2023 NFL draft rankings: Todd McShay's top 32 prospects

1. Bryce Young, QB, Alabama*
HT: 6-foot | WT: 194 pounds
Grade: 95 | Prev. rank: 2

His poise, patience and ability to extend plays separate him from the rest and are big reasons why I moved him up to No. 1 overall. A fast processor, Young shows very good ball placement on the perimeter at all three levels, and he has the ability to lead receivers to yards after the catch. His advanced understanding of the QB position really stands out on tape. He is sudden with quick feet and a fast release. However, he needs to improve his consistency on anticipation throws over the middle of the field, and durability at his size will be a concern for many NFL teams. While he is a pocket passer first, he has the mobility to generate more production with his feet.

On the season, Young had 3,328 passing yards, 32 TD throws (tied for 10th in the nation) and just 5 interceptions, and his 86.2 Total QBR was sixth in the FBS. He finished out his college career with a five-TD performance against Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl before declaring for the draft.


2. Will Anderson Jr., OLB, Alabama*
HT: 6-4 | WT: 243
Grade: 95 | Prev. rank: 1

Anderson's combination of an explosive first step and quick, powerful hands is dangerous, and he has fast eyes like a quarterback. He frequently wins by overpowering blockers, but he's capable of winning one-on-ones in a multitude of ways. Against the run, Anderson excels in stacking, locating, disengaging and pursuing relentlessly. And there aren't enough good things to say about his instincts for the game.

Anderson -- who joined Young in declaring for the draft after the Sugar Bowl -- had 10 sacks (tied for 10th in the nation), 19.5 tackles for loss (sixth), 51 pressures (second) and 20 run stops (tied for 13th). He has 34.5 career sacks and 66 tackles for loss over 41 career games.

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Alabama's Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr. declare for NFL draftAlabama QB Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr. declare their intention to enter the 2023 NFL draft during a news conference.

3. Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia*
HT: 6-3 | WT: 300
Grade: 94 | Prev. rank: 3

Carter battled injuries this season but made a big impact after returning from a knee injury. He fires off the ball with a quick first step, and he shows very good torso flexibility and excellent strength to advance his rush while engaged. He has every tool in the box necessary to emerge as a top-tier NFL pass-rusher early in his career, even if the sack totals aren't there yet (three this year and three in 2021).

He's highly adept at working the edges of offensive linemen and is very efficient with his hands and angles. Against the run, he's active and disciplined, and he rarely gets stalemated in one-on-one situations. Carter finished the season with 37 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 24 pressures, 9 run stops and a forced fumble, and he declared for the draft after the national title game.


4. C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State*
HT: 6-3 | WT: 218
Grade: 93 | Prev. rank: 5

Stroud has excellent instincts and shows solid decision-making. He sees the entire field at an NFL level and trusts his fast eyes. While his ball placement is a bit inconsistent at times, Stroud has a large catalog of remarkably accurate throws under pressure, and his touch and timing are outstanding. He has a smooth delivery with good arm strength.

In 13 starts this season, Stroud had the nation's second-best Total QBR at 88.9. He had 3,688 passing yards, 41 touchdown throws (second-most in the FBS) and 6 interceptions, and his 9.5 yards per attempt ranked third. Stroud threw four TD passes in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Georgia, and it was great to see him use his mobility in that game.


5. Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech
HT: 6-6 | WT: 275
Grade: 93 | Prev. rank: 4

Wilson has great length and finishing power. He can shoot his hands and overpower pass-blockers, and while he doesn't have elite bend, he has improved as a hands fighter. Wilson displays the strength to stack blockers and set a hard edge against the run, and he chases with good effort and flashes good stopping power. The Texas A&M transfer had 7 sacks, 73 tackles, 15 tackles for loss (tied for 27th in the country), 36 pressures (tied for 20th) and 15 run stops on the season before declaring for the draft and skipping his team's bowl game. His 16% pressure rate was the nation's fourth best.


6. Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern*
HT: 6-4 | WT: 315
Grade: 93 | Prev. rank: 7

Over 33 career starts at left tackle, Skoronski has allowed just three sacks and "blown" 11 run blocks. He's sudden with elite mirror-slide quickness in pass protection, he has excellent quickness in his set, and he's almost always in balance. Skoronski shows patience and has a lot of snap in his punch. He does a great job of keeping his hands inside and generating leverage with his placement. As a run-blocker, he takes excellent angles, has vast range and is fundamentally sound. He's not an overpowering run-blocker but almost always gets into great position, stuns with initial contact and has enough technique and lower-body flexibility to get movement with good torque. He declared for the draft in December.

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7. Myles Murphy, DE, Clemson*
HT: 6-5 | WT: 275
Grade: 93 | Prev. rank: 8

With 6.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 29 pressures in 2022, Murphy drives back offensive tackles when rushing the passer -- and he's effective ripping under the tackle's inside arm and powering upfield. He takes too wide an arc at times, but he has the bend and closing burst to win with speed off the edge. His strength, quickness and active hands make him a problem when he kicks inside, too, though he doesn't always seem to have a plan or counter ready.

Murphy also has experience dropping in coverage (three pass breakups this season) and shows the strength and length to stack and shed offensive tackles defending the run (seven run stops). His tape is a little inconsistent, but he has an impressive toolbox. He opted out of Clemson's bowl game and declared for the draft.


8. Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson*
HT: 6-5 | WT: 305
Grade: 93 | Prev. rank: 9

There's no denying the talent on Bresee's tape despite just 3.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss this season. He is a dominant run defender with the upper-body strength to stack and shed. He also has the quick hands and feet to slip and split blockers. He locates the ball quickly and is an effective tackler, too. Bresee is powerful and flashes as a hands fighter when rushing the passer (22 pressures), and he's effective running stunts and getting his hands up in passing lanes (two pass breakups). He missed some time earlier in the season for a kidney infection and personal reasons, and he'll now head to the draft.


9. Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas*
HT: 6-0 | WT: 220
Grade: 93 | Prev. rank: 6

Robinson is a patient runner with quick feet and excellent burst through the hole. He has outstanding contact balance and the core strength to push the pile. Robinson makes defenders miss both at the line of scrimmage and in space, evidenced by his FBS-leading 91 forced missed tackles. He's also an effective route runner, a natural hands catcher and a threat after the catch. But he needs to improve his pass protection in the NFL. He had 1,580 rushing yards (sixth in the country) and 18 rushing TDs (tied for fifth), and his 314 receiving yards tied for 10th among running backs.


10. Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State*
HT: 6-6 | WT: 310
Grade: 92 | Prev. rank: 10

Johnson started all 13 games at guard in 2021 but moved to left tackle for 2022. He excelled there, allowing just 10 pressures and two sacks in 13 starts. His footwork and hand placement have improved, and he has a quick set with balance. When he lands his punch, it jars defensive linemen. He's an easy mover when mirroring and sliding, and he shows excellent lower-body flexibility. As a run-blocker, Johnson fires out of his stance quickly, and as long as he latches on properly with inside leverage, he has the strength to move defenders off the line. Johnson declared for the draft.


11. Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame*
HT: 6-4 | WT: 265
Grade: 92 | Prev. rank: 11

Mayer's best traits are his toughness and strength after the catch. He's a bulldozer with the ball in his hands, and he generates yards by breaking tackles and carrying defenders. Of his 809 receiving yards in 2022, 345 came after the catch. He is not a speedster but shows a lot of savvy setting up defenders at the top of stem and locating soft spots in zone. Mayer also has a big catch radius and reliable hands, and he does a very good job adjusting to the ball outside his frame. He has an edge as a blocker, too, though his technique is still a work in progress. Mayer had nine TD catches this season -- tied for 19th overall and first among tight ends in the country -- before declaring for the draft.


12. Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU*
HT: 6-4 | WT: 215
Grade: 92 | Prev. rank: 12

Johnston can stretch the field with his speed and has the body control and catching radius to win 50-50 balls. He is dangerous after the catch -- that's what separates him from most 6-foot-4 receivers -- and he flashes good contact balance (24 forced missed tackles on receptions, fifth in the country). That, combined with his ability to win on contested catches because of his length, has earned him WR1 status. Johnston runs away from coverage on crossers and locates pockets over the deep middle working against zone looks, but he's a little tight and struggles to separate on sharp-breaking routes.

He had 1,069 yards and six TD catches on 60 receptions. And while he was held to one catch for three yards against Georgia in the title game, he went off for 163 receiving yards and a TD against Michigan to help the Horned Frogs get there.

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Quentin Johnston's stutter-step leads to 76-yard TCU TDTCU QB Max Duggan passes to Quentin Johnston, who stutter-steps by a defender and speeds 76 yards to the house.

13. Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
HT: 6-3 | WT: 232
Grade: 91 | Prev. rank: 13

A transfer from Penn State, Levis has a relatively quick release, and the ball jumps off his hand. He has a strong arm to drive the ball outside the hashes and vertically, but he's more consistent with ball placement when he's driving it on a rope than he is on touch throws that require him to layer the ball. He is light on his feet and shows good agility eluding the rush, knowing when to climb or slide to extend, but he took 36 sacks this season.

I'd like to see more reps featuring full-field progression reads and anticipatory downfield throws, and he needs to cut down on the interceptions (10 in 11 games this season and 13 in 2021). The decision-making remains a problem that will need to be coached up in the NFL. Levis -- who recently declared for the draft -- had 2,406 passing yards and 19 touchdown throws while completing 65.4% of his passes in 2022.


14. Jordan Addison, WR, USC*
HT: 6-0 | WT: 175
Grade: 91 | Prev. rank: 14

After transferring from Pittsburgh (1,593 yards and 17 TDs in 2021), Addison had 59 catches for 875 yards and eight trips to the end zone for the Trojans in 2022. He has the second gear to stretch the field and can win 50-50 balls downfield, even though he has a slight frame. He's an instinctive open-field runner with good burst and flashes good contact balance for his size. Addison is not a nuanced or polished route runner, but he consistently separates thanks to his burst and fluidity.


15. Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State*
HT: 6-2 | WT: 198
Grade: 90 | Prev. rank: 15

Porter is instinctive and excels in press-man but also shows the recognition skills necessary in zone coverage. He has fast eyes when diagnosing screens and runs, and he uses his long arms, solid technique and physicality to reroute receivers off the line of scrimmage. He also plays with very good body control, but he does have some tightness and tends to get handsy when he feels himself getting out of phase. Porter knows when to attack the receiver and when to attack the ball, too.

He finished the season with 11 pass breakups (zero interceptions), and his 3.7 yards allowed per attempt ranked fourth in the country. And his 37.9% forced incompletion rate (breakups and interceptions on targeted attempts) was the best in the FBS. Porter will enter the draft.


16. Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon*
HT: 6-2 | WT: 201
Grade: 90 | Prev. rank: 17

Gonzalez was a two-year starter at Colorado before transferring to Oregon, and he has an impressive blend of size, length and speed. There's room for improvement when it comes to turning to locate the ball, but he's an effective press corner. Gonzalez is strong and long enough to reroute receivers, and he's fast enough to stay in their back pocket. He can also get off blocks and flashes good stopping power as a tackler. And he's versatile enough to line up over the slot and play safety, though he fits best on the outside.

After four interceptions and seven pass breakups, Gonzalez declared for the 2023 draft.


17. Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia*
HT: 6-2 | WT: 210
Grade: 89 | Prev. rank: 19

A former track sprinter in high school, Ringo has outstanding top-end speed. He has an excellent catch radius and the elite length to bat down passes when reaching around receivers (18 pass breakups over two seasons). But his route recognition and eye discipline are still works in progress, and while he shows flashes of reading receivers' routes in man-to-man, he looks lost too often in zone. In run support, Ringo has ideal size and length to keep blockers off his frame and to lasso ball carriers in space. He had 42 tackles and two interceptions on the year.

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18. Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma*
HT: 6-5 | WT: 315
Grade: 89 | Prev. rank: Outside top 32

Harrison has a powerful punch, works his hands inside and is tough to shake once he's locked on in pass protection. He walls off defenders and takes sound angles climbing to the second level in the run game, too. But Harrison doesn't bend well, and while he digs in to absorb power, he leans and can give up too much ground. The junior didn't allow a single sack (and just one pressure) in 12 starts this season, and he started 24 games over three seasons at Oklahoma before declaring for the draft.


19. Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina*
HT: 6-0 | WT: 188
Grade: 89 | Prev. rank: 22

Smith is a versatile defensive back with experience on the boundary, at nickel and at safety, and he's at his best in zone coverage. He is highly instinctive and frequently gets early jumps by reading quarterbacks' eyes, and he shows excellent foot quickness and fluid hips. Smith is a ball hawk (one interception, six pass breakups this season) with excellent vertical leap, length and soft hands, and he does a great job of using waist-up technique to knock the ball free when in the trail position with his back to the quarterback. But he frequently gets too handsy at the top of receivers' stems. Smith declared for the draft.


20. Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia*
HT: 6-4 | WT: 310
Grade: 89 | Prev. rank: 21

Jones came into the season with just four career starts, but he started 15 times at left tackle for the Bulldogs this season, allowing zero sacks and only six pressures. He has quick feet, mirrors and slides with ease and has no trouble with pure speed off the edge. Jones shows explosive upper-body power when he lands his punch, but he needs to improve hand placement, not let his pads rise too high and increase lower-body strength. As a run-blocker, he fires out quickly and has a lot of snap in his initial contact, frequently knocking defensive linemen back with power, and he shows very good range as a second-level blocker. There might be questions about whether Jones projects better as a guard in the NFL, though.


21. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State*
HT: 6-1 | WT: 200
Grade: 89 | Prev. rank: 23

With just 42 routes and 43 yards in three games, Smith-Njigba was limited this season by a hamstring injury before ultimately deciding to skip the College Football Playoff and head to the draft. He is extremely agile with precise route-running skills and has a great feel for soft spots in zone. He tempos his route stems like a pro and is very quick getting in and out of cuts, frequently gaining separation with acceleration. Smith-Njigba also shows soft hands and very good body control, though he tends to be a body catcher. He shows good lateral agility and can string multiple cuts together to make multiple defenders miss in space.


22. Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa*
HT: 6-5 | WT: 269
Grade: 89 | Prev. rank: 18

Van Ness has followed up his seven-sack 2021 season with six more in 2022, along with 29 pressures, 13.5 tackles for loss and 10 run stops over 13 games. He is an excellent pass-rusher who continues to improve with more game experience -- he has only 27 career games and has never started, but he will be headed to the draft. Van Ness has the length, quickness and power to make a difference at the next level, and he can play inside or outside.


23. Brian Branch, S, Alabama*
HT: 6-0 | WT: 193
Grade: 89 | Prev. rank: 16

Branch had 89 tackles (12 for loss), 7 pass breakups, 8 pressures, 9 run stops and 3 sacks on the season, impacting multiple areas of the game. He is a complete football player with the ability to play in the box, line up as a single-high safety or hold up in a lot of one-on-one matchups. Branch has great natural instincts and supports the run like a linebacker. His versatility will be a big asset in the NFL.

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Alabama capitalizes on INT with rushing TD on ensuing playBrian Branch jumps the route for the interception, and Jase McClellan finds pay dirt on the ensuing play to give the Crimson Tide a 35-10 lead.

24. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama*
HT: 5-11 | WT: 200
Grade: 89 | Prev. rank: 20

Gibbs -- who transferred from Georgia Tech -- is an elusive runner who can stop and start in a hurry, with the vision to string together multiple cuts (58 forced missed tackles). He has good burst out of those cuts and solid balance to absorb contact but lacks a second gear to run away from defenders in space. Gibbs, who recently declared for the draft, does get a little impatient at times and bounces too many carries to the outside.

He is also a reliable pass-catcher who can adjust to throws outside his frame and transition upfield quickly -- but his pass-protection technique needs work. He turned 151 carries into 926 rushing yards (6.1 per rush) and seven TDs, but Gibbs has truly popped in the pass game, hauling in 44 of 54 targets for 444 yards (fourth among running backs) and another three TDs.


25. Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M*
HT: 6-3 | WT: 195
Grade: 89 | Prev. rank: 24

Often playing the big nickel position, Johnson has good coverage instincts when diagnosing route combinations. His leverage in underneath zone is good -- though he has little experience playing as a single-high safety -- and he has fast eyes that read receivers' routes. Johnson can carry most one-on-ones with tight ends down the field thanks to his quickness, agility and length, and he has an impressive closing burst once the ball is in the air. He's aggressive in run defense and has excellent tackling form.

Johnson was limited to nine games this season, but he had 72 tackles -- including five for loss -- and three forced fumbles (tied for eighth most in the country) on the season.


26. Drew Sanders, ILB, Arkansas*
HT: 6-5 | WT: 232
Grade: 88 | Prev. rank: Outside top 32

A transfer from Alabama, Sanders has excellent length and finishing ability as an off-the-ball linebacker. He is patient but then pursues with really good burst and relentlessness. He finished 2022 with 111 tackles, 16 tackles for loss (23rd in the FBS), 9.5 sacks (tied for 16th), 2 forced fumbles and 10 run stops. And he flashes ball skills in coverage, bringing in an interception and breaking up five passes this season. NFL teams love length and burst in the middle of the field right now, and Sanders fits that mold. He decided to enter the draft in December.


27. Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland
HT: 6-6 | WT: 320
Grade: 88 | Prev. rank: Outside top 32

Duncan is a big left tackle with the power to move defenders off the ball, along with the range and foot speed to excel as a zone blocker. He is quick and wide enough to take the edge away from speed rushers, too. But Duncan plays a little high, his angles are inconsistent and he gets beat to the inside at times. And he struggled against better opponents this season, allowing a combined 13 pressures and six sacks to Michigan, Penn State and Ohio State.


28. O'Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida*
HT: 6-5 | WT: 347
Grade: 88 | Prev. rank: 27

Torrence started in 36 games at Louisiana before transferring to Florida (11 more starts). He's a wide-based blocker who rarely gives up ground to powerful rushers, but he lacks ideal mirror-and-slide agility and can get in trouble with mobile 3-techniques. Torrence -- who declared for the draft -- gave up just one sack over the past three years. As a run-blocker, Torrence does a great job of latching on and controlling defensive linemen while moving laterally in a zone-blocking scheme, though his second-level range is only average.

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29. Zach Harrison, DE, Ohio State
HT: 6-6 | WT: 272
Grade: 87 | Prev. rank: Outside top 32

As a pass-rusher, Harrison has good length and strength to generate some push, and he gives solid effort in pursuit. However, he lacks ideal first-step quickness and struggles to run a tight loop. Harrison is strong at the point of attack against the run and uses those long arms to lasso ball-carriers in space. He has solid change-of-direction ability, but he needs to work on his recognition skills. Harrison had 3.5 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss and 3 forced fumbles in 2022.


30. Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah*
HT: 5-10 | WT: 183
Grade: 87 | Prev. rank: 28

Phillips has the oily hips, quick feet and balance to shadow slot receivers, and he closes well and limits production after the catch when breaking on passes. He reads the quarterback well but gets nosy and caught out of position at times. And while Phillips uses his frame to widen out receivers, his size raises concerns about his ability to win 50-50 balls downfield. His six interceptions -- tied for third in the country and including a pair of pick-six TDs -- might prove otherwise, though.


31. Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
HT: 5-10 | WT: 172
Grade: 87 | Prev. rank: 30

Flowers is an instinctive, explosive and elusive playmaker in the open field (25 forced missed tackles on catches, fourth most in the nation). He has the second gear to get behind opposing defenses, and he tracks the deep ball well. His route running still needs work, but his overall speed allows him to separate from defensive backs. As a smaller receiver, Flowers is most dangerous from the slot but has shown he can compete for 50-50 balls and pluck the ball out of the air in traffic, too. He caught 78 balls for 1,077 yards and 12 TDs (tied for fifth) this season before declaring for the draft.


32. Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida*
HT: 6-4 | WT: 232
Grade: 86 | Prev. rank: 32

Richardson declared for the draft, which sets up an interesting evaluation for NFL teams. On one hand, he displays excellent physical traits. He has the arm strength to drive the ball downfield, and his speed and elusiveness allow him to make an impact as a runner (654 rushing yards, nine TD runs). But on the other hand, he is still relatively inexperienced (13 starts) and is still ironing out his accuracy (53.8% completion percentage in 2022). Richardson is a huge projection, but the talent and upside are definitely there. He finished the 2022 season with 2,549 passing yards, 17 TD throws and 9 interceptions.


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