AFC South Ranked No. 7 Among Divisions In Terms of QB Strength

Despite two bonafide franchise passers and maybe even two more, the Jaguars rank No. 7 on this list.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) and Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) talk after the game of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Houston Texans defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 37-17. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Unio / USA

While every single NFL franchise leans on their quarterback, there is no question what the quarterback position means in the AFC South.

Trevor Lawrence has led the Jaguars from last place to the playoffs and has since been rewarded with a new deal, while C.J. Stroud did the same for the Texans last year. In Indianapolis, top-five pick Anthony Richardson hopes to establish himself as a franchise QB, where there is similar hope for Will Levis with the Tennessee Titans.

Can this group of young gunslingers prove to the group that elevates the AFC South into the top tiers of the NFL's hierarchy? They certainly have the potential, but there is also some work to do. In a ranking of all eight NFL divisions by NFL.com's Eric Edholm, the AFC South came in at No. 7 and ahead of only the NFC South.

"There's no younger QB division than this one -- and arguably no group with more upward mobility. Lawrence being the elder statesman -- with a massive extension already secured -- just sounds weird. Nonetheless, it's also a fascinating group that has some real boom-or-bust potential.

Stroud was a marvel as a rookie and appears to have a better offensive cast in Year 2. All indications are that he's a star in the making. The schedule is tougher, but his surrounding talent appears better. At the moment, the arrow's pointing firmly upward. But Lawrence serves as a reminder that not all progress is linear. Jacksonville's QB took a big step forward in Year 2 under Doug Pederson but regressed last season, especially as injuries mounted. Clearly the Jaguars believe in Lawrence as the future, given the contract they just gave him, and there's ample evidence he's due for a bounceback. Stroud's Year 2 journey could face a few more speed bumps against a tougher slate.

Richardson and Levis are the ultimate wild cards. Both 2023 draft picks had promising moments as rookies, albeit in smallish sample sizes.

Richardson started four games but played every snap in only one. He suffered a concussion and later a season-ending shoulder injury, one that he's still rehabbing. Richardson also had some leg injuries in college. He's a physical marvel and looked extremely dangerous in doses last year, but we just need to see a full season out of him to make a proper judgment.

Levis threw four TD passes in his NFL debut, but leveled off quickly thereafter, suffering from scattershot accuracy at times and poor ball security before a foot injury ended his rookie season. But the Titans made major OL and WR upgrades this offseason, and Levis now has two stud receivers as targets. Can he stay healthy and thrive in this new offense under Brian Callahan? Sure. But we're going to slow play his projection until we see more."

- Eric Edholm, NFL.com

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