Originally Posted by TEX:
Regardless, both our Tackles are trash.
Originally Posted by :
1. Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
HT: 6-3 | WT: 310 | Previously: 2
That's right -- a new No. 1 prospect. Carter has been fantastic since he returned in late October from missing two games because of a knee issue. He has three sacks in his past five games, including this show of force in the SEC title game against LSU. Georgia had five defenders picked in Round 1 last April, and Carter arguably was more disruptive than all of them in 2021. He's explosive at the snap and finishes well around the ball, even though he didn't put up huge numbers (8.5 tackles for loss). He has a big frame and can play as a 3-technique tackle. He can dominate from the interior.
2. Will Anderson Jr., DE, Alabama
HT: 6-4 | WT: 243 | Previously: 1
Anderson's sack numbers are down (10) from his historic 2021 season (17.5), but he ranks third in the country with 21.5 tackles for loss after being No. 1 (34.5) last season. He has a stunning 124 pressures over the past two seasons, which is 49 more than the second-best defender (San Jose State's Viliami Fehoko). He is a dominant and complete edge rusher who might have been the No. 1 overall pick last April if he had been eligible for the draft. Anderson doesn't take plays off, is versatile and plays the run well. He's explosive off the line of scrimmage. Nick Saban & Co. use him as a stand-up outside linebacker, as a down defensive end and even at tackle, where he can blow up guards and centers at the snap.
3. Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
HT: 6-3 | WT: 232 | Previously: 4
Levis' stats aren't going to blow you away, but he doesn't have a great supporting cast of playmakers around him. He has 19 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions this season, and his 60.3 QBR ranks 61st in the country. But when I went through all his starts at Kentucky earlier this year, I was really impressed with his game. Levis has a rocket launcher for an arm and makes some "wow" throws. That has gotten the Penn State transfer into trouble at times, but it's clear watching him that he believes he can fit the ball into any window. My comparison is Matthew Stafford.
Levis plays in a pro-style offense at Kentucky, and he's not going to need much time to adjust to the NFL. He can maneuver the pocket and throw on the run. Many of his turnovers came when he tried to use his arm to force throws, and he's going to be punished for mistakes at the next level. Levis is the real deal, though, and there are lots of fans of him in the NFL.
4. Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
HT: 6-0 | WT: 194 | Previously: 5
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner has an incredibly quick release. He's accurate and is an anticipatory thrower who knows how to hit receivers where they need the ball to run after the catch. He doesn't make many mistakes. He's one of the best "processors" I've scouted over the past decade, meaning he goes through read progressions to find his target or knows exactly the right time to escape the pocket.
The knock on Young is size; he doesn't have a huge frame, which NFL scouts will likely play up as we get closer to the draft. I don't think he's quite 6-foot, and he's likely never going to be much more than 200 pounds. Still, his arm is more than good enough for him to be a great signal-caller at the next level. After a 47-touchdown, seven-interception season in 2021, Young has 27 touchdown passes and five picks this season, and his 83.7 QBR ranks eighth.
5. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
HT: 6-1 | WT: 200 | Previously: 16
Smith-Njigba had a lost season, finishing with just five catches because of a nagging hamstring injury. He announced earlier this week that he's entering the draft and will try to heal up before the combine in March. This injury shouldn't affect his play in 2023, and I still think he could be a star at the next level. This is the same wideout who led Ohio State in catches (95) and yards (1,606) last season, even on a team with two wide receivers drafted in Round 1 of the 2022 draft. He has stellar burst and explosiveness out of breaks. He's a hands catcher who can run the entire route tree, and he can make defenders miss after the catch. Most of Smith-Njigba's work came from the slot last season -- all but eight of his catches came while aligned there. He led the FBS in receiving yards per route run (4.0). There's a great chance he will remain the top receiver off the board in April.
6. Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
HT: 6-4 | WT: 294 | Previously: 6
I feel good about making Skoronski my top-ranked tackle over Paris Johnson Jr. He is a technician who can bend. He shrugs off quick pass-rushers and can contain rushers who try to win with power. Skoronski started 33 games at left tackle for the Wildcats, and he keeps getting better. He allowed just nine pressures and one sack this season, even though his team has struggled. He could be Northwestern's second top-15 offensive tackle pick in three years (Rashawn Slater in 2021).
7. C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
HT: 6-3 | WT: 215 | Previously: 3
Stroud has 81 touchdown passes and just 12 interceptions over the past two seasons and has led the Buckeyes to the College Football Playoff. This season, he ranks second in the country in yards per dropback (8.9) and third in QBR (87.7) and yards per attempt (9.4). He is quite simply a fantastic passer. He has smooth mechanics, good (not great) arm strength and can throw with touch to all levels of the field.
Stroud is coming off his worst game of the season, a two-interception performance in the loss to Michigan. I didn't drop him a few spots because of that game, but he did show a few things he needs to improve. He has to get better when he's off schedule and plays break down; I'd like to see him use his legs to scramble for first downs. He can be a little too rigid in the pocket. Still, I see Stroud as a rookie starter in the NFL.
8. Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
HT: 6-0 | WT: 214 | Previously: 7
Robinson does everything for Texas. He runs inside and outside, catches passes and scores a lot of touchdowns. I'm a big fan. Robinson's 2021 season ended when he dislocated his left elbow, but he showed elite ability in those 10 games. He led the FBS in broken tackles forced per game (4.1) and averaged 112.7 rushing yards per game. He is a cut-and-go runner with outstanding vision and explosiveness. Another thing I like about Robinson's game: He catches passes with his hands, not his body. He has 60 catches in three seasons, averaging 13.4 yards per reception. I think NFL teams could use him even more in the passing game.
I don't love drafting running backs in Round 1, but Robinson deserves this ranking; I grade based on ability, not my first-round philosophy. He's going to go somewhere in the top 32 picks if he stays healthy.
9. Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
HT: 6-4 | WT: 215 | Previously: 20
I thought Johnston was going to have a massive season, but then he had just 12 catches for 114 yards and no scores in his first four games. After that slow start, however, he has been stellar. He has 53 catches for 903 yards and five scores. He towers over defenders and runs through them -- he is tremendous after the catch. As I wrote in October, Johnston wins contested jump balls with ease and has a rare length and speed combination. He's going to be a handful for Michigan to cover in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
10. Myles Murphy, DE, Clemson
HT: 6-5 | WT: 275 | Previously: 11
Murphy has a quick burst out of his stance and can close quickly off the corner. He also plays the run well and is physical at the point of attack. He had 11 sacks in his first two seasons at Clemson and has 6.5 this season. He moves inside to tackle at times, so that versatility will help his stock for NFL teams. I wrote in September that I wanted to see his sack production rise before moving him up, and he has done that with four sacks in his past four games.
11. Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech
HT: 6-6 | WT: 275 | Previously: 15
I wrote about Wilson in our draft notebook last month, and my guy Jordan Reid has been on him since he watched the 2021 tape. Wilson has been a consistent menace off the edge for the Red Raiders. He has seven sacks and 15 total tackles for loss, showing explosion at the snap as a pass-rusher and taking on blockers and holding his ground in the run game. For edge rushers, it's all about physical traits and tools, and the 6-foot-6 Wilson has everything teams want in that regard. He has a high ceiling.
12. Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
HT: 6-5 | WT: 300 | Previously: 12
Bresee, a five-star recruit in the Class of 2020, tore his left ACL in September 2021 and played in just four games, but I was impressed with his tape. He locates the ball well and explodes into the backfield at the snap to disrupt throwing lanes and find ball carriers. He's aggressive and hustles on every snap. He can be a major force inside at the next level. Bresee has 2.5 sacks this season.
13. Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
HT: 6-4 | WT: 251 | Previously: 8
Mayer has 67 catches for 809 yards and nine touchdowns this season, the latter of which leads the country among tight ends. In three seasons at Notre Dame, he has 180 catches for 2,099 yards and 18 scores. NFL teams want tight ends who can stretch the deep middle of the field -- and block well enough to line up next to offensive tackles. That's Mayer, who can be a force in the red zone. Linebackers simply can't cover him (and safeties struggle with his size). He has a wide catch radius and could produce as a pass-catcher in the NFL. He's a complete player.
14. Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
HT: 6-6 | WT: 315 | Previously: 9
After a season at guard, Johnson kicked outside to left tackle for the Buckeyes this season. He has impressed, allowing one sack and just six pressures as C.J. Stroud's protector. The former five-star prospect has a great chance to be the top tackle in this class. He moves his feet well in pass sets and in the run game, and he has the quickness to keep up with speedy edge rushers. Johnson has everything NFL teams look for in a Day 1 starter at left tackle.
15. Jordan Addison, WR, USC
HT: 6-0 | WT: 175 | Previously: 10
We discussed Addison earlier this season when he had seven catches for 172 yards and two scores. What stands out about him is his route-running ability. He just gets open, and he can do it in so many ways. He can make up ground with late bursts to track the ball. He explodes off the line of scrimmage. Addison had 100 catches for 1,592 yards and 17 touchdowns at Pitt last season. He struggled a little bit with an unspecified injury over the past two months, but he has 59 catches for 875 yards and eight scores this season. He was used out of the slot more at Pitt -- he had 76 catches and 14 touchdowns when lined up there in 2021 -- but could play anywhere at the next level.
16. Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
HT: 5-10 | WT: 172 | Previously: NR
Flowers, who has 300 catches and 31 touchdowns in his college career, is one of my favorite prospects in this entire class. He's so elusive, so quick in and out of his breaks. He plays out of the slot or lined up outside. He can take a jet sweep to the house. He just gets open and makes plays. He forced 25 missed tackles this season, the third most in the country for wideouts. Flowers' size won't "wow" teams, but just put on the tape, and they'll see why I think he's a first-round talent.
17. Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
HT: 6-2 | WT: 200 | Previously: 14
This cornerback class is going to be a tight race all the way until April's draft. I'm a fan of Porter, a lanky and physical defender who can reroute receivers with the best of them. He is aggressive, though he has just one career interception in 29 career starts. With all corners, the testing numbers at the combine will really matter, but I like what I see from Porter on tape. He had his hands full against Ohio State, but he impressed again.
18. Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
HT: 6-2 | WT: 201 | Previously: NR
Gonzalez started 18 games at Colorado -- including six as a true freshman in 2020 -- before transferring to Oregon before the season. After an inconsistent game in the season-opening loss to Georgia, he has been a lockdown corner ever since. Gonzalez picked off four passes this season; he has the hands of a receiver. He has excellent length and the recovery speed to make up for mistakes in his technique. I wouldn't be surprised to see him rise even higher.
19. Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
HT: 6-4 | WT: 232 | Previously: NR
Well, I wrote before the season that I was putting Richardson in my Big Board because of his potential. You can't coach his talent and physical ability, and NFL coaches will see the tools and try to develop him now that he has decided to enter the draft. He had an up-and-down season, throwing 17 touchdown passes and nine interceptions while running for nine scores. His 70.6 QBR ranked 35th in the country.
Richardson is still very raw -- his mechanics and footwork need a lot of work. He has accuracy issues on shorter throws that should be easier. And yet, the arm strength and the dual-threat ability are so intriguing that a team near the end of Round 1 absolutely could take him and let him develop. What I say about the draft is that we're trying to project who a prospect could be, not evaluate exactly what he is right now. Richardson hasn't come close to his ceiling. He's going to be a polarizing prospect for the next few months.
20. Brian Branch, DB, Alabama
HT: 6-0 | WT: 193 | Previously: NR
Safety, cornerback, whatever -- Branch can play wherever you put him on defense. I wrote about him last month, pointing out that versatility. He plays primarily in the slot for Alabama, and I think he is most likely to end up as a free safety in the NFL. He has 23 pass breakups over three seasons, including seven in 2022. He also has three career picks and is a good blitzer when asked to crash down. The versatility helps a lot here, and Branch should be an instant starter as a rookie.
21. Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
HT: 6-2 | WT: 205 | Previously: NR
Banks has a great frame, and he's not afraid to get physical. He tackles in the run game and will stick to receivers like glue in coverage. After missing all but two games last season because of injury, he was fantastic for the Terps in 2022, breaking up eight passes with an interception. He also seemed to up his game in the biggest matchups on their schedule. Banks' tape is one of the most impressive I've seen in this class in terms of man coverage. Banks also has a lot of experience; he started eight games as a true freshman in 2019.
22. Andre Carter II, OLB, Army
HT: 6-7 | WT: 250 | Previously: 18
As I mentioned in my way-too-early rankings in May, Army hasn't had a first-round pick since 1946. It hasn't had a non-seventh-round pick since 1969. Carter is the real deal, though, a pass-rusher with incredible length who can play in any defensive scheme. He made big plays last season, with four forced fumbles and a pick. He impacts the game in a variety of ways, and I love his 2021 tape because he's so consistent on every snap. He had 15.5 sacks last season but has just three in 2022, as offensive coordinators have keyed on him.
23. Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
HT: 6-4 | WT: 310 | Previously: NR
Jones is just a third-year sophomore, so he could still return to school in 2023. But what he has done as the Bulldogs' left tackle this season warrants first-round consideration. He's the total package, a mauler in the run game and an effortless blocker in the pass game. He has power and solid footwork and understands the game. I've been impressed. He hasn't allowed a single sack this season and has given up only five total pressures.
24. Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
HT: 6-1 | WT: 180 | Previously: NR
Witherspoon allowed just 16 receptions on 54 targets as the primary defender this season, according to ESPN charting. He gave up just 3.3 yards per attempt and zero touchdowns while breaking up 14 passes and picking off three more. Impressed yet? He was extremely consistent all season. He doesn't get handsy with receivers, so his game will translate well to the NFL. He also will tackle when needed. I really want to see what Witherspoon runs in the 40-yard dash at the combine.
25. Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
HT: 6-2 | WT: 210 | Previously: NR
Ringo is another corner who hasn't allowed a touchdown against him this season, and he could get two more games to impress NFL scouts. He has great size and speed, though he's still raw with his technique. He has four interceptions the past two seasons, including the national-title-clinching pick-six against Alabama last January. Ringo should test extremely well at the combine.
Already digging through this.
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