The 1st round of the 2023 draft is over, but there are still plenty of quality players to choose from. Before meeting us live on twitch from 0h30, here is a point by position of the best players available for rounds 2 and 3.
Quarterbacks
1- Will Levis, Kentucky
2- Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
3- Stetson Bennett, Georgia
The others: Tanner McKee (Stanford), Jake Haener (Fresno State), Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA), Clayton Tune (Houston), Tyson Bagent (Sheperd), Malik Cunningham (Louisville), Aidan O’Connel (Purdue), Max Duggan (TCU), Jaren Hall (BYU)
Sometimes announced as a choice of the top 5, Will Levis did not finally seduce an NFL franchise in the 1st round! But his size, the power of his arm and his mobility mean that he will be chosen early in the second round: the Titans, Seahawks, Rams or Buccaneers as possible candidates.
Very successful in 2022 with Tennessee, Hendon Hooker is probably paying for his age (25) and his recent knee injury. But the talent is there and he should hear his name called in the second round. Stetson Bennett is a double university champion with Georgia: with solid fundamentals, his physical limitations still make him available.
The rest of the vintage offers talented players but always with a flaw: precision for Thompson-Robinson, size for Haener, immobile statue for McKee etc.
Runners
1- Tyjae Spears, Tulane
2- Zach Charbonnet, UCLA
3- Devon Achane, Texas A&M
4- Chase Brown, Illinois
5- Tank Bigsby, Auburn
The others: DeWayne McBride (UAB), Sean Tucker (Syracuse), Zach Evans (Ole Miss), Israel Abanikanda (Pitt), Evan Hull (Northwestern), Mohamed Ibrahim (Minnesota), Chris Rodriguez (Kentucky), Deuce Vaughn (Kansas State) etc.
Two riders were chosen in the 1st round: Bijan Robinson (Falcons) and Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions). But there are still many candidates because the 2023 vintage is superb, both in quality and quantity.
Tyjae Spears was the author of a remarkable season (19 TD) and his vivacity is very attractive. The next three in the list all have a different strength: power for Charbonnet, speed for Achane and reception ability for Brown.
offensive line
1- O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida
2- Blake Freeland, OT, BYU
3- John Michael Schmitz, OC, Minnesota
4- Steve Avila, OG, TCU
5- Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
The others: Matthew Bergeron (OT, Syracuse), Jaelyn Duncan (OT, Maryland), Wanya Morris (OT, Oklahoma), Luke Wypler (OC, Ohio State), Steve Avila (OG, TCU), Cody Mauch (OG, North Dakota State), Frederik “Juice” Scruggs (OC, Penn State), Chandler Zavala (OG, North Carolina State), John Gaines (OG, UCLA), Andrew Vorhees (OG, USC), Sidy Sow (Eastern Michigan) etc.
Strongly tipped to be chosen in the 1st round, the powerful guard Torrence is still available. His profile as well as his position will make him chosen before choice 50.
It is essential to have a solid offensive line so fifteen of them should leave in the next two rounds. At a minimum! Tackle, Guard and Center are still very well represented at this stage.
Avila and Zavala have names to form a duo of clowns but their powerful profiles do not make the defenders laugh! Jones and Freeland are two OTs as high as skyscrapers, while Mauch, Gaines, Wypler and Sow are highly mobile.
Receivers
1- Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
2- Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State
3- Rashee Rice, EMS
4- Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
5- Andrei Iosivas, Princeton
The others: Tank Dell (Houston), Marvin Mims (Oklahoma), Trey Palmer (Nebraska), Charlie Jones (Purdue), Josh Downs (North Carolina), AT Perry (Wake Forest), Michael Wilson (Stanford), Rakim Jarrett ( Maryland), Kayshon Boutte (LSU), Jayden Reed (Michigan State), Bryce Ford-Wheaton (West Virginia)
Speed or size? If the 2023 vintage is weaker than in previous years, this position is nevertheless deep. Palmer (4.33), Ford-Wheaton (4.38), Mims (4.38), Hyatt (4.40), Jones (4.43) and Iosivas (4.43) are very fast. Hutchinson, Wilson, Perry and Tillman offer profiles to fight victoriously after contact.
Tight Ends
1- Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
2- Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
3- Sam LaPorta, Iowa
4- Darnell Washington, Georgia
5- Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion
The others: Tucker Kraft (South Dakota), State Brenton Strange (Penn State), Luke Schoonmaker (Michigan), Payne Durham (Purdue), Will Mallory (Miami), Brayden Willis (Oklahoma), Davis Allen (Clemson), Noah Gindorff (NDSU), Josh Whyle (Cincinnati).
Michael Mayer is a very complete tight-end but his lack of speed put him out of the first lap. Luke Musgrave is on the contrary very athletic and these two players should be chosen from the first part of the 2nd round.
Immense, Darnell Washington is a very good blocker and his profile suggests favorable duels. Zack Kuntz is also very tall (2m02): productive in 2021, his 2022 season was cut short by injury. Returned healthy for the NFL Combine, he was dazzling!
The tight end class has been the best for many years. After the selection of Dalton Kincaid in the 1st round, there are still many quality players available: seven or eight tight receivers should be selected overnight from Friday to Saturday.
