As exciting as the WWE Elimination Chamber events usually are, the 2023 NFL Draft fans have their own elimination chamber unfolding this offseason. As the lead-up to this year’s draft unfolds, the biggest question remains: Which quarterback will ultimately outlast and eliminate the others in the race to be QB1?
2023 NFL Draft Quarterback Elimination Chamber
First things first, we need to get the contestants listed. Like every good wrestling match, the promotion must first sell its prospects to the national audience.
Luckily for NFL draft fans, these prospects need little selling as quarterback-needy franchises are quick to buy in.
Favorites: Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud
Second Tier: Anthony Richardson, Will Levis
Darkhorses: Hendon Hooker, Aidan O’Connell
Now, before we scoff at Aidan O’Connell or Hendon Hooker, let it be known that this is the race to be QB1 of the 2023 NFL Draft. By definition, that means who is drafted first in this year’s draft class, right?
For our intents and purposes here, we’re meaning who will ultimately be the best quarterback of this entire group when it is all said and done. With that in mind, let’s see how this would unfold.
First In The Ring
The two opponents standing across from one another to open this match are the two favorites: C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young.
Stroud, hailing from Ohio State, and Young, hailing from Alabama, have each earned their place as the top billing of this event. They’re the top-billed athletes of the 2023 NFL Draft and essentially of the NFL offseason.
Young possesses an elite creation ability in the pocket and outside the offense’s normal structure. He has a great arm, is incredibly athletic, has savvy awareness, and is a leader through and through.
MORE: 2023 NFL Draft Big Board — Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud Battle To Be QB1
However, much like in wrestling, you’d expect the bigger man to win, right? Stroud towers over Young by nearly a half-foot and has enough athleticism in his own right to hold his own against Young.
By no means is Stroud a statue in the pocket, but he does possess a progressive-read passing skill that rivals the best pocket passers already in the NFL. Stroud’s ball placement and accuracy are no match for his counterparts, and he’s a threat to hit receivers at every level of the field.
In our scripted (athankyou Arian Foster) pay-per-view, Stroud and Young continue to battle until the buzzer clicks and lets in the other contestants.
Next In The Ring
Anthony Richardson enters the fray, soon followed by Will Levis. The SEC quarterbacks each bring with them a unique skill set that makes them highly coveted among NFL decision-makers.
Richardson is arguably the top athlete in the entire class and not just among quarterbacks. The big-armed signal-caller can outrun most defenders and has enough contact balance to bowl would-be tacklers over. Combine that with the fact that he’s bigger than essentially every NFL linebacker, and you have a tough task to figure out.
Levis enters the picture as the “next Josh Allen.” A talented QB who was erratic at times in college but maintained a constant presence in the pocket and with his arm talent. General managers and fans alike don’t want to miss out on the next potential star, but at this rate, Levis is just that: potential.
One of the biggest downfalls for Levis is his situational and game awareness which needs to increase.
Our pay-per-view event sees its first elimination as Levis mistimes a shot at Stroud, allowing Young the chance to smash Levis’ mayo-filled coffee cup over his head, pinning him in the ring.
Richardson stays in the running with Stroud and Young.
Last In The Ring
Hooker and O’Connell are not in consideration to be the first quarterback selected. Nor should they be. But there is pause when discussing the most pro-ready prospects and those who may be the best long-term options at the position.
O’Connell was quoted by PFN’s very own Tony Pauline that scouts believe he’ll be the best in three years while Hooker’s age, leadership, and continued growth give him a potential advantage to play immediately (if healthy) and play well.
Coming off a knee injury, however, Hooker’s development may have been stymied, and that’s something of note for the soon-to-be 25-year-old rookie. At some point, you age yourself out, even out of WWE NXT.
Hooker is the next off the board in this pay-per-view, being pinned by Richardson, leaving O’Connell left to fight it out as the potential darkhorse.
QB Elimination Chamber Final Results
Down to four — Stroud, Young, Richardson, O’Connell — our pay-per-view didn’t last long for two contestants. As quickly as they were brought into the fold as the potential top signal-caller in this group, they were gone.
Richardson’s athletic ability allows him an advantage but also gets him in trouble, both on the field and in this event. He runs away from trouble right into the Elimination Chamber plexiglass, allowing O’Connell to pin him for the elimination.
MORE: 2023 NFL Draft Quarterback Class
Stroud and Young, at this point exhausted in terms of media coverage over who is QB1 and their time in the chamber, set their sights on eliminating O’Connell. The duo double-team O’Connell with their rare blend of creation ability (Young) and vertical arm talent (Stroud). This duo is too much to overcome, and O’Connell is just another player left in their wake.
Back where we started, Stroud and Young square off once more ahead of their date on April 27. In this iteration, Young flashes his elite creation ability and pulls off his signature move — the 626, named after Pasadena’s area code — a creative spin on Rey Mysterio’s 619.
Young pins Stroud in the center of the ring to become QB1 of the 2023 NFL Draft.