After multiple Senior Bowls in the last few years with big quarterback names, this is a bit of a lackluster week for the position. The only player guaranteed to be selected in the first two days of the draft, Hendon Hooker, didn’t participate in practices or the game, to the disappointment of many. What was left was a lot of quarterbacks fighting for draft position between rounds three and six of the NFL Draft. 

For dynasty fantasy football purposes, these players will likely only have value in superflex formats. They face long shots to be consistent NFL starters, let alone have fantasy value. Nonetheless, many have shown playmaking ability, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see one or two of these names emerge as contributors down the line. With that, here are my initial impressions of each player, how they fared at the Senior Bowl this week, and their future dynasty outlook. 

 

Senior Bowl National Team Quarterbacks

Jaren Hall – Brigham Young University (BYU)

Jaren Hall arrived at the Senior Bowl after two outstanding final seasons at BYU that saw him total 57 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions. He’s a dynamic athlete, who possesses dual-threat ability, and enough arm strength to succeed at the NFL level. The fantasy upside is apparent, as he keeps defenses honest with his legs while also being able to make tough throws on the move.

However, this does lead to drawbacks, as scouts have criticized his throwing techniques at times and his unwillingness to set his feet. He will be 25 years old by the April NFL Draft, too, and has only played significant snaps in two collegiate seasons. Hall is also a bit undersized for the NFL level, measuring just over 6-feet tall and weighing 210 pounds. 

Interestingly enough, Hall didn’t participate in the actual Senior Bowl game after practicing all week. The reason was undisclosed, but it’s safe to say that he didn’t meet the high expectations that many had for him coming in. While Hall made many highlight throws over the week, he was inconsistent and made a lot of mental errors. It is important to note that he did improve with each practice and had his best day on Friday, though.

Hall came into the week with a chance to jump into the day two ranks in the NFL Draft, but I don’t think he did anything to improve his draft stock. He’s a very athletic player with dual-threat upside and high football IQ. Although his dynasty value will depend on draft capital and right now, I could see him going anywhere between rounds three and five. In superflex formats, he will likely be a third round pick, where he could have low-end QB2 upside down the line.

 

Jake Haener – Fresno State

Jake Haener is very similar to Jaren Hall in many regards being an undersized, older quarterback prospect coming into the draft. His arm strength isn’t elite either, but is enough to get by at the NFL level. What he lacks on deeper throws, he can make up for with accurate, quick passes to short and intermediate routes.

Where Haener is different though is his lack of rushing upside. It isn’t going to be part of his game at the next level, which will limit his overall fantasy potential. Furthermore, he was criticized for not pushing the ball more downfield and has trouble when forced to throw without setting his feet. At just 6’1, 208 pounds, his size won’t be doing him any favors either this April.

It was a great week of practice for Haener, though, and he capped it off with a Senior Bowl MVP performance passing for 145 yards and a touchdown. He showed a ton of toughness as well, taking a big hit on his 44-yard touchdown strike. Haener made great throws in practice too and was even voted the quarterback MVP of practice by his teammates at defensive back. No quarterback did more to improve their draft stock over the week, and he is the clear major winner on this list. 

While concerns about his NFL arm strength remain, he did all he could to quiet those doubts at the Senior Bowl. This is a player who absolutely could have just made himself a day two pick, as he was on the fringe already. For dynasty purposes, he’s another quarterback who I could see taking in the third round of superflex drafts. He likely is a backup in the NFL, but he has the tools and moxie to succeed if given a chance to develop.

 

Malik Cunningham – Louisville

Malik Cunningham enters the NFL after five years at the University of Louisville as a dual-threat quarterback who is a threat to leave the pocket at any moment. Some have even compared him to Lamar Jackson. While this is a reach, he does possess some of those rare qualities that make Jackson unique. Cunningham also possesses the ability to be very accurate when he gets into a rhythm and uses proper throwing mechanics.

It appears to be a theme with the National Team quarterbacks, but his size of 5’11, 188 pounds, and age (24) will negatively affect his draft stock. Additionally, he is more of a run first quarterback at this point in his career, which doesn’t bode well for NFL prospects. Poor mechanics at times will also further limit his passing upside, and he is a long way off in his development.

Nonetheless, Malik Cunningham is likely another quarterback who improved his draft stock over the course of the week. He made a number of NFL caliber throws and showed off his athleticism too at multiple points. While Cunningham was still inconsistent, that was the case with all the quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl this week. He was fighting to be drafted, certainly making a strong case, and could sneak into the fifth round range if things go right. 

Cunningham is currently outside the top 10 2023 quarterbacks according to most analysts and could go undrafted in April. His size makes him a long shot to succeed at the NFL level, and a position change could be in his future. Nonetheless, he is a dynamic athlete who has the ability to make plays with the ball in his hands. He showed he is capable of making throws at the NFL level too, but would likely need multiple years of development as a passer.

 

Senior Bowl American Team Quarterbacks

Clayton Tune – Houston

Another fifth year senior, Clayton Tune, is entering the NFL Draft after a highly decorated career at Houston as a three-year starter. He fits more of a prototypical mold as well, measuring in a little over 6’2 at the Senior Bowl and weighing 216 pounds. He has a quick release, is very accurate, and also has one of the stronger arms at the Senior Bowl.

On the other side, while he can make plays with his legs, it’ll likely just help him navigate the pocket in the NFL. Tune is a decent athlete with good size; however, most analysts feel he will need to spend time in an NFL weight room. His vision needs work as well, as he often times makes the incorrect read or is too quick to move to a second option. 

Similar to most of the quarterbacks on this list, Tune had an up-and-down week, but was certainly one of the better players at practice. He finished strong on Friday and carried that over to an efficient performance on Saturday, finishing nine-of-12 for 70 yards. He did his best Patrick Mahomes impression as well, throwing across his body on the move for a big gain to Luke Musgrave. 

Tune comes into the NFL Draft as one of the most experienced quarterbacks available after a prolific career at Houston. His smaller frame and overall athleticism will likely limit both his NFL and fantasy upside. Regardless, with a strong showing at the Senior Bowl this past week, he moves into being a fringe day two pick. He is likely just a backup quarterback at the NFL level though, like most on this list.

 

Tyson Bagent – Shepherd

Tyson Bagent came into the Senior Bowl as a Division II prospect from Shepherd University. Nevertheless, he has ideal size and arm strength that make NFL scouts drool, and is mobile enough to get out of the pocket to keep defenses on their toes. The arm talent is obvious, as he can put balls on a tightrope 25-plus yards downfield. 

While Bagent has clear upside, his mechanics and decision-making at times are questionable. Many scouts have noted his failures under pressure and his awkward throwing motion as well. The Senior Bowl was going to be huge for someone like him to showcase what he can do against higher level competition.

While Haener stole the show in the Senior Bowl game, it was Tyson Bagent who had the most impressive week of practice, according to many analysts. His arm talent was apparent as he made a number of highly accurate throws deep down the field. His Senior Bowl performance was admirable but nothing to write home about though, going 17-of-22 for 124 yards and an interception. The interception wasn’t really his fault though, coming in at the end of the game as he was simply trying to make a play.

Bagent came into the week from a school no one has likely ever heard of until this year. He is the most physically gifted passer at the Senior Bowl this year and fits the prototype of what NFL scouts traditionally look for. However, limited reps against reputable competition will undoubtedly hurt his draft stock. If he lands in the right situation, he will be coveted by certain fantasy managers, but shouldn’t be selected in the first 24 picks of a rookie draft. 

 

Max Duggan – Texas Christian University (TCU)

Max Duggan is the only four-year starter on this list after an excellent career with the Horned Frogs. He was able to improve each year he was a starter, finishing with 3,321 yards, 30 touchdowns, and just four interceptions as a senior. Duggan is a smart quarterback who is able to go through his progressions but make quick decisions when necessary. Furthermore, he is a talented runner as well, having rushed for over 400 yards in three of his four collegiate seasons. 

This is another quarterback where size will be an issue, measuring just 6’1, and weighing 204 pounds. His arm strength isn’t special either, and there are criticisms of the TCU scheme and whether or not that will translate to the NFL level. Ultimately, lack of arm talent and size will likely keep him from being a day one or day two selection, unfortunately. 

After a tough first day of practice, Duggan finished the week strong and was voted the American Practice Quarterback of the Week. He took the most limited reps in the Senior Bowl though, so he didn’t give us a lot of takeaways with his performance. In practice, like many of the quarterbacks on this list, he showed he has the talent to make big time throws but needs to be more consistent. 

Duggan was one of the more popular quarterbacks coming into the week, but looks more like a day three pick in the NFL Draft. Like so many of the names on this list, he has limited physical attributes which will make him a long shot at the NFL level. He’s a fourth or fifth round pick in dynasty rookie drafts.