Former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett arrived at the NFL Combine viewed as a fringe Day 3 pick, with a strong possibility he would be among the names whose name isn’t called during the 2023 NFL Draft. Now, the two-time national champion could be a lock to get picked.
Bennett, a former walk-on at Georgia, hurt his draft stock in January following an arrest for public intoxication. A majority of NFL teams already viewed him as a late-round pick, largely due to his size (5-foot-11) and age (25 years old). The arrest raised questions about his decision-making and maturity, leading to a belief he might go undrafted.
- Stetson Bennett career stats: 8,428 passing yards, 65% completion, 160.7 QB rating
Related: NFL teams ‘not happy’ with Stetson Bennett
The former Bulldogs’ star likely made things worse by skipping the Senior Bowl, a showcase for graduating players in the NFL Draft to prove themselves in front of teams. Because Bennett wasn’t injured, the absence raised more questions about one of the oldest players in the 2023 draft class.
However, Bennett was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. While he measured un at 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds, 12 pounds lower than Bryce Young, it seems like the Georgia native made a positive impression on coaches and general managers.
Related: Stetson Bennett addresses offseason arrest
Yahoo Sports NFL insider Charles Robinson shared on the You Pod to Win the Game podcast that teams came away with a favorable impression of Bennett and he might now even be selected in the fourth round.
“Threw pretty decently, ran pretty decently, interviewed pretty well. I talked to a couple of teams who had their 15-minute interviews with him, said they were pretty pleased. I think there was a feeling for a long time on Stetson Bennett that there was no way, he might not be a player drafted…Now, I think he could be, I don’t know a potential mid-round pick, a fourth-round pick.”
Yahoo Sports’Charles Robinson on former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett.
Robinson noted the success of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy might play a part in this. While Bennett isn’t one of the most talented quarterbacks in the draft class, he does offer intangibles and athleticism that could make him appealing to the right coach if put into the right system that highlights his strengths and hides his limited skill set.
Even if Bennett never becomes anything more than a spot starter, with the majority of his career spent as a backup quarterback for 10-plus seasons, it’s a positive outcome for a player who was a relative unknown before the 2021 season.
- Stetson Bennett 40 time: 4.67 seconds
Any NFL team that run a Shanahan-style offense could view Bennett as an attractive mid- or late-round pick who can execute the offense and start multiple games if injuries strike. If everything works out, Bennett could be in the NFL longer than some of the players drafted with a top 50 pick.