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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Curt Popejoy

2023 NFL draft: 4 prospects who should be drafted in the 1st round but probably won’t

When it comes to the NFL draft, teams approach the first round in one of two ways. Teams will draft for need, meaning they always draft a position they must fill even if it means skipping over guys higher on draft boards. The other is when teams opt for the best player available regardless of position, even if they aren’t a top priority.

Because of this, there are always a handful of guys drafted too soon and a few more fall out of the first round when they really shouldn’t. Here are four guys who absolutely should be first-round picks but could easily slide out of the round and end up with a huge value in the second.

C John Michael Schmitz - Minnesota

(AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)

John Michael Schmitz is a guy you draft, start him for 10 years, let him go to a bunch of Pro Bowls and be happy.

LB Drew Sanders - Arkansas

(AP Photo/Michael Woods)

Alabama transfer who can cover a tremendous amount of the first as a run-stopper or in coverage. Drew Sanders is even more valuable in that he can line up as an off-ball linebacker one play and an edge rusher the next.

DT Bryan Bresee - Clemson

Bryan Bresee hasn’t developed as much as many thought when he first started college but getting a 300-pound man who can run and work with the quickness he can deserves a spot in the first round.

TE Dalton Kincaid - Utah

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Built like a big wide receiver and moves like one, Kincaid is an offensive weapon built for the NFL. In the right scheme, Kincaid could be elite sooner rather than later.  He has an impressive catch radius and is a smart football player.

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