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USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Christian D'Andrea

FTW’s 2023 NFL Draft Big Board: From Will Anderson Jr. to Blake Freeland

The 2023 NFL Draft will soon be upon us, allowing Super Bowl contenders to reload and speeding up the rebuilds for the league’s less fortunate teams. The years-long careers of 259 college stars will be boiled down to minutes of game film and workout numbers as franchises attempt to find the stars who can become playoff staples for winning teams.

Those data have shaped how we think this year’s draft will unfold. Countless mock drafts have projected player and team fits that make sense but ultimately won’t hold up to the scrutiny of the twists and turns of the draft process. Trades and evaluations will bring surprises across the board as some guys thought to be sure things slide and riskier prospects get the chance to prove their value.

While we don’t know who’ll end up where, we have a pretty good idea of this year’s top players. After watching game tape, crunching some numbers and looking at combine results, I’ve got my top 75 prospects ready to go.

1
EDGE Will Anderson Jr

Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

School: Alabama

Who is he? Tornado of a pass rusher who creates havoc, beats double teams and is, in general, a massive problem for opposing quarterbacks (27.5 sacks, 48 tackles for loss the last two seasons).

2
QB C.J. Stroud

Gaelen Morse/Getty Images

School: Ohio State

Who is he? Stud quarterback with the talent to make big throws downfield and fit passes into tight windows.

3
QB Bryce Young

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

School: Alabama

Who is he? Undersized passer who generates magic and brings unquantifiable traits to the pocket (and outside of it).

4
DL Jalen Carter

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

School: Georgia

Who is he? Thoroughbred of a defensive lineman with off-field concerns after pleading no contest to reckless driving and racing charges connected to the car crash deaths of a teammate and Georgia staffer.

5
CB Devon Witherspoon

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

School: Illinois

Who is he? Shutdown corner whose 2022 campaign gave off real Sauce Gardner vibes.

6
CB Christian Gonzalez

USA Today Sports

School: Oregon

Who is he? Physical marvel who showed out in his lone year as a Duck (he transferred from Colorado), then looked incredible at the combine.

7
CB Joey Porter Jr.

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

School: Penn State

Who is he? Big, physical corner with the chops to excel in press coverage or zone.

8
DJ Tyree Wilson

Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

School: Texas Tech

Who is he? Massive defensive lineman with the strength to win inside and the quickness to split outside and create headaches.

9
OT Peter Skoronski

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

School: Northwestern

Who is he? High-floor blocker who can fill multiple positions but has gotten dinged pre-draft for shorter-than-average arm length.

10
QB Will Levis

AP Photo/James Crisp

School: Kentucky

Who is he? Divisive quarterback who looks the part and got more efficient in 2022 despite losing vital supporting pieces.

11
WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba

AP Photo/Jay LaPrete

School: Ohio State

Who is he? Devastating wideout who can take over games, but a bit of a wild card after missing the bulk of 2022 thanks to injury.

12
OT Broderick Jones

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

School: Georgia

Who is he? Athletic tackle responsible for keeping Stetson Bennett’s jersey clean through two national title runs.

13
OT Paris Johnson Jr.

USA Today Sports

School: Ohio State

Who is he? High-potential blocker with the makeup and athleticism to be the best tackle in his class.

14
RB Bijan Robinson

Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

School: Texas

Who is he? Best all-around running back to enter the draft since Saquon Barkley.

15
QB Anthony Richardson

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

School: Florida

Who is he? A Josh Allen-esque pile of raw tools and physical makeup not yet molded into the form of a franchise quarterback.

16
EDGE Nolan Smith

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

School: Georgia

Who is he? Athletic marvel who played a supporting role at Georgia but can be more on Sundays.

17
WR Quentin Johnston

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

School: TCU

Who is he? Game-breaking wideout capable of scoring from anywhere, despite some issues with drops.

18
EDGE Myles Murphy

AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman

School: Clemson

Who is he? Consistent, productive edge rusher whose stock has fallen in the pre-draft process but still looks like a 10-year veteran.

19
CB Deonte Banks

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

School: Maryland

Who is he? Speedy cover-corner with the chops to be left on an island while his defensive coordinator turns his efforts elsewhere.

20
DL Calijah Kancey

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports 

School: Pittsburgh

Who is he? A whole lot like Aaron Donald, down to the “undersized Pitt lineman” part.

21
DL Bryan Bresee

Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports

School: Clemson

Who is he? Big, versatile defensive lineman who doesn’t rack up big stats but helps his teammates pile up theirs.

22
S Brian Branch

Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

School: Alabama

Who is he? Sticky defensive back capable of handling multiple positions in the secondary.

23
TE Michael Mayer

Michael Caterina/South Bend Tribune-USA TODAY Sports

School: Notre Dame

Who is he? Bruising tight end whose physical profile doesn’t match the sheer impact he had on the field.

24
WR Jordan Addison

Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports

School: USC

Who is he? Shifty wideout with the skill to play inside or out despite a relatively slight frame.

25
CB Emmanuel Forbes

Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

School: Mississippi State

Who is he? Rail-thin cornerback who wins when tested; 14 interceptions in three seasons as a Bulldog.

26
LB Jack Campbell

AP Photo/Matthew Putney

School: Iowa

Who is he? Absolute tackling machine and Butkus Award winner who tested out impressively at the combine.

27
WR Zay Flowers

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports 

School: Boston College

Who is he? Occasionally devastating wideout who can get open against seemingly anyone.

28
TE Luke Musgrave

Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

School: Oregon State

Who is he? Tight end with all the chops to be a receiving threat despite a limited college resume.

29
EDGE Will McDonald IV

Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

School: Iowa State

Who is he? Steady, powerful edge rusher who gets into the pocket with regularity.

30
EDGE Lukas Van Ness

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports 

School: Iowa

Who is he? Dynamic edge rusher who was productive despite a platoon role for a dominant Iowa defense.

31
CB Kelee Ringo

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

School: Georgia

Who is he? Ballhawk cornerback who rises up in big moments but may move to safety in the NFL.

32
CB Cam Smith

Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

School: South Carolina

Who is he? Cornerback who dissuaded SEC quarterbacks from throwing his way with latex glove coverage.

33
TE Dalton Kincaid

Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

School: Utah

Who is he? More receiver than blocker, but a pretty dang good receiver (70 catches, 890 yards, eight touchdowns last season).

34
WR Jalin Hyatt

Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

School: Tennessee

Who is he? Burner who excelled in a wide spread offense and should immediately stretch the field as an NFL deep threat.

35
OT Darnell Wright

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

School: Tennessee

Who is he? Strong pass protector and mauling run blocker with great size and a still-growing toolbox.

36
LB Trenton Simpson

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

School: Clemson

Who is he? Instinctive off-ball linebacker who does a little bit of everything well and won’t get lost in coverage.

37
OT Anton Harrison

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

School: Oklahoma

Who is he? Great college left tackle who’ll have to prove himself against more athletic competition on Sundays.

38
QB Hendon Hooker

Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports 

School: Tennessee

Who is he? Throws a great deep ball but is 25 years old, injured and possibly a product of Tennessee’s spread offense rather than the other way around.

39
G O'Cyrus Torrence

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

School: Florida

Who is he? Enormous interior lineman who plays mean and has the strength to move defensive tackles off their mooring.

40
OT Dawand Jones

Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

School: Ohio State

Who is he? Sun-eclipsing tackle who can swallow up edge rushers but has to refine his game.

41
LB Drew Sanders

Ed Zurga/Getty Images

School: Arkansas

Who is he? Viable as a pass rusher or off-ball linebacker, but only has one season as a full-time starter under his belt.

42
RB Jahmyr Gibbs

School: Alabama

Who is he? Lightning fast runner who adds value in the receiving game (11.8 yards per catch in college).

43
EDGE Keion White

School: Georgia Tech

Who is he? Athletic pocket collapser who had a 2022 breakthrough and now needs to prove that’s sustainable.

44
S Antonio Johnson

School: Texas A&M

Who is he? Big hitting safety who can work from the slot but may be limited to playing Sundays in the box.

45
EDGE Adetomiwa Adebawore

School: Northwestern

Who is he? A bit small, but quick-footed and powerful defensive lineman who can get inside and wreak havoc.

46
CB Julius Brents

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

School: Kansas State

Who is he? Big, physically capable cornerback who can press at the line of scrimmage or turn and run with deep threats.

47
IOL John Michael Schmitz

School: Minnesota

Who is he? Beefy center who excels at clearing space in the run game.

48
DL Mazi Smith

School: Michigan

Who is he? Space-eating interior lineman capable of shooting gaps and creating obstacles in the backfield.

49
EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzomah

School: Kansas State

Who is he? Consistent pass rusher who’ll need to channel his strength into a few new wrinkles to beat NFL blockers.

50
IOL Steve Avila

School: TCU

Who is he? Thick, experienced interior lineman who can handle duties at guard or center.

51
DL Gervon Dexter

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

School: Florida

Who is he? 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, he doesn’t play as fast as his 4.8 second 40 time suggests, but has tremendous potential.

52
TE Darnell Washington

School: Georgia

Who is he? A tight end you built in NCAA Football ’13, then discarded for looking too video game-ish.

53
WR Josh Downs

School: North Carolina

Who is he? Productive college wideout who can gash defenses from the slot and take a few routes outside.

54
EDGE Isaiah Foskey

School: Notre Dame

Who is he? Wrecking ball equally capable of disrupting passing plays or kicking situations (four blocked punts).

55
EDGE BJ Ojulari

School: LSU

Who is he? Linebacker with the quickness to get upfield but potentially a one-dimensional NFL defender.

56
CB Clark Phillips III

Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

School: Utah

Who is he? Smaller cornerback who tested poorly at the combine, but his on-field production (eight interceptions, 19 passes defensed the last two seasons) cannot be ignored.

57
LB Noah Sewell

School: Oregon

Who is he? Either the wrecking ball we saw in 2021, or merely the “pretty good” linebacker from 2022.

58
IOL Cody Mauch

School: North Dakota State

Who is he? FCS tackle likely to kick inside as a pro. Looks exactly like you’d expect a North Dakota State offensive lineman to look.

59
EDGE Derick Hall

School: Auburn

Who is he? Well-liked leader and supreme athlete who does everything well but maybe doesn’t excel in any one area.

60
WR Rashee Rice

School: SMU

Who is he? Occasionally brilliant and occasionally frustrating, Rice finds the end zone with regularity but might drive coaches insane in year one.

61
S Jordan Battle

Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

School: Alabama

Who is he? Rangy safety who provides solid over-the-top coverage and can be a deep ball deterrent.

62
DT Keeanu Benton

School: Wisconsin

Who is he? Clubbering defensive lineman who’s nearly impossible to completely erase from a play.

63
RB Zach Charbonnet

School: UCLA

Who is he? Explosive running back who brings value in the passing game and can make an immediate NFL impact.

64
DL Tuli Tuipulotu

School: USC

Who is he? Strong enough to play inside or out and coming off a season with 22 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks.

65
LB Henry To'oto'o

School: Alabama

Who is he? Ever-present part of the defense for both Alabama and Tennessee who makes everyone else better.

66
OT Matthew Bergeron

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

School: Syracuse

Who is he? Rising, underrated pocket protector who quietly shined for the Orange in 2022.

67
S Sydney Brown

School: Illinois

Who is he? Short for a safety, but an absolute thumper with great ball skills and the ability to warp himself into drive-killing plays.

68
CB D.J. Turner II

School: Michigan

Who is he? Fast as hell, quick hips, and just a little undersized to handle bigger wideouts.

69
EDGE Andre Carter II

School: Army

Who is he? Didn’t test well, but 14.5 sacks in 2021. At ARMY! And he’s enormous!

70
DT Siaki Ika

School: Baylor

Who is he? Massive enough to overcome his unimpressive athletic testing scores and ruin things for offensive linemen in the middle.

71
RB Israel Abanikanda

Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

School: Pittsburgh

Who is he? Shifty runner with great moves and first-step acceleration to find and then blast through holes.

72
IOL Joe Tippmann

School: Wisconsin

Who is he? Typical beeftastic Wisconsin lineman. He does work.

73
OT Tyler Steen

School: Alabama

Who is he? Rock solid tackle at both Vanderbilt and Alabama whose skills should scale up on Sundays.

74
S Jartavius Martin

School: Illinois

Who is he? Blew up the combine and showed he has the chops to handle safety or cornerback duties.

75
OT Blake Freeland

School: BYU

Who is he? Big-bodied blocker with strong physical traits who’ll need to up his playing strength at the next level.

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