2023 NFL Draft: Breakdown of 17 Players Invited to Draft
Analysis 4/14/23
When the NFL Draft starts on April 27 in Kansas City, 17 college prospects will be in attendance waiting to hear their names called by the commissioner. On Thursday, the NFL announced which 17 players would get an opportunity to walk across the stage, and the list includes plenty of notable names and a few surprises.
Fourteen of the players heading to the draft were included in The 33rd Team's most recent mock draft and all of them rank inside the top 70 of The 33rd Team's big board.
The 33rd Team's scouting department has been hard at work scouting the entire 2023 NFL Draft class. Here's a breakdown of each of the players who will be attending the draft.
Note: Players are listed in order of their big board ranking.Â
Full Seven-Round Draft Order | Every Team's Full List of Picks
17 Players Invited to the 2023 NFL Draft
Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
Big Board Rank: 3
Levis' hype has died down a bit since the beginning of the season, but he has a ton of NFL traits. He has a big arm and can deliver and drive the football through tight windows. He will need to work on his fundamentals and will need to clean up his delivery and footwork.
He has done things in Kentucky's offense that he will do in the NFL. He will need work but, in time, there's no reason Levis can't end up the best quarterback from this class.
>> READ: Levis' Full Scouting Report
Jalen Carter, IDL, Georgia
Big Board Rank: 4
Carter was once regarded as the draft's top prospect, but a tumultuous pre-draft process has left some doubt. Carter pleaded no contest to charges of reckless driving, showed up nine pounds overweight at his pro day and is refusing to take meetings with teams outside the top 10.
Still, Carter’s a rare interior defender who possesses the bend, twitch, speed and strength to impact the run and pass.
>> READ: Carter's Full Scouting Report
Will Anderson, Edge, Alabama
Big Board Rank: 5
Anderson's pre-draft process has remained mostly quiet as he's stayed near the top of the big board all season. He’s a long-levered defender with tools, traits and athletic ability to ascend into an elite pass rusher.
Anderson had just seven sacks this past season, but his 17.5 sacks from the 2021 season likely remain in the minds of teams picking inside the top 10.
>> READ: Anderson's Full Scouting Report
Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
Big Board Rank: 6
There is a lot of debate about whether teams should spend a first-round pick on a running back, but Robinson's invitation to the draft likely means one team will this year.
He compares favorably to a rich man's Kareem Hunt with his receiving ability, balance and instincts. Robinson should be the first back selected.
>> READ: Robinson's Full Scouting Report
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
Big Board Rank: 7
Young's 5-foot-10, 204-pound frame has dominated the headlines this offseason, but he's the betting favorite to go No. 1 to the Carolina Panthers. Young is a smart, instinctive player who has a strong grasp of the offense, can see the field, understands coverages, and does not lock on to his first option.
There's a lot to like about his play on the field, but his size remains a sticking point.
>> READ: Young's Full Scouting Report
Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
Big Board Rank: 8
Gonzalez transferred from Colorado to Oregon before this past season and played well enough to put himself in the conversation to be CB1. He is at his best in press-man using both his agility and length to crowd and stay glued to receivers.
There are a few too many plays where he does everything right and then doesn’t make the play at the catch point. Despite that, he still could be the first cornerback taken.
>> READ: Gonzalez's Full Scouting Report
Tyree Wilson, Edge, Texas Tech
Big Board Rank: 9
In a deep edge class, Wilson has managed to stand out. He is freakishly fast for his size to accelerate backside, owning range to close before engulfing the ball carrier.
Wilson’s size and athletic upside have him in contention to be the first defensive end off of the board.
>> READ: Wilson's Full Scouting Report
C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
Big Board Rank: 10
After spending a couple of weeks as the betting favorite to No. 1 overall, Stroud has dropped below Young. However, it's still likely Stroud won't make it out of the top picks.
Stroud is a solid prospect a team can build around. If there is a concern, it is that he’s been surrounded by great players in college and felt very little stress because he always threw from a clean pocket. That is not what he will see in the NFL.
>> READ: Stroud's Full Scouting Report
Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State
Big Board Rank: 11
Johnson is the second of three Ohio State players to be invited to the draft. Johnson is a top athlete and NFL starter the day he gets drafted into the league. He has good length and could continue adding weight to his frame.
His athletic profile combined with his size should make him among the first offensive linemen off the board.
>> READ: Johnson's Full Scouting Report
Jordan Addison, WR, USC
Big Board Rank: 12
Addison won the Biletnikoff Award in 2021 while with Pittsburgh before transferring to USC this past season and putting up 875 yards and eight touchdowns. For Addison, it is his hands, speed, and quickness, along with his route-running ability that is going to make teams fall in love.
However, Addison's size (5-foot-11, 173 pounds) might make some teams hesitate.
>> READ: Addison's Full Scouting Report
Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Big Board Rank: 14
Richardson is one of the more polarizing prospects in the class. With that said, there's no denying his athleticism. He is big, strong and dripping with talent. Richardson's arm strength allows him to drive the ball to all three levels of the field without issue.
He needs work to develop the finer points, but he is worth taking a chance on because he has everything scouts look for physically.
>> READ: Richardson's Full Scouting Report
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
Big Board Rank: 17
Smith-Njigba caught just five passes last season due to missing games because of a hamstring injury. Still, it seems like his film and production from 2021 is good enough to make him a probable first-round pick.
He is a good athlete with good lateral quickness. Smith-Njigba has the ability to stick his foot in the ground and cut in and out of his routes, making him a crisp route runner.
>> READ: Smith-Njigba's Full Scouting Report
Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
Big Board Rank: 19
Witherspoon did not start playing football until his junior year of high school. Now, he's on track to be taken in the first round of this month's draft. Â He might be best suited for zone-heavy teams, where he can excel with his play recognition, downhill burst, physical play at the catch point and tackling ability.
He should hear his name called anywhere from the bottom third of the first round to the middle of the second round.
>> READ: Witherspoon's Full Scouting Report
Brian Branch, S, Alabama
Big Board Rank: 25
Branch is the only safety the NFL invited. However, Branch's calling card might be his versatility to play multiple spots in the secondary. There is a lot to like about the way he attacks blocks and uses his hands/punch to shed. He tackles with good technique and is scrappy.
Branch can play safety or slot cornerback right away.
>> READ: Branch's Full Scouting Report
Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
Big Board Rank: 26
Porter Jr. is looking to follow in his father's footsteps and have a lengthy NFL career. The cornerback had a successful career at Penn State, but he's still inconsistent on film.
On one play he will look like a future Pro Bowl corner and on another he will look like he is confused or disinterested. Porter Jr. could be a boom-or-bust type of selection.
>> READ: Porter's Full Scouting Report
Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
Big Board Rank: 40
Flowers is the third wide receiver to make this list. Like Addison, Flowers wins with his movement skills and route running while lacking prototype size for the position.
He will run past everyone on the field over the top and has a dangerous run-after-the-catch ability. Flowers' skillset projects well to the field-stretching role almost every NFL team is looking for.
>> READ: Flowers' Full Scouting Report
Keion White, Edge, Georgia Tech
Big Board Rank: 68
White's inclusion on this list was a bit of a surprise. He lacks a polished arsenal of pass-rush moves, but he compensates with top-end power and strength. White’s a raw but athletic defender with appealing size, strength and speed.
Given White's invitation, it seems likely a team is going to bet on his athletic traits in the first round.
>> READ: White's Full Scouting Report