We’re officially under four weeks away from the 2023 NFL Draft. There’s plenty of speculation on who the first overall pick will be to the Carolina Panthers. On ESPN, they had reported that the Panthers have narrowed down their choices down to C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young. While they could be true or false, there’s still the belief that the Panthers have Will Levis and Anthony Richardson in the running for the first overall pick.
Last week, I talked about how the draft stock of Jalen Carter has plummeted. Teams such as the Atlanta Falcons and Las Vegas Raiders have taken him off their draft board and it wouldn’t be surprising if more teams do the same. Much of that could be after the release of the body cam footage that shows Carter being questioned by police as a witness after a fatal car accident in January.
This week, we’ll be taking a look at a few different players. Some of these players helped or hurt their draft stock at the Scouting Combine, Pro Days, or during the interview process. Let’s dive into the players that are seeing their stock move up and down draft boards for the 2023 NFL Draft.
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Stock Up
Dawand Jones (OT – Ohio State)
Jones enters the NFL as an experienced two-year starter for the Buckeyes at right tackle. He has logged over 1500 snaps at the position (per PFF) and has only given up three sacks over these past two seasons. Not only did Jones find success in the fall at Ohio State, but he’s also had a great pre-draft process.
He checked into the Scouting Combine at 6-foot-8 and 374 pounds with 36 3/8″ arms. His massive frame is one of the biggest we’ve seen enter the NFL and he’s somewhat of an outlier for it. However, he’s an impressive talent that has terrific length to create separation and ride defenders out of the pocket. He can maul defenders consistently and he showcased it against the defensive talent that was on display at the Senior Bowl. Jones’ performance in Mobile was enough for him to practice one day and call it good.
This past week, I spoke with an agent that told me he’s heard that the Steelers have “done some digging” on Jones. They met with him at the Combine and brought him to Pittsburgh on a visit. It would be an ideal fit considering the Steelers have picks 17 and 32 in this year’s draft. There’s also been interest from the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals. Near the back end of the first round could make a ton of sense as to where Jones lands in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Staying with the Pittsburgh Steelers, here’s another player they’ve been linked to heavily during the pre-draft process. While Mazi Smith didn’t run at the Scouting Combine, he did check in at 6-foot-3 and 323 pounds while putting up 34 reps in the bench press.
Smith has an NFL-ready pass-rush plan where he’s able to move defenders with a blend of power and speed but he’s also got an effective push-pull move and swim move. His hands are active and he’s a good athlete that can play in a variety of spots along the defensive line. While Smith only has two sacks over the last two seasons, he has generated 46 total pressures over that time (per PFF).
As I mentioned, Smith has received heavy interest from the Steelers but keep tabs on the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 24th overall pick. Jaguars GM Trent Baalke likes first round defensive linemen. He showed that last year by selecting Travon Walker out of Georgia and he did it in multiple drafts with the 49ers. From 2011 to 2016, Baalke spent four picks in the top 40 on defensive linemen. He could look to do the same in a few weeks with the 24th overall pick.
Israel Abanikanda (RB – Pittsburgh)
During the NFL Scouting Combine, Abanikanda didn’t participate due to a minor hamstring injury that flared up. However, he took part in the Pittsburgh Pro Day and absolutely crushed it. His 40-yard dash ranged from 4.26 to 4.32 seconds. Meanwhile, he measured 41.5″ in the vertical jump. That’s darn impressive for a 5-foot-10 and 217-pound running back.
While at the Combine, Abanikanda had plenty of meetings with teams. Some of the teams showing heavy interest were the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, and New England Patriots. Regardless of where he lands, there’s some belief generating that Abanikanda could be a top-50 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. From what I’ve seen, he’s an explosive back that can make impressive jump-cuts while having the speed and burst to take it the distance.
Stock Down
Brandon Joseph (SAF – Notre Dame)
Emerging as a top-tier defensive back at Northwestern, Brandon Joseph has quickly fallen down draft boards. After having nine interceptions in two seasons as a starter with the Wildcats, he transferred to Notre Dame. Over the last two seasons, Joseph has had an alarming 24 missed tackles (per PFF).
Add in his performance at the Scouting Combine and it’s been quite underwhelming all the way around. At the Combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.62 seconds and only posted a 30.5″ vertical. During the drills on the field, he looked stiff and lacked the fluidity needed for the position.
So far, I only know of the Philadelphia Eagles meeting with the safety prospect but I’m sure a few other teams have talked with him. While many predict this safety class to be very average, at best, there was a chance for Joseph to emerge as a top-100 pick. With the way things are going, he’s headed in the opposite direction on draft boards and looks nothing like the player we saw in the Big Ten Championship in 2020.
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