He is going to be the starter in 2023, though the deal he signed gives the team an out after a year if he doesn't star again. 14. 8. Well, if I were doing a regrade, it'd have to be an A+, right? 36. The Cardinals might be rough this season, but there's hope next year and beyond. NFL draft: Biggest potential steals in this year's class. Marte Mapu, OLB, Sacramento State The NFL draft is finally here, and I have a new and improved set of Round 1 predictions before the fun begins Thursday night (8 p.m. 13. The Colts must think he can start as a rookie. Nick Broeker (230) is a decent guard prospect who is definitely worth a Round 7 flier. Will they go after veteran free agents in May instead? While I would have gone with Will Levis over Richardson, there's no denying the talent and traits the former Florida passer possesses. 120. Keaton Mitchell, East Carolina 12. Thayer Thomas, NC State To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. 30. Carter has some off-field questions -- his draft status was clouded after he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing in connection with a fatal crash in January -- but there's no denying his talent level. I actually have Darius Rush (138) as my 11th-best corner in the class, one spot below Brents. Give Dell the ball in space and let him score touchdowns. Jake Moody, Michigan He had 19 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions last season, and his 60.9 QBR ranked 59th in the country. 10. 43. Young can maneuver the pocket and scramble better than Brees, but Young isn't a great runner like Kyler Murray, who also is 5-foot-10. 136. He was a slight reach on my board. Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan This roster needs a lot of work, and general manager Monti Ossenfort has his work cut out for him. Jonathan White, McPherson College (KS) If they had their own pick at No. On the April 19th, draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. announced plans for his eventual retirement on ESPN's NFL Live broadcast. But this year, it will not be the case. 30. Tyler Lacy, Oklahoma State 25. Wright got better every season. Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion Tyler Barnes, NC Central He had 11 sacks in his first two seasons at Clemson and had 6.5 in 2022. 5. 126. 11. Simply put, my Covid vaccination decision is very specific to my own personal medical history.. Anderson's sack numbers were down (10) from his historic 2021 season (17.5), and he ranked sixth in the country with 19.5 tackles for loss after being No. Kenny McIntosh, Georgia Colby Wooden, DT, Auburn 27. New Orleans instead landed my third-ranked DT Bryan Bresee (29), who isn't as good against the run as Carter but does have some pass-rush upside. Chris Smith, Louisiana, Wayne Taulapapa, RB, Washington 11. Top needs entering the draft: OT, DE, RB, CB, DT. Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor Tight end Cameron Latu (101) has upside, and he'll get to learn the ropes from George Kittle. 143. 9. He has excellent hands -- check out this touchdown grab -- and he has great speed, though he didn't run at the combine. Myles Brooks, Louisiana Tech 35. Jordan McFadden, Clemson Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia 29 overall on my board -- but because he has similar size and traits as Williams. It then drafted top-ranked edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. (3), giving the team two of my top-five prospects overall. Cameron Brown, Ohio State They ranked 26th in takeaways last season (18), so they went all-in on needs. Rejzohn Wright, Oregon State The 5-foot-10 passer processes the game so quickly and sees things before they happen. Kiper made the announcement on his Twitter page. This is not a mock draft or prediction of where prospects will be drafted. Ethan Evans, Wingate During the multiday event, which lasts seven rounds, teams choose players based on their needs. 24. Jalen Graham, Purdue He just knows how to get open. Anfernee Orji, Vanderbilt Robert Ferrel, Washington State Ryan Hayes (238) is my 15th-ranked offensive tackle; I was surprised he lasted that late. 6, though, I thought the Lions needed to grab an impact defensive lineman. 12. Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (140) is a solid dual-threat, developmental quarterback. The injury shouldn't affect his play in 2023, and I still think he could be a star at the next level. I still have questions about the receivers on this depth chart, but maybe Carthon can work some magic in the veteran market after the draft. That's why I'll leave this as a B. 3. Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami 28. Holton Ahlers, East Carolina 115. 5. This will be Kiper's 39th NFL draft broadcast on ESPN. 2. 41. Ayinde Eley, Georgia Tech Reed is only 5-foot-11, but he plays bigger on tape. Most of Smith-Njigba's work came from the slot in 2021 -- all but eight of his catches came while aligned there. Banks has a great frame and is not afraid to get physical. Kendre Miller, TCU Is Mel Kiper Sick? Does He Have Any Illness? Check Here They traded down from No. Siaki Ika (98) is a 335-pound run-plugger of a defensive tackle. D'Shawn Jamison, Texas 2. They passed on the tight ends and receivers. Carlton Martial, Troy Kirk Herbstreit, who has commented on college football for ESPN since 1996, will not participate in draft coverage as he treats a blood clot. 32 lingering post-draft questions: Will Lions have regrets? Levis' stats won't blow anyone away, but he didn't have a great supporting cast of playmakers around him. Plus, if you're comparing arm length, he has almost four inches on Skoronski. In mid-March, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing for his alleged role in a Jan. 15 car wreck that killed a former Georgia teammate and a recruiting staffer. With the pick they got from the Rams at No. Byron Young, OLB, Tennessee Starling Thomas V, UAB If he can put everything together, he could be worth it, because teams covet interior pass-rushers. McClendon Curtis, Chattanooga He's a hands catcher who can run the entire route tree, and he can make defenders miss after the catch. 4. He has appeared on ESPN's annual NFL draft coverage since 1984, providing in-depth information on the nation's potential draft picks. 129. Let's dig into my final Big Board and position rankings for the 2023 class. 118. The problem? Jake Witt, Northern Michigan ESPN NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. changes his mind in more ways than one regarding the Buffalo Bills in his final mock ahead of the 2023 NFL draft. 144. Will McDonald IV, Iowa State Daiyan Henley, Washington State Jordan Lewis, Southern 41 and 72 plus a third-rounder next year (and adding No. Jartavius Martin, Illinois Tommy DeVito, Illinois Top needs entering the draft: G, TE, RB, ILB, OLB. Noah Taylor, North Carolina Jacob Gall, Baylor In fact, they ended up not taking a pass-catcher until Round 6. In Round 1, however, the Cowboys went a different direction, and I have no qualms about it. That's why I was always confused by the rumblings they could pass on a quarterback at No. 2. I can survey the good, the bad, the reaches, the steals. 6. Sean Tucker, Syracuse 26. Ulonzo Gilliam Jr., UC-Davis Tyler King, Edward Waters He led the FBS in broken tackles forced per game (4.1) and averaged 112.7 rushing yards per game. He followed that up with 1,628 all-purpose yards for the Crimson Tide last season. Licht did a good job this weekend. Josh Allen now has Kincaid and Dawson Knox as his top two tight ends, and he has to be thrilled. Chris Stoll, Penn State NFL draft grades 2023: How Mel Kiper Jr., other experts rate - Yahoo Garrett Nelson, Nebraska Charlie Jones, WR, Purdue Daewood Davis, Western Kentucky All three of these passers have very similar grades on my board. Shaun Shivers, Indiana Alex Cook, Washington For now, because it's so thin and because there were a couple of reaches, I'll put it in the middle tier of teams. He had an elite 2022 season. Trenton Simpson, ILB, Clemson Still, New England was in a spot to get a starter, either at cornerback, offensive tackle or wide receiver. At 6-foot-2, he ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the combine. Ultimately, Ran Carthon's first draft as Tennessee general manager will be remembered for what happens with this pick. I thought I was high on quarterback Stetson Bennett (128), but I had heard he was more likely to go in Rounds 5 or 6. Nelson Jordan II, Alabama State, 1. 28. ESPN's top draft analyst Mel Kiper won't attend the 2022 NFL draft in Las Vegas, instead logging into the broadcast from his home in Maryland. Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss 35. Josh Whyle, Cincinnati Jacob Copeland, Maryland Keidron Smith, Kentucky Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa 41. 12 and 33 plus first- and third-rounders in 2024 for pick Nos. 11. He's a polarizing prospect within the league, but he lit up the combine with his speed and physical ability. Mel Kiper Jr. is unvaccinated for COVID-19, won't attend NFL draft Owen Pappoe, Auburn Kazmeir Allen, UCLA 31. Emil Ekiyor Jr., Alabama 23. Stroud, Ohio State Habakkuk Baldonado, Pitt Simply put, my Covid vaccination decision is very specific to my own personal medical history. 37. He might have been a top-five pick if he were a couple of inches taller. 134. Kyu Blu Kelly, CB, Stanford Kendre Miller, RB, TCU Mel Kiper Jr., the longtime ESPN draft analyst, said earlier this month that he will not travel to Las Vegas because he is unvaccinated against the coronavirus. Anton Harrison, Oklahoma He had 12 quarterback pressures in his final three games for the back-to-back national champs. PJ Mustipher, Penn State So how did they do? Nick Herbig, LB, Wisconsin Mel Kiper Jr. and Kirk Herbstreit won't be in Las Vegas. - New York Times They also gave up Nos. 100. Cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly (157) was a value on my board, and I like the stash pick of guard Andrew Vorhees (229), who likely will sit out all of 2023 after a recent knee injury. And now he'll get to play with former college teammate Dax Hill in this secondary. And I'm a fan of what they did on the first two days of the draft. 10. Tillman was limited by an ankle injury last season, but at 6-foot-3, he can go up and get a 50-50 ball. Jake Bobo, UCLA Jarrett Patterson, Notre Dame Kiper could not be reached for additional comment Tuesday. 8. DJ Turner, CB, Michigan 23. Top needs entering the draft: CB, WR, OLB, DT, QB. I liked what Arizona did on Day 1. He is a dominant and complete edge rusher who might have been the No. I've adjusted my rankings based on on-field . They hit a home run in Round 1 with cornerback Devon Witherspoon (5) and wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba (20), both of whom fill immediate needs. Tavius Robinson, Ole Miss On Day 2, they added cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (32), defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (49) and tight end Darnell Washington (93), all of whom could play significant roles this season. Mel Kiper Jr. Announces Plans For His Retirement On ESPN Live Brenton Strange, Penn State Amari Burney, Florida 16. Mel Kiper Jr., the longtime ESPN draft analyst, said earlier this month that he will not travel to Las Vegas because he is unvaccinated against the coronavirus. 12. Anyone can read what you share. Cincinnati filled needs on Day 2. Time for one final update of my prospect rankings ahead of the 2023 NFL draft as Round 1 closes in (Thursday at 8 p.m. This is a really solid team, though its success hinges a great deal on the health of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was in the MVP discussion before concussions caused him to miss five games. That would have been a spectacular start. 20. He could make an immediate impact. Jalen Green, Mississippi State Tune is accurate and experienced, and he throws a smooth ball. 10. Christopher Smith, S, Georgia He has great hands and can break tackles after the catch. 109. Ryan Swoboda, UCF He led the FBS in receiving yards per route run (4.0). He took too many sacks. Antonio Moultrie, Miami This Bucs class isn't flashy, but it shouldn't go under the radar. That's almost identical to Kyler Murray's measurements at the 2019 combine (5-foot-10, 207), but Young doesn't have the same lower-body build as Murray. Wilson broke a foot late in the season, so he didn't go through drills or athletic testing at the combine. Atonio Mafi, UCLA Read more on the 2023 draft , 1. Aidan O'Connell, Purdue 47. Ronnie Brown, Shepherd Rashad Torrence II, Florida Lance Boykin, Coastal Carolina Derick Hall, OLB, Auburn Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham, London Harris, Texas State 7. Ryan Jones, East Carolina The issue is the 2024 third-rounder Denver gave up to grab Moss, which dings this class. Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU 29. Jordan Addison, USC Like the Panthers, they needed a face of the franchise, someone to build around. 36. Schefter and Herbstreit wont be involved in the broadcast at all, but Kiper Jr. will still be on the broadcast, just not from Las Vegas. You might remember Hyatt from his five touchdown catches against Alabama, and he can fly out of the slot. Nic Jones, Ball State And that's what Bill Belichick was able to do, trading down for cornerback Christian Gonzalez (17), a player I had ranked in the top 10. Michael Clubb/AP. Thomas Rush, Minnesota 19. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA 27. BJ Ojulari, LSU On Day 3, New England added both my top-ranked kicker Chad Ryland (112) and punter Bryce Baringer (192), becoming the first team since the 2000 Raiders to take a kicker and a punter in the same draft. 15. 3. Zach Harrison, Ohio State The Chiefs added a fun wideout on Day 2, taking Rashee Rice (55), a 6-foot-1 deep threat. With Mike McGlinchey gone, is Colton McKivitz really going to be the starting right tackle? That's a coup for dropping down just three spots and still getting an offensive tackle who could start as a rookie. They found a few values and got my favorite Day 3 quarterback, Clayton Tune (139). 10. 7. The decision to forgo vaccination is "specific to my own personal medical history," the longtime NFL commentator said. Jake Haener, Fresno State He is a cut-and-go runner with outstanding vision and explosiveness. Eddie Ogamba, South Dakota, 1. 4 and still got Anthony Richardson. Dillon Doyle, Baylor Ryan Smenda, Wake Forest 150. In fact, that was right around the cutoff point for where most NFL execs and scouts had their first-round grades. 5. MJ Anderson, Iowa State By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Robinson did absolutely everything for Texas. Krishon Merriweather, Texas Tech. O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida Jordan Battle, S, Alabama He also can get beat deep at times. Tyjae Spears, Tulane Mitchell Agude, Miami 27 overall on Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson, clearly a piece . B.J. That's right: There are 31 first-round picks, but there never are 31 prospects who have first-round grades on teams' boards. 20. Final 2023 NFL draft rankings: Mel Kiper's top prospects by position Benton's traits didn't match his college production, but if he keeps developing some pass-rush moves, he could be a three-down player. IE 11 is not supported. "Simply put, my Covid vaccination decision is very specific to my own personal medical history. Zach Charbonnet, UCLA Max Duggan, TCU 10. The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz breaks down the Golden State stars legendary performance to close out the Kings. 114. The reality is Carter's stock hasn't dropped in the eyes of NFL teams, and so I'm not dropping him in my rankings. Israel Abanikanda, Pitt Jay Ward, LSU Keenan Isaac, Alabama State Jayson Ademilola, Notre Dame Did Steph Curry cook up the best Game 7 performance ever? Cody Mauch, North Dakota State Calvin Avery, Illinois They traded a fourth-round pick to move up three spots in Round 1 to grab Broderick Jones (14), who will start at one of the tackle spots. It was one of the wildest drafts in my time at ESPN; this was No. Zacch Pickens, DT, South Carolina I've also made a few tweaks based on medical info I've heard from people I trust in the league. 19. 1. Daniel Scott, California 131. 3. He is a thin 6-foot-1 and 166 pounds. 22. Look, Robinson is a tremendous prospect. The Vikings got just two defensive snaps from rookie safety Lewis Cine, last year's first-round pick, and they entered this draft without a second-rounder because it was dealt for tight end T.J. Hockenson last fall. He tackles in the run game and will stick to receivers like glue in coverage. DiRenzo, Rutgers Mel Kiper Releases His Top 10 QBs In This 2023 Class He allowed just nine pressures and one sack last season, even though his team struggled. As I mentioned Friday night, defensive tackle Kobie Turner (89) was the first player outside my top 200 to be drafted. Jack Campbell, ILB, Iowa Kei'Trel Clark, Louisville He ran inside and outside, caught passes and scored a bunch of touchdowns. Jahleel Billingsley, Texas 15. Jayden Reed, Michigan State This team made a surprise playoff run in 2022, and after it snagged two rookie starters in Round 1, it is primed to compete again in the NFC. Marvin Mims Jr., WR, Oklahoma He explodes off the line of scrimmage. Tuli Tuipulotu, DL, USC 48. Get your favorite live sports, stories and originals with ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu. Mel Kiper's mock draft (ESPN) Kiper's final mock draft was released April 27. The 49ers entered Day 1 with 11 total picks -- but zero in Rounds 1 or 2. Johnson can be a building block as Kyler Murray's blindside protector. I mentioned inside linebacker Drew Sanders (67) and defensive back Riley Moss (83) in my Friday recap; they're both good players. 19. They're both over 6-foot-3 and love vertical routes. Connor Galvin, Baylor I've said before that if he were four inches taller, he'd have a similar grade as some of the best I've ever scouted. 15. 18, with top running back Bijan Robinson still on the board. This definitely fills holes, and Belichick had a few extra picks with which to work. As part of his plea, his attorney told ESPN the state is forever barred from bringing additional charges. NFL fans are the most passionate in all of sports and I can't wait for another great NFL Draft. Asim Richards, North Carolina The Falcons got a fantastic rookie season from fifth-rounder Tyler Allgeier, and yet they took Bijan Robinson at No. Tiawan Mullen, Indiana, Anthony Adams, Portland State Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn Kiper's professional career started with Ernie Accorsi, general manager of the Baltimore Colts, suggested that Kiper be draft . The Walt Disney Co., which co-owns ESPN, announced in late July that it would require all salaried and nonunion hourly employees to be vaccinated within 60 days. He was extremely consistent all season. Ali Gaye, LSU Stroud had 85 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions over the past two seasons. I thought Adebawore had a chance to go in the top 40 picks. The . Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland 31. At No. Safety Jordan Battle (95) is extremely versatile; he started three years for Nick Saban's defense, so you know he has been well coached. SaRodorick Thompson, Texas Tech Anthony Bradford, G, LSU OK, go for a luxury pick in the top 10. 30. Nick Saldiveri (103) played mostly right tackle in college, but he likely will move inside to guard for New Orleans. I still think he's a Round 1 prospect -- he obviously will put on weight as he gets older -- but he's not a top-15 lock. I wouldn't love it, but I'd get the logic. Johnson, East Carolina 20. 53. I preferred John Michael Schmitz over Joe Tippmann (43) in the center class, but I know several teams that had Tippmann at No. Back-to-back-to-back-to-back wide receiver selections in the middle of Round 1. 25. In that deal, they swapped Round 1 selections with Green Bay, dropping down two spots. 19. 45. And this year, the projection for former Kentucky quarterback Will Levis was way off, with no one being more wrong about the mayonnaise-instead-of-cream-and-sugar-in-his-coffee lover . Blake Freeland, OT, BYU 91. Safety Gervarrius Owens is an intriguing flier in Round 7. Addison had 100 catches for 1,592 yards and 17 touchdowns at Pitt in 2021. This is a bit of a mixed bag overall, but the top two picks were excellent value. Luke Wypler (190) actually is my third-ranked center; I thought he might go two rounds before Cleveland got him. I love doing these draft grades because it helps me put each class into perspective. Harrison allowed just one sack over the past two seasons. The 2023 NFL draft started with a bang on Thursday with a surprise trade up to No. 32. 24. Levis has a rocket launcher for an arm and makes some "wow" throws. Tanner Morgan, Minnesota Jacob Slade, Michigan State, J-Min Pelley, Calgary (Canada) Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame 26. Top needs entering the draft: RB, CB, S, TE, G. I was a little surprised by the Bengals' choice to take edge rusher Myles Murphy (28) in Round 1, if only because there were solid tight ends, safeties and cornerbacks available. So while I thought for a little bit on Thursday that they might go for quarterback Will Levis at No. 4. Everything else was overshadowed by the news that the quarterback would be back. This was a clear need area for the Jets. Cedric Tillman, Tennessee 11. I picked tight end Will Mallory (162) as one of my combine risers in March. 110. They passed on Will Levis and Hendon Hooker. Plus, he ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the combine, so once he breaks a tackle, he's tough to chase down. 21. Cornerback Cam Smith (51) excelled in zone coverage in college, and he locked down SEC wideouts. Taylor Grimes, Incarnate Word 22. Read Mel Kiper Jr.s full statement below, which he tweeted out on April 18th. 17. 66. One reason that post-draft grades became so popular was because ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. Kiper offered thoughts after each day of the draft but released his grades once the draft was complete. They ranked near the bottom of the league in both offense and defense last season. Tiyon Evans, Louisville He's going to start as a rookie. He is one of my favorite prospects in the entire class. Puka Nacua, BYU Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah He doesn't make many mistakes. 18. 15. Xavier Gipson, SF Austin Clark Phillips III, Utah I will be watching like everybody else.. 79. Check out the best highlights that contributed to a great college career for Alabama safety Brian Branch. And that quarterback issue? 2. 6. When I studied Derius Davis (125), a college teammate of Johnston, I saw a better return man than route runner, though Davis is super fast. Monte Pottebaum, Iowa This is the same wideout who led Ohio State in catches (95) and yards (1,606) in 2021, even on a team with two wide receivers drafted in Round 1 of the 2022 draft. 52. 94. And if you look at this team's biggest weakness from last season, it was stopping the run; Philly ranked 24th in yards allowed per carry (4.6). 1. Washington dropped because of some medical concerns, but he'll step into the NFL as one of the league's best blocking tight ends; and if he can up his game as a pass-catcher, he could be a steal. Ronnie Hickman Jr., Ohio State 3. And defensive end YaYa Diaby (82), who made my pre-draft favorites list, has the tools to become a steal. My comparison for him is Matthew Stafford. I would have gone with Ji'Ayir Brown or Riley Moss over Sydney Brown (66) if I were taking a safety, but I don't have a huge issue with the Eagles preferring Brown. Carrington Valentine, Kentucky Tank Dell, Houston He could end up at No. Alan Ali, TCU Cam Peterson, Southern Skoronski started 33 games at left tackle for the Wildcats, and he just kept getting better. Offensive tackle Tyler Steen (65) has some interesting traits if he can improve his technique, and he might also move inside to guard. 11. Byron Young, Alabama This class is lifted up by those first three picks, which all fit positions of need. 42. Owen Wright, Monmouth, 1. Malachi Carter, Georgia Tech Porter is 6-foot-2 with long arms, and he can flip his hips in coverage. 6. I recapped Round 1 on Thursday night and Day 2 on Friday evening, but I'll dump all of my notes below. 14. Mel Kiper Jr. (/ k a p r /; born July 25, 1960) is an analyst covering American football for ESPN. Tre Tucker, Cincinnati (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) Mel and Kim Kiper were married in 1989. Johnny Lumpkin, Louisiana I thought they reached a round for center Ricky Stromberg (97), but the four-year starter is technically sound. His 2022 tape is very solid. Offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan (186) has starter tools if he can put everything together. SEA | TB | TEN | WSH, Top needs entering the draft: DE, DT, S, RB, G. General manager Howie Roseman has had an outstanding run in Philly, and he crushed Round 1.
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