Here are my Top 30 prospects – listed in order by grade – for the 2023 NFL Draft!
Full profiles – written on this site by yours truly – are linked for each prospect. If there is a prospect who didn’t make the cut, I encourage readers to scan this page of all profiles to learn more about them. (Note: I have a few more profiles to post in the next 24-48 hours of other prospects who didn’t crack the Top 30.)
- CJ Stroud, QB, LSU (Profile)
Summary: “Is this praise an overreaction to the Peach Bowl against Georgia, where Stroud almost single-handedly took down a budding dynasty? No…I had this extremely high grade on him before concluding his evaluation with that game. If it did boost his stock, it went from a Top 5 pick to a Top 1 pick.”
Pro Comp: Justin Herbert
- Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon (Profile)
Summary: “He checks all of the boxes: production, tools, age…he’s still 20 years old. Gonzalez isn’t exactly flying under the radar – he’s a consensus Top 10 pick in mock drafts now – but he is underrated because this is a true blue-chip prospect we’re talking about in a class where most people seem to think there are only 2 or 3 of them – not including Gonzalez.”
Pro Comp: Stephon Gilmore
- Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama (Profile)
Summary: “Will Anderson, still 21 years old, is an extremely productive, skilled, and high-effort prospect at a premium position. There isn’t too much to opine about him; he’s a surefire pick for the top half of Round 1 in any NFL Draft.”
Pro Comp: Terrell Suggs
- Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern (Profile)
Summary: “At his ripe age with big-time experience and plenty of talent and technique to go along with it, Skoronski shouldn’t wait long to hear his name called on Draft Day. I absolutely believe he can – and should – stay at tackle in the NFL too despite chatter of kicking him inside.”
Pro Comp: Ryan Ramczyk
- Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia (Profile)
Summary: “Even if it’s his Combine performance that’s rocketing him up Draft boards when his tape warranted that beforehand – so be it. His skillset is unique and dynamic enough to predict 100% snap counts in the NFL, likely best in the old-school mold of a 4-3 OLB but more than fine as a modern-day EDGE as well.”
Pro Comp: Joey Porter
- Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia (Profile)
Summary: “I expect to slightly downgrade Carter on my Big Board after all of these developments – especially the out-of-shape and incomplete Pro Day performance…though whoever does land Carter will be adding a scheme-proof player with the ability to shut down an opposing offense almost by himself.”
Pro Comp: Ndamukong Suh
- Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida (Profile)
Summary: “Depending where he and others land in the Draft, I could see myself having some action on Richardson as a dark horse Rookie of the Year winner. His ability is truly special and I think his platform for archetypal QB play is high enough to justify an early gamble in the draft.”
Pro Comp: Cam Newton
- Bryce Young, QB, Alabama (Profile)
Summary: “I’d like to see him end up in an offense that routinely gets him on the move and allows him to throw on the run, which is the most exciting element of his game to me. He’s not system-proof but he does have star potential.”
Pro Comp: Mark Brunell
- Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland (Profile)
Summary: “I’ve been burnt by overlooking inexperience and injury history before with favorite prospects of mine, so I’m mildly tempering the fanfare of Banks, but I’d otherwise have a Top 10 Pick grade on him. He’s that explosive, quick, smart, and tough.”
Pro Comp: Marshon Lattimore
- Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson (Profile)
Summary: “Murphy isn’t as flashy as a TJ Watt or as versatile as a JJ Watt. But this is a dude with proven production, no-doubt NFL size and traits, and a birthdate in 2002!”
Pro Comp: Bradley Chubb
- Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee (Profile)
Summary: “Wright is a former five-star recruit and excellent athlete in his own right too, and his proven combination of precision and power is rare for a college kid. He might not be cut out for every offense and he’s probably a RT only, but Wright’s arrow is pointing up at the right time and I’m right here contributing to his hype.”
Pro Comp: Jawaan Taylor
- Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia (Profile)
Summary: “Washington’s skillset and versatility make him genuinely unique, so whoever lands him will have a player in their offense that requires specific gameplanning. He’s like Vonta Leach as a lead blocker meets Martellus Bennett as a ball carrier.”
Pro Comp: Marcedes Lewis
- Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas (Profile)
Summary: “I could zero in on the potential shortcomings in Bijan’s game and worry what his career will look like if he’s drafted into a situation where his team prioritizes maximizing his touches over offensive efficiency…but I will allow myself to get more excited about Bijan’s skillset ending up in the right situation than I had before.”
Pro Comp: Edgerrin James
- Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College (Profile)
Summary: “He is a nuanced wide receiver who plays the game with extreme toughness, and he has more than enough shift and speed to win with his tools too at the next level. It’s hard not to reminisce on peak Antonio Brown when you watch Zay Flowers play football.”
Pro Comp: Emmanuel Sanders
- Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU (Profile)
Summary: “If he remains this type of WR in the NFL – 60 receptions for over 1,000 yards with one of the highest yards per catch figures – then he’d be a valuable field-tilting weapon. But if Johnston cleans up the finer elements of his game, improves with field awareness and channels more of his general competitiveness into an alpha mentality, then he could become a legit WR1 in the league.”
Pro Comp: Demaryius Thomas
- Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson (Profile)
Summary: “We’ve already seen great football from Bresee at Clemson, and I’d bet that consistently great football is ahead in Bresee’s NFL future. Even if he’s a prototypical 3-4 DE, Bresee can thrive in any scheme and should be an every-down player.”
Pro Comp: Cam Heyward
- Joey Porter Jr, CB, Penn State (Profile)
Summary: “Sure, there is a bust factor to weigh if he ends up on the wrong team…[but] Porter is just a really sharp player who’ll make QBs think twice just by lurking around in zone.”
Pro Comp: Josh Norman
- Cody Mauch, OG, North Dakota State (Profile)
Summary: “I just think he could be that much of a difference maker as a run blocker. If you asked me to pick 5 players from this Draft who could become transcendent at something at the NFL level – like Jason Kelce – I’d pick Cody Mauch as one of them.”
Pro Comp: Evan Mathis
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State (Profile)
Summary: “If I had to wager I’d predict that JSN is ultimately the first WR drafted this year. That has plenty to do with the overall lackluster caliber of this WR class, but it’s also possible to see a Cooper Kupp-esque player in JSN. I personally wouldn’t go that far, but it only takes one team.”
Pro Comp: Jarvis Landry
- DJ Turner, CB, Michigan (Profile)
Summary: “I hope the league gives him his fair shot on the outside. Honestly, not only do I genuinely believe he can hang there, I think he’s actually better there. In any outcome, I think Turner is going to have a long career and be a beloved member of whatever defense he’s on.”
Pro Comp: Adoree Jackson
- Will Levis, QB, Kentucky (Profile)
Summary: “He has enough upside to be a good NFL starter in a West Coast offense with plenty of talent around him, but the floor is naturally quite low when you need to make qualifying statements like that about a kid who isn’t even in the league yet.”
Pro Comp: Blake Bortles
- Paris Johnson Jr, OT, Ohio State (Profile)
Summary: “I like Johnson and he has the tools that you can’t teach at left tackle, but he’s currently being pegged in the top half of Round 1 in mock drafts and that would be too much of a gamble for my liking.”
Pro Comp: Cam Robinson
- Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame (Profile)
Summary: “I definitely think Mayer will be a solid player in the NFL, but I expect him to be more of a ‘good receiver/good blocker’ type compared to the ‘great receiver/great blocker’ type he was at Notre Dame.”
Pro Comp: Todd Heap
- Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois (Profile)
Summary: “He has true inside/outside versatility, is clearly as mentally tough as they come at CB, and put some true high-level play on tape as a senior. I don’t think a team that drafts Witherspoon with a lottery pick is necessarily going to get burnt by it, but he is different from CBs who typically go in that range.”
Pro Comp: Tracy Porter
- Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma (Profile)
Summary: “For a kid who was born in 2002 (!!), Harrison has a lion’s share of experience under his belt, and the Big-12 has toughened up a ton compared to the conference it was even a half-decade ago. Still, Harrison will benefit from increased exposure to EDGEs who will hit him with more counters and rush moves, and Oklahoma’s offense did feature a lot of quick game without elongated pass reps.”
Pro Comp: Charles Cross
- Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas (Profile)
Summary: “Even if Sanders develops into a decent run defender, he should be a positive presence in coverage and one of the better pass rushing LBs in the NFL. You can argue all you want about the positional value of off-ball linebacker, but if Sanders clicks then he could become one of the more impactful players in this class at any position.”
Pro Comp: Derrick Johnson
- Adetomiwa Adebawore, EDGE, Northwestern (Profile)
Summary: “Adebawore does have untapped upside though if he sticks at then fully grasps one spot on the defensive line. And even if his NFL team keeps shifting him around like Northwestern did, he’ll be a full snap share player with high energy, good run defense, and occasional pass rush disruption.”
Pro Comp: Everson Griffen
- Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa (Profile)
Summary: “His most shining reps also did come from the interior, even if he’s more consistent with a more promising future at EDGE. Van Ness is a great talent, even if he’s not as special as some are making him out to be. Whatever team drafts him better have a ton of patience and enough security to roll the dice.”
Pro Comp(s): Solomon Thomas – Carlos Dunlap
- Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State (Profile)
Summary: “One, he’s a great pass rusher who’s remarkably refined for a 21 year-old, and I think many within the Draft community are underselling his natural tools. Two, FAU isn’t much of a run defender yet but I think he can get there with time and more coaching; he has the right stuff to hold his own.”
Pro Comp: Jerry Hughes
- Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA (Profile)
Summary: “When a RB hits the Draft who’s as physical, naturally gifted AND smart as Charbonnet, he usually pans out at the next level. He just gets the ins and outs of playing running back beyond the required athleticism to do it.”
Pro Comp: Arian Foster
‘WHAT I WOULD DO’ MOCK DRAFT
This is a quick, non-predictive exercise; simply what I would do as the GM of each team across these 31 slots. No trades, just picks.
1. Carolina Panthers: CJ Stroud (QB – Ohio State)
2. Houston Texans: Will Anderson (EDGE – Alabama)
3. Arizona Cardinals: Christian Gonzalez (CB – Oregon)
4. Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Richardson (QB – Florida)
5. Seattle Seahawks: Peter Skoronski (OT – Northwestern)
6. Detroit Lions: Bryce Young (QB – Alabama)
7. Las Vegas Raiders: Deonte Banks (CB – Maryland)
8. Atlanta Falcons: Nolan Smith (EDGE – Georgia)
9. Chicago Bears: Jalen Carter (DT – Georgia)
10. Philadelphia Eagles: Myles Murphy (EDGE – Clemson)
11. Tennessee Titans: Darnell Wright (OT – Tennessee)
12. Houston Texans: Quentin Johnston (WR – TCU)
13. Green Bay Packers: Darnell Washington (TE – Georgia)
14. New England Patriots: Zay Flowers (WR – Boston College)
15. New York Jets: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR – Ohio State)
16. Washington Commanders: Bijan Robinson (RB – Texas)
17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Paris Johnson Jr (OT – Ohio State)
18. Detroit Lions: Bryan Bresee (DT – Clemson)
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Anton Harrison (OT – Oklahoma)
20. Seattle Seahawks: Joey Porter Jr (CB – Penn State)
21. Los Angeles Chargers: Michael Mayer (TE – Notre Dame)
22. Baltimore Ravens: DJ Turner (CB – Michigan)
23. Minnesota Vikings: Will Levis (QB – Kentucky)
24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Cody Mauch (OG – North Dakota State)
25. New York Giants: Drew Sanders (LB – Arkansas)
26. Dallas Cowboys: Devon Witherspoon (CB – Illinois)
27. Buffalo Bills: Felix Anudike-Uzomah (EDGE – Kansas State)
28. Cincinnati Bengals: Adetomiwa Adebawore (EDGE – Northwestern)
29. New Orleans Saints: Lukas Van Ness (EDGE – Iowa)
30. Philadelphia Eagles: Zach Charbonnet (RB – UCLA)
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Tyree Wilson (EDGE – Texas Tech)