Tag: Tanner McKee

Packers expressing interest in Stanford QB Tanner McKee

The Green Bay Packers are among the teams that have expressed interest and met with Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee.

The Green Bay Packers are among the teams that have expressed interest and met with Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee, according to Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network.

McKee (6-6, 231) completed 264 of 462 passes for 2,947 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions over 12 games as the Stanford starter in 2022. The 23-year-old threw 28 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions, rushed for six touchdowns and completed 63.2 percent of his passes over 23 games and 21 starts at the collegiate level.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranks McKee as the ninth-best quarterback in the 2023 draft class and a likely Day 3 pick.

McKee did not run the 40-yard dash but did hit 33″ in the vertical leap, cover 9-6 in the broad jump and finish the three-cone drill in 7.22 seconds and the short shuttle in 4.41 seconds at the combine.

McKee is a pro-style passer who stands tall in the pocket and can make every throw, but his lack of mobility and issues under pressure create big hurdles at the next level.

Could McKee be the 2023 version of Brian Brohm, a second-round pick of the Packers during the same season in which Aaron Rodgers took over as the starter? General manager Brian Gutekunst will likely look to the draft to provide options backing up Jordan Love, and McKee is certainly an option if he’s available on Day 3.

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Vikings hosting intriguing quarterback prospect on top-30 visit

The Minnesota Vikings are hosting Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee on a top-30 visit on Tuesday.

The Minnesota Vikings are continuing to do their work on the quarterback class and have brought in one of the top quarterbacks for a visit.

According to SKOR North’s Darren Wolfson, the Vikings are hosting Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee on a top-30 visit.

McKee is a very unique prospect to evaluate. At 23, McKee served a Mormon mission before attending Stanford where he started for two seasons once Davis Mills went to the NFL. A very similar build and style, McKee is a prototypical pocket passer with great touch and accuracy. He isn’t going to beat you with his legs, but his arm will crush you.

The unique part about his evaluation is that he played at Stanford. The Cardinals had an atrocious scheme and the offense played poorly because of it. Extrapolating all of that makes things difficult, but make no mistake. McKee can throw a football.

1 QB prospect for Colts in each round of NFL draft

Taking a look at one QB prospect for the Colts in each round of the 2023 NFL draft.

The Indianapolis Colts are just over two weeks away from the start of the 2023 NFL draft where they’ll be looking to add talent and depth to the roster.

When it comes to the Colts and the draft, all of the talk is about the quarterback position and which prospect they’ll choose if they decide to make the pick at No. 4 overall.

As much as we believe the Colts will use their first-round pick on a quarterback prospect, there is a non-zero chance they wait to address the position. We detailed some reasons why that would be the case.

So while the expectation is that the Colts will take a quarterback in the first round, it’s best to be prepared for prospects in all rounds of the draft.

We’ll be tracking the Colts’ reported interest in the 2023 draft class so be sure to keep up with latest updates via our tracker.

Here’s a look at one quarterback prospect who fits the Colts in each round of the draft:

One quarterback for the Vikings for every round of the 2023 NFL draft

The Minnesota Vikings need a quarterback of the future and they will have five picks to take one in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Minnesota Vikings need a quarterback of the future more than any other position. How they go about seelcting that player will show a lot about what the Vikings want to do.

There is a chance that the Vikings prioritize Kirk Cousins as their future at the position. If they do, a quarterback isn’t likely to be taken this year.

If they choose to take a quarterback of the future in April’s draft, they could do so at any time. Here are some quarterbacks that the Bears could target in each round.

4 draft prospects who feel overhyped

These 4 NFL draft prospects are in danger of being the victims of too lofty expectations and inflated draft status

Sometimes it can be hard to deviate from the norm when it comes to NFL draft player evaluations. Straying from the herd is difficult when so many in the herd have earned the trust and respect with their past evaluations.

Even so, there are instances every draft season where I feel strongly enough about a player evaluation that doesn’t conform to the general consensus to plant a flag in a different field from the herd. In some cases, it proves prescient. In others, the herd gets the last laugh. I’d rather miss by trusting my own eyes than being misled by others.

Here are four 2023 NFL draft prospects where I just don’t see the validity of the high rankings or the pre-draft hype.

Seahawks 2023 NFL mock draft: The checking every box edition

After their stunning success in 2022, another quality draft would set Seattle up is a true contender in the NFC.

The Seahawks will go into the 2023 NFL draft with a top-five overall pick, 10 picks in all and the second-most capital in the league. That puts them in position to capitalize on the strengths of this class as well as filling their immediate roster needs. After their stunning success in 2022, another quality draft would set Seattle up is a true contender in the NFC.

With that in mind, in our latest seven-round mock draft, we tried our best to check every single box. Along the way we filled needs along the defensive line, as well as linebacker, center, wide receiver, running back and guard. We also made sure to get tight end and cornerback picks to take advantage of the depth at those positions. We also took a detour to roll the dice on one of the under-the-radar quarterback prospects in this class. Here’s how the full mock draft played out.

Lions draft profile: Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford

A scouting look at Stanford QB Tanner McKee and how he might appeal to the Detroit Lions in the 2023 NFL draft

An experienced starter with a big arm and some impressive physical attributes, but also some serious question marks.

Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford

Height: 6-foot-6

Weight: 231 (measured at combine)

McKee turns 23 during draft weekend

McKee took over the starting QB role for the Cardinal from Texans 3rd-round pick Davis Mills in 2021. Over his two seasons with a declining overall Stanford program, the big pocket presence completed 63.4 percent of his passes for over 5,200 yards. The team captain tossed 28 touchdowns and 15 INTs while posting a 6-16 record as a starter.

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Pros

  • Definitely looks the part of a pocket passer at 6-6 and a well-worn 231 pounds
  • Above-average arm strength that maintains high velocity down the field
  • Not afraid to use his arm strength to fire the ball into tight windows
  • Gives his receivers chances to make plays on the ball over the middle
  • Impressive accuracy on intermediate throws and that often carries over to short, timing-based throws as well
  • Decent pocket manipulation skills
  • Makes smart decisions on RPOs consistently
  • Displayed positive leadership on the sidelines (I was at the Notre Dame game in ’22)

Cons

  • Throwing platform and mechanics are inconsistent and unreliable; his elbow and hips are variable, especially when moving
  • Accuracy issues when forced beyond his first pre-snap read
  • Lack of touch to all levels of the field, and when he tries to take down the velocity, his accuracy and timing really suffer
  • Not unathletic, but McKee has very low acceleration and exhibits a lot of tightness when he is forced to run
  • Did not have a lot to work with around him but also failed to elevate any of the talent around him in either season as a starter
  • Productivity and decision-making both fell off in ’22 once teams got more film on the offense and McKee (or his coaches) couldn’t adjust

Overall

McKee definitely checks some scouting boxes with his physical build and his above-average arm strength. He’s not afraid to show off the big arm, and his accuracy when given time in the pocket is good enough. McKee worked in an offense that leans on some modern pro concepts (RPO, West Coast route trees) and showed some promise despite not having a lot around him outside of WR Michael Wilson, who was hurt for half of the 2022 season.

McKee is a frustrating player to watch because there are flashes of legit NFL starting ability. They’re washed asunder by a litany of significant issues. He’s below-average at the below-average level when his first read gets taken away. His throws badly lack touch, but his ball placement really declines when he’s not throwing at max velocity. Movement skills are sluggish and McKee is not good at getting out of trouble after any initial movement in the pocket.

As a prospect, he carries a grade that straddles the line of 7th round and undraftable. McKee could conceivably improve playing behind a better line and with more advanced weaponry, but his flaws are difficult to overlook and not easily fixable.

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Vikings take a Quarterback in Touchdown Wire’s latest three-round mock draft

The Vikings get a quarterback in the latest Touchdown Wire mock draft, but not the one you would expect

The NFL Combine just wrapped up, and the Minnesota Vikings now have a better evaluation of some prospects they may be interested in taking in April’s NFL Draft. While the Vikings have a lot of holes on their roster, the main one that comes up quite frequently is cornerback,

On Monday, Doug Farrar of CBS Sports released his latest mock draft and had the Vikings selecting South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith.

“If you want to lay eyes on a cornerback-light team, look no further than the Vikings, whose corners were burned all over the field in 2022. New defensive coordinator Brian Flores historically loves to mix his gutsy man coverages with all kinds of blitz packages, and if you want to do that, you’d better have defensive backs who do well on true islands. Last season, Smith — the hyper-aggressive and technique-sound South Carolina star — allowed just seven catches on 23 targets for 53 yards in man coverage, so Flores could check off at least one of his glaring needs with confidence if this is how the draft went.”

Smith would certainly help this Vikings secondary, and his physical play style is something that this defense desperately lacked in 2022. With the right coaching, Smith could be a cornerstone cornerback for the next decade.

Later in the 3rd round of this mock draft, Farrar had the Vikings finding a potential Kirk Cousins successor., selecting Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee.

McKee is an interesting pickup for the Vikings late in day two. While McKee isn’t a flashy name, there is hope that head coach Kevin O’Connell can help develop him into something. Best case scenario: he eventually replaces Cousins. Worst-case scenario, you’re still left searching for a quarterback of the future.

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1 QB Panthers should target in each round of the 2023 NFL draft

The Panthers could have QB options up and down the 2023 draft. So, here’s one prospect they should target for each round.

It goes without saying that the Carolina Panthers’ biggest need remains under center. But, we’ll say it anyway . . .

The Carolina Panthers need a quarterback!

Now, heading into the 2023 season, their best chance at getting one is probably through the NFL draft. And luckily for them, there will be a handful of options in handful of different rounds.

So, let’s look at one quarterback prospect Carolina should target in each round they have a pick in this year.

New two-round mock draft brings the Saints QB Tanner McKee

A new two-round mock draft brings Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee to the Saints, as well as a potential Andrus Peat replacement:

Here’s a new name for New Orleans Saints fans who are getting amped up for the 2023 NFL draft. Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee was linked to the Saints in the second round in a new mock draft from Luke Easterling over at Draft Wire, as the fifth of sixth passers going inside the top two rounds. What’s history?

McKee, who will turn 23 on April 27 (the first day of the 2023 draft, incidentally), started the last two years at Stanford and threw for 5,336 yards while completing 473 of his 748 attempts (a completion percentage of 63.2%) and scoring 28 touchdown passes while throwing 15 interceptions. That’s a gnarly ratio given he only played 22 games.

Pro Football Focus has gassed up McKee as one of the most accurate passers coming out of college this spring, but he misses some throws on tape and he doesn’t bring much mobility inside or out of the pocket. He’s also taken 65 sacks and fumbled 9 times. That’s more combined turnovers (interceptions plus fumbles) than games played at the college level. Yikes. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if the NFL makes McKee a second round pick given their history with guys like Drew Lock, DeShone Kizer, and Christian Hackenberg. Saints fans should just be hoping for more of a sure thing if their team is looking for a quarterback at No. 40 overall.

But McKee wasn’t New Orleans’ only pick in this mock draft. Easterling has the Saints getting the 29th overall pick from the Denver Broncos in a trade for Sean Payton, which they spent on Florida Gators offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence. Torrence, who turned 23 on Jan. 20, hails from Hammond, La. and transferred to Florida from Louisiana after the Gators hired his coach Billy Napier. After starting his college career at left guard, he’s spent the last three seasons at right guard and is one of the highest-rated interior linemen in the draft class. If the Saints move on from Andrus Peat this offseason, it would make sense to draft his replacement. Few teams spend as many early-round picks on linemen as New Orleans.

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