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See for yourself what makes Stanford’s Tanner McKee one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2023 NFL draft
It’s never too early to look ahead to the next group of top prospects, so if you’re looking to get a head start on the 2023 NFL draft class, we’ve got you covered.
What makes Stanford’s Tanner McKee one of next year’s top quarterback prospects?
Watch the tape and see for yourself:
Now, we wait.
Did Notre Dame let up in the fourth quarter of its regular-season finale against Stanford? Maybe a tiny bit, but it had enough of a cushion that it was able to do that. While it may not have been the best look, the result of the game will speak volumes enough. The Irish now will await their College Football Playoff fate after a 45-14 win.
Tyler Buchner got a turn at quarterback in the fourth quarter and made the most of it right away with a 33-yard touchdown run. Although the Irish (11-1) had the game well in hand at that point, there still was football to play. The Cardinal (3-9) decided they had something to prove, and everyone saw that when Tanner McKee responded with a 49-yard touchdown pass to Benjamin Yurosek. While that was slightly concerning, there hardly was cause for alarm from the Irish’s perspective.
After the Irish punted on their next possession, the Cardinal put another nice drive together and got across midfield. Just when it appeared the drive would reach the red zone, Clarence Lewis forced a fumble by Michael Wilson after a 19-yard reception, and Justin Ademilola had his second recovery of the game. It reflected the kind of season it’s been for the hosts.
The Irish began driving again, mainly thanks once again to Jack Coan. They got a boost when an offside penalty was called right before they went for it on fourth down. The break paid off when Kyren Williams eventually ran for a 12-yard touchdown, the Irish’s final score of the regular season. With their statement made, they can rest up knowing they’ve done everything they can to make their case for more meaningful football this season.
More fun for the Irish.
Notre Dame is treating Stanford like the inferior opponent it is. In fact, the scoreboard is making the game look closer than it should be. The Irish could just go through the motions and probably still have a lead. Whether that’s the case or not, they have a 24-0 lead at halftime.
The Irish began the second quarter by continuing a drive that began in the first. Jack Coan hit Braden Lenzy for a 15-yard completion, then found George Tackas for a 2-yard touchdown. It was Tackas’ first touchdown in two years. Yep, it definitely is that kind of night.
The Cardinal’s first drive of the quarter lasted only two plays because Rylie Mills had a strip-sack of Tanner McKee, and Justin Ademilola recovered the ball after it was bobbled around on the turf a bit. The ensuing drive started at the Cardinal’s 23-yard line, but it was immediately set back by a holding call. The Irish were able to get enough yardage back to allow Jonathan Doerer to come out and kick a 36-yard field goal.
The Cardinal had another in what’s become a series of three-and-outs. Though the Irish took over at their own 25, Coan and the rest of the offense had a perfect mix of run and pass plays to move the ball further frustrate the Cardinal’s defense. Kyren Williams capped the 12-play drive that lasted over five minutes with a 1-yard touchdown run.
The Irish did suffer a setback on the next drive when Bo Bauer was ejected for targeting. Fox color analyst Brock Huard speculated whether watching one of their own be on the receiving end of a targeting might fire the Cardinal up. It looked like that would be the case when McKee threw an apparent touchdown pass to get his team on the board, but the score was nullified by an illegal block that was called at the line of scrimmage. The Cardinal were unable to recover from that, and they ended up punting once again.
The Irish had one final second-quarter possession in which they went three-and-out. The ensuing punt took a bounce into Irish territory, which prompted the Cardinal to attempt a 59-yard field goal with three seconds left. The Irish took a timeout in an attempt to freeze kicker Joshua Karty. We don’t know if that really worked, but while Karty’s kick had the distance, it was wide left, putting the perfect bow on this first half.
Who do you give the edge to here?
Notre Dame will enter its regular-season finale against Stanford with a tight competition at quarterback. At first glance, Jack Coan seems to check most of the boxes as he’s completed more passes, is more accurate and has thrown for both more yards and more touchdowns. He also has thrown fewer interceptions. However, it’s worth noting that his advantages here are not that big, and we could have been talking about a different story if a few plays this season had turned out another way.
The Cardinal’s Tanner McKee might not be quite as good as Coan, but he does have some advantages. He’s averaging more passing yards a game and also has been much more successful at running the ball when he’s needed to. While not the best when it comes to running, the positive net yardage and more rushing touchdowns reflect a bit of success in that area. Coan is anything but a solid runner, and any notions that that would change died a long time ago.
