This new section highlights which players have improved or worsened their 2023 NFL Draft stock as the draft approaches.
By Charlie Campbell.
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2023 NFL Draft Stock Up
Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia Carter flashed special ability against Oregon in the 2022 opener, but did not have a huge statistical game thanks to the Bulldogs blowing out the Ducks. Oregon’s offense struggled to create first downs against Georgia.
A number of NFL scouts told WalterFootball.com they say believe Carter is a better prospect than either of the two former Bulldogs defensive tackles who went in Round 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft, Jordan Davis or Devonte Wyatt. “[Carter] is a better player than Davis or Wyatt,” said an AFC area scout. “He is really good and should be a top pick.”
Carter entered the 2022 season as one of the top prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-3, 310-pounder showed a serious skill set last season and additional upside to develop. On the year, Carter recorded 37 tackles and three sacks in a backup role. Some advance scouts gave him with the second-highest preseason grade, behind only Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson.
If Carter can stay consistent with last year’s play in 2022 while taking on a big work load, the junior could end up being one of the first players selected in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida Richardson played really well to open 2022, leading Florida to upset Utah. He showed off his big arm, making a number of conversions by firing missiles through the Utes defense. Richardson was even more dangerous with his feet, coming up with three touchdowns on the ground, including a phenomenal 45-yard touchdown run. Richardson made other clutch plays, like shaking two defenders to find an open receiver for a two-point conversion. Late in the fourth quarter, he converted a fourth down and ran in a short touchdown. Richardson completed 17-of-24 passes for 168 yards against Utah. He also picked up 104 yards and three touchdowns on the ground over 11 carries.
The Utah game will bee a very positive tape for Richardson. While he still has room for improvement, he showed major progress over 2021, including improved passing on short throws, better field vision, and stronger decision making. Richardson needs to improve his accuracy for some staple NFL throws, but against the Utes, he definitely suggested he is headed in the right direction.
Richardson has a crazy skill set, including amazing running ability, good size, and a cannon for an arm. If he can continue to improve over the course of 2022, he could end up as the No. 1-overall pick next April in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Antonio Johnson, S/CB, Texas A&M Sources from multiple NFL teams feel Johnson is a special player and could end up being one of the top prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft.
“[Johnson] has big-time potential,” said a NFC director of player personnel. “He is an anomaly like Kyle Hamilton, and the question is where do you play [Johnson]. He lined up in the slot, played well as a dime linebacker, was excellent as a safety, and you saw him cover Jameson Williams in man-to-man. He could be an outside corner, but he would be elite at safety. [Johnson] might be similar to Derwin James, but not as physical.”
Johnson a broke out season for the Aggies in 2021, recording 79 tackles, an interception, five passes defended and one sack. Team evaluators feel he played even better than the stats indicate. “[Johnson] is outstanding in all aspects,” texted an area scout. Johnson could end up being one of the top defensive prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft.
Jared Verse, DE, Florida State Verse transferred to Florida State from Albany for 2022, but despite it being his first game of big-time college football, he was electric versus LSU. Verse demonstrated serious speed, athleticism, and functional strength. Verse looked completely natural against the Tigers.
Verse made a big impact against the Tigers in the first half, blocking a field goal attempt and later showing some impressive speed when he blew past a guard to collapse the pocket and sack LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. Verse put other pressures on Daniels as well, even chasing him out of the pocket on a number of plays. Midway through the fourth quarter on a third-and-2, Verse tossed the right tackle to the side to fly into the backfield for a tackle for a loss. In the final 30 seconds, Verse rocked the right tackle off balance before darting past him to pick up a huge sack of Daniels.
Against LSU, Verse turned in a tremendous performance, showing pass-rush ability and speed around the corner. He also demonstrated functional strength, athleticism, and a steady motor. Verse looked like an early-round talent versus the Tigers.
Brant Kuithe, TE, Utah On the road at Florida, Kuithe opened the season in an excellent fashion that will help his draft stock. In the first quarter, he scored from seven yards out after breaking open on a shallow cross and powering through two defenders to get over the goal line. Kuithe made a nice play in the second quarter, breaking a tackle and then running for a first down. Late in the third quarter, Kuithe went down the seam and made a beautiful over-the-shoulder catch that included a nice run for a 37-yard gain. Kuithe converted a clutch third down in the fourth quarter, running a slant and getting the Utes across midfield.
Kuithe totaled nine catches for 105 yards and a touchdown against the Gators. He showed nice route running, soft hands, quickness, and the toughness to pick up yards after the catch. Kuithe’s performance against Florida will really help his draft grade.
Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern Skoronski opened the season by largely dominating Nebraska edge rusher Garrett Nelson and Nebraska defensive end Ochaun Mathis. Among other plays, Skoronski got a surge in the ground game to convert a fourth-and-1, and early in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats ran behind him inside the five as he pushed Nelson out of his gap to open up a lane for a short touchdown run.
As previously highlighed in the Hot Press, pro evaluators are impressed with Skoronski. “He’s athletic, moves well, and is smooth,” said an AFC Director of player personnel. “He has very short arms, like 32 inches – he plays with better length than he has – but he doesn’t have a tackle body and looks more like a guard. Some guys I have spoke with compare him to Jonah Williams and some others have said Jonah Jackson.”
The debate about Skoronski staying at tackle or moving to guard will probably extend through the 2023 NFL Draft until his pro team decides where to start him out. While NFL teams are not sold on Skoronski being as good as former teammate Rashawn Slater, the Northwestern staff hyped Skoronski as better than Slater to scouts coming through Evanston in the preseason. Regardless of whether Skoronski is ulitmately viewed as a guard or a tackle, he could end up being one of the top offensive line prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft.
2023 NFL Draft Stock Down
Devin Leary, QB, N.C State Leary was not as sharp as last season in his 2022 opener, underwhelming versus East Carolina. He looked a little rusty early in the first quarter, allowing a few easy incompletions to get away from him and end up with the passes behind his receivers. Late in the first quarter, Leary started to find more of a groove, making a key conversion after looking off a safety and then hitting a receiver in the slot to move into the red zone. Leary capped that drive by firing a fastball on a slant to Thayer Thomas for a 12-yard scoring strike.
Throughout the second half, the Pirates defense did a nice job of keeping Leary from making any big throws downfield. He made a terrible decision midway through the fourth quarter, throwing to a blanketed receiver and putting the pass behind him. It was an easy interception that set the Pirates up inside the Wolfpack 30, and East Carolina turned that into a touchdown. Leary was bailed out by the Pirates missing on the extra point.
On the next possession, Leary had an open receiver for a second-and-long conversion, but Leary overthrew him along the sideline, and that led to a punt that gave East Carolina the ball with around three minutes remaining. The Pirates then missed a 41-yard field goal, which let Leary off the hook in what should have been a road loss. In the end, he completed 17-of-33 passes for 211 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Overall, Leary’s NFL grade won’t be helped by how he played against East Carolina. His fourth-quarter interception was awful. Leary has a quality arm and throws well in the middle part of the field. In my preseason scouting report, I wrote: “Leary can be streaky with his accuracy and sometimes has issues throwing to the sideline in the short part of the field.” That was the case once again in the 2022 opener versus East Carolina, as Leary had a number of passes off the mark when throwing to the sideline in the short part of the field and going vertically along the sideline. He looked like a mid-round or late-round backup against the Pirates.
Kayson Boutte, WR, LSU Boutte is considered to be one of the top receiver prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft, but his performance against Florida State to open 2022 was ugly. On the opening drive, Boutte made a leaping grab in the end zone, but the Florida State cornerback was able to dislodge the ball when Boutte landed hard on the ground. Later in the first half, Boutte ran a lazy route, seemingly thinking the ball would not come his direction. Thereby, he didn’t turn around and the pass sailed by him. If Boutte had turned around, it could have been a touchdown.
Boutte drew a pass interference in the third quarter when Seminoles safety Jammie Robinson held him from making a big catch downfield. With less than six minutes remaining, Boutte finally made his first reception, catching the pass in the flat to convert a fourth down. A couple of plays later, however, Boutte dropped a pass that hit him right in the hands.
Boutte finished the evening against the Seminoles with two receptions for 20 yards, and it will hurt his draft grade. He ran some lazy routes, dropped a pass, and seemed to lose his composure and get frustrated. Boutte will need to play much better in the weeks to come.
Ben Bryant, QB, Cincinnati Bryant has some big shoes to fill after Desmond Ridder helped lead the Bearcats into the college football playoff in 2021. Cincinnati suffered a narrow loss to Arkansas in the 2022 opener, but Cincinnati easily could have won if Bryant had thrown more accurately. He consistently overthrew wide-open receivers streaking down the field for potential touchdowns. Bryant really hurt the Bearcats with his terrible accuracy. He had a terrible interception and was fortunate that other throws were not picked off. Bryant has some size and arm strength, but his accuracy has to improve dramatically to make him viable pro prospect.
Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon Opening the season against Georgia and probably the best rushing attack he will see all season, Sewell was practically a ghost. He recorded three tackles, made no splash plays, and looked like was playing on his heels all game. Entering this season, Sewell looked like he had first-round potential, but he will have to play a lot better in the weeks to come in order to be selected on the opening night of the 2023 NFL Draft.
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