Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett IV is on the radar of multiple teams ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the two-time national champion has been “one of the busiest NFL Draft prospects since the combine.” Pelissero reports that Bennett has scheduled workouts or private visits with 10 teams during the pre-draft process.
Despite speculation that his January public intoxication arrest might have hurt his draft stock, Bennett’s on-field performance seems to have outweighed it. Bennett played 42 career games for the Bulldogs, leading the team to a 29-3 record as a starter and back-to-back national championships the past two seasons.
Last season, Bennett threw for 4,127 yards and 27 touchdowns and rushed for a team-high 10 touchdowns. The 25-year-old finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting but took home the Manning Award, which the Sugar Bowl Committee awards to the nation’s top quarterback.
In a recent interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. said that Bennett ranks “anywhere between the sixth and eighth quarterbacks” in April’s draft. Kiper believes this would likely make Bennett a mid-to-late-round selection.
“You certainly could argue that Stetson Bennett is the sixth-best quarterback in this draft, which puts him, I think, the fourth or fifth round, I’d say,” Kiper said. “Quarterbacks tend to drop a little bit if they’re not considered definite starters. He’s Day 3, but I’d say fourth to sixth round.”
While Bennett doesn’t project as an NFL starter, teams have recognized the value of selecting seasoned college quarterbacks later in the draft to serve as backups. The search is on for the next Brock Purdy, the 2022 Mr. Irrelevant who guided the San Francisco 49ers to the NFC Championship Game last season, and Bennett might be that guy.
For more information on Bennett, check out his scouting report here, written by Yardbarker’s own Drae Harris, an ex-NFL scout.
