2023 NFL Draft: Top 10 prospects at each position

With the deadline for players to declare for the draft now in the rearview mirror, the 2023 NFL Draft outlook is getting clearer. How do things stack up now that we know who is in this year’s draft class? Let’s take a look!

Between now and April, I will be making updates to these position rankings, just like I do for the BTSC Big Board. Once there has been a major shakeup at multiple positions, I will make the necessary updates and share them with you here. The analysis for these articles will be kept to a minimum, as the big board will take care of that aspect. The main purpose for these articles is simply to give a broad outlook at how each position is shaking out from top to bottom.

The class of defensive linemen just took a big hit, as Florida State EDGE rusher Jared Verse, Washington EDGE rusher Bralen Trice, Clemson defensive tackle Tyler Davis, and Illinois defensive lineman Jer’Zhan Newton all chose to return to school in 2023 and forego the draft. Other big names choosing to return to school include offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu, running back Blake Corum, and linebacker Tommy Eichenberg.

If you have any thoughts on these rankings, be sure to share them in the comment section below. Let’s dive in!

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Quarterback

1. Bryce Young — Alabama
2. C.J. Stroud — Ohio State
3. Will Levis — Kentucky
4. Anthony Richardson — Florida
5. Hendon Hooker — Tennessee
6. Jaren Hall — BYU
7. Tanner McKee — Stanford
8. Max Duggan — TCU
9. Jake Haener — Fresno State
10. Tyson Bagent — Shepherd

The depth at quarterback is okay, but not great. You are looking at potentially three guys who could be taken on Day 2 (Hooker, Hall, McKee), but after those three are gone, the level of physical talent drops significantly.

Running Back

1. Bijan Robinson — Texas
2. Jahmyr Gibbs — Alabama
3. Devon Achane — Texas A&M
4. DeWayne McBride — UAB
5. Zach Charbonnet — UCLA
6. Eric Gray — Oklahoma
7. Chase Brown — Illinois
8. Israel Abanikanda — Pittsburgh
9. Kendre Miller — TCU
10. Roschon Johnson — Texas

This is a really good group of running backs, as guys like Tank Bigsby, Sean Tucker, Keaton Mitchell, and Tyjae Spears did not even make the list. I expect a run on running backs to occur between the middle portions of the third round and the end of the fourth round.

Wide Receiver

1. Quentin Johnston — TCU
2. Jaxon Smith-Njigba — Ohio State
3. Jordan Addison — USC
4. Josh Downs — North Carolina
5. Zay Flowers — Boston College
6. Cedric Tillman — Tennessee
7. Jalin Hyatt — Tennessee
8. Kayshon Boutte — LSU
9. Tyler Scott — Cincinnati
10. Rashee Rice — SMU

The receiver class is not as deep as in previous years, but it is not entirely bare either. I have been on the Johnston hype train for awhile now, and I have him firmly atop the rankings at the position. I like Boutte’s talent and wanted to rank him higher, but his self-centered and me-first attitude bumps him down. The diva mentality will be a red flag for teams.

Tight End

1. Michael Mayer — Notre Dame
2. Darnell Washington — Georgia
3. Tucker Kraft — South Dakota State
4. Luke Musgrave — Oregon State
5. Sam LaPorta — Iowa
6. Dalton Kincaid — Utah
7. Davis Allen — Clemson
8. Cameron Latu — Alabama
9. Zach Kuntz — Old Dominion
10. Brevyn Spann-Ford — Minnesota

The NFL is in dire need of quality tight ends, and this draft class may be able to give a helping hand. Michael Mayer is the only tight end worth a first-round pick, but there are a good 6-7 guys who could be selected on Day 2.

Offensive Tackle

1. Peter Skoronski — Northwestern
2. Paris Johnson, Jr. — Ohio State
3. Broderick Jones — Georgia
4. Anton Harrison — Oklahoma
5. Jaelyn Duncan — Maryland
6. Cody Mauch — North Dakota State
7. Blake Freeland — BYU
8. Ryan Hayes — Michigan
9. Matthew Bergeron — Syracuse
10. Darnell Wright — Tennessee

Paris Johnson has some technical issues in his game that need cleaned up, but his potential is incredibly high. A good combine may move him to OT1. Jeremy Betz and I had an opportunity to interview Johnson on this week’s episode of The Steelers Fix podcast, which you can listen to in the player down below.

Interior Offensive Line

1. O’Cyrus Torrence — Florida
2. Cedric Van Pran — Georgia
3. Luke Wypler — Ohio State
4. John Michael Schmitz — Minnesota
5. Olusegun Oluwatimi — Michigan
6. Andrew Vorhees — USC
7. Steve Avila — TCU
8. Zak Zinter — Michigan
9. Cooper Beebe — Kansas State
10. Emil Ekiyor, Jr. — Alabama

Torrence is the top pure guard in this class, but what intrigues me is the depth at center. Sedrick Van Pran has elite potential, and his athletic testing numbers may remind you of a center Steelers fans are quite familiar with. Both he and Wypler have the edge over John Michael Schmitz due to age and upside.

Defensive Line

1. Jalen Carter — Georgia
2. Bryan Bresee — Clemson
3. Siaki Ika — Baylor
4. Gervon Dexter — Florida
5. Byron Young — Alabama
6. Mazi Smith — Michigan
7. Calijah Kancey — Pittsburgh
8. Moro Ojomo — Texas
9. Keeanu Benton — Wisconsin
10. Devonnsha Maxwell — Chattanooga

Carter may be the best prospect in this draft, but he is not the only talented prospect. Surprisingly, we have several nose tackles who provide some ability as a pass rusher. Siaki Ika could be in play for the Steelers at 32.

EDGE Rusher

1. Will Anderson — Alabama
2. Tyree Wilson — Texas Tech
3. Myles Murphy — Clemson
4. Isaiah Foskey — Notre Dame
5. Nolan Smith — Georgia
6. Zach Harrison — Ohio State
7. Lukas Van Ness — Iowa
8. Derick Hall — Auburn
9. Andre Carter II — Army
10. BJ Ojulari — LSU

After the consensus top three are off the board, expect a run on EDGE rushers in the late first or early second. Harrison, Foskey, and Van Ness could be first-round picks with strong combine performances, but I currently have second-round grades on all three.

Inside Linebacker

1. Trenton Simpson — Clemson
2. Drew Sanders — Arkansas
3. Jack Campbell — Iowa
4. SirVocea Dennis — Pittsburgh
5. Dorian Williams — Tulane
6. Ivan Pace, Jr. — Cincinnati
7. Noah Sewell — Oregon
8. Daiyan Henley — Washington State
9. Dee Winters — TCU
10. Henry To’oTo’o — Alabama

This position group may be the weakest of any in this class, but there are still some intriguing mid rounders. Dennis, Williams, and Pace all had solid statistical seasons, which puts them in a good position to rise with solid athletic testing.

Cornerback

1. Joey Porter, Jr. — Penn State
2. Cam Smith — South Carolina
3. Clark Phillips III — Utah
4. Christian Gonzalez — Oregon
5. Devon Witherspoon — Illinois
6. Emmanuel Forbes — Mississippi State
7. DJ Turner — Michigan
8. Kelee Ringo — Georgia
9. Deonte Banks — Maryland
10. Jaylon Jones — Texas A&M

There is something for everyone in this class of corners. Porter seems like a logical selection for the Steelers in Round 1, but he may not make it to Pick 17. I really like Clark Phillips as a nickel corner in the NFL as well.

Safety

1. Brian Branch — Alabama
2. Antonio Johnson — Texas A&M
3. Ji’Ayir Brown — Penn State
4. Sydney Brown — Illinois
5. JL Skinner — Boise State
6. Christopher Smith — Georgia
7. Jammie Robinson — Florida State
8. Jordan Battle — Alabama
9. Brandon Joseph — Notre Dame
10. Rashad Torrence II — Florida

There are a lot of unknowns with the safety class at this point, but we are likely to see a decent amount selected between Round 2 and Round 4. If you want a guy who could shoot up draft boards in a hurry, look no further than JL Skinner. He has the size and athleticism to impress NFL Scouts.