We're down the home stretch -- the 2023 NFL Draft gets underway on April 27 -- and while we'll continue the wall-to-wall coverage through the "With the First Pick" podcast (check it out here!), CBS Sports HQ and those mock drafts you love so much, I thought I'd take a moment to roll out our Top 100 Big Board.
1. Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
2. Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia
3. Will Anderson Jr., ED, Alabama
4. Tyree Wilson, ED, Texas Tech
5. C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
6. Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
7. Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
8. Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
9. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
10. Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
Unlike a year ago, this quarterback class has the interest of the teams at the top of the draft, and the expectation is that two will go off the board with the first two picks. The order remains an uncertainty, but for us, Bryce Young is QB1 -- but it's close. C.J. Stroud had a solid season for the Buckeyes and he continued to impress during the pre-draft process, both at the combine and his Pro Day, and no doubt during private workouts. My podcast co-host and former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman and I made the Pro Day rounds last month and you can catch our Bryce Young recap here.
As for why Young just edges out Stroud, it's pretty simple: Yes, he's 5-10 and probably played around 185 pounds last fall, but he's the best anticipation thrower in this class, his pocket awareness is second to none, and he did more with less in that Alabama offense than his predecessors, Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones. He's a Day 1 starter.
On pure football ability, Jalen Carter is the best player in this class. He was the best player on the 2021 Georgia team that had five defenders go in the first round. The issues are whether he'll be locked in on every single snap because at times last season he looked bored. There are also the misdemeanor reckless driving charges that Carted pleaded no contest to in March that will likely factor into draft-room discussions about where he fits on teams' boards.
Christian Gonzalez has drawn comparisons to Kaiir Elam, the Bills' first-rounder a year ago, but he's considered by many teams to be a better athlete with better ball skills. He'll be in the running for CB1, and for good reason, though he'll have competition from Devon Witherspoon, who recently ran 4.40 and has his weight up to 185 pounds.
Yep, that's running back Bijan Robinson at No. 7, and nope, he won't get drafted that high because he plays a position that has been devalued over the last decade or so. That said, it wouldn't be wholly surprising if the Eagles thought about him at No. 10 and there's no way he gets out of Round 1.
Peter Skoronski has been our OT1 throughout the fall and that hasn't changed. Yes, he has short arms -- but so did his former college teammate Rashawn Slater, who, when healthy, has been solid for the Chargers at left tackle. The upside to taking Skoronski, who I think is a tackle even though some NFL teams disagree, is that he can kick inside if he doesn't have success outside.
Finally, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who played in just three games and managed five receptions in 2022, is our WR1. This group isn't particularly deep, but I had both Garrett Wilson and C.J. Stroud tell us in recent months that Smith-Njigba was the best wideout on Buckeyes in 2021, and that roster included the aforementioned Wilson, Chris Olave and Marvin Harrison Jr. -- all former or future first-round picks. Smith-Njigba looked sharp at his Pro Day and his 4.50 40 time is more than fast enough given his elite short-area quickness.
11. Lukas Van Ness, ED, Iowa
12. Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
13. Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
14. O'Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida
15. Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
16. Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
17. Myles Murphy, ED, Clemson
18. Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
19. Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
20. Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
21. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
22. Brian Branch, S, Alabama
23. Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
24. Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
25. Jordan Addison, WR, USC
Lukas Van Ness never started a game at Iowa and his tape isn't filled with jaw-dropping plays, but that's not the point; NFL teams see a player who, in 2-3 years, could be dominant. He's 275 pounds now, but the thinking is that he can add 15 pounds and he's just scratching the surface on his abilities. That he tested through the roof only confirms what folks around the league think about Van Ness and at this point it would be a shock if he slipped outside the top 15.
There's an argument to be made that O'Cyrus Torrence is the best offensive linemen in this class (and our colleague Pete Prisco made such a case on a recent WTFP episode). The Louisiana transfer looked like he had been manhandling SEC competition most of his life last season and I'd expect a similar transition to the next level where he's a plug-and-play interior offensive linemen on Day 1.
Anthony Richardson is No. 15 on our board and this feels low. Yes, he's short on experience, and yes, he has to get better and diagnosing defenses and getting through his reads, but there is so much to like about his game. I could easily make the case that he's the best pure athlete in this class, and in the right landing spot he could be truly special. Spielman and I recapped Richardson's Pro Day from Gainesville on the podcast.
Zay Flowers has been getting some late run on NFL Draft Twitter, but NFL teams really like the former BC wide receiver. He may be undersized, but he was that offense last season, under some pretty trying circumstances, at times, and there's talk that he could end up being WR1 in this draft class.
26. Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma
27. Nolan Smith, ED, Georgia
28. Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas
29. Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
30. Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
31. Calijah Kancey, DL, Pittsburgh
32. Keion White, ED, Georgia Tech
33. Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
34. Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
35. Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State
36. Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
37. Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
38. Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
39. Joe Tippmann, OC, Wisconsin
40. Siaki Ika, DL, Baylor
41. BJ Ojulari, ED, LSU
42. Byron Young, DL, Alabama
43. Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
44. Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse
45. Bryan Bresee, DL, Clemson
46. Tuli Tuipulotu, ED, USC
47. Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
48. Adetomiwa Adebawore, ED, Northwestern
49. Cody Mauch, OG, North Dakota State
50. Will McDonald IV, ED, Iowa State
Anton Harrison, Nolan Smith and Drew Sanders are all insane athletes whose best football is in front of them. All three could very easily be first-round picks, and all three could be heavy contributors as rookies. But all three have questions, too; Harrison needs to refine his technique, Smith and Sanders will need to add weight to their frames. But again, there are very few people on the planet that can do what they do.
Calijah Kancey has been getting a lot of first-round media buzz in recent weeks, and it's hard to deny his tape -- it's electrifying. The problem is that he has 30-inch arms, which is historically short for a defensive linemen, and when he matches up against long-armed offensive linemen, will he have that same level of success? Watching him play, it's hard not to believe he won't be successful against whomever he lines up against, but these are the discussions NFL teams will have in the next few weeks.
Hendon Hooker comes in at No. 37 -- that's right, 10 spots ahead of Will Levis. And maybe five years from now we're all laughing about how wrong this was. That's OK; Hooker had an impressive 2022 season and if not for the ACL injury he'd likely be in the first-round conversation. Yes, he'll be 25 as a rookie but that doesn't mean he can't play at a high level for the next decade. In Levis, the questions remain -- even after a solid Pro-Day workout. And while the measurables are impressive, the '22 tapes lead to more questions than answers.
51. Nick Herbig, LB, Wisconsin
52. Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M
53. Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
54. Jartavius Martin, CB, Illinois
55. Kei'Trel Clark, CB, Louisville
56. Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State
57. Isaiah Foskey, ED, Notre Dame
58. Zacch Pickens, DL, South Carolina
59. Jalen Redmond, DL, Oklahoma
60. JL Skinner, S, Boise State
61. Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas
62. YaYa Diaby, DL, Louisville
63. Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M
64. John Michael Schmitz, OC, Minnesota
65. Steve Avila, OC, TCU
66. Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina
67. Gervon Dexter Sr., DL, Florida
68. Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane
69. Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland
70. Jaylon Jones, CB, Texas A&M
71. Mazi Smith, DL, Michigan
72. Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati
73. Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland
74. Byron Young (UT), ED, Tennessee
75. Luke Wypler, OC, Ohio State
Devon Witherspoon has been a consistent pre-draft talking point, and understandably so, but his teammate, Jartavius Bennett was good in his own right. At 5-11, 193 and with 4.46 speed, he's perfectly suited to the slot and even some safety, where excelled for the Illini.
No. 57 may seem low for Isaiah Foskey, but the converted tight end is still learning to be an edge rusher. He looks the part -- and has the measurables to back it up, but he'll be a project in Year 1 who has a chance to be a difference-maker in Years 2-4 of his rookie deal.
Gervon Dexter has first-round talent for days, it just didn't show up on tape from snap to snap. But his Pro Day performance confirmed what you saw on Saturdays and the NFL coach who can unlock that potential will be getting a bargain on Day 2. These same sentiments hold for Mazi Smith, who also plays on the interior defensive line, and who is one of the freakiest athletes in this class. Like Dexter, when he's on he's unstoppable. He just needs to be more consistent.
This wide receivers class may not be that deep compared to recent years, but Tyler Scott is legit no matter who you compare him to. At just a shade under 5-10 and 177 pounds, he's undersized, but he plays faster than his 4.44 timed speed. He played mostly outside for the Bearcats but he has home-run ability from anywhere on the field, and his short-area burst makes him a consistent take-it-to-the-house threat.
76. Nick Saldiveri, OG, Old Dominion
77. Derick Hall, ED, Auburn
78. Andre Carter II, ED, Army
79. Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina
80. Henry To'oTo'o, LB, Alabama
81. Nick Hampton, ED, Appalachian State
82. Karl Brooks, ED, Bowling Green
83. Myles Brooks, CB, Louisiana Tech
84. Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State
85. Yasir Abdullah, ED, Louisville
86. Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
87. Garrett Williams, CB, Syracuse
88. Marvin Mims, WR, Oklahoma
89. Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn
90. Keaton Mitchell, RB, East Carolina
91. Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA
92. Daniel Scott, S, California
93. Tyler Steen, OT, Alabama
94. Ochaun Mathis, ED, Nebraska
95. Felix Anudike-Uzomah, ED, Kansas State
96. Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn
97. Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss
98. Tre Tucker, WR, Cincinnati
99. DJ Turner, CB, Michigan
100. Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee
It sounds cliche, but Andre Carter's best football is in front of him because he's had the disadvantage of playing football at a service academy where the focus isn't on getting bigger or stronger or faster for football, but to prepare for a life in the military. He'll continue to grow into his body -- and in the process, get stronger -- and several years from now we may wonder why he didn't go higher in the draft.
Trenton Simpson is an incredible athlete who tested off the charts, but he wasn't asked to do much in coverage and I wanted to see him play with a little more awareness in the middle of the field. That said, it's hard to overlook the 4.43 speed and his ability to fly to the ball from anywhere on the field.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah got some first-round buzz in the fall and he could very easily be a dominant pass rusher at the next level. He was miscast at times at Kansas State; he's at his best as a 7 or 9 technique than playing over the tackle, which allows him to show off that speed-to-power that can give offensive linemen so much trouble. In the right system, he can be an effective situational pass rusher as a rookie.
