NFL Draft 2023 Big Board: The Athletic’s updated top 100 prospect rankings (2023)

EDGE

Alabama

EDGE

Alabama

AGE: 21 STARTS: 41 EDGE1

One of most productive edge rushers in college football history, Anderson has been billed as a can’t-miss prospect since his breakout campaign in 2021. Dating to when the NCAA began tracking tackles for loss and sacks in 2005, Anderson ranks 10th and fifth in those respective categories for his career. His most productive games came against LSU and Mississippi State in 2021, when he combined for 8.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. In the last two seasons, he’s logged a tackle for loss in every SEC conference game but one. Anderson won consecutive SEC Defensive Player of the Year awards and paired those with consecutive AP All-America nods and Bronco Nagurski Trophy wins — the latter recognizes the best defensive player in the country.

At 6-foot-3 and 253 pounds, Anderson has a full toolkit of skills to strike, disengage and turn tight corners around tackles and tight ends. That combination is what makes him equally valuable against the run and the pass. His 4.6-second 40-yard dash, plus his 34-inch arms, makes him a premier speed-rushing prospect. It also could make him the first non-QB drafted in 2023. — Diante Lee

QB

Alabama

QB

Alabama

AGE: 21 STARTS: 27 QB1

The 2021 Heisman winner, Bryce Young posted eye-popping numbers over his final two Alabama seasons: 79 passing touchdowns (to just 12 interceptions) and more than 8,000 yards through the air. The Tide lost just four times over that stretch — twice on last-second field goals, once in overtime and once in a national-title game against Georgia.

Young (204 pounds) bulked up for the combine, as expected, but Alabama listed him at 194, and he didn’t weigh in again at his pro day. His frame will be a talking point in NFL draft rooms. However, everything else about Young’s game screams “franchise quarterback,” including his incredible ability to uncover calm during chaos. Time and again during his college career, Young found plays that seemingly didn’t exist, using his athleticism to escape pressure and his vision to find teammates downfield.

Though Young may not have the rocket arm of others in this class, he has proven more than capable of delivering throws to all levels, off all platforms. He’s a smart, experienced leader and an easy top-10 prospect, provided GMs can get past his size. — Chris Burke

DT

Georgia

DT

Georgia

AGE: 22 STARTS: 13 DT1

Carter is a mauling interior defensive lineman who wins with length and upper-body strength, while also boasting the athleticism and experience to play across the defensive line.

He has strong hands and primarily wins as a pocket pusher. Carter also flashes of an ability to vary up his technique, though, and can turn the corner on twists and games. In addition to stacking offensive linemen, Carter has the explosive ability and quickness to beat one-on-one blocks at the snap and disrupt both the run and pass.

Though he does show the ability to hold up against blockers, his ability to anchor at the point of attack is a bit inconsistent. That can be fixable as he gets older and develops even more lower-body strength and consistent technique.

Carter has the potential to be scheme-proof, but a team that wants to use Carter as a disruptive three-technique in a four-man front might be ideal — at least early in his career.

In March, Carter pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges of racing and reckless driving, stemming from his involvement in a fatal car-racing accident. — Nate Tice

CB

Oregon

CB

Oregon

AGE: 20 STARTS: 30 CB1

A versatile cornerback from Oregon, Gonzalez has bloomed into one of the top prospects in the 2023 class. Measuring in above 6-foot-0 and just under 200 pounds, he fits the mold of the taller corners that the NFL has sought after in the modern era, and he has legitimate speed to go with the size (4.38 40-yard dash). His wingspan is above average, and he posted an elite vertical jump (41.5 inches), so there’s reason to believe that Gonzalez can match up with every kind of receiver.

Gonzalez’s tape is an affirmation of his athletic profile.In press coverage, Gonzalez, who lined up both outside and in the slot, is patient with his feet and recovers well when he loses leverage. His hips are fluid and help him to play the ball outside of a typical cornerback’s catch radius — his 2022 interceptions against Colorado and Oregon State served as evidence of that. Gonzalez is also a willing tackler (100 solo stops in his career), making him a complete prospect and an easy projection for NFL evaluators. — Diante Lee

QB

Ohio State

QB

Ohio State

AGE: 21 STARTS: 25 QB2

Stroud is a smooth and mechanically sound quarterback whose beauty is in the simplicity of his game.

Stroud has good size and rapidly improved over his two years as a starter. He now consistently finds the correct answer in his progressions and is able to layer accurate throws at all three levels. He also has the arm strength to deliver any route without issue.

Though he doesn’t always display his athleticism, Stroud is a solid athlete (and maybe more). He prefers to do his damage from the pocket, but he flashed plus creativity as a thrower and runner — most notably, in Ohio State’s 2022 matchups with Northwestern and Georgia.

At times, Stroud will take an extra hitch before releasing the football, which is a product of an Ohio State passing game that features vertical concepts. That feature can be quickened with more reps.

Overall, Stroud has a polished skill set. He can manage the game pre-snap and offers enough upside post-snap to be a quarterback that can help carry a team to wins. — Nate Tice

OT

Northwestern

OT

Northwestern

AGE: 21 STARTS: 33 OT1

The grandson of the late Bob Skoronski, an offensive lineman and captain of the Vince Lombardi-era Packers, Peter Skoronski was a three-year starter at left tackle for Northwestern after arriving in 2020 as a highly recruited center. An All-American as a junior, Skoronski’s blend of foot speed, athletic burst, flexibility and IQ make him an O-line prospect without many flaws.

He’s not flawless, though. Many NFL evaluators have questions about Skoronski’s length as a tackle. In so many ways, he is a newer version of Rashawn Slater, the player he replaced at Northwestern. Slater is faster, but Skoronski is more explosive.

Be it at tackle or inside at guard, Skoronski has the athleticism and recovery skills necessary to start and make an impact for an NFL team, immediately. He’s an elite offensive lineman. — Nick Baumgardner

RB

Texas

RB

Texas

AGE: 21 STARTS: 28 RB1

Arguably the most talented offensive player in this draft, Robinson enters the 2023 NFL draft with a Doak Walker Award, a unanimous All-America nod and 86 career touchdowns. Robinson also averaged 7.0 yards per offensive touch, outpacing the statistical production of Saquon Barkley and Ezekiel Elliott and matching that of Christian McCaffery, all players to which Robinson will draw favorable comparisons.

Athletically, Robinson has speed and explosiveness scores in the 80th percentiles across the board. His combination of traits and an innate feel for the game makes Robinson a special prospect, regardless of how the NFL values running backs in the modern game.

Robinson idolized and patterned his game after Reggie Bush, and his elusiveness calls back memories of Bush’s USC days. Robinson is also a much better pass blocker than he’s given credit for, which will give him several uses in the passing game of any offense.

Robinson is a good fit in any scheme, and teams without feature backs are going to have a hard time letting a talent like this pass by. — Diante Lee

EDGE

Texas Tech

EDGE

Texas Tech

AGE: 22 STARTS: 28 EDGE2

Wilson was in the midst of a dominant season at Texas Tech last year before a foot injury sidelined him in November. He opted for surgery but said at the combine that he’s “ahead of schedule” on his rehab process.

Wilson, who was born in Alaska before his family moved to Texas, recorded 50 pressures in 11 games last season and was among the national leaders in win rate. He used his elite length and athletic recovery skills to hammer tackles, guards and TEs off the edge.

His best assets off the edge are his length and ability to use his hands properly, both with a straight punch or a quick swim move. Wilson’s arm length (35 5/8 inches) was a shade higher than Travon Walker’s measurement at the 2022 combine.

More long than explosive, Wilson has work to do in terms of consistency with his approach — he plays too tall at times. With refinement, though, he could be a dominant, three-down edge. — Nick Baumgardner

CB

Illinois

CB

Illinois

AGE: 22 STARTS: 32 CB2

Witherspoon is a highly intelligent player and a tone setter at the cornerback position. He is at his best when playing in zone coverage, which allows him to use his awareness and active eyes to disrupt passing concepts and work downhill as a tackler.

In man coverage, Witherspoon has the hip looseness to transition when needed. He also plays with good ball skills and an understanding of body positioning, but he lacks overwhelming speed — that deficiency will show up against faster receivers. Though he has adequate height and is a physical player, Witherspoon also has below-average weight.

Overall, Witherspoon is a hard-hitting player with an advanced understanding of how to play his position. He is a strong tackler who will add to a team’s highlight reel with some of his hits. His ceiling is a bit of a question mark, because of his lack of weight and top-end athleticism, but it’s hard not to love his play style and mental polish. — Nate Tice

EDGE

Iowa

EDGE

Iowa

AGE: 21 STARTS: 0 EDGE3

As an edge defender, Van Ness has ideal size and athletic traits but is still learning to harness all of his tools. He didn’t start at Iowa, but he was a key part of a deep and experienced defensive line and had solid production (10.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks in 2022).

Van Ness lined up inside and outside in college, and he has a long frame (that he’s still growing into) that should allow him to do the same at the next level. Right now, he is better against the run than pass, flashing hand pop and quickness to get off blocks with the length to set an edge.

His limited experience shows up in his pass-rushing arsenal. He does not have a deep toolbox and primarily wins using a bull rush, with which he can show off his explosive athleticism and length.

Any team drafting Van Ness will be betting on his continued development. He has the height-length-athleticism combination that gives him the upside of a scheme-proof game wrecker. But it will take some time, and good coaching, to harness his ability. — Nate Tice

EDGE

Georgia

EDGE

Georgia

AGE: 22 STARTS: 23 EDGE4

A prep running back/defensive tackle turned do-everything edge, Nolan Smith is the type of three-down prospect modern defenses covet. There were faster defenders at Georgia during the Bulldogs’ back-to-back title run. There were bigger players, stronger players, freakier players. But no one did more for Kirby Smart’s defense than Nolan Smith.

The 6-foot-2, 238-pounder spent time rushing the passer, defending the run and in pass coverage. So much of Smith’s role at Georgia was about creating opportunities for others, but he was known for making critical plays in critical moments. He’s not big or long (32 5/8-inch arms), but he ran a 4.39 40 and posted a 41 1/2-inch vert.

Smith is a utility knife and a great one. A leader and a smart player, his superpower is never having to sub out regardless of the situation. — Nick Baumgardner

OT

Ohio State

OT

Ohio State

AGE: 21 STARTS: 26 OT2

Originally a five-star tackle recruit out of Cincinnati, Johnson’s blend of insane length and athleticism makes him one of the top offensive linemen in this class. A top-10 recruit nationally coming out of high school, Johnson started 13 games at guard for the Buckeyes in 2021, then shifted to left tackle last season.

In space, Johnson moves like a tight end. He was fast enough to climb to the second level as a guard in Ohio State’s explosive run scheme, but also quick enough to protect on the edge. His athletic recovery keeps him in every play, even when he’s made a mistake.

Johnson’s best football is still ahead of him. He’s relatively new to working exclusively at left tackle, so there will be hiccups, as consistency with technique is something Johnson is working on. He has top-10 value, though, and is no worse than the third-best tackle prospect in this class. — Nick Baumgardner

QB

Kentucky

QB

Kentucky

AGE: 23 STARTS: 26 QB3

Levis is an enigma for evaluators and draft analysts. There’s a chasm in his quality of play against top competition in 2021 and 2022, for a wide variety of factors. His best offensive linemen left the Kentucky program (as did his top receivers and running backs after 2021) and his offensive coordinator (Liam Coen) returned to the NFL. As a result, some of Levis’ warts were exposed, with his game last October against Tennessee being the worst of it (16-for-27, 98 yards, three INTs). Levis was late over the middle of the field and misread coverages throughout that game, and he looked a world apart from the player we saw in 2021.

For all the legitimate concerns found on Levis’ 2022 tape, the season prior was full of reasons to believe in his potential. With a more competitive supporting cast around him, Levis was comfortable in a zone-blocking, play-action-heavy scheme that reflects the way many successful NFL offenses attack. He also was a more dynamic player outside of the pocket, creating offense with his legs and extending plays, and showed off impressive arm talent.

Which Will Levis is the real one? It depends whom you ask. — Diante Lee

QB

Florida

QB

Florida

AGE: 21 STARTS: 13 QB4

The most physically gifted quarterback in the class, Richardson had a historic combine in several areas. Though he started his prep career as a wide receiver and basketball player before landing at quarterback, Richardson didn’t play most of his senior year of high school because of an injury and only played four games at Florida in 2020.

His passing stats are hardly impressive (53.8 completion rate, 17 touchdowns, 9 interceptions), but his physicals — and explosive flashes on film — are undeniable. In the right situation, and with the right coach, Richardson could be the perfect quarterback for the modern NFL. A team captain with an explosive arm and nimble feet in the pocket, Richardson could do damage as a runner between the tackles or as a passer capable of taking the top off a defense.

The key word with Richardson is “potential,” as the 21-year-old still has much to prove. — Nick Baumgardner

OT

Georgia

OT

Georgia

AGE: 21 STARTS: 19 OT3

Jones, an explosive athlete built for the modern game, could have pursued a college basketball career as a bruising power forward. A natural mover without much fat on his frame, Jones’ length and explosive play strength made him a mauler as a 15-game starter at left tackle for Georgia in 2022.

That was his only year as a starter, though (Jones backed up Jamaree Salyer as a sophomore). He also doesn’t always play with great technique, and his punch in pass protection can be erratic.

Jones only played tackle in college, but he has the feet and power to be a guard if need be. A physical protector who could play on either side, Jones will be the top-rated tackle on a few team boards this spring. — Nick Baumgardner

SAF

Alabama

SAF

Alabama

AGE: 21 STARTS: 22 SAF1

As NFL defenses are increasingly desperate to match up with the current era of spread offenses, filling the defensive perimeter with smart and multifaceted players has become the highest priority. That’s why safety Brian Branch could land in the top 20 picks of this year’s draft.

Earning All-America and All-SEC honors while splitting playing time with other future pros at Alabama is quite a feat, which speaks to how often Branch found himself around the football. He finished top three on the team in total tackles and tackles for loss as a slot defender, drawing favorable comparisons to Minkah Fitzpatrick and some of Nick Saban’s more high-profile defensive backs.

Branch is a disciplined defender in every phase of the game. He can diagnose offensive tendencies by formations and motions, take on and slip past blocks, cover a wide range of routes from the slot and finish with good form on his tackles. He has ball skills, too, so making him a full-time deep safety would open up more opportunities to affect the game when the ball is in the air.

Branch is an easy evaluation and the type of player every team needs. — Diante Lee

CB

Penn State

CB

Penn State

AGE: 22 STARTS: 31 CB3

Porter plays with an edge that speaks to his pedigree — his dad was a longtime NFL linebacker. He is an outside cornerback with size, and he constantly displays a physical presence, length and high intelligence for the game.

Seldom does Porter get outworked or outmuscled when the ball is in the air. He also loves to press receivers at the line of scrimmage. Porter consistently uses his long arms to his advantage when timing up his pass breakups. He plays with good eyes when used as a zone defender and shows an understanding for offensive pass concepts.

He’s also a quality tackler, which Penn State showed off by letting him blitz and attack. Porter does lack top-end long speed, burst and foot quickness, all of which can show up when he gets beaten off the line — and will only be amplified against NFL wide receivers.

His ball skills and tracking ability help him mitigate those disadvantages and will be useful against physical pass catchers. Porter’s frequent hand usage will be called tighter at the next level, however, and will require a transition period. — Nate Tice

EDGE

Clemson

EDGE

Clemson

AGE: 21 STARTS: 27 EDGE5

Murphy is built like a classic four-down defensive end with a very nice combination of length and size. He produced throughout his college career (36.0 tackles for loss, 18.5 sacks), against both the run and pass.

Murphy’s best move as a pass rusher is a bull rush, and he has enough strength to effectively use a long arm. He also shows athleticism at the snap of the ball and is effective both on slants across the faces of offensive tackles and as a penetrator on D-line games. He plays with a good motor and is more than willing to pursue runs from the backside.

Murphy does need to continue to add to his pass-rushing arsenal and become more consistent with his hand usage. He has the movement ability and bend to do so, but he’s currently predictable to the point that NFL offensive tackles will nullify him.

The Clemson product can help a defense early in his NFL career, though. He should be able to set the edge against the run and has tools to work with as a pass rusher. He also offers some potential scheme and alignment versatility, too. — Nate Tice

WR

USC

WR

USC

AGE: 21 STARTS: 32 WR1

Smooth in every movement, the 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner is in the conversation to be one of the top receivers taken in the draft, despite his size. At less than 180 pounds, Addison will have doubters who will question his ability to produce against NFL defenders. However, Addison will have Devonta Smith and Hollywood Brown as recent examples of smaller receivers who have succeeded at a similar weight.

Addison was a threat at all three levels for both Pitt and USC — he joined the Trojans for the 2022 season. If he’s given any space, Addison has the subtle movement skills to separate from defenders. He tracks the ball well and attacks it in the air. He’s not the most slippery or shifty with the ball in his hands, but he’s an efficient north-south runner, and his burst helps him find hidden yardage on screens or underneath throws.

There’s some question about Addison’s scheme fit, given his struggles against press coverage and that his size could preclude him from being an effective blocker. If he can find an offense that needs an inside receiving threat, though, he’s arguably the best option in this class. — Diante Lee

RB

Alabama

RB

Alabama

AGE: 21 STARTS: 28 RB2

One of the biggest winners of the 2022 transfer portal, Gibbs finished his career at Alabama after rushing for better than 1,200 yards and making 50 catches in two years at Georgia Tech. Gibbs played in 12 games at Alabama last season and was able to show his foot quickness and speed versus SEC competition.

Gibbs ran for 6.1 yards per carry (151 attempts) in 2022, and as important, he made 44 catches for 444 yards and three touchdowns. Gibbs had two games with at least eight receptions and caught at least four passes in five games. He clocked a 4.36 40 in Indy and also has value as a returner.

There’s a lot of tread on the tires, and the number of things he can do for an offense is something we’re still figuring out. As a versatile — albeit not overly proven — playmaker, he can be the lead attraction in a two-man backfield, but he will need help over time. — Nick Baumgardner

WR

Ohio State

WR

Ohio State

AGE: 21 STARTS: 15 WR2

Owner of the best hands in the 2023 NFL Draft, Smith-Njigba is a reliable underneath/intermediate route runner from the slot. He had questions around his health all season long after he missed the majority of the year with a hamstring issue. Smith-Njigba also didn’t run the 40 at the combine, but he clocked a reported 4.53 at Ohio State’s pro day. If that’s an accurate representation of his speed, his 6.57 three-cone and 3.93 shuttle times help to paint Smith-Njigba as an ideal shifty slot for today’s NFL.

Smith-Njigba is sudden as a route runner in the middle of the field, able to find soft spots in zones and understand where a quarterback’s timing and progression marries up with the route being run. He attacks the football and can make defenders miss if given the space.

Smith-Njigba has a smaller wingspan (75 1/2 inches) and below-average vertical jump (35 inches). He’s also spent little time working on his blocking, so he’s another receiver in this class that’s not likely to play multiple roles within an offense. But he can take up a large share of targets in any passing game. — Diante Lee

DT

Clemson

DT

Clemson

AGE: 21 STARTS: 21 DT2

The country’s top-ranked high school prospect in 2020, Bresee’s a 6-5, 298-pound defensive tackle/edge prospect with violent hands, an explosive first step (1.71 10-yard split) and the ability to seal gaps and split doubles at a variety of spots up front. When healthy as a true freshman, Bresee flashed big promise. He missed most of 2021 with an ACL injury and played through 2022 while grieving the death of his 15-year-old sister, Ella.

When healthy and able to focus on football, Bresee was productive on a deep Clemson roster. His last two seasons were quieter, but that’s understandable. Another concern here would be length, as Bresee measured in with 32 1/2-inch arms in Indy.

We haven’t seen Bresee’s best football yet because of injury and circumstances beyond his control. He’s a top-15 talent, but where will he land? — Nick Baumgardner

TE

Notre Dame

TE

Notre Dame

AGE: 21 STARTS: 27 TE1

Mayer is a do-everything type of player with tangible proof that he can be a three-down tight end, align across the formation and provide quality snaps for an offense.

He’s an intelligent player and solid athlete whose game should translate nicely to the next level, both as a receiver and a blocker. He has good, strong hands and has shown no issues snatching throws away from his body, even in tightly contested situations.

Mayer is an above-average route runner. He’ll do his best work on short and intermediate routes, where he can use his burst and size out of breaks. He is not an overwhelming athlete but does have adequate speed to run down the seam. Mayer is naturally strong and flashes an ability to play inline, but he still has to become more consistent with his blocking technique to be used there in the NFL.

Mayer might not have the athletic tools and length to make him a high-end mismatch nightmare, but he will be a quarterback’s best friend as a versatile auxiliary weapon and provide winning snaps as a blocker. — Nate Tice

OT

Tennessee

OT

Tennessee

AGE: 21 STARTS: 42 OT4

There’s been a slow build in draft hype around Wright, but those who have watched him closely all come away with a similar sentiment: He has an argument as the top tackle in this class. At 333 pounds, Wright ran a 5.01 40-yard dash, an incredible number at that size. Wright’s explosiveness as a run blocker is clear — he moves bodies with ease on the edge. His pad level and lower-body strength are exactly what you’d look for in a powerful tackle, and he’s part of the reason Tennessee moved the ball with such ease in 2022.

As a pass protector, Wright already has a strong understanding of how to solve problems against the varying defensive fronts and pass-rush styles he’ll see at the next level. It all starts with his footwork, and his combination of balance and power is why he can keep edge rushers away from his quarterback.

If Wright can land on a team that runs the ball downhill to set up deep pockets with play actions, don’t be surprised if he looks like a Pro Bowl talent during the life of his first contract. — Diante Lee

TE

Utah

TE

Utah

AGE: 23 STARTS: 24 TE2

Kincaid is a very good athlete with excellent ball skills, and he maximizes every target opportunity. His loose hips and body control show up as a route runner and after the catch. He’s also already displayed an advanced route tree and that he can get north quickly with the ball in his hands.

Kincaid is a natural catcher of the football and has no issues extending for throws away from his body to maximize his range, which makes sense given his basketball background. Though he lacks the size to play inline or be a consistent blocker at the point of attack in the NFL, he is an intelligent and tough player who rarely missteps when working to his assignment. He’ll give effort with his blocking.

Kincaid is still working through a back injury and will be an older rookie (he’ll turn 24 in the middle of his rookie season). He also will have some limitations in where he can align and what he can do as a blocker, but Kincaid can be a mismatch from a wing alignment or split out. — Nate Tice

DT

Pittsburgh

DT

Pittsburgh

AGE: 22 STARTS: 29 DT3

It’s inevitable that an undersized, productive defensive tackle from Pittsburgh would draw comparisons to Aaron Donald. It’s an unfair weight to place on Calijah Kancey’s shoulders, but his tape will pique your interest.

Kancey ran one of the best 40 times in combine history for a defensive tackle, and his explosion out of his stance was evident throughout his college career —– he dominated Virginia last season with seven combined tackles for loss and sacks. He’s not just winning with speed, either. Kancey has active hands and agile feet to slip by guards as a run defender, and the motor to run down plays on the perimeter.

There’s no escaping Kancey’s size concerns, though. At 6-foot-0, 281 pounds, he’s in the bottom-five percentiles at his position, and his arm length (30 5/8 inches) is borderline historically short for a DT.

To take Kancey and use him only as a defensive tackle would be a big swing, as it’s rare for interior defensive linemen to consistently win with speed. If Kancey can land with a team that moves him inside and out to protect him from double teams, there’s a pathway for success. — Diante Lee

WR

Tennessee

WR

Tennessee

AGE: 21 STARTS: 14 WR3

A slightly built wide receiver with the long speed to take the top off a defense on every play, Hyatt primarily lined up in the slot in college and is at his best when given a clean release to threaten safeties vertically.

Hyatt is raw as a route runner, though, because of the simplistic offense that Tennessee runs. He will have some work to do to add to his route tree and harness his ability to attack vertically while showing nuance on other routes. He is also inconsistent when working through contact against more physical defenders. He’ll need to prove that he can work outside as well as from the slot.

Rather than making defenders miss in a phone booth, Hyatt is more of a seam-splitter with the ball in his hands, able to plant his foot and get north.

Hyatt is a smooth athlete with good ball-tracking skills, length and hands, and he will provide a field-stretching element to any offense. To provide more than that, he’ll have to continue working on the other parts of his craft. — Nate Tice

CB

Maryland

CB

Maryland

AGE: 22 STARTS: 24 CB4

An explosive corner with solid length and terrific speed, Banks blew up the combine with a 4.35 40 (1.49 split), a 42-inch vertical jump and an 11-4 broad jump. Banks made an impact for Maryland as a freshman in 2019 before fighting through a shoulder injury that cost him most of 2021. His 2022 season was terrific, however, as he held opposing quarterbacks to a 43.3 percent completion rate on 60 targets.

Banks is only two years removed from a season-ending shoulder injury, which shouldn’t be ignored. He was a solid corner early in his career, although he didn’t hit his stride until his fourth year in school.

Teams will need to make sure Banks’ shoulder injury is no longer a concern. He still has some technique issues to iron out, too. When healthy, though, Banks can be a physical press or zone corner who isn’t afraid to help against the run. — Nick Baumgardner

WR

TCU

WR

TCU

AGE: 21 STARTS: 29 WR4

One of the highest-rated recruits Gary Patterson ever signed at TCU, Johnston averaged better than 22 yards per reception as a true freshman in 2020. A huge, explosive target with a great catch radius, he exploded in 2022 (60 catches, 1,069 yards, six touchdowns) as a junior working inside Sonny Dykes’ version of the Air Raid.

Johnston’s terrific frame/speed combo (33 5/8-inch arms) is aided by outstanding lower-half explosion. Johnston recorded a 40 1/2-inch vertical at the combine and an 11-2 broad jump. The biggest critique of his game right now is that he doesn’t lean into his physical dominance often enough. He has also had issues with drops.

Johnston’s body type should have allowed him to be more productive during his time at TCU, but he’s still learning the finer points of the position and he went through a coaching change. He could be a superstar in time. — Nick Baumgardner

TE

Oregon State

TE

Oregon State

AGE: 22 STARTS: 16 TE3

A talented tight end prospect with true three-down potential, Musgrave (20 games played over four years) simply lacks playing experience because of injuries that limited his college career.

He has the height-weight-speed combination teams covet when attempting to mine a diamond at the position. Musgrave played primarily as an off-ball F tight end or split out at Oregon State and was an inconsistent blocker, but he has the frame and want-to that could help him moonlight as an inline TE or as a point-of-attack blocker. He also has the speed, agility and size to be a true mismatch in the passing game, and he’s already showed glimpses of having access to an expanded route tree.

Whichever team drafts Musgrave will be betting on the glimpses of high-end play early we saw early in his 2022 season. If he can stay healthy and go to a place that continues to develop his technique and consistency — especially in the run game — then there is a path for Musgrave to unlock high-end play. — Nate Tice

LB

Arkansas

LB

Arkansas

AGE: 21 STARTS: 15 LB1

A downhill thumper at inside linebacker, Sanders immediately would help any defense stop the run. After starting his college career as an OLB/edge rusher at Alabama, Sanders broke out by moving off the ball and playing as Arkansas’ middle linebacker. He logged 103 tackles (13 for loss) and still produced 9.5 sacks.

Sanders didn’t do any athletic testing at the NFL combine, but his tape checks the box for the functional athleticism to play LB in the NFL. His traits are best on display when offenses try to work between the tackles, because he’s willing to take on linemen and disengage at or near the line of scrimmage. Sanders’ flexibility to play off the edge gives him added value, but an NFL defense also will ask him to cover in man or zone — the tape lacks evidence enough to say without hesitation that Sanders can handle it.

There isn’t much depth at this position in this class, so Sanders may have his stock inflated by teams with needs at linebacker. It’ll take some time for him to adjust his game, but there’s an effective defender to be found. — Diante Lee

TE

Georgia

TE

Georgia

AGE: 21 STARTS: 27 TE4

With a power-forward body type, Darnell Washington is probably the most impressive-looking player in this draft. At 6-foot-7, 264 pounds with a seven-foot wingspan and hands nearly a foot wide, the tight end from Georgia has all the athletic potential in the world. Washington also ran a 4.64-second 40-yard dash, a short shuttle of 4.08 (ranking in the 97th percentile at his position) and broad jumped more than 10 feet — adding his name to the growing list of UGA players to blow up the combine.

There’s a logical assumption that his best skill is blocking, but what he brings as a receiver will be his most valuable asset (in spite of only producing 45 career receptions). He changes speed well, wins at the catch point and can extend outside of his body to secure the ball.

As a blocker, he still has plenty of room to grow. Specifically, he can stand to improve his feet to get more of his lower-body strength into his blocks. Once that’s cleaned up, Washington is going to be scary as an in-line tight end and jump-ball threat in the red zone. — Diante Lee

EDGE

LSU

EDGE

LSU

AGE: 21 STARTS: 24 EDGE6

The younger brother of Giants edge Azeez Ojulari, Jamiu Bolaji “BJ” Ojulari was an edge rusher/right tackle at Marietta High School in Georgia, and as a senior bested his brother’s top season with a school-record 19 sacks. Long and explosive off the edge, Ojulari is a bendy athlete who knows how to use his length as a pass rusher. He has a developed move set with counters and can be a problem off the corner for slow-footed tackles.

Comfortable dropping into coverage, Ojulari lacks power in just about every area of his game and might not be the best option against the run. He knows how to retrace and can get back to the football pretty easily, but scouts must wish he would do it more.

A high-production, stand-up outside linebacker with room to grow, Ojulari knows how to get to the quarterback and will likely find a way to produce as a pro. — Nick Baumgardner

CB

Mississippi State

CB

Mississippi State

AGE: 22 STARTS: 34 CB5

Forbes is slightly built, but he’s a long and athletic cornerback prospect with true playmaking ability. He knows how to use his plus length (79-inch wingspan) when pressing receivers and recovering to break up passes, and he has excellent ball skills to high point and consistently make plays on the ball in the air. His interception total in college (14 career INTs) speaks to those traits.

Forbes plays with good awareness and does a nice job timing up his aggression and quickly reacting when the ball is thrown underneath. He also has enough athleticism and long speed to recover on throws down the field.

His length will make his footwork inconsistent when transitioning out of press, and his skinny frame and below-average play strength show up when he is asked to tackle. But Forbes is an aggressive and smart cornerback prospect with the length and ball skills to take advantage of how he reads the game.

How he handles bigger NFL receivers will be a question mark, but his dynamic play will intrigue teams and should let him see the field early at the next level. — Nate Tice

CB

Georgia

CB

Georgia

AGE: 20 STARTS: 27 CB6

In the mold of the bump-and-run corners we’ve seen thrive in the NFL for decades, Ringo challenged every team’s top receiver at the line of scrimmage over the course of his college career. Responsible for the most iconic play in Georgia’s recent history — a 79-yard pick-six to seal the 2021 College Football Playoff championship against Alabama — Ringo has good hands, an ability to track the ball in the air and the tenacity at the catch point to deny receivers on vertical throws. Against Tennessee, an offense that was producing video game-level passing numbers, Ringo held Cedric Tillman and Jalin Hyatt well below their average production.

Ringo has the speed, height and weight (6-foot-2, 207 pounds, 4.36 40-yard dash) to play press coverage, but his wingspan (74 1/8 inches) is below average at his position. So, too, is his ability to change direction. Ringo won’t be able to cover the entire route tree on Day One, but his physicality makes him ideal for defending bigger receivers, and there already have been whispers about developing his game to play some safety.

Ringo may have a lower ceiling than other corners in the draft, but his value is undeniable. — Diante Lee

OG

Florida

OG

Florida

AGE: 23 STARTS: 46 OG1

This powerhouse of a guard was dominant at Louisiana under Billy Napier before spending one year as a dominant interior lineman at Florida in the SEC. Torrence plays with great length (33 7/8-inch arms) and size (6-5, 330), and his massive 11 1/4-inch mitts pack serious punch. He’s a mauler, and if a defensive tackle lacks play strength, Torrence might split him in two.

The best offensive guard in this class, the biggest ding against Torrence is the fact that he’s a guard-only prospect. He didn’t play anywhere else at Florida. (He took some tackle reps at the Senior Bowl and didn’t exactly look terrific.) His lower half isn’t where his power comes from, and his foot speed is just OK.

Still, Torrence projects as a long-term starting guard who can exist and thrive in multiple systems. — Nick Baumgardner

LB

Clemson

LB

Clemson

AGE: 21 STARTS: 27 LB2

Simpson is an excellent athlete with long arms and good size for the linebacker position. He is at his best when he can use his speed to read and react, chasing down ball carriers as opposed to taking on blocks. He has issues staying clean against climbing offensive lineman, because of his inconsistent technique.

Simpson is a good blitzer, though. He can weaponize his speed and get into the backfield in a hurry. Coverage-wise, he can thrive in man coverage, when his assignment is simpler and he can use his athleticism to stay sticky on tight ends. His eyes tend to be all over the place when he’s asked to play in zone — he tries to read the quarterback and discern the pass concept.

It might take some time to figure out his best role, but Simpson has the size and athleticism that NFL teams will bet on. He’s had good stretches of play as an on-ball SAM linebacker and as a point-and-shoot defender. Moving forward, he’ll still need to improve his awareness as a player. — Nate Tice

DT

Michigan

DT

Michigan

AGE: 21 STARTS: 28 DT4

As explosive as any big man in this class, Smith’s raw power with his punch and what he generates in his massive lower half makes him a prototypical space-eating, run-defending nose tackle in today’s NFL. He posted 34 reps on the bench at the combine, and Michigan says he has posted a broad jump of 11-4 at 6-3, 323 pounds — it’s important to note he did no testing at the combine other than the bench press.

Not an instant producer in college, it took Smith until the midway point of his career to make a serious impact. Though Michigan says his athletic tests are off the charts, he often lacks that explosion in his get-off at the line of scrimmage and may struggle on passing downs in the NFL.

Smith, a senior captain at Michigan, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor weapons charge in Ann Arbor in 2022 and was sentenced to a year of probation. — Nick Baumgardner

WR

Boston College

WR

Boston College

AGE: 22 STARTS: 35 WR5

Flowers is a dynamic player with the potential to play inside or outside, despite his below-average size. He’s a very good overall athlete, and he shows off explosiveness and burst, both as a route runner and with the ball in his hands.

Already armed with advanced understanding and feel as a route runner, Flowers knows how to tempo his speed and has no issues flying out of more nuanced, underneath breaking routes. He is an effective player on designed touches and has excellent long speed to threaten defenses vertically.

Though his lack of length limits his catching range, Flowers has good hands and is comfortable extending for throws. He’s an adequate ball tracker on deep throws, too.

Flowers’ biggest limitations are his lack of size and length, which might force him to operate primarily from the slot at the NFL level. He’ll also have issues working through press coverage — more physical defenders can nullify his athleticism, which raises questions on whether he can contribute for long stretches on the outside.

Still, Flowers’ athleticism and route running will allow him to contribute early and be an effective part of a good passing game. — Nate Tice

OG

TCU

OG

TCU

AGE: 23 STARTS: 29 OG2

A standout left tackle in high school, Esteban “Steve” Avila took snaps at all five offensive line spots during his career at TCU — including center, despite never having snapped the ball prior to enrolling in college. The Horned Frogs’ starting center in 2021, Avila played mainly at left guard during the team’s College Football Playoff run in 2022. His 2022 campaign produced TCU’s first consensus All-American since 2015.

An incredibly tough and smart football player, Avila is one of the hardest interior linemen to bully in this class. He’s probably only a guard/center at the next level, as there would be questions about his foot speed and general explosion. He does have good length, even if he has smallish hands for a guard.

Bottom line: Avila projects as a sturdy, high-floor offensive lineman in the NFL who could wear a few hats and should fit in with any professional locker room. — Nick Baumgardner

CB

Michigan

CB

Michigan

AGE: 22 STARTS: 22 CB7

JuanDrago “DJ” Turner helped North Gwinnett High School to a state title as a junior in 2017 before moving on to IMG Academy for his senior year. Skinny, fast and fearless, Turner impressed at Michigan with his ability to hang in man coverage and slowly got better over time. Turner was one of the most efficient man-coverage corners, per PFF, as a senior and was a critical part of Michigan’s turnaround as a program.

Turner’s technique tends to come and go, his tackling is inconsistent, and he often relies too much on speed alone. But he also ran a 4.27 40 at the combine, so you can understand why those things are not always problems.

Turner has to get better with his technique and has to be a more consistent tackler on the edge, but his speed and mentality for the position are undeniable. — Nick Baumgardner

WR

North Carolina

WR

North Carolina

AGE: 21 STARTS: 23 WR6

A smooth athlete who projects to be a slot-only player at the next level, Downs is an above-average route runner and already has an advanced feel for his routes when operating against zone coverage. He has the quickness and burst to consistently come out of breaks and enough long speed to be a valid threat at all three levels. He’ll also create yards after catch with his athleticism.

Downs has good hands and is willing and able to extend for throws away from his body, too. He plays with toughness as a blocker and when catching the ball in tight spaces — that grit helps offset his small frame.

Downs’ size does limit his ability to win against press coverage, and it can lead to inconsistencies when he’s working through contact. Again, that’s why he’s likely to wind up in the slot.

That said, Downs projects as a reliable slot receiver. He does his best work on short and intermediate routes, but he has enough speed to be an occasional deep target and the agility to create a few yards after the catch. — Nate Tice

OC

Wisconsin

OC

Wisconsin

AGE: 22 STARTS: 22 OC1

Tippmann has the athleticism and intelligence to be a Day 1 starter at the next level. Though Tippmann (6-foot-6) is unusually tall for a center, he is a fluid enough athlete to keep his height from being a hindrance after he snaps the ball.

Overall, he’s just a very good athlete, with the hip flexibility to stay underneath defenders and the foot quickness to beat them to a point when zone blocking. He also stays balanced when climbing or pulling. His play strength helps him hold up against larger interior defensive linemen in pass protection and to get movement when down blocking.

He still has some inconsistencies with his hand placement, which is something that is fixable with proper coaching. And Tippmann is a fantastic communicator in pass protection and the run game, consistently showing off his awareness on a snap-to-snap basis.

Tippmann brings an intriguing package of movement skills, size and mental polish, all of which should help him make a smoother transition to the NFL smoother than most other linemen. He still has plenty of upside left, too. — Nate Tice

EDGE

Kansas State

EDGE

Kansas State

AGE: 21 STARTS: 27 EDGE7

Anudike-Uzomah has above-average size and long arms with real pass-rush ability that will translate to the next level. He already has an advanced arsenal of moves and no qualms with using them, as he’s able to change up his pass-rush plan and hand usage. He’s also a bendy athlete and can create angles for his rush by turning the corner on offensive tackles or use his pop and length to bull rush tackles.

Anudike-Uzomah’s get-off is inconsistent — he can be slow off the snap, and it puts him in a losing position. But he does play with effort in pursuing the quarterback and working through blocks. Anudike-Uzomah has the potential to be a plus pass rusher in the NFL, but he’s a below-average run defender. He will get caught playing high and lacks the lower-body strength to hold up against stronger tackles or double teams, which will only be more problematic in the NFL.

He will have a role as a designated pass rusher early in his career, and he could play more snaps as he adds strength and improves his technique playing the run. — Nate Tice

OG

North Dakota State

OG

North Dakota State

AGE: 24 STARTS: 39 OG3

A heavy-handed offensive lineman who plays with toughness and looks to finish each and every play, Mauch played offensive tackle in college but — because of a lack of length — likely will be best with a move inside.

He has good play strength and can move defenders once he latches on, as well as the ability to anchor in pass protection against defenders who attempt a bull rush. He is comfortable in space as a puller, too, and an above-average overall athlete who can stay balanced when climbing to the second level.

Mauch also plays with good awareness and eyes, which opens up the potential for a move to center down the road. He might not have the length and required foot speed to stay outside at tackle, but his skill set and versatility should earn him a starting shot inside. — Nate Tice

EDGE

Iowa State

EDGE

Iowa State

AGE: 23 STARTS: 24 EDGE8

McDonald is going to be an interesting test case for how the modern NFL can project scheme fits and position changes, because what he’s going to do in the NFL isn’t something that can be pulled directly from his college film.

He’s a little undersized (239 pounds). With nearly 35-inch arms and high marks in the vertical (36 inches) and broad jumps (132 inches), though, McDonald is an intriguing fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker who can rush or drop into coverage. But in college, McDonald spent a large share of his time playing akin to defensive tackle in Iowa State’s unique 3-3-5. Because of his (and his teammates’) size deficiencies, he often could be found slanting or looping around on twists, or pass rushing against double teams because the Cyclones dropped eight into coverage.

In no uncertain terms, what we’ve seen from McDonald to this point does not determine whether he’s going to be a productive NFL player, although he did log 40 tackles for loss and 34 sacks in his career. If he’s given some time to build continuity in one defense, his motor can drive him to finding a productive role. — Diante Lee

EDGE

Georgia Tech

EDGE

Georgia Tech

AGE: 24 STARTS: 33 EDGE9

Rushing the passer is a consistent priority, so you rarely hear edge defenders discussed as run defenders first. It’s a legitimate selling point for White, though.

The 280-plus-pound edge isn’t near as common now as it was in generations prior, which opens up the question of where White fits best with at the NFL level, but he can certainly step right in and help set an edge. In the two seasons he played all 12 games in (one of them at Old Dominion), White compiled 33 tackles for loss, mostly by knocking linemen back and disengaging to make plays in the backfield. His best outing came last November against North Carolina: four tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks.

White is not yet refined as a technician when rushing the quarterback. He struggles to finish or affect the pocket if his initial move isn’t successful, so there’s good reason to consider using him as an interior rusher on obvious passing downs. White will be best-served as a piece of the rotation, stopping the run on early downs and pushing the pocket against pass-heavy teams. — Diante Lee

WR

Cincinnati

WR

Cincinnati

AGE: 21 STARTS: 19 WR7

Scott is a springy athlete, and he has the long speed to be a legit deep threat at the next level. He’s a natural catcher of the football with the hand-eye coordination to snag throws away from his body or track the football on deep targets.

Scott’s athleticism also shows up when the ball is in his hands. He has the burst to split defenders and take any touch to the house. He has a below-average frame, but he does play tough and is willing to work in crowded spaces.

Where his lack of size and stretch show up is against physical defenders, and he can struggle against press corners. He is also just an average route runner. He telegraphs his breaks and will need to add polish there.

Scott has the soft hands to maximize every target and will bring an explosive element to an NFL offense. He can take the top off of defenses or create some yards on his own, and he has plenty of upside to tap into if he can sharpen his route running. — Nate Tice

EDGE

Auburn

EDGE

Auburn

AGE: 22 STARTS: 31 EDGE10

A prep receiver and basketball center (averaging nearly a double-double as a junior) at Gulfport High School in Mississippi, Hall attracted the attention of SEC recruiters — despite not putting up big numbers — because of his length and speed. He eventually transitioned full time to outside linebacker/edge rusher and wound up as a three-year starter at Auburn.

Hall’s speed off the edge is tremendous, some of the best in this class, and he topped 19 mph on the GPS at the Senior Bowl. He can disappear against the run, however, and he’s a bit of a straight-line pass rusher without a ton of moves.

A twitched-up athlete who will cause problems for people off the edge, Hall must improve his general approach to the run game and find a deeper move set as a pass rusher. — Nick Baumgardner

OT

Oklahoma

OT

Oklahoma

AGE: 21 STARTS: 24 OT5

Harrison has strong hands, can move defenders and flashes pop upon contact. He has good size and length for an offensive tackle prospect, especially since he’s young (he will be 21 throughout his rookie season) and has even more room to fill out.

Harrison is a good athlete, but he doesn’t know how to harness his movement ability on a snap-to-snap basis at this point in time. He can get caught playing high in the run game, and though he flashes the foot quickness to hold his own against edge rushers, he will need continued refinement with his pass sets, hand usage and ability to stay low and balanced.

Harrison does play with a good base that allows him to hold his own against more power-based rushers, but he will lose leverage let defenders get underneath him.

He has a combination of youth, strength and length with enough athleticism that NFL coaches will love the possibilities. There surely will be an acclimation period, but Harrison has the tools to be a starting offensive tackle. —Nate Tice

TE

South Dakota State

TE

South Dakota State

AGE: 22 STARTS: 27 TE5

Kraft has excellent size and athleticism combination, and he flashes the prerequisite toughness and strength as a blocker to be optimistic about his future. He is an easy mover for his size with above-average hands. He also has enough speed to threaten defenses vertically, as well as surprising balance and quickness for a player his size.

But he is raw as a route runner. And though he has upside to be a full-time inline tight end in the NFL, he is inconsistent with his blocking technique. Kraft did improve in both regards in every game he played, especially after returning from injury last season. He still has a ways to go, however.

Despite that, Kraft has a package of traits that NFL teams will love. The flashes he has shown as a player are incredibly intriguing, and his best football is ahead of him. If he lands with a good coaching staff and situation, he can improve by leaps and bounds. — Nate Tice

CB

Utah

CB

Utah

AGE: 21 STARTS: 31 CB8

Even at 5-foot-9, Phillips is as tough as they come. He was a confident tackler and coverage player throughout his career at Utah, earning All-America and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2022. His 4.51-second 40-yard dash wasn’t as impressive as his 1.51 10-yard split, and that quick burst is how Phillips closes space to jump routes and make plays on the ball. In Utah’s pair of matchups against USC last season, Phillips played Jordan Addison as well as could be expected, battling at the line of scrimmage and at the catch point.

On the other hand, Phillips has some of the shortest arms (29 inches) recorded at the combine for his position, so there will be teams that are out on him. Similar to Trent McDuffie and Roger McCreary, Phillips is going to have to play tough in the slot and make tackles, or play in zone on the perimeter and use his instincts to take away throwing windows.

If teams can set the measurables aside, Phillips can be valuable as a flexible member of a defensive backfield. — Diante Lee

LB

Iowa

LB

Iowa

AGE: 22 STARTS: 27 LB3

Campbell hasexcellent size to take on blocks in the box, and he’s more than willing to do so. An effective communicator pre-snap, Campbell plays with good awareness to discern play concepts and effectively play the run. He flashes the ability to stack and shed climbing offensive linemen while being a sound tackler.

But he will let the game come to him at times instead of being the aggressor. He is a good athlete, but it doesn’t always show because he plays in a controlled manner — there are times you wish he used his gifts more.

Campbell’s awareness does carry over against the pass. He is at his best in zone, where he can read the game, make plays on the ball and get into passing lanes. He’s also a fluid enough mover to hold his own in man.

Campbell has the size and athleticism to quickly adjust to the NFL. He doesn’t always play to his testing numbers, but if he becomes more comfortable, he has the ideal traits and play style to be a three-down linebacker. —Nate Tice

DT

Florida

DT

Florida

AGE: 21 STARTS: 24 DT5

Dexter is a big-bodied player with nimble feet, making him a good fit in any scheme or style of defense. His active hands are among his best traits, and he uses them to keep offensive linemen off of him when he’s slanting across gaps. A 4.88-second 40 and a 31-inch vertical at 310 pounds were impressive, but Dexter needs to improve getting out of his stance and exploding upfield to maximize his athletic ability.

His raw strength gets him out of trouble when guards and centers get their hands on him, but that may not be enough to produce at a high level in the NFL. When he plays with a high motor, it’s impressive watching Dexter chase scrambling quarterbacks. His 105 tackles over the last two seasons shows that he’s not just resigned to eating up blocks and keeping linebackers clean.

With all his athletic gifts, the ultimate version of Dexter would have a clear case as the second-best defensive tackle in this class, behind Jalen Carter. Dexter has to find consistency early in his pro career, though, and land with a team that pushes him to play at 100 miles per hour all game. — Diante Lee

WR

Tennessee

WR

Tennessee

AGE: 23 STARTS: 21 WR8

Tillman doesn’t have the eye-popping speed of his college teammate Jalin Hyatt, and Tennessee’s offense was built in a way that doesn’t fit Tillman’s exact skill set, so don’t be surprised if he is a better pro than a prospect.

At 6-foot-3 with nearly 33-inch arms and a 37-inch vertical, Tillman has the profile of a jump-ball winner. He’s smooth with the ball in his hands and can shake off DBs to get extra yardage in the open field. Over the last two seasons, Tillman had 101 catches for 1,498 yards and 15 touchdowns — big leaps after not seeing much of the field early in his career.

Some of his concerns have less to do with him as a player and more with the system in which he played. Tennessee doesn’t give its receivers a robust route tree, so Tillman will need to prove that he’s comfortable with the nuances of a timing-based offense. He also appeared in just 24 games over five seasons with the Volunteers, so he’s not exactly a proven commodity either.

The potential is there, though, and receivers with his play style are hard to come by. He’s worth the gamble. — Diante Lee

DT

Wisconsin

DT

Wisconsin

AGE: 21 STARTS: 36 DT6

Benton is a powerful defensive tackle who can eat blocks but also has enough explosive athleticism to work quickly into the backfield and disrupt offenses.

With his strong hands, Benton loves to use a swim move. He also has a strong club move that can knock aside one-on-one blocks. He’ll use his length to stack blockers and hold them up if asked to two-gap, but he still needs to work on staying low at the point of attack.

Benton has legitimate versatility and can align across the interior of the defensive line or fit into any type of scheme. He is stout against the run, and though his pass rushing technique is unrefined right now, there are plenty of flashes that indicate he has more upside in that area. He should be able to contribute early in the NFL with a clear path toward rapid improvement. — Nate Tice

EDGE

Notre Dame

EDGE

Notre Dame

AGE: 22 STARTS: 25 EDGE11

A one-time nationally ranked tight end recruit at De La Salle High School in California, Foskey began to focus on defense after arriving at Notre Dame in 2019. A complete athlete with great length and speed at the line of scrimmage, Foskey’s ability to get off the ball and bend the corner has long been a natural gift. He could be a hand-on-the-ground pass rusher in the NFL, but he also might be an interesting piece in coverage if things start to click.

Foskey needs to develop a better rush plan in general, however. Far too often, he simply relies on his athletic ability off the ball, and there’s not much else going on. He was productive at Notre Dame, but you could argue he should have been even better.

A terrific athlete with some raw football skills, Foskey could be outstanding in the right system. — Nick Baumgardner

OC

Minnesota

OC

Minnesota

AGE: 24 STARTS: 35 OC2

A well-built center who understands how to use leverage to his advantage in the run game, Schmitz is a tough player who can quickly process and make his call pre-snap. He’ll then attempt to finish all of his blocks post-snap.

He has good quickness, which makes him an effective zone blocker at the line of scrimmage, but is inconsistent with the angles he takes climbing to the second level. He also lacks the overwhelming length and athleticism to recover when he does miss.

Schmitz can get the job done when asked to down block, as he has enough hand strength to latch on to defenders once he makes contact. He’s also a solid and intelligent overall pass protector, though he can get out of whack at times when he overextends.

Though Schmitz lacks any true outstanding traits, he does a lot of things well. He has improved his awareness and has adequate athleticism and play strength to contribute early in his NFL career. The upside just might be limited. — Nate Tice

OT

Ohio State

OT

Ohio State

AGE: 21 STARTS: 26 OT6

A stellar football/basketball prospect at Indianapolis power Ben Davis High School, Jones — the longest player in the history of the Senior Bowl — shot better than 75 percent from the floor as a junior in high school. Per the Indianapolis Star, Jones was already 6-foot-1 by the seventh grade. He has long been in control of his massive, athletic frame.

Jones is so big, his foot speed and general quickness are hardly ideal. But his understanding of how to use his length often makes the lack of speed irrelevant. How long can a man this big hold up injury-wise? Will he be fast enough? Will any of it matter because he’s so long?

A right tackle only, there’s some risk with Jones, but possibly a lot of reward, too. — Nick Baumgardner

OT

Syracuse

OT

Syracuse

AGE: 23 STARTS: 39 OT7

A Quebec-born offensive lineman who played hockey and swam as a youngster, Bergeron took the only Power 5 offer he received and landed at Syracuse in 2019 — eventually finding himself as the program’s first true freshman to start it right tackle since 2002. A bendy, powerful athlete, he played right and left tackle at Syracuse and has the tools to work inside at guard in the NFL.

Bergeron’s strength comes as a run blocker, especially when his hands land, something with which he could be more consistent. He played well at tackle and guard at the Senior Bowl. Though many think he fits best at guard in the NFL, he absolutely has the length to be a tackle.

As a guard, Bergeron could be an instant starter in the NFL. If he can prove his worth at tackle, he would be even more valuable. — Nick Baumgardner

RB

Texas A&M

RB

Texas A&M

AGE: 21 STARTS: 10 RB3

Achane brings verifiable track speed to the table. His 10.14-second 100-meter dash ranks as one of the 10 fastest sprints in the history of Texas A&M’s program, and he logged a 4.32 40-yard dash in Indianapolis (98th percentile among RBs).

When the ball is in Achane’s hands and there’s space, few in this class are better at making the defense pay. The best example from Achane’s college career was a 60-yard run against Arkansas on which Achane outpaced the pursuit angles of several defenders. There’s more potential to be found with Achane out of the backfield, too, and a team that can employ his speed in space against linebackers will find an interesting receiving threat on third downs.

The concern with Achane is his size. There are only a handful of running backs in the league listed at 190 pounds (and none are listed lighter than that), and those at 5-foot-8 or shorter are just as hard to find. Achane has limited experience as a return man, but a role there might give teams an added use for him. — Diante Lee

RB

UCLA

RB

UCLA

AGE: 22 STARTS: 37 RB4

After watching Charbonnet for what felt like six college seasons, the do-everything back enters the draft having amassed more than 3,900 yards from scrimmage and 39 touchdowns. “Reliable” is the word to describe Charbonnet, who fumbled just three times in 641 career touches and played in almost every game over his four years.

Charbonnet doesn’t have the blow-by speed to make him a top-flight prospect, but a 4.53 40-yard dash at his size works well with his patience and balance through contact. He will fit comfortably in any run scheme or offensive philosophy at the next level. His two best performances came against Utah and Stanford this past season, as he gained a combined 396 yards and four touchdowns on 43 carries (9.2 yards per attempt).

When you hear pundits argue for not taking running backs early in the draft, Charbonnet is the type of player they have in mind for the later rounds. He can produce effectively in any offense, and he has what feels like a certain future in the NFL. — Diante Lee

TE

Iowa

TE

Iowa

AGE: 22 STARTS: 25 TE6

LaPorta simply does a lot of things well and has a play style that points to him being useful early on his in his NFL career.

He is a good route runner with enough juice to stretch the seam or win one-on-one opportunities on short and intermediate routes. He’s got good hands and a high comfort level when it comes to snatching throws away from his body. LaPorta also has the contact balance, burst and quickness to create yards after the catch and work through tacklers.

Though he lacks true Y tight end size, LaPorta does play with a competitive edge and the proper technique to maximize his blocking ability. He likely will never move the needle as a blocker, but he also won’t be a negative player.

LaPorta offers plus athleticism and polish throughout his game. He should be able to contribute as a rookie for any type of offense, and he can provide winning football in a variety of roles. — Nate Tice

LB

Washington State

LB

Washington State

AGE: 23 STARTS: 31 LB4

A long and active linebacker, Henley made a positional change in college and is a bit of an older prospect. His background as a receiver shows up in his play speed and testing, as he has legitimate sideline-to-sideline range. He’s also willing to work downhill to take on blocks.

Henley is still learning to play as an off-ball linebacker, so he can be a bit slow with his play recognition. He’s figuring out how to use his length to take on blockers and stay balanced. His athleticism and effort allow him to make up for missteps, but he can get caught out of whack when he tries to recover. His hand usage and strength are just average at best, and he will need to continue to add to his frame to be able to take on blocks.

Henley’s inexperience as a linebacker shows up, but so do his athleticism and effort in coverage and chasing down ball carriers. He has a higher ceiling as a pro, despite his age, and could be a standout special teamer early while he hones his craft. —Nate Tice

QB

Tennessee

QB

Tennessee

AGE: 25 STARTS: 37 QB5

Hooker has hung around the public conversation of the top quarterbacks in the 2023 class, receiving high marks from pundits for his production and poise in the pocket.

Evaluating Hooker is a bit more complex than that, though, given the offense in which he played. Tennessee’s scheme often boils down to playing point-and-shoot football, with the quarterback keying a single defender’s leverage or whether the middle of the field is open to make a decision on where to go with the ball. Hooker did make smart choices with his throws — and should certainly be credited for it — but he hasn’t had much exposure to the complex kinds of progressions or pre-snap decision making that will come with playing at the next level.

He also played in uncommonly clean pockets, so he will have to adjust to making quick decisions under pressure. Hooker’s best traits at the moment are accuracy at all three levels, enough athleticism to escape a dirty pocket, and a risk aversion that keeps the ball out of harm’s way. He will need to sit and develop to adjust to a different style of play before we can see the best version of Hooker as a pro. — Diante Lee

CB

South Carolina

CB

South Carolina

AGE: 23 STARTS: 21 CB9

Having played at South Carolina opposite likely top-50 pick Cam Smith, Rush is a raw athlete with the size and speed worth taking a chance on. He is still learning the finer nuances of staying tight in coverage, and he needs to clean up his feet at the line of scrimmage when he’s pressing, but 4.36 speed and 33.5-inch arms give Rush a margin for error to get back to the ball.

In spite of his athletic profile, he’s not quite ready to live in a man-heavy scheme yet. He loses leverage on routes and his coverage is too lax in the intermediate areas NFL offenses love to attack. If he can land in a zone-based scheme (think of the Vic Fangio coaching tree), though, I trust Rush’s instincts and length to take away passing windows. — Diante Lee

RB

Tulane

RB

Tulane

AGE: 21 STARTS: 20 RB5

Originally recruited as a multipurpose back from Ponchatoula, La., Tyjae Spears grew up modeling his game after Reggie Bush and put up nearly 2,000 all-purpose yards as a high school senior before winding up at Tulane.

Spears missed most of the 2020 season with an ACL injury (including a meniscus tear) that required surgery, but he returned to form with more than 2,300 rushing yards over his final two seasons at 6.99 yards per carry. He topped out at 20.1 mph on the GPS at Senior Bowl and ran with great explosion and sudden change of direction in the open field during his final two years at Tulane.

His injury history isn’t irrelevant, and it remains to be seen if Spears can handle a pro workload between the tackles. But in the open field, he will be a weapon at the next level. — Nick Baumgardner

DT

USC

DT

USC

AGE: 20 STARTS: 29 DT7

While playing everywhere along the line of scrimmage and producing from every position, Tuipulotu ranked second in TFLs and first in sacks in college football last season.

Given that Tuipoulotu weighed 266 pounds at the combine after being listed at 290 throughout his college career, we can assume that he’s seeking to play as a full-time edge rusher in the NFL. He decided not to participate in athletic testing in Indianapolis, and it rained throughout USC’s pro day, so there’s some clarity missing on Tuipulotu’s athletic ability at his current size.

Without that added context, we’re left to focus on what he did on-field, where we saw his relentless motor leading to most of his production. Tuipulotu’s pass-rushing chops begin with his power rush, and he sets up his counter moves off the threat of caving in the pocket. As a run defender, he’s more effective slanting and slipping past linemen than taking guys on at the point of attack. His second efforts and pursuit to the ball are going to be major selling points for any 4-3 team in need of depth. Tuipulotu will make for a solid player in the rotation. — Diante Lee

CB

Miami

CB

Miami

AGE: 22 STARTS: 25 CB10

A handsy defensive back made to play in a Cover 3-heavy scheme, Stevenson checks the athletic boxes to be a press corner in the NFL. His 32-inch arms rank in the 81st percentile among corners, and his 4.45 40-yard dash is fast enough to keep him in lockstep with most outside receivers running vertically. Stevenson’s wingspan helps him play the ball, and he locates it well in the air — he finished his two seasons as a starter at Miami with 11 passes broken up and three interceptions. Watching how willing and able Stevenson is as a tackler (47 solo tackles at Miami) gives me some belief that he can potentially play safety down the line, too.

Stevenson has some issues with his hip mobility and change-of-direction skills, which sets his ceiling below the Tier 1 coverage specialists we’ve seen in recent drafts. However, the best version of him lands as a solid No. 2 NFL cornerback. — Diante Lee

CB

South Carolina

CB

South Carolina

AGE: 22 STARTS: 19 CB11

Prior to his senior year, Cam Smith transferred from a high school in Maryland to Westwood in South Carolina, near his hometown, and flourished on the camp circuit as a long, rangy defensive back. He also showed promise as a wide receiver before turning down a late offer from Georgia to play for the Gamecocks. Smith entered college as a skinny prospect with man-coverage savvy and gained roughly 20 pounds during his time in Columbia, becoming even faster and more explosive in the process.

On the field, Smith didn’t always show the speed numbers with which he tested. He was a bit more productive as a junior than as a senior, and he had to shake off a handful of injuries during his time in college.

Smith finds the ball like the former wide receiver he is, and if he improves his tackling and physical confidence in coverage, he can be a keeper in the NFL. — Nick Baumgardner

DT

Northwestern

DT

Northwestern

AGE: 22 STARTS: 35 DT8

Born in Kansas City and the son of a Nigerian prince, Adetomiwa “Tommy” Adebawore (add-E-TOMMY-wah add-E-BAR-eh), picked Northwestern over Army, Navy and Air Force as a short, light interior defensive lineman. He added roughly 30 pounds, however, and blossomed into one of the most athletic defensive linemen in college football.

Adebawore’s blend of length, burst and speed is unmatched at his position in this class. He’s uniquely shaped, with massive hands and a ton of twitched-up power off the snap. He had a few highlight-reel reps in one-on-ones at the Senior Bowl, but in team situations, he still has a tendency to get lost.

His instincts as a player are not close to his traits as an athlete right now. If a team can close that gap, it could have a star on its hands. — Nick Baumgardner

WR

Oklahoma

WR

Oklahoma

AGE: 21 STARTS: 24 WR9

An explosive vertical threat from Oklahoma, Mims averaged more than 20 yards per reception in his last two seasons. His speed was verified by his 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the combine, and the Sooners made full use of that speed, taking chances whenever they confirmed one-on-one coverage on the perimeter.

Mims will likely spend more time as a move-around “Z” receiver and slot than as the primary outside threat in the NFL. If he lands in a play action-heavy offense, you can expect him to stretch the field vertically or on deep crossing routes.

He comes from an offense that didn’t rely on the most precise route running and timing, so how quickly he sees the field will depend on how long it takes for him to adjust to getting open in the NFL — especially because he’s not a contested catch winner.

Mims creates extra value after the catch, and those same skills translate to the return game (16 yards per punt return in 2022). Mims is a legitimate burner at a time when NFL offenses covet speed more than ever. — Diante Lee

DT

Baylor

DT

Baylor

AGE: 22 STARTS: 23 DT9

George Young’s “Planet Theory” states that there are only so many people on Earth with the size and ability to play in the trenches at the highest level, and Ika is built to compete against the biggest the NFL has to offer.

At 335 pounds, Ika isn’t always the smoothest mover, but he fits the role of someone who can take away interior gaps as a nose tackle in a 3-4 scheme. There’s humor to be found in watching Ika walk centers back into the quarterback’s lap as a pass rusher. And though Ika didn’t run the most awe-inspiring 40-yard dash (5.39 seconds), he handles outside-run schemes well, controlling offensive linemen and moving down the line of scrimmage in pursuit.

Ika only fitting in one particular role will constrict his draft stock. He likely won’t be a three-down player in the NFL, so don’t expect to hear his name all that early in the draft. He can, however, be the missing piece for a defense that needs to improve its control of the line of scrimmage. — Diante Lee

EDGE

Ohio State

EDGE

Ohio State

AGE: 21 STARTS: 27 EDGE12

One of the freakiest pound-for-pound athletes in this class, Harrison was an outstanding receiver/pass rusher/athlete at Olentangy Orange High School outside of Columbus, Ohio. A five-star prospect who picked Ohio State over Michigan, Harrison played under a massive spotlight during his entire college career, having reminded some of a longer version of Micah Parsons when he left high school.

The production did not always match the hype at Ohio State, however, as Harrison was inconsistent during his first two years on campus. His sack numbers were never impressive, but Harrison did pick up his pressure numbers and general impact as a junior and senior.

He still has a lot to learn, but if it comes together for him, he could be one of the best defensive prospects in this draft. — Nick Baumgardner

WR

Michigan State

WR

Michigan State

AGE: 23 STARTS: 43 WR10

A tough, fast, under-recruited receiver from Illinois, Reed was just 165 pounds when he landed at Western Michigan as a freshman in 2018. He quickly proved that didn’t matter, tying Greg Jennings’ school record with four touchdown catches in the MAC opener of his freshman season. Reed transferred to Michigan State to play for Mark Dantonio ahead of the 2019 season but ultimately made his debut for the Spartans with Mel Tucker the following year.

A sound route runner with great body control and electric speed, Reed is still undersized but isn’t afraid to high-point the ball against bigger defenders. His production fell as a senior, but that was more a result of his team’s struggles.

Size will always affect what Reed can do in the NFL, but he’s fast enough — and smart enough — to figure it out. — Nick Baumgardner

SAF

Texas A&M

SAF

Texas A&M

AGE: 21 STARTS: 22 SAF2

A tall, thin high school safety/wide receiver in East St. Louis, Ill., Johnson signed with Texas A&M in 2020 as a top-50 prospect and was one of the top defensive players in the Midwest. He cracked the Aggies’ starting lineup as a true freshman before leading the team in tackles as a sophomore.

Johnson’s biggest asset in college was his size, as he was able to line up both deep as a free safety and in the box. His top-end speed is not overwhelming, however. His technique in coverage is not always consistent and his tackling could be much better. But his traits are undeniable.

A potential box safety or big nickel with free-safety potential, Johnson will be coveted by teams with scheme-diverse defenses. — Nick Baumgardner

LB

Wisconsin

LB

Wisconsin

AGE: 21 STARTS: 31 LB5

Herbig is fun player to watch, although he comes with question marks about his positional home in the NFL.

He was wildly productive during his time at Wisconsin, but he’s undersized for an edge player and lacks length. Herbig plays with great effort and polish in his hand usage, and he shows off burst when closing on quarterbacks. He is a fluid athlete with the ability to bend and turn the corner.

While he played the run well in college, though, Herbig’s shorter arms and lack of size will limit his ability to keep longer NFL tackles off him. He might need to shift to off-ball linebacker — he did a nice job when asked to drop into coverage in college — or he’ll need time to see if he can add strength and stay as an edge.

His play style is easy to like, and his game will translate as a special teams player. Whichever team drafts him will need a realistic plan on how to progress things beyond that point. —Nate Tice

OG

NC State

OG

NC State

AGE: 24 STARTS: 38 OG4

Once a 260-pound high school offensive lineman with one full year of experience (he played just a handful of snaps as a junior), Zavala’s bend, footwork and punch were enough to earn him a scholarship at Division II Fairmont State in 2017. After gaining 60 pounds and adding some playing time as a freshman, Zavala became a small-school All-American before transferring to NC State in 2021.

Zavala dealt with injuries in high school and required back surgery in 2021 that cost him the final seven games of the season. He bounced back to play at in All-ACC level as a sixth-year senior, however.

His lack of polish and injury history aside, Zavala moves with really good feet inside and can be a road grader in the run game. He hasn’t come close to playing his best football yet, despite his age (he’ll be 24 in April), which is also a concern. — Nick Baumgardner

EDGE

Louisville

EDGE

Louisville

AGE: 23 STARTS: 43 EDGE13

An edge rusher at 260-plus pounds and with 4.5 speed, Diaby in 2022 had 9.0 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. He has 34-inch arms and, though he’s not quite refined enough to use his length and explosiveness to turn tight corners on the edge, he can convert that speed to power on pass rushes.

The Louisville scheme didn’t always give Diaby the best opportunity to cut loose up the field. With his lack of playing experience, he’s also going to need some time playing behind veterans to learn the ins and outs of working as a nine-technique in the NFL — especially as a run defender. Diaby needs to improve his anchor to set the edge and stop perimeter runs.

He will need some time to be his best self, but there’s always a reason to take a chance on the size and tools Diaby boasts. — Diante Lee

WR

SMU

WR

SMU

AGE: 22 STARTS: 34 WR11

After a massive showing as a high school junior, Rice got a bit lost in the shuffle ahead of 2019 signing day and landed at SMU as an under-recruited but sturdy freshman. He made an impact right away. A terrific underneath receiver with great play strength and body control, Rice then led the FBS with more than 112 receiving yards per game as a senior in 2022.

Rice lacks long speed, and he has a tendency to go easy on routes from time to time. His body control is outstanding, however, and his play in the air is as good as anybody in the class.

Rice is a good representation of this wide receiver class: a very talented player with a lot to like and a number of question marks. — Nick Baumgardner

CB

Illinois

CB

Illinois

AGE: 23 STARTS: 36 CB12

Jartavius “Quan” Martin was a 175-pound DB at Lehigh High School in southwest Florida (and a ferocious dunker on the basketball team) with zero Power 5 offers until Illinois changed that the summer before his senior year. Martin entered the Illini program at the same time as current Detroit Lion Kerby Joseph and fellow 2023 prospect Sydney Brown, both safeties, and a year before CB Devon Witherspoon.

Martin transformed into a box-hybrid defender for Illinois and played nearly 1,000 snaps in the slot over his final two years, and he became one of the team’s most reliable defenders. A potential big nickel with outstanding explosion, Martin’s versatility is perfect for the modern game.

Whether he can hold up in the box against NFL offenses, specifically against tight ends in coverage and against the run, remains to be seen. But there are a lot of possibilities to like in Martin’s game. — Nick Baumgardner

CB

Kansas State

CB

Kansas State

AGE: 23 STARTS: 31 CB13

Brents spent three years learning under defensive coordinator Phil Parker at Iowa — he missed the 2019 season because of a knee injury — before transferring to Kansas State in 2021.

An extremely long and explosive defensive back, Brents has the ability to close ground in a hurry, and his length is a serious problem for receivers at the line of scrimmage. He is especially smooth in zone coverage (no surprise given his background with Parker). In press, Brents does most of his damage at the line. if a receiver gets a release clean, things can get more interesting, because Brents showed a tendency to get lost on deeper concepts.

Physically, though, he is a rare defensive back with speed, size, burst and length. He just needs to work on everything else. — Nick Baumgardner

DT

South Carolina

DT

South Carolina

AGE: 23 STARTS: 22 DT10

Pickens is n athletic defensive tackle with length, but has inconsistencies in how he uses his traits. He can be caught playing too high, and his lack of ability to anchor and hold up against the run will limit his upside in a two-gap system. He gets knocked off the ball far too often to hold up there, especially given the impending step-up in competition.

If Pickens can hone in the flashes of his quick first step, he will be best as a one-gap disruptor, so he can create edginess against offensive guards. He is better playing the run than the pass — his pass-rush arsenal is essentially limited to a bull rush at this point.

Even so, Pickens has the potential to be a rotational interior defensive lineman, and he comes with has some intriguing traits. —Nate Tice

SAF

Penn State

SAF

Penn State

AGE: 23 STARTS: 26 SAF3

A ballhawk who once led the state of New Jersey in steals (6.8 pg) as a high school basketball player, Ji’Ayir Brown transferred to Penn State from Lackawanna Community College ahead of the 2020 season. Settling in at safety, Brown had six interceptions in 2021, tied for the most in the nation. The following year, he was Penn State’s MVP. His ball skills and overall IQ as a pass-defending safety are outstanding.

Brown is not, however, an elite athlete, as his combine testing showed. Still, his ability to track the ball in the air and sort things out with his head make him a very interesting prospect.

Some teams will be scared of Brown’s lack of speed, but he plays with good short-area quickness and knows how to find the ball in the air. — Nick Baumgardner

WR

Ole Miss

WR

Ole Miss

AGE: 22 STARTS: 39 WR12

First and foremost, Mingo looks like a legit NFL receiver. At 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds with 10 3/8-inch hands, 4.46 speed and a 39 1/2-inch vertical, Mingo checks off a bunch of the physical boxes teams will be looking for in a playmaker. How much of his game will show up on a week-to-week basis in the NFL? That’s the mystery.

Mingo can be a big-play threat — he averaged 16.9 yards per catch last season and a 15.7 YPC average for his four-year career — but he’s not a particularly nuanced route runner. Though his long speed and long strides challenge defenders, especially coupled with his big-bodied presence, he doesn’t have a ton of wiggle off the line.

What he does offer, though, is terrific body control. Somewhat by necessity, he’s an effective receiver in tight windows and uses his huge mitts to snatch the ball from defenders. Mingo might never be a steady 1,000-yard receiver in the NFL, but he can deliver chunk plays for an offense that finds him space and opportunities. — Chris Burke

CB

Northwestern

CB

Northwestern

AGE: 21 STARTS: 24 CB14

A physical zone-coverage corner, Mitchell breaks on the ball with bad intentions and fits the run better than most of the defensive backs in this class. He has good burst and adequate long speed. He’s got a chance to find a long-term fit as a slot defender that can fit the run and play underneath throwing windows.

Mitchell had 75 solo tackles over the last two seasons as an outside corner, and he makes some explosive contact on ball carriers. He isn’t well equipped to play in one-on-one coverage, lacking the hip mobility to transition in and out of his breaks, and he didn’t have much ball production prior to 2022 (he doubled his career passes defended and interceptions last season).

Mitchell has been a productive member of Northwestern’s special teams. That’s his pathway to carving out an early role on an NFL roster. — Diante Lee

SAF

Alabama

SAF

Alabama

AGE: 22 STARTS: 44 SAF4

Battle is a jack of all trades, but he’s at his best hunting the ball in coverage and making tackles in space. Battle is right around the median among safeties in size (6-foot-1, 209 pounds), and his 4.55 speed plays faster on the field because of his feel for the game.

One of the best plays of his career — a 42 yard pick-six in the 2021 SEC Championship Game against Georgia — stands as a perfect example of how he understands both his coverage responsibilities and what an offense is trying to do in response. Battle has some pop in his pads as a tackler, as well, exploding and wrapping with good form to finish plays. He has run a full menu of coverage concepts in his career, but he’s most comfortable in zone, where he can bait throws into closing windows.

Battle’s versatility and intelligence on the field makes him another quality option in a strong class of defensive backs. — Diante Lee

RB

Auburn

RB

Auburn

AGE: 21 STARTS: 28 RB6

The explosive play-making machine from Auburn has almost been forgotten in a deep running back class, which should make him a sleeper for teams in need of a quality No. 2 option in their rotation. Bigsby meets all the physical requirements to split carries at the NFL level, and his best tape comes when he gets touches on perimeter-run schemes and forces defensive backs to tackle him in space. He logged a rush of 30-plus yards in six of Auburn’s 12 contests last season.

There’s a bit of boom-or-bust to his game when he’s running between the tackles, so I expect Bigsby to draw more interest from outside zone-heavy offenses that will empower him to be a one-cut, north-and-south runner. He also comes with a lack of production as a receiver, and I have questions about his ability to develop that part of his game in the NFL. His usage on third downs may be as a pass protector.

Bigsby’s best value will be as a fourth- or fifth-round prospect, and on a depth chart where he can spell a lead back and find enough big-yardage production to add value. — Diante Lee

TE

Michigan

TE

Michigan

AGE: 24 STARTS: 21 TE7

Though he contributed during the 2021 season (17 catches for 165 yards and three TDs), it wasn’t until Schoonmaker’s fifth and final year at Michigan that he emerged as a consistent weapon for the Wolverines’ offense. With talented tight end Erick All on the shelf for all but three games, Schoonmaker caught 35 passes (No. 2 on the team, behind only Ronnie Bell) for 418 yards.

He’s still likely never going to be a big catching threat in the passing game. What NFL coaches will like about him, though, is that Schoonmaker comes battle-tested as a blocker. Michigan asks a lot of its tight ends in the run game, both in terms of assignments and alignments, so Schoonmaker put a lot of quality reps on tape. He can climb to the second level and find linebackers, but he’s also capable of staying in as a pass protector so an offense’s true mismatch TE can get out into space.

There’s not a high ceiling here, especially since Schoonmaker will turn 25 as a rookie. But Schoonmaker can be a plug-and-play complementary tight end, which should make him a nice mid-round value. — Chris Burke

RB

Texas

RB

Texas

AGE: 22 STARTS: 5 RB7

Playing under the shadow cast by Bijan Robinson, Johnson’s role in the Texas offense belied how valuable he can be as an NFL change-of-pace back. Weighing just under 220 pounds, Johnson is built for tough yardage between the tackles, and his 1.52-second 10-yard split is evidence of how explosive a north/south rusher he can be when a hole opens.

While accumulating at least 80 carries in each of his four seasons at Texas, Johnson averaged a strong 5.6 yards per carry and piled up 23 rushing touchdowns. He is committed to finishing his runs falling forward, as well as using his shoulders and stiff arms to run through weak attempts at tackling.

He’s more of a high-floor than a high-ceiling player. Without the legitimate speed to create explosive plays, it’s hard to envision a bigger role for Johnson than being a power back and pass protector. Still, expect to see him on the field producing in all short-yardage situations. — Diante Lee

SAF

Boise State

SAF

Boise State

AGE: 21 STARTS: 31 SAF5

Skinner is a safety prospect with excellent size and does his best work when operating closer to the line of scrimmage. He’s a good tackler with straight-line speed, and he plays with a quick trigger to get downhill against the run. He has enough length and strength to keep blockers off him when operating from the box.

In coverage, Skinner can be unlocked by playing as the down safety in zone coverages, where he can take advantage of his awareness for route concepts. He’s also useful playing man-to-man against tight ends.

Because of his size, he has some hip stiffness when transitioning in coverage, and it limits his upside as a deep safety or when defending wide receivers in space. Skinner might not be a scheme-proof player, but he has an intriguing size and an aggressive play style that can make him useful in the right role. —Nate Tice

OT

Alabama

OT

Alabama

AGE: 22 STARTS: 45 OT8

A transfer from Vanderbilt turned left tackle for the Crimson Tide, Steen has the outlines of a swing tackle at the next level. Steen has 51 starts under his belt, and he earned All-SEC honors with Alabama last season.

Though he does have less than ideal arm length for NFL tackles (32 inches), Steen has good enough feet to get the necessary depth and lateral movement skills needed to handle edge rushers. At his best, his playing experience shines through, rarely putting him in a position to fail.

Steen has his struggles with consistency and power. When he loses reps, it’s easy to identify that his balance is off. Steen is also an example of the bench press being a flawed metric for measuring O-line strength, because Steen’s play strength isn’t always evident against power rushers or as a run blocker.

Steen needs to clean up his technique, but he’ll be a good depth addition up front. — Diante Lee

EDGE

Tennessee

EDGE

Tennessee

AGE: 25 STARTS: 21 EDGE14

Not to be confused with the Alabama draft hopeful of the same name, Tennessee’s Byron Young has one of the most inspiring stories in this draft class. He was out of football for more than a year after high school, as he looked for a place to play college ball. Young eventually landed at Georgia Military College in 2019, then (despite his 2020 season being canceled because of the pandemic) played his way into an opportunity with the Volunteers.

Young made the most of it. Over two seasons, he totaled 23.5 tackles for loss and 12.0 sacks and the league’s coaches voted him All-SEC this past year.

A well-built 250-pound edge who fires out of his stance to pressure offensive linemen, Young plays with his foot on the gas at all times. He’s not especially polished in his pass rush, might not be a stout edge setter and will be 25 as a rookie. But there’s enough in his combination of motor and athletic explosiveness to suggest he can be an impact edge. — Chris Burke

EDGE

Missouri

EDGE

Missouri

AGE: 21 STARTS: 30 EDGE15

At 6-foot-4 and 268 pounds with nearly 34-inch arms, McGuire should appeal to defenses that want to play multiple fronts because he’s right in that hybrid OLB/DE range. His explosiveness showed up in testing (36 1/2-inch vertical, 10-foot-2-inch broad jump), and offensive linemen see it all the time as he gets in their face off the snap. He wants to get into a blocker’s chest or shoot a gap as quickly as possible, and he doesn’t waste time dancing around.

McGuire was a consistent playmaker in the backfield at Missouri, notching 14.0 tackles for loss in each of his final two seasons and upping his sack total from 6.0 in 2021 to 8.5 last season. As with most rookies, how much he shows in the way of run defense/edge setting will dictate his snap count, but there’s reason to believe he can contribute.

McGuire’s game isn’t as flashy as the premier edge defenders in this class, nor does he promise to be a prolific sack artist. He’ll be solid, though, and leave it all on the field. — Chris Burke

WR

Nebraska

WR

Nebraska

AGE: 22 STARTS: 16 WR13

A speedster from Louisiana, Palmer had interest from most of the SEC before landing at LSU in 2019. After serving primarily as a rotational player for three years in Baton Rouge, Palmer transferred to Nebraska and went on to set program records for catches by a receiver (71) and receiving yards (1,043), despite playing for a team that fired its coach mid-year.

Palmer ran a blazing 4.33 40-yard dash at the combine, and his 2.53-second flying 20 was equally impressive. Though he’s not the best route runner in the class, Palmer’s size is good enough. His speed, especially at the second level, is elite.

If Palmer can polish his game, he could be a serious weapon. At minimum, his speed will keep him in NFL conversations for a while. — Nick Baumgardner

OG

Alabama

OG

Alabama

AGE: 23 STARTS: 40 OG5

Ekiyor is a stout offensive guard with loads of experience at the college level. While he has below-average height for his position, he does have long arms and attempts to use them to their fullest advantage. He’ll lean into his natural leverage to get underneath defenders and has the strength to sustain and latch on. He can struggle against larger interior defensive linemen, however.

He’ll be best as a puller and down blocker in gap schemes, as his lack of foot speed can be a hindrance on zone concepts. He is an average overall athlete and has to maximize his play with good awareness and effort on every snap. Ekiyor can struggle to recover and adjust, both as a pass protector and in space in the run game, and he can get out of whack when his initial strike misses the target.

Eikyor gets the most out of his ability, but his lack of hand quickness and overall athleticism limits his upside as a guard. He does show off the mental aptitude to transition to center full-time, though, or to be an interior swing lineman. — Nate Tice

TE

Penn State

TE

Penn State

AGE: 22 STARTS: 31 TE8

Something of a forgotten name in a deep, talented TE class, Strange caught a combined 52 passes and found the end zone eight times over his final two seasons at Penn State. Had the Nittany Lions’ offense leaned on him a little more, he could have piled on to those numbers, because he’s a crafty and effective route runner.

He’s likely destined to be an H-back in the NFL, a role for which that Penn State scheme did prepare him well — Strange moved all over the offense's formations, both as a blocker and receiving option. He’s not a mauler in the former role, but he’s athletic enough to be effective and he’s willing to get his nose dirty. An NFL staff should love helping him develop that area of his game. He won’t shy away from it.

Strange could be a friendly option for his new QB on short and intermediate routes, too. He’s got reliable hands and reads coverages well to find space, and he’ll turn upfield to gain extra yardage. He is an ideal mid-round tight end target. — Chris Burke

LB

Alabama

LB

Alabama

AGE: 22 STARTS: 50 LB6

A tough and productive linebacker, To’oTo’o has the straight-line speed to attack downhill as a run defender and can work straight back in coverage. He lacks high-end traits, though, which limits his upside at the next level.

When he correctly diagnoses an offensive play, To’oTo’o has no hesitation in pulling the trigger. He plays with poor eyes far too often, though, often putting himself in a bad position against both the run and pass, and he lacks the ability to recover. Though he plays hard to run down ball carriers, To’oTo’o lacks true range to put himself at an advantage and will miss tackles. He lacks the strength to take on blockers when at the point of attack.

To’oTo’o projects to be a backup type who can contribute on special teams and fill in as a spot starter. —Nate Tice

WR

Wake Forest

WR

Wake Forest

AGE: 23 STARTS: 33 WR14

Perry is a long and lean outside receiver with true starting X potential. He is a smooth athlete who is best attacking vertically, where he can use his build-up speed to roll into his routes.

But Perry is not stiff despite his taller frame, and he has the ability to bend and sink when breaking on underneath routes. He has good hands and is comfortable using his length and jumping ability to high point throws, and he also has the ball skills to consistently track throws down the field.

Perry is not a quick twitch athlete, so he can ooze off the line of scrimmage. He’s just an OK route runner. He’ll flash burst and acceleration with the ball in his hands and when he’s comfortable in his routes, but he will need time to expand his route tree — the Wake Forest offense wasn’t too demanding on him in that aspect.

In a draft class lacking size at the wide receiver position, though, Perry is an interesting prospect with legitimate ball skills and more than enough athleticism. — Nate Tice

CB

Purdue

CB

Purdue

AGE: 22 STARTS: 26 CB15

A cornerback prospect with excellent height and length who transitioned from safety during his college career, Trice is a competitive player. He loves to press wide receivers on the outside in both man and zone coverages, and he has the size and strength to do so at the next level. He will get physical in man coverage or reroute receivers in zone, all while squeezing the space quarterbacks have to throw as a defender against high-low concepts.

Trice flashes burst, but his ball skills and tracking are just average, and at times he’ll be a hair late to make a play. His size is a hindrance when asked to transition in coverage, too, and speedier receivers will beat him over the top when he isn’t able to be physical against them.

Trice still needs development in his technique and awareness, but there is plenty of room for growth in his game. With the right coaching staff, he can rapidly improve into a quality starting outside cornerback. —Nate Tice