The 2023 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and we’ll have you covered throughout the draft process. I’ve already explored team needs and historical draft picks, and I’ve also shared my big board with player notes that will remain updated leading up to Round 1. You can find even more of our 2023 NFL Draft content below. Now, let’s take a look at 2023 NFL Draft prospects that are rising up draft boards.
2023 NFL Draft Board Risers
Here are prospects that are gaining steam ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Dalton Kincaid spent his first two seasons at San Diego playing a limited role. But he made the most of every touch he got, averaging nearly 19 yards per reception. His 21.0 yards per reception in 2019 ranked second among all TEs in both the FCS and FBS. After the impressive showing, Kincaid transferred to Utah in 2020 but missed the majority of the season due to COVID implications. It wasn’t until 2021 that Kincaid truly got his shot, and he absolutely dominated. Kincaid posted a 25% dominator rating as the 11th-highest-graded tight end in the nation per PFF. Kincaid followed up his impressive 2021 campaign nicely in 2022 with another eight-touchdown season. His dominator rating jumped to 26% as he led the nation in PFF receiving grade and finished 3rd in yards per route run.
Kincaid led Utah with 70 receptions (5.8 receptions per game, 22% target share), the most by any tight end in the nation. At 246 pounds, Kincaid is on the smaller side of the tight end spectrum, making it likely he takes on the role of a move tight end at the next level. He ran 55% of his routes from the slot in 2022. Kincaid also did not do any pre-draft testing due to injury, but he reportedly has passed all his physicals regarding his health.
Zay Flowers spent four seasons at Boston College simply dominating as the team’s best wide receiver. He posted a career 33% dominator rating – the highest among all 30 prospects I sampled for this article – after a highly productive career as an Eagle. It all started with his initial breakout during the 2020 season, with Flowers catching 55 balls for 892 receiving yards and 9 receiving TDs en route to a 34% dominator rating in just his second season. His production profile would only increase in the following years to come, with back-to-back dominator ratings of 36% and 47%.
His senior year was truly special as the 5-foot-9, 182-pound wideout racked up 78 receptions for 1,077 yards and 12 receiving TDs. Per Sports Info Solution, Flowers finished 3rd in the class in unique routes run, 6th in target share (30%) and third in deep route percentage (49%).
The senior standout turned heads at the East-West Shrine Bowl, cementing himself into Round 1. He’s got explosiveness and burst that looks so similar to that of Antonio Brown. Not surprising for him to have “Brown-like tendencies” as he studied Brown exclusively as he developed his receiver skills. He also got the chance to work out with Brown during his offseason. Great company to associate with by NFL standards.
Tyree Wilson finished eighth in pass-rush win rate on true pass sets and first in pressures per game (4.4) among his 2023 draft class. The 6-foot-6, 271-pound edge rusher did not test at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine but will test during a private workout in mid-April for teams. The expectation is that he will test off the charts, so the time is now to buy on Wilson’s odds to be the first defensive player drafted (+800 on DraftKings Sportsbook, +1000 FanDuel).
Darnell Wright was a four-year starter (42 games) at Tennessee and performed extremely well during his senior year. He finished fourth in his class in PFF pass-blocking efficiency and performed admirably versus a fierce Alabama pass-rush unit led by Will Anderson. And per Sports Info Solutions, Wright finished with the second-lowest blown block percentage in the class (0.7%).
Wright should be a plug-and-play option as the team’s right tackle in Year 1 and for the foreseeable future.
John Michael Schmitz is a super experienced center from Minnesota, that can be an immediate contributor to an NFL team looking for a plug-in starter. He started 35 games at the college level and finished third among centers in his class in positive run when behind rate per Sports Info Solutions.
Jonathan Mingo spent his college career at Ole Miss, breaking out this past season with 51 catches for 861 receiving yards and five receiving TDs. But had it not been for an injury in 2021, Mingo could have already officially broken out. The 6-foot-2 and 220-pound wideout averaged over 100 receiving yards per game three games into the 2021 season, until he was forced to miss time.
Mingo’s size/speed profile is also extremely enticing. 4.46 40-yard dash speed with explosive jumps ranking in the 89th percentile. That’s scary at 220 pounds
Hendon Hooker tied C.J. Stroud in the 2023 NFL Draft QB Class in yards per attempt this past season, playing in Tennesse’s RPO spread offense. The dual-threat quarterback averaged nearly 59 rushing yards per game as the Volunteers starting quarterback, before tearing his ACL in 2022. The injury and status as a 25-year-old rookie will scare off some NFL teams from selecting Hooker, but his experience, consistent improvement and polish will earn him a shot to find success at the next level.
Roschon Johnson posted an absurd 49% missed tackle rate in 2022, while also finishing fourth in yards after contact per attempt among the 2023 draft class. Simply put, he would be talked about much more had he not been seated on the depth chart behind college football’s best running back: Bijan Robinson.
He only started five games in 47 total games played at Texas.
But Johnson possesses bell-cow size at 6 feet and 219 pounds with tenacity to boot. He jumped 122 inches in the broad jump (78th percentile). Although his vertical jump left some to be desired at 31.5 inches (19th percentile, 3rd-worst among 2023 testers).
Israel “Izzy” Abanikanda didn’t do much at Pittsburgh during his first two years there, but he finally broke out in 2022 as the team’s No. 1 running back. The 5-foot-10 and 216-pound running back rushed for 1,426 yards and 20 touchdowns en route to a 39% dominator rating. Abanikanda would go on to finish as PFF’s 8th-highest rusher in his draft class.
At Pitt’s pro day, Abanikanda ran an unofficial 4.41 40-yard dash with some reports claiming he got under 4.3. He also jumped out of the building hitting 41 inches in the vertical (97th percentile) and 128 inches in the broad jump (95th percentile). His size/speed profile is extremely enticing.
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