After the NFL Combine, the 2023 NFL Draft now has a bit more structure to things, helping paint a better picture of how it will all play out. As players now have their school pro days left to showcase their skills, let’s see how our top 50 player Big Board breaks down.
1. ED Will Anderson, Alabama
Having recorded 200+ pressures in his career at Alabama, Will Anderson is the real deal. No real concerns here for his transition to the NFL, and he is comfortably the second-best defensive player in this draft.DL Jalen Carter, Georgia
2. QB Bryce Young, Alabama
Recency bias for Carolina moving into the top pick may make Bryce Young the second QB drafted, but make no mistake – he is the best QB in this draft. Questions about his size will be answered right away in his first year, and he should be one of the best QBs in the league in a few years.
3. QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State
The most accurate passer label goes to CJ Stroud, and his pocket presence is unmatched in this draft class as well. With a cannon of an arm but the touch to be able to drop the ball in a bucket, he will be the perfect franchise QB for a QB-needy team.
4. DL Jalen Carter, Georgia
Jalen Carter’s production at Georgia absolutely puts him in the conversation for the first overall pick – but how he performed at Georgia’s Pro Day raises a few questions. While his sluggish drills and nine-pound weight gain could be attributed to quite a few things happening this offseason, it bumps him down a few rungs on this list.
Here’s to hoping that Carter is able to get some guidance during an important part of his life, for both on and off-field elements.
5. ED Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
A fantastic work ethic and pass-rush skills make Tyree Wilson a sure-fire NFL prospect, one that should be a top-10 pick. While overshadowed by Carter and Anderson in this year’s DL class, Wilson has the potential to potentially be better than both of them in the long run.
6. CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
The best secondary piece in this year’s draft is Devon Witherspoon, and he is letting his game script speak for itself. By not having tested at the NFL Combine, Witherspoon is showing that how he plays in games matters much more than a broad jump result, exactly the type of attitude you want to see out of the leader of your new secondary.
7. CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
Fighting with Witherspoon to be the first defensive back off the board, Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez may have booked himself a top-10 spot with his crazy-good combine results. Already expected to be a consensus first-round selection, any team in need of secondary help should go after Gonzalez.
8. OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
The first offensive lineman off the board shouldn’t be a surprising one, seeing as how dominant Peter Skoronski was in his time at Northwestern. In a class without that bread-winner prospect, Skoronski takes the cake as a likely top-15 selection.
9. QB Anthony Richardson, Florida
One of the most polarizing prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft, Florida QB Anthony Richardson put on an absolute clinic at the NFL Combine. Raising his draft stock an immense amount, there are rumors that Richardson is in play for Carolina in the top spot.
10. QB Will Levis, Kentucky
The last of the sure-fire first-round QB prospects is Kentucky’s Will Levis, who has a lot of intangibles that should interest teams but a lot of uncertainty too. With one of the highest ceilings of all prospects in the NFL Draft, look for Levis to be a top-8 draft pick in April.
11. WR Jaxson Smith-Njiba, Ohio State
If you are a WR in this class, you are looking up at Jaxson Smith-Njiba in this class. His combination of speed, agility, and route running skills that were on full display at Ohio State will translate extremely well in the NFL – potential Rookie of the Year winner here?
12. WR Quentin Johnston, TCU
Early on in the draft process, Quentin Johnston was being looked at as the clear-cut option because of his size (6’4, 212 lbs.). And while JSN is ranked just above him, he certainly is still a top WR prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft that will go in the first round.
13. ED Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
Lukas Van Ness looks to be that Big Ten pass rusher that came out of nowhere to become a first-round selection. With a solid film reel of rushing the passer in college, Van Ness should be a mid-first-round selection and immediately become a pass-rush stud.
14. ED Nolan Smith, Georgia
Another solid member of that vaunted Georgia defense is pass-rusher Nolan Smith, who has been catching the eyes of a few top-20 teams in the pre-draft process. Based on his motor and energy levels alone, Smith should have a long career in the NFL.
15. DL Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh
Having produced an impressive performance at the combine, Calijah Kancey has made himself a ton of money in the pre-draft process. With skills from the five-tech role only matched by Jalen Carter and Bryan Bresee, Kancey will continue the DT lineage set by Aaron Donald way back when.
16. OT Broderick Jones, Georgia
Only the second offensive lineman on the board here in Broderick Jones, and it is another tackle. Georgia’s Broderick Jones is a technical people mover, a great play style that will help get him on the radar of pretty much every team in the first round.
17. OT Paris Johnson, Ohio State
Speaking of offensive tackles, Ohio State’s Paris Johnson finds himself in the top 20 of the Big Board and sitting pretty amongst his fellow OL group. Johnson has very long arms (36 1/8) and that certainly helps his case when engaging with defenders.
18. DL Bryan Bresee, Clemson
One of the better interior DLs in this year’s NFL Draft, Bryan Bresee looks like a sure-fire first-round selection that has the track record to prove it. His time at Clemson helped put him on the map, and he will make a team that misses out on Carter very happy.
19. ED Myles Murphy, Clemson
The Clemson defensive line pipeline continues, as edge rusher Myles Murphy brings his strong pass-rush traits to the NFL. Even though he did not test at the combine, Murphy has proven a ton in school and is one of the highlights of this edge class.
20. S Brian Branch, Alabama
Even in a year when the safety class is not incredibly strong, Alabama’s Brian Branch leads the pack. Even with 4.5 speed, Branch can put his coverage skills on full display when tasked with a slot coverage assignment.
21. CB Deonte Banks, Maryland
Simply by running a 4.35 40-yard dash, Deonte Banks put himself firmly in the first-round conversation. While Maryland is not a school known for an established NFL pipeline, Banks will do a lot to reverse those stigmas.
22. CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
Another defensive secondary draft pick from the Big Ten, Joey Porter Jr. has the makings of a stud boundary cornerback. With football in his blood from his father, Porter Jr. may go a bit higher than this, based on his name alone – but his skills speak for themselves.
23. OT Anton Harrison, Oklahoma
Anton Harrison could very well become a top-2 offensive tackle before things are said and done in this draft class, and he can thank his strong combine performance. A big-body tackle that utilizes both physical and technical elements in his game is hard to find in the league, so he should become a top commodity.
24. WR Jordan Addison, USC
Needing an above-average combine performance, Jordan Addison failed to set himself apart from the leaders of the 2023 WR class. While his time at USC solidify himself on the NFL radar, Addison likely will not be the first WR name called in April
25. TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah
The first tight end off the board is Utah’s Dalton Kincaid, and it may not be the name you expected. His impressive receiving acumen was on full display, and his ability to line up both in-line and split out will make his transition to the NFL a pretty seamless one.
26. RB Bijan Robinson, Texas
Everyone knows the name Bijan Robinson, as he has been labeled a generational prospect for a few years. With the fluidity and suddenness in which he runs, Robinson should have no problem being a first-round selection, and he certainly will be the first running back off the board in April
27. WR Zay Flowers, Boston College
A strong NFL Combine performance (4.42 40-yard dash) helped boost Zay Flowers’ stock, and he looks to be on the fringe of being a first-round pick as it currently stands. In a class that was less top-heavy, Flowers would be the clubhouse leader for the WR1 role.
28. ED Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
A proven edge rusher from the Big 12 like Will McDonald IV should be a first-round selection, especially after his 11-foot broad jump at the combine. With that kind of explosion, McDonald is a safe bet to get the first step against any poor soul trying to block him.
29. OT Dawand Jones, Ohio State
Seeing a mountain of a man like Dawand Jones at 372 lbs. move as well as he does is crazy, but that speaks to the type of NFL Draft prospect he is. A stalwart on the outside of the offensive line, Jones should be one of the first five OL drafted in April, and for good reason.
30. TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
The biggest name in the TE group is Michael Mayer, a name that has been thrown around as the positional leader for over a year. His blend of blocking and receiving helps make teams feel comfortable drafting him, and while he could be better in both areas, he is the most well-rounded TE prospect this year.
31. DL Mazi Smith, Michigan
A rising name in the interior DL group, Mazi Smith showcased his strength at the NFL Combine by racking up 34 reps on the bench. Strong play on tape justifies his early second-round landing place, but don’t be surprised if a few teams sniff around Smith at the end of the first.
32. WR Josh Downs, North Carolina
A slot receiver through and through, 5’9 Josh Downs helped calm down any questions about his skill set with a solid showing at the NFL Combine. While not one of the biggest names in the WR group, Downs should come off the board in the first 50 selections.
33. ED Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
Looking for a sleeper in this year’s NFL Draft? Felix Anudike-Uzomah fits that bill to a T. Flexible and ferocious help describe his play style from Kansas State, and in the NFL, you can never have too much pass rush help.
34. IOL O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida
We have our first interior offensive lineman off the board in O’Cyrus Torrence from Florida. Some of his testing numbers were a bit lower than hoped for, which likely will knock his grade down to an early second round.
35. QB Tanner McKee, Stanford
There is a small chance that Tanner McKee sneaks into the end of the first round and becomes the fifth QB drafted on the first day – but it isn’t super likely. With arm accuracy rivaling CJ Stroud for best in class, McKee has the traits to become an NFL starter.
36. DL Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern
Having a 282 lbs. player run a sub-4.5 40-yard dash is ridiculous to say, and yet, Adetomiwa Adebawore opened everyone’s eyes at the NFL Combine with that performance. One of the best cases of combine testing across all positions safely puts the Northwestern product in the second round in April.
37. CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
Needing to separate himself from other cornerbacks in this class, Cam Smith did a great job of that through the combine tests. Having faced NFL-ready talent in the SEC and done well against it, Smith is one of the most pro-ready DBs in this year’s class.
38. IOL Steve Avila, TCU
In a year where interior offensive line depth isn’t super strong, Steve Avila looks to be a big-time beneficiary. The TCU product has a strong base where he derives his power from in blocking sets, and he may end up being the best interior prospect in the draft.
39. LB Jack Campbell, Iowa
Iowa loves to produce gritty defenders that just make plays and Jack Campbell will continue that pipeline. Athleticism is a great descriptor of Campbell’s game, and his swiftness was on full display at the combine, putting the league on notice for what he will bring to the NFL.
40. TE Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
The third (and final) tight end on this list is Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave, who has some durability concerns but is great at stretching the field. His athletic profile is one of the best of the TE group, and he should be a Day 2 selection.
41. S Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
A poor performance at the NFL Combine probably knocked him out of any chance of being a first-round prospect, but Antonio Johnson is still one of the better safety prospects this year. Below-average showings in the 40-yard dash, broad jump, and vertical all lowered his promise a bit, potentially making teams wary of using a top-50 selection on him.
42. ED Andre Carter, Army
An energetic game combined with raw athleticism makes Andre Carter a fascinating prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft. Coming from a service institution may lower his draft stock in the eyes of some front offices, but Carter possesses a ton of moldable skills you want in a young edge rusher.
43. DL Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin
A standout defensive mauler that made a name for himself in a strong collegiate defense, Keeanu Benton has been flying up draft boards from his performance in both the combine and draft prep. Wisconsin produces solid yet unheralded defenders, and Benton looks to follow that same profile heading into the NFL Draft.
44. LB Drew Sanders, Arkansas
Having at one point been looked at as a potential late first-rounder, Drew Sanders seems to have settled at the 1st/2nd round turn. A bit undersized, Sanders has the potential to be one of the first three-down LBs off the board in April.
45. ED B.J. Ojulari, LSU
B.J. Ojulari checks all the boxes when it comes to measurements and testing metrics. Having played down in the SEC, Ojulari is ready to make the jump to the NFL, having faced plenty of NFL-ready OL.
46. IOL Luke Wypler, Ohio State
Luke Wypler marks the third member of the Ohio State offensive line to be in the top 50 on this Big Board, and he projects to be the best center in this class. Good athleticism showed up both on tape and at the combine, two areas that will help Wypler likely be a top-60 selection.
47. S Sydney Brown, Illinois
Having teamed up with Devon Witherspoon in the Illini secondary, safety Sydney Brown was able to show why he is a polished safety prospect. His coverage abilities are probably his strongest aspect, and while he can improve on tackling, Brown is a strong prospect with a likely second-round grade in April's NFL Draft.
48. CB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
The skinniest non-special teams player at the combine, Emmanuel Forbes weighed in at a light 166 pounds. Electric-fast gameplay helps quiet some size concerns, but questions about his physicality will follow Forbes wherever he is drafted.
49. CB Tyrique Stevenson, Miami
Not a heavily talked-about prospect, Tyrique Stevenson utilizes his six-foot stature very well against receivers. A bigger body (214 lbs.) helps Stevenson stick his nose in and make plays, and his play style lends itself to being suited for a press-heavy scheme.
50. CB Eli Ricks, Alabama
Having been thrown right into the fire as a true freshman, Eli Ricks produced in his three collegiate seasons. While he has shown a penchant for getting beat by a fast vertical threat, Ricks has skills that translate well into both man and zone schemes, making him a good fit for most teams.
Follow Us
Subscribe