The 2023 NFL Draft is nearly upon us and it’s almost decision time for the 32 NFL teams on which college football players they’d like to select with their haul of draft picks.
We'll be looking at top offensive Draft prospects in every position and which teams may have their scouts keeping a close eye on them in the build-up to draft day.
Quarterback
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
The bookmakers' favourite to be taken number one overall after the Carolina Panthers traded up with the Chicago Bears to secure the pick, Stroud is one of the most impressive college quarterbacks in recent memory, posting up 85 touchdowns combined in the last two years at Ohio State. He narrowly lost out on a National Championship spot in his last year after falling 42-41 to the University of Georgia.
Bryce Young, Alabama
Expected to be taken second overall by the Houston Texans, Young posted a 93.0 PFF passing grade over the last two seasons which is the highest of all quarterbacks in this draft class. Although there are some concerns over his height, standing at 1.83m, his athletic ability and natural talent are far too big for most teams to pass up given the chance.
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Running Back
Bijan Robinson, Texas
Robinson leads the 2023 draft class of running backs and with 1,580 yards together with 18 touchdowns last year you can see why. Strong and agile on his feet, he's also effective in the passing game which is an invaluable trait for the position in the modern game.
Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
Weighing in at 199 pounds and standing at 5 foot 9, Gibbs isn’t the biggest running back available, but he may well be one of the speediest. His 2022 stats suffered slightly as Alabama ran a pass-heavy offense centred around the aforementioned Young, but that shouldn't stop teams from having high hopes for the Crimson Tide man.
Wide Receivers
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
Hampered by a hamstring injury in his final season with the Buckeyes, JSN only played in 3 games last year however his stellar 2021 season is enough to propel him to the top of the WR prospect list. With nine touchdowns and 1,606 yards in that 2021 season, he formed a deadly partnership with Stroud, leaving most college defences fearful.
Any receiver-needy team would be interested in taking JSN, who is hotly tipped to go to the Green Bay Packers at 15th overall if he lasts that long.
Jordan Addison, USC
Another who developed a deadly QB-WR partnership is USC receiver Jordan Addison, who did exactly that with prospective 2024 top quarterback Caleb Williams, helping him win the 2022 Heisman Award for best College Football player in the process. On the topic of awards, Addison won the 2021 Biletnikoff Award for best college receiver while playing at Pitt before he transferred to USC.
He boasts an impressive 25 receiving touchdowns in the last two years, and will be one to look out for in the mid-to-late first round of the draft.
Tight End
Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
Mayer is likely the most well-rounded tight end in the draft, as he's a talented receiver that also excels in the blocking game which are both essential for the modern tight end. Although he doesn't have explosive speed like some other pro in the position, he makes up for it in strength and catching while still making the most downfield receptions of anyone in this draft class at his position.
Mayer could be a great pick for a team looking for a reliable chain-mover in this year's class.
Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
Teams looking at Musgrave will mostly be banking on potential rather than outright proven ability, as he only began to blossom at the tail-end of 2022 before picking up an injury that cut his season short. However, in the games he did play, Musgrave was impressive enough to earn himself the number two spot on a lot of tight end boards for this year's class.
With impressive size standing at 6 foot 6 and weighing in at 250 pounds, his strength doesn't appear to hamper his quick acceleration and great hands in the passing game. Likely to be available in the early second round due to his extremely small sample size, Musgrave could end up being the steal of the draft for any team looking to take a chance on him.
Offensive Line
Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
Kicking off our final position of the list, Skoronski is touted to be the most NFL-ready offensive lineman of anyone. Allowing only six QB pressures out of 474 attempts is nothing to scoff at, putting up one of the best pass-blocking seasons in recent years.
Likely to be the first or second lineman off the board, he will slot in nicely for a team looking for a Mr. Reliable on the offensive line.
Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State
Allowing only ten pressures all season in the last year, Johnson was a key part of the success of Stroud, supporting the old saying that a quarterback is only as good as his protection. An incredible all-around package, his size and athletic ability propel him to the top-two of offensive linemen of this class and is projected to be a top 15 pick, if he even falls that far.
The 2023 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 28 with the first round taking place on Thursday, rounds two and three on Friday, and ending with rounds four to seven on Saturday.
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