There’s something you don’t see everyday. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero spoke with sources around the league while digging into the 2023 NFL draft class at quarterback, and one passer was compared favorably to New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees. And like Brees, they aren’t projected to be a first-round pick.
One team’s anonymous executive drew a comparison between Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener and Brees, as well as other undersized passers to have their day in the sun in the NFL, telling Pelissero: “I think he’s similar to Gardner Minshew. He’s got some gamer to him, he’s accurate — he just doesn’t have a big arm. But he’s got a little Drew Brees to him. The ball’s going to come out. He knows where he’s going with it. He’s just not a big person (5-11 5/8, 207 pounds), so can he hold up?”
Haener is expected to be picked in the third or fourth round of this year’s draft, having improved year-over-year with his accuracy and ball security while being voted a team captain in each of his three years as the Bulldogs’ starter. He played through injuries and missed some time with a broken ankle in 2022.
Still, Haener is an electrifying presence on the field, and he throws a very catchable football. He has plenty of experience running a pro-style offense and is skilled at reading the field and getting the ball where it needs to go. He’s more pro-ready than other quarterbacks the Saints have picked in the mid-rounds before like Ian Book and Garrett Grayson. If New Orleans wants to invest in a long-term backup for Carr, getting a popular passer from his alma mater wouldn’t be the worst move. Maybe Haener has more Brees in him than we think.
