside, the linebackers are lighter and faster, which means they have the angle to create a ‘horseshoe’ around the quarterback.  

Pretty standard stuff but Russell Wilson needs to be contained.  Yes, he can do plenty of damage from the pocket.  When he gets outside of the hash marks and buys time for his receivers, that can be real trouble for the defense.

The best thing the Seahawks can do is get pressure from their standard alignment.  Making Wilson uncomfortable in the pocket and still having their full coverage package available would do wonders towards keeping this game in a manageable state.

They can help themselves tremendously with some clever blitz packages though.  Jamal Adams can have an enormous impact this game if he is properly utilized.  Jordyn Brooks has shown an ability to shoot gaps and get to the passer.  The Seahawks even blitzed lightning-fast Tariq Woolen from the corner spot in preseason.

Clint Hurtt will have to dial up some formations that show Wilson several different looks.  The best thing he can do is keep him guessing on where the rush is coming from.  It takes processing power and keeps him from focusing on what the defensive backs are doing downfield.

A sneaky advantage that I alluded to earlier is that it confuses the offensive line and creates openings and mismatches.

Have a look at this beauty from Vance Joseph in the notorious Week 7 game against the Cardinals:

Great time for his first career sack.#SNF x @byronmurphy pic.twitter.com/ITk6gI7XDF

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 26, 2020

On a 3^rd and 11 in overtime, Joseph stacks the defensive line with 7 players.  He had utilized this formation earlier in the game.  

On this play, he drops 4 of the 7 into coverage and blitzes the nickel Byron Murphy who is completely free to make the sack.

Watch the Seahawks offensive line there.  Dissly, Shell and Lewis are blocking one man.  Ethan Pocic has nothing to do.  Simmons and Brown have a man to share.  Deejay Dallas nicely picks up Buddha Baker but the damage is done.

By the end of the game, Wilson was rattled and (off the same stacked-line formation) throws a lame ball for an interception to seal the game:

ISAIAH SIMMONS. INTERCEPTED.

📺: #SEAvsAZ on NBC
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/FSTZl0ocgC pic.twitter.com/7iBDB8qJQr

— NFL (@NFL) October 26, 2020

I’m not suggesting that the Seahawks specifically emulate these formations.  Rather it is a matter of throwing looks at Russ and building a pattern for him to process.  Then spidering that pattern out in variations that keep the processing on the pass rush and away from the pass coverage.

Denver’s offensive line is fine.  Adequate.  They surrendered 40 sacks last year with Teddy Bridgewater behind it and return most of their starters this year.  Clint Hurtt and the defense need to challenge this squad.  And the earlier in the game, the better.

************

A big key to limiting Wilson’s effectiveness?  Pressure him to carry the team.  The run defense must limit the impact that Javonte Williams will have.

That is not going to be an easy task.  Seattle’s run defense was terrible last year – 29^th in the NFL.  And unless Clint Hurtt can scheme up some ways for carryovers Al Woods, Poona Ford and Bryan Mone to be more effective, Williams could have a field day and take a ton of the pressure off of Wilson.

Scheming is really a secondary issue through.  What is going to make or break the run defense?  Tackling.  The defense was very poor in this area in the preseason, to the point where Pete Carroll acknowledged it and scheduled some extra drills in practice.

Hopefully the team’s work pays off.  It better, because in Javonte Williams, the Seahawks get last year’s tackle breaking champion in their first week.  Williams broke a tackle every 6.5 runs in 2021.  Nobody else was even close.

Again I say Jamal Adams needs to have a big game.  If he is an active tackler and can limit the yards the Broncos get on the ground and then have an impact in the pass rush, the defense might be able to do enough to give the offense some chances.

Run the Ball.  A Lot.

There is no argument – none – that says the Seahawks should regularly ask Geno Smith to throw the ball 30 or more times in a game.  It just is not a sustainable plan for success.  The Seahawks must run the ball well in this game.

Of course, it is not simply having a good split of plays that will enable the offense to function well.  The Seahawks will need to employ good strategy and scheming in their runs in order to make them effective.  Particularly considering Denver will likely sell out to stop the run and dare Geno Smith to beat them by throwing the ball.

The staff will need to recapture some of that run effectiveness they displayed in Week One last year against the Colts. 

With a young offensive line and a vulnerable quarterback, they will need all the clever scheming they can get.  It is encouraging to see that they have already achieved it in the recent past. 

The deceptive aspect of the run game also greatly assists the passing game and helps Geno Smith make plays that are in his wheelhouse.

Granted, the Seahawks have yet to really establish a dominant running game.  I would argue they are well advised to use their assets wisely and seek to establish one to carry their offense this week.  And this season for that matter.

Let’s have a look at a play that gives us some hope they can do that:

What A Block By Abraham Lucas, Good To See Him Showing His Run Blocking Ability (Many People Questioned It Coming Out Of A Pass Heavy Offense In College) pic.twitter.com/FMum6z21kW

— Jett (@Jett_BH) August 18, 2022

There is Abraham Lucas absolutely pancaking a defender in the run game – a common sight this preseason.  What’s more, he is getting in Devin Bush’s way and keeping him from sealing off that backside zone.

Yet the play is so much more than that.  It is Gabe Jackson manhandling Chris Wormley.  It is Austin Blythe getting to the second level immediately.  It is Noah Fant chipping and then turning his back and throwing a block to make sure that backside lane is clear.

There is another element to this play that is very special though.  I guarantee you it had coaches and teammates alike hooting and hollering just as loudly as they did when watching Lucas drive his man into the ground.

Do you see it?

It’s Penny Hart.  Watch him come crashing into the frame from the left at the end of the play.  

Let’s look at it from a different angle and celebrate it:

Seahawks rookie RT Abraham Lucas takes Delontae Scott for a ride and finishes with the pancake leading to massive gain.

Thought both rookie tackles played well for Seattle last night. pic.twitter.com/4XyqaOupdK

— Derrick (@Steelers_DB) August 14, 2022

Watch the 180lb Hart move the 217lb Terrell Edmonds out of position to clear the entire right side for Travis Homer, then give the 234lb Devin Bush a chip to keep him out of the play.

A job well done. Is Hart satisfied?  Nope.  He turns and accelerates downfield and looks for a third man to hit and engages Tre Norwood.

If Homer demonstrates better awareness and judgement on the run and pivots outside to the sideline instead of running into Bo Melton, Hart is right there to accompany him down the sideline.  What a play.

Pete Carroll has this team understanding that run blocking is everyone’s assignment.  Not just the big uglies up front.  Can they carry that commitment into the regular season, when the games count and the players are working against defensive starters for 60 full minutes?  Time will tell.

The good news is Denver had the 31^st ranked run defense in the NFL last season.  Granted they have a new coach and have added some players but they are going to have to prove they are better against a team that has heavily invested in the run game and will likely be desperate to keep Russell Wilson off the field as much as possible.

Keep the Game Out of Geno Smith’s Hands

The more I think about Geno Smith’s capabilities as a quarterback, the more sense installing a quick passing offense makes.  Slants and other two-step throws like crossing and seam routes are right up his alley.  He is more accurate than Russell Wilson was at these types of passes.  We have seen it time and time again in the preseason.  Geno handles these plays with a degree of competence that can make this work.

The numbers in his 3+ games in relief of Wilson last year show that very clearly.  Here they are when he gets the ball out in under 2.5 seconds:

• 47-60 for an excellent 78.33% completion rate
• A QB rating of 110.3
• 3 touchdowns / zero interceptions
• 2 sacks

Yes, that is a small sample size.

Yet you could slash a full 10% off those numbers when you spread that over a full season and still come out ahead.  These numbers are what have the Geno Smith apologists sticking to a position that he can run this offense effectively.

It is possible.  If – if – the Seahawks are wise enough to schedule the majority of Geno’s pass plays as ones he can get out quickly.

Pete Carroll, when asked in recent years about sacks and enduring pass rush pressure, has consistently replied with one factor, and one factor alone:  The quarterback must get the ball out quickly to avoid sacks.  That rationale is going to get put to the acid test this season.  Will he commit to that philosophy in view of the current evidence that Geno Smith does it so well?

The fact of the matter is they have no choice but to run the ball heavily and when circumstances call for a pass play, to get the ball out of Smith’s hands as quickly as possible.  When he lingers, the results are disastrous.

How bad are they?  I feel like I need to issue a Viewer Discretion Advisory before showing you Smith’s numbers when he held the ball for more than 2.5 seconds last year.

Take a breath and have a look:

• 18-35 for a 51.43% completion rate
• QB rating of 89.3
• 2 touchdowns / 1 interception
• 11 sacks for 98 yards lost

Again, that is a small sample size of 3+ games but those are subterranean numbers.

The QB rating is not too bad.  It is propped up by 11 of those 18 completions going for first downs and you could argue the interception was more about Tyler Lockett falling down against the Rams.  

Yet the completion percentage drop from 78% to 51% when he holds the ball?  My goodness.

And the sacks.  Do you understand how horrid that is?  In only 46 dropbacks that lasted more than 2.5 seconds, Smith was sacked 11 times – an eye-watering 24% of those dropbacks.

If Smith were to play a full season and still have that 24% number, he will get sacked between 55-70 times.  Actually, he would not because he would either be seriously injured or benched first.  

Can he do better this year?  Surely, he can.

Enough to be pedestrian?  Let alone effective?  That might be too much to ask.  The data we have says that Geno is not good when the play goes off script and he needs to quickly process the play and make an effective decision.

Have the Seahawks been able to coach better decision making into him this offseason?  

Well…

From turf to QB, @TrevonColey stays with it and records a sack. @ChicagoBears

📺: #CHIvsSEA on ESPN
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/duqkxIEtbt pic.twitter.com/z4jQR1H6FE

— NFL (@NFL) August 19, 2022

Not really…

This is where the Geno Smith critics make their case.  

He has very little feel for pressure in the pocket, no escape plan and rarely is he able to buy time while keeping his eyes downfield.  There is no doubt that Denver knows this and will be scheming to stop the run and force Geno to hold onto the ball.

Are we saying that vast of a gap in effectiveness will continue Monday?  Not necessarily in those two extremes.

Yet the die is cast.  Offensive success depends on the Seahawks running the ball often and well and getting the ball out quickly in the passing game.

Does that mean the Seahawks should not try deep passes?  Of course not.  But with a limited quarterback, it is a process to work those opportunities open.  Much more so than with a quarterback in full possession of his faculties like Russell Wilson.  Patience and timing will be key.

Each step’s success depends on the foundation that the other steps have built.  Running the ball preps the defenders to look for it.  It is easier then to take the snap and throw immediately when defenders need that extra half second to diagnose the play.  Then throwing deep is easier when defenders have been lulled to sleep by slant after slant and crosser after crosser.

Anthony Richardson versus Will Levis

The main event of the weekend.

To highlight this, the Giants GM attended the game in person along with his Director of Player Personnel and his Assistant Director of Player Personnel.

Matt Berry, Seattle’s Director of College Scouting was there, as was Dan Morgan (Carolina’s Assistant GM), Anthony Robinson (Atlanta’s Director of College Scouting) and Ray Agnew (Detroit’s Assistant GM).

Prior to the game, Jim Nagy from the Senior Bowl once again compared Levis to Josh Allen and Justin Herbert, stating clearly: “This is what a future first-rounder looks like.”

So how did it play out?

By the second half, it was a case of one quarterback not needing to do anything — and another not being able to.

A week ago Anthony Richardson won a lot of praise, rightly so, for the way he performed against a solid Utah team. He showed great command of his offense. He was organised, appeared poised and he was in control. He made plays with his legs — showing off his extreme athleticism — and flashed a big arm.

Tonight, he looked like a player who was starting his third game in college football. To say he was a mile away from being ready for the NFL would be putting it mildly. In no way, shape or form was this a player who should be on any draft radar.

So what’s the reality after one good performance and one mess? That’ll be the big question going forward.

All of the composure and command was gone here. He missed all over the field. He looked jumpy and antsy. Every throw was a 100mph fastball. He was totally ineffective as a runner. When they needed a bit of inspiration at the end — he threw awfully on fourth down with the game on the line.

Florida went scoreless in the second half.

The ugliest play was a pick-six. He didn’t anticipate a squatting corner, completely misread the situation and threw it straight to the DB for an interception. It was essentially the game-winning score for Kentucky.

He had another interception that was unfortunate in that it was a sensational play by a defensive end — getting his hand up to block a pass and somehow corralling it in the same motion.

It wasn’t 100% awful from Richardson. He had a good two-point conversion — showing patience in the pocket, then checking down to the running back when his initial read wasn’t there. He had a great 3rd and 10 completion to start the second quarter — sticking in the pocket and throwing well with timing and anticipation. He made an impressive throw on the run early in the game — using play-action, getting on the move to the right and throwing off-balance from his own four-yard line — lobbing it 37-yards beautifully.

Those moments were few and far between though and covered in the mud of his overall display. His stat-line says it all — 14/35 for 143 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions, four rushing yards on six attempts.

If he was the talk of the town last week, today was a bucket of cold water. He needs time to develop and now is probably a good time for us to park the draft talk and let him work through his first season as a starter.

For Will Levis, he can be a lot happier with his evening. It was far from a headline-creating, jaw-dropping performance from him either. Yet he made the plays he had to make, avoided mistakes and had a big touchdown pass to help secure this win.

Don’t underestimate the victory either. Kentucky hadn’t won back-to-back games against Florida since 1976 and 1977. Levis arrived in Kentucky in 2021 and has won back-to-back games against the old nemesis.

He did it playing behind an increasingly concerning offensive line.

To their credit, they came out after half-time and made Levis’ life very comfortable. Having run for only 20 yards in the first half — they re-committed in the second and ran all over Florida. Everything was stuffed in the first two quarters. By the end of the fourth, Florida’s defense was visibly tired after taking a pounding.

It really was ‘Exhibit A’ against the tiresome argument that a running game doesn’t matter. Kentucky bossed their opponent in that second half and Levis barely had to do anything.

It’s probably for the best. He was absolutely hammered in the first half, as the pass-protection issues from last week somehow got worse.

It started with his right tackle being judo-tossed into him on a QB-keeper. Then the same tackle decided not to protect the edge, allowing a pass rusher to run free while he stood and watched a linebacker who didn’t blitz. The end result was Levis on his back, helmet firing off a few yards away and cuts and bruises on his face. Then, for the hat-trick, the right tackle got in his throwing lane on a red-zone WR-screen pass.

He was hit high and low by the Florida pass rush and did well just to avoid injury for the second week in a row.

Despite this, he found a way to make plays in the first half. He had a wonderful pass from deep inside his own half to the right sideline. He needed every bit of his arm strength to fire it into a tight window.

His touchdown was equally impressive. It came on a play-action pass where he finally had some time to let a play develop. He spotted a 1v1 option downfield and gave his receiver a chance to make a contested grab. The ball travelled 61-yards through the air and it was effortless. It wasn’t even a full-velocity throw. Levis showed off easy arm strength.

He looked very comfortable in the Shanahan-style offense and he moved the ball before half-time when the running game was non-existent.

Levis also scored a rushing touchdown on a QB-sneak.

His interception was really a sack/fumble and it will probably be changed to that. When the O-line wasn’t letting Levis down, the protection calls were letting him down. The scheme put a freshman running back in pass-pro against Florida’s best pass rusher. The result was obvious — his arm was hit as he tried to throw and the ball looped up into the air and was caught.

We haven’t seen the best of Levis through two weeks but what we have seen is a big win, fantastic physical talent, a strong command of his offense and the kind of traits NFL teams will like. He has battled adversity in pass-protection and still made plays.

With his next two games coming against Youngstown and Northern Illinois — he’ll have a great chance to reach top form and start 4-0 before tougher — yet winnable — games against Ole Miss and South Carolina

My feelings haven’t changed. Levis is a first round talent with the potential to be a very high pick.

Miami’s offense produces concern

Going into the season I feared for Tyler Van Dyke having to play in Mario Cristobal’s offense. Sadly, those fears were legitimised against Southern Miss.

This was a dour, stodgy game that would’ve interested only a few purists and Pete Carroll. The Hurricanes were painfully conservative on offense. The gameplan was basically low-risk to the max — 40+ runs, a bunch of extended hand-offs in the passing game and grind it out. It felt unnecessary given the match-up.

Cristobal coached Justin Herbert at Oregon and never put him in a position to show his best form. The player in the NFL is a totally different proposition to what we saw with the Ducks. The offense was to blame, as was the ideology.

The same thing is happening to Van Dyke.

He excelled last year by being the focal point. Deep shots, spraying passes around the field. He delivered a progressive offensive gameplan. In this offense he looks stymied, unsure and he even hesitant.

That’s not to make excuses for what was generally a below-par day. He finished 21/30 for 263 yards with a touchdown and an interception. We didn’t see Van Dyke at anything close to his best.

The offensive line didn’t help. He was sacked three times in the second quarter alone as a series of blown assignments led to a wave of pressure. Even his final play of the game, as he trotted out to play out the last couple of minutes, resulted in a blown protection, a sack and a painful looking hit on the QB.

If Cristobal, a former offensive lineman, is going to play this brand of football — the least he can do is pass-protect properly.

Whatever the reason, he was double-clutching too much in the pocket. On his interception it was 4th and 2 deep in Southern Miss territory. He took an age to sit in the pocket, he had the double-clutch and then threw hopelessly late to a receiver he locked onto. The defensive back saw the telegraphed pass and picked it off.

He had a similar play late in the game with nine minutes to go. This time the pass-pro holds up, he sits in the pocket and waits too long. He double-clutches and eventually fires a late pass into the red-zone. It was nearly a second interception for an under-cutting defender.

The heavy-running approach did help on his touchdown. A flea-flicker was well and truly bought by the defense, allowing Van Dyke to loft an easy pass in behind the secondary for a 35-yard score.

He did flash a couple of times — showing off his arm strength. He also had a play early in the game where he manipulated the pocket with great footwork to avoid pressure, re-set and deliver a great pass.

Yet Mark Herzlich, the colour-commentator, kept yelling (speaking for us all) — unlock the QB. Let him be the focal point.

In the end Miami bored Southern Miss into submission, plus the sparse crowd and those watching at home. Job done, I guess. Yet on this evidence Mario Cristobal is going to Pete-ball TVD’s stock into a range that is beneath his talent level — just as he did with Herbert.

Van Dyke goes to Texas A&M next week. The Aggies, who were ranked #6 going into the weekend, were beaten at home by Appalachian State today.

Bryce Young toils but wins

Young struggled for the most part. He should’ve had an ugly interception on a 2nd and 6 with 14:19 to go in the first half. He takes the shotgun snap and appears to feel the interior rush. He still has three seconds in the pocket before he’s hit — but because he knows a big hit is coming, he throws recklessly over the middle and right into the hands of a defender (who drops the interception).

You can’t make that mistake and it was as ugly (probably more so) than Tyler Van Dyke’s double-clutch. He came back on the next play and converted the 3rd and 6, showing a lot more poise to let the play develop and throw a slant (although the receiver did a good job to get the first down, given it was thrown two yards short of the sticks).

On a 3rd and 3 with 4:46 left in the first half, he threw behind an open receiver blowing a chance to convert a first down. Considering he lacks the physical tools of the other members of what I’d call ‘the big five’ — you need to see him hitting these conversions when they’re this open. He also missed a 3rd and 17 conversion at the start of the second half, overthrowing an open receiver as the pressure Texas brought started to impact his comfort level. It’s a bit mealy-mouthed complaining about a 3rd and 17 — but the throw was on and he missed it down the middle with a streaking receiver releasing and uncovered.

With 9:59 in the third quarter he took what should’ve been a safety. You can’t stand in your own endzone for five seconds and get sacked. You just can’t. That’s an unforgivable mistake for an experienced QB at this level. They called it roughing the passer and then took it back and frankly — I have no idea what the refs were doing there.

By this point it was looking like a disastrous performance from Young, yet in the fourth quarter he sprung into life. He executed a vital 4th and 3 when Alabama were trailing 16-10 — throwing the ball over the middle with great poise and accuracy, even with the ref trying his best to get in the way of the receiver. He then completed another strong throw over the middle to get into the redzone — before finishing the drive with a brilliant touchdown pass.

Young scrambled to the LOS under duress, then jolted backwards and bailed on the pocket. He ran backwards (not advisable) and had three defenders running towards him. Off-balance, leaning back, he threw an inch-perfect pass into the endzone. The accuracy and velocity on the delivery were textbook. I’m unsure how he did it, given he had no base to throw from aside from a snap-quick re-setting of the feet, and had a defender in his grill.

It was an incredibly dangerous throw that at the next level could end with a different result. Yet here, with the completion, it looked remarkable. It was a stunning move to reposition his feet to throw and an ideal example of the value of footwork and base — even if you have to do it under the most extreme pressure.

Trailing 19-17 with just over a minute to go, Young drove Alabama into field goal range — mixing in sideline throws running through his progressions and throwing with accuracy and aplomb over the middle. With around 30 seconds to go, he pulled off a Houdini act to dodge a dead-to-rights sack — then scramble for a huge gain to set up the game-winning field goal. Again the refs blew it — failing to spot a blatant hold off the edge that should’ve been called. Nevertheless, it was fantastic playmaking and elusiveness from Young.

In the fourth quarter he finished 15-of-19 passing for 136 yards and a touchdown.

You have to credit him for pulling it out of the bag. You also have to acknowledge how well Texas’ defense played in making his life difficult in the first three quarters. That said, the good was very good and the bad was pretty bad on the day.

C.J. Stroud has an easy day but still shines

It was never going to be a big challenge for Ohio State against Arkansas State and Stroud took full advantage. He threw four touchdowns, completing 16/24 for 351 yards.

On his first score he had an eternity in the pocket, allowing him to focus on his slot receiver, holding the safety, creating an absolute mile of space for the in-cutting outside receiver. Stroud couldn’t miss — and the receiver, with the ball in his hands, simply ran away from everyone for a TD. Easy.

On one play in the shotgun he used a very quick play-fake, set his feet and from a perfect base just launched one of the sweetest looking downfield shots you’ll see to his receiver on the red-line. The pass travels 34-yards but was delivered into the hands of the receiver as if it was a hand-off in the backfield. Perfect accuracy, touch and velocity — with great technique.

Stroud’s second touchdown was another wonderful show of physical prowess. Another very similar play-fake. He then drops, sets his feet and again from an ideal base throws from the half-way line into the endzone, hitting his receiver in stride for a score. He made this 50-yard bomb look easy. Great technique on the throw, a ‘wow’ arm and the placement was again brilliant.

His third score was the kind you sort of expect when Ohio State suddenly finds itself up 31-9. A receiver runs through a crowd, there’s a blown coverage. Stroud finds him. It’s easy.

Stroud’s final touchdown was a lot more impressive. He drops to the 37-yard line and with a bit of pressure emerging to his left throws an absolute dime to the front left corner of the endzone. There’s tight coverage from the defender and there’s safety help so that pass had to have perfect accuracy. It did. Again, he made it look easy.

Throws like we saw in this game are why you put Stroud in the early first round. He has incredible natural, physical talent. The context is this was in a 45-12 win against Arkansas State in a game where he was sacked once. Unlike Tyler Van Dyke, Bryce Young or Will Levis — he didn’t face any adversity in the pocket. The key for Stroud to reach the top of the pyramid next April is to make these throws and improve his intermediate accuracy in tighter games.

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Here are the games I am planning to watch over the weekend:

Southern Miss vs Miami
Kentucky vs Florida
Baylor vs BYU
South Carolina vs Arkansas

Quarterback watch

The game of the day is clearly the Will Levis vs Anthony Richardson contest. The game is not being televised so I have opted to subscribe to ESPN Player in the UK, which is suggesting I can watch it on there (plus Southern Miss vs Miami). Levis’ starting left tackle is back in the line-up and healthy again which is a boost after he was hammered by Miami (Ohio) last week. Richardson will look to build on an impressive opener against Utah.

Tyler Van Dyke likely won’t receive much of a test given Southern Miss were beaten by Liberty last week. However, he still made impressive plays in a blowout against Bethune-Cookman and will look for a clean game with a few big throws again today.

Arkansas State will probably struggle to put up much of a fight against Ohio State and C.J. Stroud. After an inconsistent opening performance against Notre Dame, this will be an opportunity for Stroud to build some form.

Texas vs Alabama is a headline act at 12pm ET. I suspect Alabama will prove far too strong for a building Longhorns team but it’ll be a decent test for Bryce Young.

Spencer Rattler vs K.J. Jefferson will be billed as a big game between two well known quarterbacks. Rattler had a poor debut, throwing two more picks last weekend. I simply don’t think he deserves to be on the NFL radar after the last 12 months. Jefferson is a bit overrated but should be able to shine in this game.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson probably won’t play more than a half against Alabama State. He won’t be an early round pick but he has something to him. Tanner McKee gets a game against USC where he needs to show he belongs in the NFL conversation.

When you’re watching these players, this is a tweet worth noting:

Pete Carroll, when asked how he’d build a perfect QB: “There’s never been a more perfect guy than Carson Palmer. I mean, he was perfect. He was big, he was strong, he was fast, he was a great athlete, he was a great competitor.”

File that away for later. Maybe, like, next April.

— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) September 9, 2022

It doesn’t mean the Seahawks will go all-out to draft a Carson Palmer type (after all, Russell Wilson was pretty different). However — the big, physical, athletic, successful quarterbacks within this group are likely to be the ones that catch Carroll’s eye. And John Schneider has worked hard recently to remind the local media of his interest in Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.

Physical traits will be a big part of Seattle’s 2023 decision.

You may have also noticed this from earlier in the week…

As @CSimmsQB has said in the past, the Seahawks dangled Wilson to the Browns for the first pick in 2018. (They would have taken Josh Allen.) Also, I'm told the Seahawks floated the idea of Wilson to Arizona for the top pick in 2019. They likely would have taken Kyler Murray. https://t.co/d8DsmqwXwA

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 8, 2022

Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Kyler Murray.

All with exceptional arm strength. All plus athletes with mobility, escapability and the ability to improvise.

When you’re looking for quarterbacks the Seahawks might be prepared to take in round one next year, you could argue that’s where you need to start.

A reminder that if you want my pre-season thoughts on the whole quarterback class, click here.

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I will update these power rankings as we go along. It’s a bit of fun — but also a review of how the players with first round potential are progressing through the season. It’s also not a ranking. This isn’t necessarily the order I expect them to be drafted (and it’d be too early to make any predictions anyway).

I will add names to the list if needed as we go along. It will only ever be the players I expect to garner first round interest, though.

#1 Anthony Richardson (QB, Florida)
There are a few reasons why Richardson tops this list. Firstly, the obvious physical tools. He’s 6-4, 240lbs and runs like a gazelle. His scrambling touchdown against Utah — for 45-yards — showed off his speed and twitch as he made a final defender miss on the goal-line. He can improvise and extend plays because of his athleticism. His arm strength is top-level. He ticks every box in terms of traits. Then, there was the mastery of his offense. It’s a pro-style scheme with a lot of motion, shifting and play-action. He was organising everyone at the LOS, making adjustments and just looked in complete control. He showed fantastic composure in the pocket and in his drops and led Florida to a big win against a difficult opponent. It’s only one game, admittedly, but if he continues on this path he could be a contender to go as high as anyone in this class.

#2 Will Levis (QB, Kentucky)
It wasn’t Levis’ best performance against Miami-Ohio but there are reasons why I have him at #2. Firstly, he had to handle being hit or sacked seven times in the first half and came through the onslaught. Secondly, he flashed his big-time physical tools with one exceptional off-balance throw to the left sideline. Thirdly, he drove his team forwards. This is a Kentucky squad that has lost key players to the NFL and as we saw with the offensive line, they need to find answers. The quarterback is the glue that keeps them competitive. Then you see technical quality — the way he throws from a sound base, with his shoulders aligned properly and yet when he needs to deliver off-platform he has the traits to do it. After Richardson, Levis is the best package of physical tools and talent. The pair square off on Saturday in a box-office meeting between two top draft prospects. Finally, Levis’ command of the Shanahan offense, having previously worked in the McVay scheme a year ago, is a real plus point for his pro-prospects.

#3 Tyler Van Dyke (QB, Miami)
You could easily put TVD at #2 for the control and natural talent he showed against the hopelessly overmatched Bethune-Cookman. He is a powerhouse thrower who also delivers passes from a strong base. His release is slightly elongated but the talent he shows as a passer is comparable only to Bryce Young. As noted yesterday, there were two throws in particular that leapt off the screen on Saturday — a fantastic touchdown throw dissecting three defenders and a brilliant lofted pass to the right sideline in behind two defenders. He has good footwork for a big man and can still get out of the pocket and make a play with his legs. There’s a lot to like here, he deserves more attention. Since he took over the starting job, Miami has jumped to a new level. They might be the best team in the ACC. I just fear, when they play better teams, Mario Cristobal will play things too close to the chest on offense and do what he did at Oregon — resort to bubble-screens, slants and check-downs.

#4 C.J. Stroud (QB, Ohio State)
As I said in my write-up of the Notre Dame game, it’s more of the same from Stroud. There’s always been a flash of brilliance to him. He can fit throws into difficult windows, he makes passes that you expect top-level NFL passers to make. Throwing on the run he can, at times, be exceptional. He has the ability to make the trendy off-platform throws that teams love to see. He is athletic enough to scramble away from pressure, extend plays and produce some magic. His arm strength is good. His accuracy and decision making is just erratic though — far more than the three names ahead of him here. Against Notre Dame he skipped passes, threw behind, mis-read open plays, threw too high. On an intermediate level you just want to see more. The tools are there but his processing and execution needs to be more consistent.

#5 Bryce Young (QB, Alabama)
Alabama playing Utah State was a ‘men against boys’ moment on Saturday and Young had an easy afternoon. He still showed off what makes him an intriguing prospect. His processing is excellent and he is an accurate passer with clear natural talent. It’s hard not to be impressed with the way he delivers the football — from his technique to his accuracy to his touch. That said, it’s impossible not to wonder how teams will view a frame that is listed at 6-0 and 194lbs but might not even be that. When you have quarterbacks who run like Richardson and Levis at 230-240lbs, or you have a big gun-slinger with plus mobility in Van Dyke, or you have a slightly lighter but physically impressive Stroud — it’s easy to think Young might be knocked for his size. Even Kyler Murray is 207lbs — which is still 13lbs heavier than Young’s listed weight of 194lbs (I suspect he’s more like 185-190lbs). He doesn’t have the thick frame of a Murray, Russell Wilson or Drew Bees and it has to be noted. There isn’t anyone like Young in the league who is succeeding and he lacks the physical traits of Wilson or the dynamism of Murray to compensate for a lack of size. Even so, he deserves first round chatter because as I said — he is a highly impressive, natural thrower of a football.

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After breaking down Anthony Richardson and C.J. Stroud at the weekend, now it’s time for Will Levis and Tyler Van Dyke.

Along with Bryce Young, these five — at the moment — look like the 2023-eligible prospects with first round credentials.

Firstly, Will Levis.

I thought it was a perfectly solid start against Miami-Ohio.

His offensive line was an absolute disaster zone. I counted seven quarterback hits or sacks in the first half alone. It created an issue in the second quarter in particular and you see it impact Levis’ accuracy (which, if we’re being fair, is understandable given the barrage he faced).

Yet the things that make him a likely high pick were all on show once again.

Levis retains an excellent throwing base. His drop is rapid and consistent. He avoids the classic heel-click, plants his feet and delivers from a great foundation. The soles of his feet plant into the ground and he stays consistent in his technique.

He’s also a terrific athlete and can make the flashy little plays that just put a smile on your face. His first throw of the season was a play-action pass on the run. Off balance he just flicked his wrist, ala Aaron Rodgers, and the ball still came out with plenty of pop. It’s a small thing but for a draft geek like me — it gets you excited.

His best throw of the night came with 10:40 left in the fourth quarter. It’s a play-action pass where he dropped back to his own 30-yard line. Off-balance, without a proper base this time due to the looming pressure, he launched the ball across his body on a frozen rope to the Miami-Ohio 30-yard line, by the sideline, with perfect accuracy and velocity. The ball flew out of his hand and had the commentator declaring, ‘that’s a NFL arm right there‘. It’s that kind of play that NFL teams are going to salivate over. When you can arm-out a throw like that, off-platform, generating elite-level torque and placement — that’s what the NFL covets.

Levis showed off his arm again on his final touchdown — a rifle to the left corner of the end zone in really tight coverage. Without that arm strength, that play is defended. When he needs to drill one in, he can do it.

There are no physical limitations as a passer and he has the scrambling ability and improv to make things happen when the play breaks down.

The Senior Bowl’s Jim Nagy noted in a recent podcast that he was at the Manning Passing Academy this year and he delivered this verdict:

“To me, he (Levis) and Anthony Richardson from Florida — those two guys in terms of physical tools are probably head and shoulders above the rest of the group.”

He then made a favourable comparison to Josh Allen and Justin Herbert in terms of physical tools.

When he had time he was generally on the money. He had a superb 25-yard completion on his first drive — dropping and throwing down the seam, placing the ball away from the threatening safety and right on the chest of the receiver. He executed his first touchdown of the day shortly after, finding his tight end on a well designed play to the left corner of the end zone.

He capitalised on a great kick-return to start the second half by delivering a laser in the red zone to his receiver on a 1v1 in-cutting route. He made it look easy.

Right before half-time he side-stepped pressure in the pocket to launch a perfect pass 20-yards over the middle, hitting the receiver in stride. The throw was ideally timed, allowing the receiver to catch and run with ease, gaining an extra 25 YAC.

He looks like he’s really taken to the Shanahan-inspired offense of his new coordinator. You see all those play-action, inside slants that Kyle likes to run. He did a good job on those — and as we’ve seen with the Niners, they can be really tough to stop when you get going.

On a 4th and 2 in the first half he threw his interception in the red zone. I can’t be sure what exactly happened on this play but it looks like a major miscommunication or a botched throw. As soon as Levis delivers the ball he jumps up and down knowing something has gone wrong, anticipating the pick. The tight end throws his arms up in the air immediately, confused. It’s possible this was supposed to be a fade or a pass with a bit more loft to it and he just executed badly. It does come out of his hand a little funky. You don’t generally only show one read on a play like that and then throw it that way — it just came out clumsily. So it’s either a misunderstanding or a mistake, neither is good.

That said, I’m far less concerned by a pick like that compared to some others you see. Misreading a defender over the middle and throwing into a dangerous area (see: Bo Nix) is a lot more concerning, for example, than just something silly and avoidable like arseing up a 1v1 you like on the outside because you’re not on the same page in week one or you just F-d the throw up.

Even so, he has to get his interceptions down from last year to max out his potential. It will be something to monitor throughout the season. As erratic as Josh Allen was at Wyoming, for example, he went from 15 interceptions in 14 games in 2016 to six interceptions in 11 games in 2017. He also dropped his touchdowns down from 28 to 16 — Levis could do with finding a happier medium. I do think he can be a lesser version of Allen in the NFL. He’s a great athlete with similar traits, just on a lesser scale (Allen is a once in a generation athlete at his position, after all).

Overall, we have seen Levis play sharper and better than this. Yet I haven’t seen him play behind an O-line as bad as this and he still played fairly well. It is concerning, especially against SEC opponents, that his protection was virtually non-existent in this game. It might do more to harm his stock than anything. Yet on a technical and physical level there’s so much to like. If his protection improves he can excel and continue to elevate Kentucky and his draft stock.

His game against Anthony Richardson’s Florida next weekend will be box-office viewing for Seahawks fans, wanting a good look at the quarterback class.

Tyler Van Dyke had an extremely comfortable afternoon, unsurprisingly, against Bethune-Cookman. I think people are underestimating Miami in the ACC. They were ranked 16th nationally but it’s easy to forget how they finished last season — largely due to Van Dyke’s play. They beat Kenny Pickett and Pittsburgh in their own backyard (the eventual ACC Champions) and they could be the team to beat in the conference.

Van Dyke is such an incredibly impressive talent and it’s surprising he isn’t getting more national attention apart from the occasional placement at the end of a few first round mocks.

As with Levis, I really like his throwing base. His release is a bit more elongated than Levis’ but when he lets it rip it comes out with ideal velocity. He’s a powerhouse of a quarterback but he also shows the ability to throw with touch and precision when necessary.

His best throw was an absolute ‘wow’ moment with 13:29 left in the first half. It’s a shotgun snap and he takes a somewhat unnecessary five step drop to end up 10-yards behind the line of scrimmage. Then from a perfect throwing base he lofts a pass from the left hashmark on his own 20-yard line to the right sideline 30-yards downfield, hitting his receiver perfectly in stride while throwing over two defenders. The receiver runs it up to the 10-yard line because the throw is so ideally placed. Good route, great throw, textbook execution.

It just shows off his ability to make a difficult throw look easy, execute a big play and prove he’s not just a big arm.

If you also look at his drop — and maybe it is unnecessary — he’s a sprightly presence in the pocket. He’s very agile to manipulate a pocket or buy time. He can run for first downs when he needs to. He is not a statue. He might not be Anthony Richardson but he’s not Ryan Mallett either.

His first touchdown highlighted the advantage Miami had. Van Dyke had the fortune of being able to use an unnecessary pump fake when the Bethune-Cookman safety didn’t read the delayed wheel-route. Even so, his throw is high, safe, perfectly placed and timed. Lovely execution.

Van Dyke throws well on the run in play-action, he’s very adept at taking what’s on offer.

His touchdown with 7:32 left in the third quarter was another ‘wow’ moment. He dissects three defenders, all bunched around the receiver, and places the football in the one area he needed to for his receiver to make a catch on a seam-route to his slot-receiver. Even against an overmatched opponent, that is a wonderful looking throw.

I can’t praise him highly enough and ever since he took over the starting job a year ago, Miami have just looked like a completely different team. On his current trajectory I’d be surprised if he’s not getting serious consideration for the top-10 next year. He might be the most naturally talented passer of the ‘big five’ quarterbacks. Van Dyke’s at least in the conversation with Bryce Young for that title. He’s not the most athletic and his release might not be quite as pretty — but there is just so much to like.

There’s a bit of Carson Palmer to his game.

The great thing is there’s so much to like already about the 2023 quarterback class. With five potential first round targets already very evidently emerging — I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Seattle made the move they did this year. And it’s a reminder that short-term pain in 2022 could lead to long term gains by next April.

If you missed our Seahawks/Broncos preview stream yesterday, check it out here:

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