Stanford's Tanner McKee is 'prototypical' NFL QB, Ryan Leaf says
Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee might be slept on but he’s the prototypical quarterback, according to former No. 2 overall pick Ryan Leaf.
Leaf, who covers the Pac-12 during the season, got a chance to see McKee a lot throughout his career at Stanford. While quarterbacks Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson headline the quarterback class, McKee might be a guy like Davis Mills.
Ironically, Leaf compared the two former Stanford quarterbacks when breaking down McKee’s NFL prospects.
“Following him and covering him for the last few years at Stanford, he’s prototypically the NFL quarterback, six-foot-six, 230 pounds,” Leaf said on Good Morning Football. “But I mean, he hasn’t been great. Now, let me say this. The Stanford teams over the last few years are the reason why David Shaw no longer is the head coach. (They were bad), they’ve been a bad football team. (McKee) a guy that can sit in the pocket, he can move around and he’s got an electric arm.
“I mean, this is Davis Mills in that same form. So if you look at it that way, then he’s probably, you know, a third or fourth round guy where you can come in and possibly become a starter like Davis Mills did. His ability to move isn’t great, but he’s the prototypical quarterback.”
McKee played 23 games in college and finished with 5,336 yards, 28 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and a 63.2% completion percentage. He added six touchdowns on the ground as well.
While the numbers did not pop out on the stat sheet, McKee might be worth a flier in the mid-rounds of the NFL Draft.
McKee was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2018 out of Corona (Calif.) Centennial, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 8 overall prospect in the state, the No. 7 quarterback in the class and the No. 58 overall player in the class.
The 2023 NFL Draft is set to take place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event is located at the plaza just outside of Union Station.
Round 1 of the NFL Draft will begin 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft is broadcasted throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.