Lions Target Stanford Quarterback in Latest 2023 NFL Mock Draft

Could the Detroit Lions look to Stanford to find their quarterback of the future?

Bleacher Report came out with its latest 2023 NFL mock draft on Tuesday, and in it, it had Lions general manager Brad Holmes selecting at No. 3 overall and at No. 28 overall (via the Rams).

Writer Alex Ballentine decided to target defense with the first of the Lions' two first-round selections. The team finds its next signal-caller with the pick acquired from the Matthew Stafford trade. 

With the No. 3 pick, Ballentine decided upon Alabama EDGE rusher Will Anderson Jr., and he took Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee with the Lions' second of two first-round selections in the 2023 draft. 

"With both Stroud and Young off the board, the Lions would be reaching for any passer. Instead, the most dominant defender emphasized through winning the Bronko Nagurski Trophy would be the obvious choice," Ballentine writes. "No defensive player in college football had a bigger impact on games than Will Anderson Jr. this season. That includes the 2021 Heisman runner-up and Lions' top draft pick Aidan Hutchinson."

In 2021, Anderson secured 17.5 sacks, 101 tackles and 31.5 tackles for loss. 

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Could the Lions look to the Pac-12 to find their next signal-caller?

"Andrew Luck was one of the best quarterback prospects of the last 20 years and he still didn't put up gaudy numbers within the Stanford Cardinal offense," Ballentine explained. "That doesn't mean McKee doesn't have a shot at getting into the first-round conversation, though. His ability to run the Stanford offense combined with his arm talent caught the eye of opposing coaches."

Former Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal explained to reporters when his team was preparing to face Stanford that McKee was a player who had complete control of the offense, was efficient with his reads, was an accurate passer and was a player with a "tremendous arm."