2023 NFL Draft: Early Top 50 Prospect Rankings
Alabama quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner could be the first player taken in next year's NFL draft
The 2022 NFL Draft featured plenty of history and assorted firsts, and that's just not referring to the 32 players who heard their names called on the opening night. But while these rookies have already started getting on the practice field with their new teams and the analysis of each team's class continues, it's never too early to think about next year.
Related: Best and Worst Pick for Every Team in the 2022 NFL Draft
Kansas City will serve as the host for the 2023 NFL Draft and it's safe to say the presentation will be completely different than the show that Las Vegas put on. But entertainment value aside, the draft always boils down to one foundational aspect — the prospects.
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To that end, it should probably come as no surprise that Alabama leads the way with 10 players on Athlon Sports' early list of the top 50 prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft. This group includes reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young, who has a shot at going No. 1 overall. Ohio State is next with five, followed by Clemson and Notre Dame (four each), and then Georgia, the defending national champion, with three. The Bulldogs just had 15 players selected this year, the most in modern draft history, including five in the first round.
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But while this year's draft leaned toward the defensive side of the ball, starting with five straight picks along those lines, don't be surprised if quarterbacks reclaim the spotlight in 2023. Besides Young, the Buckeyes' C.J. Stroud also is a strong candidate to go with the first pick, depending on which team will be on the clock. All told, nine quarterbacks can be found in this early top 50. That doesn't mean it's guaranteed to happen (just look at who was atop last year's list), but you got to start somewhere, right?
Early Top 50 Prospects for 2023 NFL Draft
| Rk | Player | POS | School |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bryce Young | QB | Alabama |
2 | Will Anderson Jr. | OLB | Alabama |
3 | C.J. Stroud | QB | Ohio State |
4 | Bryan Bresee | DT | Clemson |
5 | Jalen Carter | DT | Georgia |
6 | Myles Murphy | DE | Clemson |
7 | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | WR | Ohio State |
8 | Bijan Robinson | RB | Texas |
9 | Michael Mayer | TE | Notre Dame |
10 | BJ Ojulari | DE | LSU |
11 | Malachi Moore | S | Alabama |
12 | Eli Ricks | CB | Alabama |
13 | Kayshon Boutte | WR | LSU |
14 | Kelee Ringo | CB | Georgia |
15 | Jordan Battle | S | Alabama |
16 | Noah Sewell | ILB | Oregon |
17 | Paris Johnson Jr. | T | Ohio State |
18 | Nolan Smith | OLB | Georgia |
19 | Jordan Addison | WR | Pitt |
20 | Tyler Van Dyke | QB | Miami (Fla.) |
21 | Phil Jurkovec | QB | Boston College |
22 | Trenton Simpson | OLB | Clemson |
23 | Peter Skoronski | T | Northwestern |
24 | Habakkuk Baldonado | DE | Pittsburgh |
25 | Zach Harrison | DE | Ohio State |
26 | Zion Nelson | T | Miami (Fla.) |
27 | Cam Smith | CB | South Carolina |
28 | Joey Porter Jr. | CB | Penn State |
29 | Byron Young | DT | Alabama |
30 | Spencer Rattler | QB | South Carolina |
31 | Jahmyr Gibbs | RB | Alabama |
32 | Devin Leary | QB | NC State |
33 | Tanner McKee | QB | Stanford |
34 | Henry To’o To’o | LB | Alabama |
35 | Javion Cohen | G | Alabama |
36 | Will Levis | QB | Kentucky |
37 | Zach Charbonnet | RB | UCLA |
38 | Tyler Davis | DT | Clemson |
39 | Clark Phillips | CB | Utah |
40 | Isaiah Foskey | DE | Notre Dame |
41 | Derick Hall | DE | Auburn |
42 | Marvin Mims | WR | Oklahoma |
43 | Hendon Hooker | QB | Tennessee |
44 | Robert Scott Jr. | T | Florida State |
45 | Brandon Joseph | S | Notre Dame |
46 | Josh Downs | WR | North Carolina |
47 | Zach Evans | RB | Ole Miss |
48 | Jermaine Burton | WR | Alabama |
49 | Jarrett Patterson | C | Notre Dame |
50 | Dawand Jones | OL | Ohio State |
