Everyone and their mother are out here criticizing Georgia QB Stetson Bennett for his age. People think it’s crazy that Bennett will be entering the draft as a 25-year-old rookie. So, we ask, is it that big of a deal? If Bennett is pro ready, is athletic, has a decent arm, and can command a team in the big moments as he did at Georgia, what does his age matter?
The worry about age for a quarterback seems to stem from former Oklahoma State QB, Brandon Weeden, who was drafted in the first round at 28 years old. It does not take a genius to see that 28 is older than 25. At 25 you could get at least 10 years of good play in the modern NFL. At 28, what is the upside? Also, it was a Cleveland draft pick so there is that.
Why don’t we have a serious conversation about what age should mean particularly at the QB position. Instead of looking at age as a negative, let’s look at it in a positive light. How about…age is experience. Age is knowledge. Age is maturity. Did Stetson Bennett turn 25, and magically become the QB he is? Absolutely not. Bennett played as a scout team player. Bennett went to JUCO to prove he could play. Bennett had to play backup to multiple QBs. Bennett capitalized on his opportunity to play when JT Daniels went down in 2021. Bennett stepped up to lead his team. Bennett, despite winning a National Championship, was told that he will not be guaranteed the starting QB job in 2022. Bennett re-earned the starting QB job while showing tremendous growth as a player in the spring. Bennett went on to lead Georgia to a perfect 15-0 while being the first Georgia QB to throw for over 4,000 yards. Bennett utilized every second of his eligibility to become the best player he could for his team through knowledge and experience, yet no one wants to talk about that.
People want to judge prospects for being old, well let’s take a look back at prospects who were “young and exciting”. Does anyone remember Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel, the 22-year-old, “electric” phenom at QB? He’s still in the league tearing it up right? Nope. He made it two years with the Browns before being released. No one wanted him, so he went to Canada and was on two different teams in one year, then went to the AAF in 2019 before it folded, and where is he now you ask?… Playing in the Fan Controlled Football League. But he was still a great prospect and first round pick, right? What about Zach Wilson who captivated scouts with an exciting pro day? Maturity surely is not a question for him either right?
Being young and exciting and/or being a walking highlight reel does not suddenly make you ready to play in the NFL. There are plenty of examples of quarterbacks in particular who left college too early. Players who could’ve benefitted from an extra year of college to have that extra knowledge/experience, those extra reps, the extra time to work on mechanics, the extra time to mature. You’re so quick to judge older prospects and don’t take the time to remember all the young prospects who shouldn’t have come out early.
Oh, and let’s not forget about Bennett’s height because the way some people talk about him, you’d think he’s 5’ even. Bennett is 5’11”, 190. In the discussion for the #1 overall pick is a QB by the name of Bryce Young. Scouts seem to love Bryce Young, so let me educate you for a second. Young is listed at 6’, 196. And there are pictures out there that show Bennett is taller than Young.
So, someone explain to me, why is Young not being knocked for being short? Why is Young in the discussion for the #1 overall pick at 6’, but Bennett is 5’11” and being projected as most likely a day 3 pick by many. Is 1” really that drastically different? Is having your height start with a 6 really that different? If they are the same height does that make a difference?
Just look at the tape, Young is truly not that much better a prospect than Bennett. We think that Young is pretty overhyped. I saw a tweet or a tik tok that said, “What is a hot take you have that really shouldn’t be a hot take?”
My answer: Alabama quarterbacks are average at best without elite weapons. It took Tua having Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to be successful. Mac Jones doesn’t have a clear WR1, and he’s average at best. Jalen Hurts looked awful last year, but you add big AJ Brown who has a massive catch radius on top of Devonta Smith and Dallas Goedert, and suddenly Hurts is in the MVP discussion. This is the first year that I can remember in probably at least the last like 10 years in which Bama did not have an alpha receiver and guess what… Bryce Young doesn’t look like a Heisman caliber QB anymore. You take JaMo, Metchie, and Bolden away, and what happened? Young struggled. Young is not going to elevate the players around him. The players around Young are going to elevate him… just like every past Bama QB.
People want to make the arguments against Bennett:
“The defense carried Bennett in 2021”- The Georgia defense lost T. Walker, Davis, Wyatt, Dean, Q. Walker, Tindall, Kendrick, and Cine. Although the defense played well this year, they were not the defense of 2021, and Bennett had to bail them out multiple times this year.
“Bennett is carried by the run game”- Georgia lost Zamir White and James Cook. Didn’t matter. The running backs played well this year, but just look at Stetson’s passing stats. His stats increased roughly 1.5x from last year.
“Oh well Bennett is SURROUNDED by 5 stars”- Bennett lost his top WR, George Pickens, to the draft. Georgia’s WR1 this year, AD Mitchell, was out most of the year. Statistically Georgia’s top WR was Ladd McConkey who was a 3-star. Georgia’s best pass catcher, Brock Bowers, was a 4-star. Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Arian Smith, Dillon Bell, Kearis Jackson, Dominick Blaylock… all 4-stars. The only receiver for Georgia who was a 5-star? TE Darnell Washington who was only 4th in receiving for the Dawgs this year.
So, when are you all going to stop knocking Bennett for numbers that he has no control of, that players of similar age/height are not being judged for? How come Bennett’s 4,000 yard passing campaign isn’t being recognized in the same way as someone like Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, or Caleb Williams? Why are we overlooking legitimate traits about Bennett such as his leadership, his ability to command the offense, his ability to step up in College Football’s biggest moments, and his work ethic that continues to prove everyone wrong?
I like to consider myself an open-minded person. If you want age or height to be one of your criteria when scouting prospects that’s fine by me, I’ll listen to what you have to say, but at least keep the criticism consistent and equal. If you want to dock Bennett for being 25, then you better dock Hooker the exact same way. If you want to knock Bennett for being 5’11”, then you better dock Young as well.
Age and height just like hand size (which I’m sure is going to be the next conversation for Bennett) and wingspan are all just numbers that we as humans can’t fully control. We are all going to get a year older every year whether we like it or not. Bennett can’t control that he’s 25 years old, so let’s stop treating him like he can. Bennett did what was best for him, his decisions led him to two national championships and two national championship MVPs. He stayed loyal to Georgia and he is forever a Georgia legend for that.