As the college season comes close to a close, the 2023 NFL Draft class is getting clearer. Trying to figure out the potential of these current 2nd year players to come out early requires analysis going back to their high school days. The 2023 NFL Draft is a long ways away, but it is good to see some of the young prospects who could make their way into the NFL Draft. Get some idea of players to look for this year in college football! Take a look at this Mock Draft and send any NFL draft/mock draft feedback to @ShanePHallam on twitter and see more of his work here including a 2022 Mock Draft and 2024 Mock Draft.
**Mock Draft order was randomized**
Round 1-3
| Pick | Team | Player | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver Broncos | Will Anderson Jr. EDGE/Alabama | Anderson is the best player in the draft, bar none, even above teammate Bryce Young. He is an insane pass rusher who can also set the edge. LB, hand down, etc there is so much versatility with him. If the top team doesn't need a QB, Anderson is a slam dunk. |
| 2 | Detroit Lions | Bryce Young QB/Alabama | Young has won the Heisman and had a great year. Despite not being ideal NFL size, Young has the arm strength and decision making to be a top NFL QB. Though he hasn't used his legs much, Young can also run and be a major threat on the ground. Potential #1 overall pick. |
| 3 | Philadelphia Eagles | Myles Murphy EDGE/Clemson | Murphy is a towering sack machine who has excellent strength and good athleticism. He has improve his sack totals from 4 to 7 this year and flashed absolute dominance. The Clemson defense will be going through some changes, but Murphy should sustain to be a top 10 type of player. |
| 4 | Tennessee Titans | Kayshon Boutte WR/LSU | Boutte has dealt with the roller coaster that is the LSU offense and still been the most dominant WR in this class. He has Justin Jefferson liek qualities of quick twitch ability off the line and great ball tracking when deep. Add in speed and he is a rock solid NFL WR1. |
| 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers | CJ Stroud QB/Ohio State | Stroud struggled a bit this past season while hurt, but finished very strong down the stretch. He has good arm strength and his ball placement improved game to game. Look for him to compete with being the #1 overall player in the class. |
| 6 | New York Jets | Bijan Robinson RB/Texas | Everyone discounts RBs, but it is rare to have a RB quite like Bijan Robinson. He has the size to run guys over in space, but is atheltic enough to make them miss with good angles. He can catch too. The rare worthwhile Top 10 RB selection. |
| 7 | Houston Texans | Noah Sewell LB/Oregon | Sewell has been the leader of the Oregon defense this past season. An inside LB with great wrap up ability and closing speed, Sewell has some Luke Kuechly to his game. He has also been used as a pass rusher getting into the backfield. Top 15 seems appropriate. |
| 8 | Indianapolis Colts | Malachi Moore S/Alabama | Moore has had a unique role in the Alabama playing some slot corner, safety, and everything inbetween. Though he isn't much of a ballhawk, he has been the best cover player on the Crimson Tide this season. He glides effortlessly in coverage. With more playing time as a junior, Moore could ascend to being a top pick. |
| 9 | Detroit Lions (f/ LAR) | Eli Ricks CB/Alabama | Ricks had the makings of a Derek Stingley type CB for LSU after his freshman season, but is now transferring to Alabama for his junior year. Ricks is sticky in coverage and has good hands to make interceptions. Look for his stock to soar. |
| 10 | Cincinnati Bengals | Bryan Bresee DL/Clemson | Bresee didn't play much this year due to injury, but he has mamoth size with quick feet. He can penetrate from anywhere on the line to pressure the QB and make plays in the backfield. A big versatile mover deserves a Top Ten pick. |
| 11 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Peter Skoronski OT/Northwestern | Skoronski had a bit of a down year this season, but he flashed as a freshman the next in line of athletic LTs going to the NFL. He has also been a superb run blocker. |
| 12 | Seattle Seahawks | Jahmyr Gibbs RB/Alabama | Gibbs ging to Alabama to start with his athletic and pass catching upside will surely get him into the first round conversation. Gibbs has been a top RB while at Georgia Tech and playing with the big boys will help the narrative. |
| 13 | New York Giants | Jaxson Smith-Njigba WR/Ohio State | JSN will lead the Buckeyes receiving group next year while already showcasing top athletic talent. He is tough and should be an easy first round pick. |
| 14 | Carolina Panthers | Robert Scott Jr. OT/Florida State | Scott carried the Seminole offensive line this season and has flashed first round potential. |
| 15 | Los Angeles Chargers | Michael Mayer TE/Notre Dame | Mayer can block and catch, especially as a red zone threat. His best ability is after the catch setting himself up to break tackles for big gains. |
| 16 | New England Patriots | Quentin Johnston WR/TCU | Johnston is getting overlooked, but his size and speed combo is unmatched in this class. He has helped carry the TCU offense when needed and is electric after the catch. |
| 17 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Avery Young CB/Rutgers | Young was miscast as a safety this season and hopefully will move back to CB. He is a good bump and run corner with good hips for his size. |
| 18 | Arizona Cardinals | Jalen Catalon S/Arkansas | Catalon is a punishing safety over the middle who improved in coverage. Another big step could help him become a playmaker at the next level. |
| 19 | Cleveland Browns | Trenton Simpson LB/Clemson | Simpson is a LB who lives in the backfield rushing the passer and stopping the run. He is a versatile player whose coverage ability is improving as well. Top 10 is even possible with another good year. |
| 20 | Washington Football Team | Jordan Addison WR/Pittsburgh | The Biletnikoff winner was uncoverable this past season as Pitt cruised to an ACC title. Though he isn't the biggest or fastest player, his quickness will serve him will in the pros as a complimentary WR. |
| 21 | Buffalo Bills | Javion Cohen G/Alabama | Cohen had a rocky season, but he has the foot movement and upper body strength to be an NFL player. As the season went on, he made stark improvements in his consistency and understanding his assignments. Look for a big 3rd year. |
| 22 | Miami Dolphins (f/ SF) | Jalen Carter DL/Georgia | Carter doesn't get talked about as much as the older Georgia DLinemen, but he has been pretty darn solid this season against the run and some rotational pass rush ability. Look for him to lead the Front 7 next year. |
| 23 | Kansas City Chiefs | BJ Ojulari EDGE/LSU | Brother of Azeez, BJ led the Tigers in sacks this season as a stand-up edge type who can run with a full head of steam. Brian Kelly will be able to turn him loose for a big 3rd year. |
| 24 | Dallas Cowboys | Gervon Dexter DL/Florida | Dexter didn't have many wow plays this year, but he is a solid run defender who can get skinny through the line for penetration. Florida's defensive front should be better next year with some good coaching to propel him higher. |
| 25 | Chicago Bears | Jaylon Jones CB/Texas A&M | Jones came on late in the season as a good coverage corner who rarely got beat. He flashed some playmaking ability but will need to keep developing to be a first rounder. |
| 26 | Miami Dolphins | Anton Harrison OT/Oklahoma | Harrison started the season rough but he really showcased his ad lib ability when Caleb Williams became the QB. His athletic kick slide made up for some mental mistakes, so expect a good year next year. |
| 27 | Atlanta Falcons | Tyler Van Dyke QB/Miami (FL) | Van Dyke came in late to the Hurricanes, but he left an impression. An impressive arm and great ball placement helped elevate the whole Miami offense. If Van Dyke plays that way all season next year with Cristobal coaching, a top 10 pick is possible. |
| 28 | Green Bay Packers | Tyler Grubbs LB/Louisiana Tech | Grubbs is small in stature from a smaller school, but he is a tackle machine who can cover tight ends. That type of play can make a Top 50 pick. |
| 29 | New Orleans Saints | Walker Parks OT/Clemson | Parks had a good season for Clemson despite their offensive struggles. He showed prowess as a run blocker with some upside to develop more in other areas. |
| 30 | Las Vegas Raiders | Emmanuel Forbes CB/Mississippi State | Forbes had some struggles this season, especially against Alabama, but he has the size and length to turn into an NFL CB. He could move way up or way down. |
| 31 | Minnesota Vikings | Zion Tupuola-Fetui EDGE/Washington | ZTF going back to school to get fully healthy and show that early pass rush ability. He should be able to lead the Huskies defense in sacks and get back to his old self. |
| 32 | Baltimore Ravens | Paris Johnson Jr. OT/Ohio State | Johnson will move back to OT from OG next season and try to flash his outside ability for the Buckeyes. The top recruit has the athleticism and is more natural at Tackle. |
| Pick | Team | Player | Explanation |
| Pick | Team | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | Denver Broncos | Grayson McCall QB/Coastal Carolina |
| 34 | Detroit Lions | Willie Lampkin G/Coastal Carolina |
| 35 | Philadelphia Eagles | DeMarvion Overshown LB/Texas |
| 36 | Tennessee Titans | Isaiah Foskey EDGE/Notre Dame |
| 37 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Campbell Barrington OT/BYU |
| 38 | New York Jets | Andrew Raym C/Oklahoma |
| 39 | Houston Texans | Anthony Richardson QB/Florida |
| 40 | Indianapolis Colts | Jordan Burch EDGE/South Carolina |
| 41 | Los Angeles Rams | Lathan Ransom S/Ohio State |
| 42 | Cincinnati Bengals | DJ Graham CB/Oklahoma |
| 43 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Chidozie Nwankwo DL/Houston |
| 44 | Seattle Seahawks | Brian Branch CB/Alabama |
| 45 | New York Giants | Zach Harrison EDGE/Ohio State |
| 46 | Carolina Panthers | Sean Tucker RB/Syracuse |
| 47 | Los Angeles Chargers | Will McDonald EDGE/Iowa State |
| 48 | New England Patriots | Sean Rhyan OT/UCLA |
| 49 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Tank Bigsby RB/Auburn |
| 50 | Arizona Cardinals | Zach Evans RB/Mississippi |
| 51 | Cleveland Browns | Carter Warren OT/Pittsburgh |
| 52 | Washington Football Team | Tanner Ingle S/NC State |
| 53 | Buffalo Bills | Stephen Dix LB/Florida State |
| 54 | San Francisco 49ers | Nick Broeker OT/Mississippi |
| 55 | Kansas City Chiefs | Rakim Jarrett WR/Maryland |
| 56 | Dallas Cowboys | Jaquelin Roy DL/LSU |
| 57 | Chicago Bears | Zach Frazier G/West Virginia |
| 58 | Miami Dolphins | Kyu Blu Kelly CB/Stanford |
| 59 | Atlanta Falcons | Marvin Mims WR/Oklahoma |
| 60 | Green Bay Packers | Brant Kuithe TE/Utah |
| 61 | New Orleans Saints | Henry To'o To'o LB/Alabama |
| 62 | Las Vegas Raiders | Josh Downs WR/North Carolina |
| 63 | Minnesota Vikings | Nick Andersen S/Wake Forest |
| 64 | Baltimore Ravens | Stefon Thompson LB/Syracuse |
| Pick | Team | Player |
| Pick | Team | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 65 | Denver Broncos | Calijah Kancey DL/Pittsburgh |
| 66 | Detroit Lions | Jordan Toles S/LSU |
| 67 | Philadelphia Eagles | Antonio Johnson CB/Texas A&M |
| 68 | Tennessee Titans | Justin Rogers DL/Kentucky |
| 69 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Akheem Mesidor EDGE/West Virginia |
| 70 | New York Jets | Parker Washington WR/Penn State |
| 71 | Houston Texans | Lukas Van Ness DL/Iowa |
| 72 | Indianapolis Colts | Darnell Washington TE/Georgia |
| 73 | Los Angeles Rams | Justin Eboigbe DL/Alabama |
| 74 | Cincinnati Bengals | Ayodele Adeoye LB/Transfer Portal |
| 75 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Doug Nester G/West Virginia |
| 76 | Seattle Seahawks | Phil Jurkovec QB/Boston College |
| 77 | New York Giants | Zay Flowers WR/Boston College |
| 78 | Carolina Panthers | Jahleel Billingsley TE/Alabama |
| 79 | Los Angeles Chargers | Maurice Smith C/Florida State |
| 80 | New England Patriots | Dorian Strong CB/Virginia Tech |
| 81 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Johari Branch G/Maryland |
| 82 | Arizona Cardinals | Tyler Batty EDGE/BYU |
| 83 | Cleveland Browns | Khris Bogle EDGE/Michigan State |
| 84 | Washington Football Team | Will Levis QB/Kentucky |
| 85 | Buffalo Bills | Doug Kramer C/Illinois |
| 86 | San Francisco 49ers | Dontay Demus Jr. WR/Maryland |
| 87 | Kansas City Chiefs | Demouy Kennedy LB/Alabama |
| 88 | Dallas Cowboys | Keeanu Benton DL/Wisconsin |
| 89 | Chicago Bears | Owen Pappoe LB/Auburn |
| 90 | Miami Dolphins | Alex Forsyth C/Oregon |
| 91 | Atlanta Falcons | Nolan Smith EDGE/Georgia |
| 92 | Green Bay Packers | John Metchie III WR/Alabama |
| 93 | New Orleans Saints | Ladarius Tennison S/Auburn |
| 94 | Las Vegas Raiders | Cody Simon LB/Ohio State |
| 95 | Minnesota Vikings | Kendall Milton RB/Georgia |
| 96 | Baltimore Ravens | Tyler Davis DL/Clemson |
| Pick | Team | Player |