Football is officially back. Even if it is just the NFL preseason, America's most popular sport is always welcomed back in almost any form. Now that the first week of the preseason has concluded, we have seen our first look at three out of the first four picks in this year's NFL Draft, whom the Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, and Indianapolis Colts all hope will be their future franchise quarterbacks. All three quarterbacks—Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, and Anthony Richardson—will have tons of eyes on them this season. Let's look at how the season for each rookie might play out.

3. Bryce Young

Young's first NFL preseason appearance wasn't one he or the Panthers probably wants to remember. The Panthers were shut out by the New York Jets, 27-0, and Young was left reeling after Carolina's offensive line failed to protect him. Young was hit hard on two of his first three throws, being hit a total of three times out of the seven times he dropped back to pass. It only resulted in one sack for nine yards, occurring on one of two third-down plays. Young still finished 4-for-6 for 21 yards. It's only a small sample size, but there's a lot left to be desired here. Of course, this wasn't all on Young. As mentioned, his offensive line did him no favors. But you can see that Young needs time to adjust to the NFL's speed of the game.

So where might this leave him by the end of his rookie season? Young has tremendous upside, and one of his greatest strengths is his intelligence and his ability to go off-script, extending plays and making something out of nothing. However, his weaknesses include his size, as mentioned earlier, which won't serve him well if he attempts to make plays outside the pocket frequently against speedier NFL defenders. Young can't or won't be able to absorb too many hits, but what if his offensive line doesn't improve? Additionally, it doesn't help matters that the only weapon Young has is Adam Thielen, whose production has declined over the last two seasons.

It'll be interesting to see how head coach Frank Reich and the staff can develop Young, assuming he becomes a starter at some point. Young will be at his best once this team provides him with the protection and weapons he needs, though this might not happen in this season.

2. CJ Stroud

A common theme with these three quarterbacks is the lack of talent around them, specifically their offensive lines. That's the nature of being drafted so high. Stroud was under pressure for most of the night during his first NFL preseason game, experiencing similar issues to Young. Stroud only played in two series, in which he went 2-for-4 for 13 yards. In his limited action, he took a sack and threw an interception, leading to a New England Patriots field goal.

The Houston Texans still need a lot of work to revamp their team. Stroud is undoubtedly going to face rookie struggles this season, as his team at times won't do him any favors. There's some promise at receiver with Nico Collins, Robert Woods, John Metchie, and Tank Dell. But who's the No. 1 receiver on that list? Who will Stroud have time to throw to?

What made Stroud great at Ohio State was his aggressiveness and accuracy as a passer, capable of making big-time throws from the pocket. Stroud is primarily a pocket passer and the least mobile of the three on this list, so he'll rely on his arm and decision-making more than the other rookie quarterbacks. The NFL emphasizes big-time throws in complex coverages with tighter windows. If Stroud can get support from his backfield in Dameon Pierce and Devin Singletary—and, of course, his offensive line—helping in play-action scenarios to allow him to throw downfield, the former Buckeye should be able to prove, at least for this season, that he's the guy for the Texans. He'll be able to win over plenty of believers that way.

Stroud might not have the best season out of the three, but he still could have a solid rookie year that convinces some in Houston, probably better than Young. But he's going to need a lot of help.

1. Anthony Richardson

The No. 4 overall pick in this year's draft may have looked the best in his first NFL preseason game in comparison to the other two, although that probably isn't saying much. Richardson played in three series, going 7-for-12 for 67 yards and an interception, resulting in no points. However, that wasn't all on him. Some of last year's Colts woes, such as penalties and miscommunication, continued to put the Colts in bad field position. Richardson's best drive was when he got the Colts inside Buffalo Bills' territory, moving the ball 77 yards down the field.

We all understand why the Colts drafted Richardson—it's because he's an athletic freak of nature. Watching how the Colts use him will be intriguing. While Stroud doesn't run much and Young needs to be cautious due to his size, Richardson is a big-bodied quarterback who can take more hits. Not only that, but he's an elusive runner as well, having been sacked only 13 times last season with the Gators, while also running for almost 700 yards.

The Colts probably have a better roster overall than the Texans and Panthers, which is likely to set Richardson apart from Stroud and Young, at least for this season. The Colts have more athleticism in some of Richardson's likely targets, including Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, and rookie Josh Downs. At tight end, there's Jelani Woods, Mo Alie-Cox, and third-round pick out of Miami, Will Mallory. The biggest challenge here will be Richardson's accuracy issues. As for the running back position, everyone is waiting to see what happens with Jonathan Taylor, and that could be a huge help for the rookie.

Overall, Richardson is likely to make many people believe in him in year one. He's going to astonish with his athleticism, which will overshadow many of his other issues simply because it's his rookie season. How this translates later on is the intriguing part. Working on accuracy and the scheme will be crucial throughout his career.