2023 NFL Draft Prospects: Defensive End

4/24/23: Anderson has done well in the team interviews and ran well in the combine 40. In 2022, Anderson totaled 51 tackles, 10 sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown. He had some painful penalties against Texas, but he also made some clutch plays for the Crimson Tide. Anderson was clutch against Texas A&M as well, but he was unusually quiet versus Tennessee.

A number of team sources told WalterFootball.com, however, they do not see a freak athlete or generational talent with Anderson. “I love Will Anderson but have some question as to how well his dominance will translate to the NFL,” said an AFC director of player personnel. “What is his dominant trait other than instincts? Size? No. Speed? No. Strength/power? No. He’s not special athletically, so are these sack numbers inflated? Then, you ask yourself could he be an anomaly guy like a Shaq Barrett? You aren’t sure how he’s getting all those sacks, but you can’t argue with the production.”

7/7/22: Anderson was the rare freshman to start on Nick Saban’s defense, but Anderson proved his special ability with a superb 2020 season. He was third in the SEC in sacks, with seven, while also recording 10.5 tackles for a loss and 52 tackles. Anderson was phenomenal in 2021 and the most dominant defensive player in college football, recording 101 tackles, 17.5 sacks and three passes defended. Not only was he a overwhelming pass rusher, but he was a strong, tough run defender.

Anderson has size, speed and athleticism, plus is an explosive playmaker. He lines up as an outside linebacker and will put his hand in the ground as a defensive end. Known as “The Terminator” by his teammates, Anderson is said to have a serious work ethic with an intensity that he expects his teammates to match. Anderson is a true “Alpha Dog” prospect for the NFL.

The NFL advance scouts gave Anderson the highest grade of any player eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft on the preseason watchlist of 2023 prospects. Anderson has the look of a No. 1-overall caliber prospect, like Myles Garrett or Jadeveon Clowney, and the only issue that might cause him not to go first overall could be the quarterback needs and market.

4/24/23: Wilson recorded 61 tackles, one forced fumble and seven sacks in 2022. He has good size with some functional speed and length. A foot injury on Nov. 12 caused him to miss the remainder of the season. Some team sources are high on Wilson because of his size, length and upside. Some scouts have compared Wilson to Carlos Dunlap in terms of his skill set and potential. Others see some issues at the point of attack and feel Wilson is a project. Wilson not working out before the 2023 NFL Draft because of the foot and a back injury have some teams concerned about him medically.

7/6/22: Wilson did not do much in 2020 and 2019, racking up 22 tackles and three sacks over that time, but he broke out with an impressive 2021 season. The junior recorded 37 tackles, seven sacks and a pass defended in 2021. Wilson has the size, length and strength to be a tough edge defender.

4/24/23: In 2022, Murphy totaled 40 tackles, 6.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two passes defended. He tailed off down the stretch and seemed to be protecting himself. Murphy is a freak athlete who has a crazy combination of size, speed, athleticism and strength. Murphy has the skill set to do whatever he wants on the football field; he can burn tackles with speed, use his strength to set the edge in the ground game, dominate tight ends, and simply take over games.

7/6/22: Murphy was excellent as a freshman defensive end for Clemson in 2020, recording 51 tackles, 12 for a loss, four sacks, three forced fumbles and a pass broken up. Murphy has versatile size and could grow into being a defensive tackle for the next level. In 2021, Murphy recorded 37 tackles and seven sacks.

4/24/23: Smith totaled 18 tackles, three sacks and a pass batted for 2022. His play disappointed, and he did not make a big impact as a pass rusher. However, Smith has gotten a lot of first-round hype for the 2023 NFL Draft even though he never produced first-round production or impact at Georgia. Smith helped himself with an excellent combine workout. He also has great character and is a leader, so he impressed in the team interviews.

7/7/22: In 2021, Smith was a dangerous edge rusher for Georgia. He played hard and totaled 55 tackles, 3.5 sacks, one interception and three forced fumbles. In 2020, Smith had 22 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

Smith is quick off the edge, but he needs to grow stronger for the NFL. He flashed ability as an underclassman and should improve as he gains experience. Smith’s bigger role as a pass rusher and run defender should only grow in 2022.

4/24/23: McDonald recorded 36 tackles, five sacks and a pass batted in 2022. Team sources rave about his speed, athleticism, and natural quarterback-hunting talent. They think he could be a 15 sacks-per-year player in the NFL. However, they also view him as limited to being a designated pass rusher because he struggles significantly as a run defender. McDonald is said to be a good, nice kid, but one who needs a lot of babysitting and escorting to be where he is supposed to be. Multiple pro team sources think McDonald will go in the back half of the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft and won’t last long if he slips to Round 2.

7/7/22: Team sources rave about McDonald’s pass-rush ability and his natural skills at getting after the quarterback. He is fast and athletic, allowing him to shoot past blockers and put steady heat on the signal-caller. NFL teams, however, say McDonald is terrible versus the run and even bad opponents can destroy him in the ground game. Hence, he might be more of a designated pass rusher as a pro. McDonald totaled 36 tackles, 11.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and three passes batted in 2021. He recorded 10.5 sacks and 33 tackles in 2020 after recording six sacks in 2019.

4/24/23: White put up 54 tackles and 7.5 sacks in 2022. There are some projections of White going in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but he is more of a second-day prospect, per team sources.

7/6/22: White made it onto NFL teams’ preseason watch list mainly from his 2019 season at Old Dominion, when he collected 19 tackles for a loss, 62 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, an interception and a pass batted. Old Dominion did not play football in 2020, and while White transfered to Georgia Tech for 2021, he missed the majority of the year with an injury.

4/24/23: In 2022, Adebawore totaled 38 tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles. He has some ability, but possesses a tweener body type that could limit him for the NFL. Adebawore accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl and had a good week of practice in Mobile. He followed that up with an excellent combine performance.

7/6/22: In 2021, Adebawore recorded 4.5 sacks, 36 tackles, three passes batted and two forced fumbles. He lacks height and length for the NFL.

4/24/23: Morris had a strong senior year for the Wolverines, showing improved pass-rush ability. After recording only .5 sacks in 2021 and 2020 combined, Morris racked up 7.5 sacks, 23 tackles, a forced fumble and three passes batted in 2022. With his good height and length, Morris could be an inside/outside defensive lineman as a pro. Team sources say they think he could go in the second or third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

4/24/23: Ojulari recorded 58 tackles, one forced fumble and 5.5 sacks in 2022. He is a good pursuit player with speed and athleticism, but he has problems getting off blocks. Ojulari declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, but he probably should have returned for his senior year.

7/7/22: The NFL advance scouts expected Ali Gaye to be the top edge defender for LSU in 2021, but Gaye ended up getting hurt, leaving the role to Ojulari, who put together an excellent season. On the year, Ojulari collected seven sacks and 54 tackles. In his impressive freshman season, he recorded four sacks, one forced fumble and 16 tackles. Ojulari could be a good fit in the NFL as a 3-4 outside linebacker.

4/24/23: Team sources say they were impressed with Anudike-Uzomah. In 2022, he collected 8.5 sacks, 46 tackles, a pass batted and two forced fumbles. Some sources who like Anudike-Uzomah feel he could be a quality pick on Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft.

7/7/22: Anudike broke out as a sophomore for the Wildcats in 2021, ripping off 11 sacks, six forced fumbles and 52 tackles. It was only his first season of significant playing time, and he could improve as he gains experience. Anudike-Uzomah might fit best in the NFL as a 3-4 outside linebacker.

4/24/23: Tuipulotu was one of the most productive pass rushers in the nation during 2022, very consistently getting after the quarterback. For the year, he collected 46 tackles, 13.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and three passes broken up.

Tuipulotu is an interesting player for the next level. He has some serious twitch and explosion as a rusher. Tuipulotu can fire his gap and create some disruption with his burst to get behind the line. The 290-pounder is big and carries his weight well. Tuipulotu is listed at 6-foot-4, but he might be more like 6-foot-3. Thus, Tuipulotu is a bit of a tweener in that he lacks the length of end, but he is a little underweight for defensive tackle. As a pro, he might be able to add some more weight to be an every-down defensive tackle, or he could potentially fit as a 4-3 defensive tackle and three-technique.

4/24/23: In 2022, Young notched 37 tackles and seven sacks. He is a dangerous edge rusher with speed and athleticism. If Young weren’t undersized, he would be ranked higher.

7/7/22: Young had a solid 2021 season for the Volunteers with 5.5 sacks, 46 tackles and an interception. He has quality size and a skill set to develop. Young could easily be better in 2022 thanks to having a year of starting experience under his belt.

4/24/23: In 2022, Diaby recorded nine sacks, 37 tackles and two passes batted. He has good size and showed improved pass-rush ability as a senior. Diaby helped himself with an excellent combine workout, highlighted by a blazing fast 40 for a defensive end.

4/24/23: Foskey totaled 45 tackles, 11 sacks and one forced fumble in 2022. He had a strong start to the year before hitting a bit of a quiet stretch, but he heated up to close out the regular season. Team sources like Foskey’s size, but they feel he is extremely stiff, which makes them concerned his sack production won’t translate to the NFL.

7/6/22: Foskey broke out for the Fighting Irish as a sophomore in 2021, recording 11 sacks, six forced fumbles and 52 tackles. As a backup in 2020, he flashed his potential with 4.5 sacks and 20 tackles. Foskey has quality size and speed, which could give him the versatility to play as either a 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 outside linebacker. Some preseason evaluators feel Foskey has high potential.

4/24/23: Gaye picked up 36 tackles, two forced fumbles, one pass batted and 2.5 sacks in 2022. He had a mixed week at the Senior Bowl, where he flashed ability but was inconsistent.

7/6/22: Gaye has never put together a big season of production, but he has an excellent skill set and could break out in 2022. In 2020, he recorded 32 tackles with two sacks, a forced fumble and an interception. Some of the NFL advance scouts had a high preseason projection on Gaye for 2021, but he only played in four games because of injury, totaling 19 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Gaye has a lot of upside.

4/24/23: Harrison totaled 34 tackles, 3.5 sacks, one interception, three forced fumbles and four passes broken up in 2022. He was not a big presence for the Buckeyes and did not play up to the media hype.

7/6/22: Harris has a quality skill set with upside to produce more. Thus far in college however, he has not become a dominant defensive end who can replace Chase Young or the Bosa brothers. In 2021, Harrison collected 33 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles and four passes defended. He had two sacks in 2020 and 3.5 in 2019. If Harrison produces a big senior year, he could rise.

4/24/23: Henry recorded 51 tackles, 3.5 sacks, six passes defended and a forced fumble in 2022. He was a solid defender for Clemson, playing better than the numbers illustrate.

7/6/22: Henry flashed some ability as a junior with 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble and 22 tackles. He could be poised for a big senior year because Bryan Bresee and Myles Murphy should command attention and leave Henry facing consistent one-on-ones. Henry could rise as a senior.

4/24/23: Incoom did not do much in 2021, recording 3.5 sacks and 27 tackles against lesser competition, but he broke out as a senior, ripping off 11.5 sacks, 57 tackles and one forced fumble. Incoom has quality size for the next level.

4/24/23: Jeffcoat recorded 21 tackles and one sack in 2022.

7/6/22: Jeffcoat started making his presence felt in 2020 when he had six sacks and 23 tackles for the Tigers. In 2021, his run defense was improved, resulting in 34 stops, but his pass rush production declined to 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Jeffcoat could rise with a big senior year.

4/24/23: In 2022, Baldonado totaled 24 tackles, three passes batted and two sacks. He didn’t play in the final few games of the year. Baldonado should have returned to school, but he declared for the 2023 NFL Draft.

7/6/22: Baldonado broke out in 2021, racking up nine sacks, 41 tackles and one forced fumble. He had four sacks and 30 tackles as a freshman in 2019. Baldonado has quality size with disruptive speed.

4/24/23: In 2022, Jean-Baptiste recorded 19 tackles, four sacks and one forced fumble.

7/6/22: Jean-Baptiste has yet to produce a big season for Ohio State but he has a good enough skill set to get on NFL teams’ preseason watch list. In 2021, he collected 14 tackles and 1.5 sacks. That was the same exact production as 2019, and he had six tackles and a sack in 2020. Jean-Baptiste needs to produce more as a senior.

4/24/23: Cox played well for Florida in 2022, putting more pressure on the quarterback than his numbers – two sacks and 35 tackles – indicate. However, Cox’s draft stock was dealt a serious blow when he was kicked off the team at the end of October. Cox has serious strength with good length and plays tough on the edge. He can rough up and challenge offensive tackles. If Cox were a little faster and more athletic, he would be a early-rounder – if his character were not a concern.

7/7/22: Cox recorded 41 tackles, 8.5 sacks and four passes batted in 2021. Almost half of his sacks came versus Florida State, but Cox ended the year with 7.5 sacks over the final four games. Cox recorded 41 tackles, four sacks and two passes broken up in 2020, but he played better than the numbers indicate.

While Cox has improved from 2020, he was wise to go back to Florida for his junior year and work on his pass-rushing moves before heading to the NFL. He plays hard and shows the ability to power rush with heavy hands.

4/24/23: Fehoko collected 69 tackles, nine sacks, two forced fumbles and a pass batted in 2022.

7/6/22: Fehoko put together an impressive 2021 season for the Spartans, totaling 37 tackles, seven sacks and three forced fumbles. In 2020. he had six sacks and 36 tackles. Fehoko also has totaled 11 passes batted over his collegiate career. If Fehoko builds on his 2021 performance, he could rise.

4/24/23: In 2022, Enechukwu totaled 37 tackles, 4.5 sacks and one forced fumble.

7/6/22: Enechukwu is a little undersized, but he flashed some ability to harass the quarterback and pursue to the ball in 2021. He totaled 49 tackles and 5.5 sacks on the year. Enechukwu will need to produce more to rise.

4/24/23: Ramirez amassed 65 tackles, two forced fumbles, two passes defended and 12 sacks in 2022. He would be rated higher if he had more size.

7/6/22: Ramirez made his presence felt in 2021, notching 62 tackles with 6.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. Ramirez is short and lacks length for the NFL.

4/24/23: In 2022, Land totaled 22 tackles, seven sacks and one forced fumble. Land did well at the Senior Bowl, showing speed off the edge, but he has to get stronger and needs development for the NFL.

7/6/22: Land was a beast in 2021, leading the FCS with 19 sacks and 25.5 tackles for a loss. Land is a serious pass rusher, but he needs to add weight to be an edge defender in the NFL.

4/24/23: In 2022, Jackson recorded 41 tackles, six sacks and three passes defended.

7/6/22: Jackson had a solid junior year for the Cougars in 2021, totaling 46 tackles, five sacks, an interception and two passes defended. If he builds on that performance, he could rise.

4/24/23: Amaewhule recorded 23 tackles, two sacks and a pass batted during 2022.

7/7/22: Amaewhule showed some pass-rush potential in 2021, recording 38 tackles, 5.5 sacks, five passes batted and two forced fumbles. He also played well in 2020 with seven sacks, eight passes batted and one forced fumble. Amaewhule would be rated higher if he weren’t very undersized for an NFL defensive end.

4/24/23: Mathis totaled 48 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2022. He did not impress in the outings against Northwestern and Oklahoma.

7/6/22: Mathis has been a decent contributor over the past three seasons for TCU ,recording tackle totals of 40, 46 and 45. His best season came in 2020, when he notched nine sacks and a forced fumble. He dipped to four sacks in 2021, and rebounding in 2022 is necessary for him to rise.

4/24/23: Friday recorded just three tackles in 2022. After playing three games in September, he missed nearly two months, coming back on Nov. 12. He then missed the final weeks of the season.

7/7/22: Friday has yet to produce a big season for the Buckeyes, but he has shown enough ability to make it onto NFL teams’ preseason watch list. Friday has quality size, but he needs to produce as a senior in order to get drafted.

4/24/23: Williams totaled 34 tackles and 4.5 sacks for 2022.

7/7/22: Williams has not produced a big season for the Razorbacks, but he has flashed enough potential to make it onto NFL teams’ preseason watch list. In 2021, he collected 23 tackles, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Williams has the upside to improve as a senior.

4/24/23: McGuire recorded 39 tackles, seven sacks and two forced fumbles in 2022.

7/6/22: McGuire had a respectable season for the Tigers in 2021, recording 55 tackles, six sacks and a forced fumble. McGuire needs to build on that performance as a senior.