Top 5 boom-or-bust prospects in 2023 NFL Draft ft. Anthony Richardson
There are a lot of good prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. Many have teams just salivating at the prospect of adding them to their team. Players like Will Anderson Jr., Bryce Young, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and others are widely considered safe picks for a team. However, others have major risk factors.
Some NFL hopefuls could be good but they could also be bad. These boom-or-bust players aren't uncommon in a draft, but it's important for teams and fans to be aware of the risks when it comes to them.
Boom-or-bust prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft
5) Quentin Johnston
Quentin Johnston has a lot of athleticism and a solid build for a wide receiver. These things are exactly what a team would want in a 2023 NFL Draft prospect. However, he's not as polished, which is why Jaxon Smith-Njigba and others are better prospects. His route running and hands leave a lot to be desired, though. He dropped a lot of passes at TCU and could struggle to adapt to the NFL.
4) Will Levis
Will Levis could be a good quarterback. He could also not. He showed flashes at Kentucky, but he lacks the athletic ability of his counterparts to have anything to fall back on. He looked good at his Pro Day and there are rumblings that he could even be the second quarterback off the board. There is a ton of risk in that as he could end up more like Zach Wilson than Josh Allen.
3) Luke Musgrave
Luke Musgrave is a unique tight end prospect. On the one hand, he has a clear ability to get away from defenders and move in space. He also has a serious blend of size at 6'6" and 251 pounds. The traits are there. However, his college tape is lacking. Three different tight ends had more receiving yards in 2022 than Musgrave did in four seasons. He also dropped nine of 56 catchable passes per PFF in his career.
2) Jalen Carter
On the field, Jalen Carter is one of the best talents. Many draft analysts have him as the best prospect in the entire draft. Prior to the Chicago Bears trading down, there was a chance he could have gone number one. However, off-the-field issues have stemmed.
He was arrested in relation to a crash that killed two people. He has another speeding ticket for going 90 in a 45 mph zone. He showed up almost 10 pounds overweight. Red flags are flying and some team could be left regretting their pick.
1) Anthony Richardson
In the right situation, Anthony Richardson can thrive. His athletic traits are unlike almost anyone in NFL history. He is strong, fast, and has a cannon arm. The issue with Richardson is that he's a much more raw prospect. As such, he needs more development, especially since he only has one year as a starter.
If he can develop and is in a good situation after the 2023 NFL Draft, he could probably be an elite starter. There are a lot of "ifs" surrounding him, though.