*Walt taking 2014 and 2018 |
Charlie Campbell, Senior Draft Analyst |
2023 NFL Combine Results - Weigh-Ins and 40 Times
QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | DB
2023 NFL Combine Stock Report:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | DB
2023 NFL Draft Top 10 Lacks Consensus
Updated March 5, 2023
By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.
In a typically year, there is usually a pretty clear group about which players will comprise the top-10 picks of an NFL draft. However, the 2023 NFL Draft has less clarity for the top 10 thanks to the class lacking the typical amount of elite prospects. Multiple sources from different teams told WalterFootball.com that the players who received elite grades were Texas running back Bijan Robinson, Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson and Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Even though Robinson is considered the best player in the 2023 NFL Draft by many around the league, he may not end up as a top-10 pick because of the downgrading of running back positoins. Thus, there is a lack of consensus on the players who will end up top-10 choices in the 2023 NFL Draft.
In surveying team sources, there were four players who are viewed as definitely going as the top-10 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. They were:
Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter was in that group prior to the arrest warrant that was issued on Wednesday of last week. If Carter gets cleared before the 2023 NFL Draft he could go back into being a secure top-10 selection, but that is a big “if” at this point with the draft less than two months away.
Another player who was viewed as very likely to end up as top-10 choice was Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski. Including Carter and Skoronski, that leaves four spots, and a survey of team sources by WalterFootball.com returned was a variety of names as prospoectw who teams thought could occupy those remaining spots. They were:
Many sources say they feel Richardson and Levis are not worthy of going as top-10 picks, but the need for franchise quarterbacks could push them up that high. Teams desperate for a quarterback can’t bank on being able to trade down and having their desired signal-caller fall to them. Also, other teams could trade up for one of those quarterbacks.
A number of team sources said that they did not believe either Gonzalez or Porter were top-10 talents, but both could rise during the workout portion of the draft process. There are four teams that could use cornerback help picking in the back half of the top 10, and corner is a premium position.
Offensive tackle is another premium poistion, which helps a player like Johnson, who has a good skill set. Some team sources say they think Addison and Flowers could fit in the Jaylen Waddle mold, so that could help them to rise over the final two months before the 2023 NFL Draft.
While this year may have more uncertainty for predicting how the draft will unfold, it should make for a very exciting opening night of the draft.
