NFL.com's Bucky Brooks releases initial top 5 prospects by position rankings
The pre-draft process is in full swing.
Experts have been releasing their predictions for the first round of the NFL Draft now that the 2022 season is officially over.
This week, NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks published his top 5 prospects by position rankings ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Here are Brooks' initial top prospects by position in this year's draft:
EDGE DEFENDERS
1. Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
2. Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
3. Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
4. Keion White, Georgia Tech
5. Myles Murphy, Purdue
"This year's edge crop features an intriguing collection of sack artists and disruptive playmakers."
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
1. Jalen Carter, Georgia
2. Bryan Bresee, Clemson
3. Siaki Ika, Baylor
4. Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin
5. Mazi Smith, Michigan
"The 2023 DT pool offers some high-end prospects with blue-chip potential."
LINEBACKERS
1. Drew Sanders, Arkansas
2. Trenton Simpson, Clemson
3. Jack Campbell, Iowa
4. Henry To'oTo'o, Alabama
5. Noah Sewell, Oregon
"Seeking tackling machines with outstanding instincts and high football IQs? You've come to the right draft class!"
CORNERBACKS
1. Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
2. Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
3. Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
4. Cam Smith, South Carolina
5. Kelee Ringo, Georgia
"This corner crop features a series of instinctive cover men with ball skills and playmaking ability."
SAFETIES
1. Brian Branch, Alabama
2. Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
3. Ji'Ayir Brown, Penn State
4. Jammie Robinson, Florida State
5. Jordan Battle, Alabama
"The evolution of the safety position at the NFL level makes this 2023 group an enticing collection of talent. Teams looking for center fielders and nickel corner types will love the group."
QUARTERBACKS
1. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
2. Bryce Young, Alabama
3. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
4. Will Levis, Kentucky
5. Tanner McKee, Stanford
"While the 2023 quarterback crop is an upgrade on the '22 group, it still lacks the pizzazz of certain classes from the recent vintage. That said, there are some quality signal-callers with the potential to evolve into long-term QB1s in the right environment."
RUNNING BACKS
1. Bijan Robinson, Texas
2. Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
3. Zach Charbonnet, UCLA
4. Devon Achane, Texas A&M
5. DeWayne McBride, UAB
"This RB class is loaded with potential starters, many of whom could come off the board in the middle rounds, given the devaluation of the position in the draft hierarchy."
WIDE RECEIVERS
1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
2. Zay Flowers, Boston College
3. Quentin Johnston, TCU
4. Jordan Addison, USC
5. Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
"While lacking a high-end prospect with Ja'Marr Chase-like potential, this year's wide receiver pool features a collection of intriguing pass catchers with polished games."
TIGHT ENDS
1. Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
2. Dalton Kincaid, Utah
3. Darnell Washington, Georgia
4. Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
5. Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State
"The 2023 tight end class will intrigue coaches and scouts seeking basketball-like athletes with post-up skills and soft hands."
OFFENSIVE TACKLES
1. Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State
2. Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
3. Broderick Jones, Georgia
4. Darnell Wright, Tennessee
5. Cody Mauch, North Dakota State
"This group offers a solid collection of edge blockers with the size, length and movement skills to challenge elite pass rushers in isolated matchups."
INTERIOR BLOCKERS
1. O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida
2. John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota
3. Luke Wypler, Ohio State
4. Steve Avila, TCU
5. Andrew Vorhees, USC
"The 2023 NFL Draft is loaded with talented interior blockers possessing the capacity to play guard or center. The versatility will enable teams to peg the majority of the top prospects as swing players with the potential to fill multiple spots in the lineup."
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah updated his ranking of the top 50 prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft.
No. 50 Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA
No. 49 Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
No. 48 John Michael Schmitz, IOL, Minnesota
No. 40 Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin
No. 47 Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
No. 37 Steve Avila, IOL, TCU
No. 46 Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
No. 45 Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
No. 44 Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
No. 43 Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan
No. 42 Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
No. 38 Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
No. 39 Cody Mauch, OT, North Dakota State
No. 36 Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
No. 41 O'Cyrus Torrence, IOL, Florida
No. 35 BJ Ojulari, EDGE, LSU
No. 27 Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
No. 34 Joe Tippmann, IOL, Wisconsin
No. 32 Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State
No. 31 Brian Branch, DB, Alabama
No. 30 Quentin Johnson, WR, TCU
No. 29 Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
No. 28 Keion White, EDGE, Georgia Tech
No. 26 Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh
No. 25 Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa State
No. 33 Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
No. 24 Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
No. 21 Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson
No. 22 Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
No. 20 Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
No. 23 Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
No. 17 Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
No. 13 Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
No. 19 Broderick Jones, OT Georgia
No. 16 Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
No. 18 Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
No. 14 Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa
No. 15 Jordan Addison, WR, USC
No. 12 Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
No. 10 Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
No. 11 Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
No. 9 Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
No. 8 Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
No. 7 C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
No. 5 Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
No. 6 Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
No. 4 Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
No. 3 Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
No. 2 Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama
No. 1 Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
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