Both Utah’s Cam Rising and BYU’s Jaren Hall are capturing the attention of some NFL draft experts as the 2022 college football season hits its midway point.
Among them is ESPN’s Jordan Reid, who this week ranked the top 15 quarterbacks in the 2023 draft class — seniors and underclassmen included — and analyzed what makes them a strong pro prospect while also identifying a possible NFL team fit for each.
That list included both Rising and Hall, who are juniors this season.
What is Jaren Hall’s potential NFL team fit?
Reid identified the New Orleans Saints as a good landing spot for Hall, where he would be teamed up with former BYU quarterback Taysom Hill, who’s turned into a utility player for the Saints.
“Since the retirement of Drew Brees, the Saints haven’t been very aggressive with finding a quarterback of the future. Jameis Winston hasn’t been healthy enough to prove that he’s the long-term solution,” Reid wrote. “Hall is another prospect who will be 25 years old during the pre-draft process, and the Saints need a young signal-caller to eventually build around.”
Reid ranked Hall No. 6 in the 2023 QB draft class and projects that he will be a Day 3 pick in the draft — if Hall chooses to leave BYU early — which would land the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder in the fourth to seventh rounds.
“The second-year starter has been in full control of the BYU offense, displaying plenty of arm strength and improved accuracy. Hall plays with a quiet lower-half and distributes the football around the offense,” Reid wrote.
One area of improvement that Reid identified for Hall is eye manipulation.
“He tends to lock onto his targets, hoping they come open rather than manipulating defenders with his eyes and moving them where he wants them to go,” Reid wrote.
What is Cam Rising’s potential NFL team fit?
Reid tabbed Rising as a possible fit for the Los Angeles Chargers, where former Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert leads the offense.
“He’s an ideal third option here who could eventually turn into a backup. His instincts and quick-game timing match well in the Chargers’ scheme,” Reid wrote.
Rising is ranked No. 15 on Reid’s list and projected as a late Day 3 or undrafted prospect, according to the ESPN expert.
“Rising is the definition of a gamer. He never panics when plays don’t pan out how they’re drawn up, as he routinely makes something out of nothing. With experience under center and from the shotgun, there aren’t many concepts foreign to Rising,” Reid wrote.
“But he has limited arm strength, and he leans on his solid anticipation and instincts.”
What other Utah ties are on ESPN’s list of top NFL quarterback prospects?
Two quarterbacks that Utah has already faced this season appeared on Reid’s list.
At No. 3 is Florida first-year starter Anthony Richardson, while UCLA senior Dorian Thompson-Robinson is No. 7.
Utah played Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud in the Rose Bowl last year, and he’s No. 2 on the list. Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young are widely considered the top of the 2023 NFL draft QB class.
Stanford’s Tanner McKee is No. 8. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was heavily recruited by BYU and will face both Utah and BYU in November.
Washington State’s Cameron Ward is also at No. 13. The Utes will face Ward and the Cougars in their next game on Oct. 27.