2023 NFL Draft: 6 Prospects Worth Pounding Table For
Analysis 4/17/23
There is no such label in the 2023 NFL Draft as a "sure thing," but there are several I studied in this year's class I'd be willing to pound the table for in a draft room.
I believe these six prospects have very few holes in their game. This list is broken down by which day of the draft I think the players will get selected.
6 Players I'd Pound Table For
Thursday (Round 1)
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
I got to know Young and spend time with him at Alabama this past fall. I also had the chance to see him play live twice.
What he does on the field speaks for itself. He has an uncanny ability and a savviness for the position. If he were 6-foot-2 instead of 5-10, nobody would be concerned about Young in the NFL.
Everyone is worried about his height and durability, but he’s only missed one game the past two years at Alabama. When you look at his off-field character and how he has handled everything, whether it be National Championship games, big-time regular-season games or winning the Heisman Trophy, he has handled it with class and dignity.
He also doesn’t let it affect his play on the field. Every time the bright lights were on, Young seemed to respond. People I've talked to around the league say he’s been knocking his meetings out of the park.
Young has an unbelievably high football IQ. He loves the process and knows how a quarterback needs to prepare. He checks every box you’d want to check for a quarterback except for height.
>> READ: Young's Full Scouting Report
Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
Robinson is one of the most talented players in this year’s class, and he might just be getting punished for his position. When you watch him on tape, it’s hard to poke any holes in his game.
There is no question about his speed, vision and power as a runner. He can catch the ball out of the backfield and is solid in pass protection. What’s even more impressive is when you sit down and talk with this young man. He is so mature on and off the field with his approach to the game.
Robinson scored off the charts on some physiological and intelligence tests. From the knowledge that I have, he’s excellent in the classroom.
When you have a player this talented to go along with all high football character and leadership qualities, to me Robinson is a can’t-miss prospect.
>> READ: Robinson's Full Scouting Report
Friday (Rounds 2-3)
Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
LaPorta has everything in place to be a successful NFL player. When you watch him on tape, as a run blocker he gives maximum effort. He needs to get stronger, but there is no question about his will and want to succeed.
As a receiver, he runs good routes. LaPorta can catch the ball fine, but he did have a few concentration drops. The quarterback play at Iowa was not as great as it could be, but LaPorta found a way to overcome that.
People misjudge how athletic he is after the catch. Then you see he ran in the 4.5s at the NFL Combine. He did excellent in all the athletic testing numbers collected and had a solid pro day.
LaPorta is another solid, squared-away kid who will continue to rise. He hasn’t reached his ceiling yet. There is so much room for improvement, but when you can take a player with upside and a passion for the game, you can’t miss on a player like LaPorta.
>> READ: LaPorta's Full Scouting Report
Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn
Bigsby is another player who stood out to me in this year’s running back class. Sometimes when I watch these guys, I can’t put the tape down because I enjoy watching them so much, and Bigsby is one of those guys.
He’s big, fast and athletic, and he plays with power. He can catch the ball out of the backfield, too.
If there is one negative on Bigsby, it's that at times he gets a little over his toes when he gets to the second level. He’s got a tendency to get off balance in those scenarios.
He loves football, and you can tell that by how he lowers his shoulder to get extra yards after contact. Everything I hear about him off the field is an A-plus. Bigsby has high character, passion for the game, is smart and wants to be the best he can be.
Bigsby could slip to Saturday, but he likely ran too fast at the combine not to get picked on Friday. He’s climbed up boards during this pre-draft process, and I’m excited to see what he does in the NFL because he can be a solid starting running back.
>> READ: Bigsby's Full Scouting Report
Jartavius Martin, DB, Illinois
Martin is getting overshadowed by his college teammate, Devon Witherspoon (scouting report). But, when you watch him on tape, he plays the slot cornerback (nickel) position with intelligence.
He has all of the physical attributes you look for. He can run and cover, and is more than willing enough as a hitter. In a few games I watched, Illinois' coaches even moved him to outside cornerback, but many teams might project him to free safety.
This safety class is not very deep, so teams will look at players like Martin, who can do multiple things for their defense. If you put him back at free safety, with the savvy and football intelligence he plays with, there is no doubt he has a chance to be a good NFL free safety.
>> READ: Martin's Full Scouting Report
Saturday (Rounds 4-7)
D.J. Johnson, OLB/DE, Oregon
On tape, Johnson is raw with his technique, but he plays with his hair on fire. He’s going one million miles per hour every snap. Initially, his role will likely be a rotational pass rusher.
He ran a 4.49-second 40 at the combine while hitting 28 reps on the bench, which caught everyone’s attention. After that, I went back and watched him again. Defensive line coaches will fall in love with this kid.
Johnson has things you can’t coach. You can’t coach his size, speed or athleticism. And you for sure can’t coach his heart. He plays with the most heart out of all the Day 3-type players I watched.
Rick Spielman is a former general manager of the Dolphins and Vikings, and winner of the NFL Executive of the Year award by Pro Football Weekly in 2017. Follow him on Twitter @spielman_rick.