After seven rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft, offers 14 key insights.

NFL Draft 2023

 develops relationships with numerous prospective NFL Draft picks and their coaches throughout the years leading up to each NFL Draft. He provides 14 comments to what transpired over three days and seven rounds this past weekend based on his intimate observations, in-depth understanding of the game, and relationships with key college football figures.

1) The developments between Anthony Richardson and the Colts intrigue me. I like how it fits. As we explained last week, the 6-4, 244-pound 20-year-old has an athletic skill set unlike anyone the NFL has ever seen. He boasts a 4.43 speed and a 40-inch vertical. Michael Vick's speed and explosiveness are combined with Josh Allen's arm strength.

An NFL quarterback coach questioned me, "Who has been physically more gifted than him?" Allen, Vick, Cam Newton, Patrick Mahomes, and Andrew Luck were among of the players we considered, but they didn't quite match this package. There are undoubtedly concerns, starting with a mid-fiftys completion rate and a small number of starts. Richardson has already made some significant progress in fine-tuning his mechanics, according to another QB coach, so it's not like he needs a major makeover. And he appears to be acting with the proper mindset.

Grades in Rounds 2 and 3: rating each selection

3rd day grades: How each club fared in Rounds 4 through 7

Draft results and current order: View each option

"The Beast" The entire draft of the guide

Ten years ago, I could have had doubts. But over the past five years, there have been a number of instances of extremely talented, undeveloped players in the NFL quarterback position blossoming under the right coaching. And I think Richardson recently joined a team where Shane Steichen was the right coach.

Take a look at how Brian Daboll invited Josh Allen, who had similar reservations about accuracy. Furthermore, by using a lot of play-action and RPOs in the QB run game last season and by moving the pocket a lot, Daboll contributed to Daniel Jones' development as a formidable quarterback. The new coach for Richardson has a successful history. He assisted Justin Herbert in the Chargers as a rookie, and most recently, he helped Jalen Hurts take the Eagles from a 2-5 start to the Super Bowl.

The Colts filled a significant need by selecting Julius Brents of Kansas State in the middle of the second round. A very long cornerback, Brents significantly improved both technically and tactically in 2022. Josh Downs, an undersized WR, excelled at North Carolina and should benefit Richardson. Following that, Indianapolis piled on more freak athletes, including defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore from Northwestern, cornerback Darius Rush from South Carolina, safety Daniel Scott from Cal, tight end Will Mallory of Miami, who plays quickly, and edge rusher Titus Leo from FCS Wagner.

2) The Eagles' recent additions of youthful talent to their defense are astounding, and the additions of Jalen Carter at No. 9 and Nolan Smith at No. 30 make it even more astounding. The most gifted player selected in this selection was Carter. I adore that he joins a team that has a sizable veteran presence in the position room as well as Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean, the captain of the 2021 Georgia team, who are both familiar faces and are well acquainted with him.

"I've examined a lot of interior linemen, but he's definitely the greatest. Since Ndamukong Suh, I can't think of another player emerging who has his talent, an NFL defensive coordinator told me last week. But he continued, "He is unblockable when he wants to be. However, nobody is aware of this man's motivations. He simply flits around everything.

This is the location, if someone can get him there and keep him there. I also like Smith's selection. Despite being undersized, he is blazingly fast, much more muscular, and stout than his 239-pound frame would suggest. Sydney Brown, a safety from Illinois, going at No. 66 was also fantastic. He's a hothead who should fit in well and possesses some excellent leadership skills. Tyler Steen of Alabama's offensive line, who was selected one spot ahead of Brown, also makes a lot of sense. All five line places could probably be filled by him. He's a tremendously excellent athlete, and the fact that he's working with Jeff Stoutland, maybe the best offensive line coach in the NFL who has worked with and is familiar with Nick Saban, is encouraging.

3) I also adored the Seahawks' draft. Devon Witherspoon of Illinois, who had the greatest film in the draft, was the player Pete Carroll selected. He will fit in perfectly with the way the Seahawks' cornerbacks play since he is athletic, competitive, and instinctive. It sounds great to pair him with the freakish long corner from last year's draft, Tariq Woolen.

My pick for the draft's safest selection is receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was selected by them in the second round. His excellent sense of direction and feel will allow him to devour defenses from the slot. DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Smith-Njigba are the ideal trio for Geno Smith. Zach Charbonnet from UCLA was selected late in the second round, which is also wise. He runs hard, has great vision, and is deceptively shifty. Olu Oluwatimi, a fifth-round center, probably ought to have been selected at least two rounds earlier.

4) I adore the Texans' bold decision to draft Will Anderson in place of C.J. Stroud. If I had the option to choose among the quarterbacks in the class of 2023, I would have chosen Stroud. The stature and build of Bryce Young would have put me off due to concerns about durability.

However, Anderson was the best defensive player in college football the previous two seasons, and I believe that he will soon reach double digits in sacks, become a force against the run, and establish himself as a team leader. Tank Dell, a third-round receiver, is another player I like. Although he is small (5-8, 165), he is incredibly quick and can really separate. He will be a useful tool for Stroud.

One of the most certain picks in the draft seems to be Will Anderson.

5) I approve of the Lions' actions throughout the final two days of the draft. For Detroit, tight end Sam LaPorta will convert many third downs, while Alabama's Brian Branch will significantly improve the Lions' secondary. He is highly intelligent, strong, and provided a lot of cover for Bama's back end.

In the third round, Hendon Hooker represents outstanding value. According to all the NFL and SEC coaches I've talked to, his skill set, including his arm and in particular his rapid release, vision, tenacity, and intelligence, is worthwhile taking a chance on. There will be a steep learning curve when the offensive scheme from the Vols, which is based on the old Art Briles Baylor approach, gets transferred to the NFL, but with Jared Goff already established and Hooker recovering from a knee injury, there's no urgency.

Consider Hooker as "a three-year project," one quarterback coach said me last week. He must learn during the first year. I believe he needs a year before he can contend to be a No. 2 before you have the guy in Year 3. Maybe. If not, a player who many quarterback coaches believe has the potential to start for the league in the future was selected in the third round rather than the first.

I like Colby Sorsdal, an offensive lineman from William & Mary, who was selected in the fifth round. He may be able to help at offensive tackle because of his height (6-6, 301), but even if his 33-inch arms make him more suited inside, we've heard he could play anywhere along the line if necessary. Although Sorsdal played at the FCS level, he possesses the talent to have played in the SEC or Big Ten if he had used the transfer portal. He also has very good initial quickness. He could have played his last season at the FBS level after receiving his degree in 2022, but he choose to lead the team and support the program. As a result, William & Mary advanced far into the FCS playoffs with an 11-2 record. 

6) What happened with Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, who previous to the draft emerged as the betting favorite to go second overall, was the highlight of the first day of the draft. Levis's pre-draft hype did not match what we had learned from NFL QB coaches the week prior or from an NFL executive, as had been the case with teammate Jeff Howe.

One NFL QB coach informed The Athletic late last week that he believed Levis to be the fourth quarterback this year. "I frequently see some arbitrary mocks placing him third. I don't see it, and no one I've spoken to describes him that way.

With a powerful arm, good athleticism, and perfect size, the 6-4, 229-pound quarterback has unquestionably big-time weapons. However, he threw 23 interceptions in his final two college seasons, and there have been some questions about how effectively he sees coverages after the snap.

Levis naturally ended up being eliminated from the first round completely and spent a long, trying night in the Green Room with ESPN and the NFL Network's TV cameras trained on him. He was selected by the Titans on Friday night with the second overall choice in the second round. Despite what was undoubtedly an exciting draft night with the entire football world present, we believe that Levis will benefit from this in the long term.

Ryan Tannehill, who turns 35 this summer and will be in the final year of his contract, is the team's established starting quarterback for Tennessee. Last year, Tannehill struggled with injuries. There is no immediate pressure on Levis to show up and compete for the job. Tannehill can teach him things, and the Titans' system will help him grow. In the previous four seasons, Levis had four different offensive coordinators. It won't be simple learning a new system while adjusting to new teammates, but a year of observing a veteran go through it should be quite beneficial.

Two further wild-card type players who might truly pay off were signed by Tennessee. One running back coach informed me that Tyjae Spears of Tulane (81st overall) was the running back class's sleeper. The coach praised the player's mindset. "He runs the ball as you like. Undoubtedly, I was the one that caused the most missed tackles in one on ones. He played well in each important game they had. a capable route runner. Spears, meanwhile, has previously suffered from knee ailments.

Jaelyn Duncan, a left tackle from Maryland selected in the sixth round, has a lot of potential. At 6-6, 306, Duncan has incredibly amazing athleticism, but he also makes a lot of mistakes and last season, he gave up a lot of big plays. Can he thrive in Tennessee if he gains more strength?

7) Will McDonald IV, the first-round pick of the Jets, was the opposite of Levis in that the coaches privately thought more highly of him than the mock drafts suggested. He was selected with the No. 15 overall pick, and New Yorkers will adore him if he is as talented as some NFL coaches and coaches who faced Iowa State believe.

A coach told The Athletic this spring, "The way he turns the corner is incredible." He has good pass rush moves and is very fluid. I believe he simply played very hard. Despite not sharing the same qualities as (Tyree) Wilson, he was a more effective player. They asked him to perform tasks that are unusual for a man of his size, such as playing in the B-gap or acting as a 4i. He received numerous requests from them. This year compared to last, he played the run significantly better. Every time we played him, he improved.

McDonald weighs 239 pounds at 6-4 in Indianapolis, which is lighter than most coaches would prefer, but he has over 35-inch arms and has often appeared on the Freaks List in recent years.

Even more complimentary was said about him by an NFL D-line coach we spoke to last week. The coach remarked, "He's definitely the most jittery player in the entire D-line group. "This type of curvature is difficult to teach. He resembles Brian Burns and Haason Reddick a lot.

8) The selection of Oregon linebacker Noah Sewell by the Bears, the younger brother of Detroit offensive tackle Penei Sewell, struck me as the most intriguing decision of Day 3.

A year ago, if you had asked me where Sewell would be selected, I would have said that he would go in the first round's top 20, not the fifth. Sewell, who ranked No. 42 on our Freaks List, had 114 total tackles, which was 37 more than any other Duck and was good for second place in the Pac-12. The former high school quarterback, who is 6-2 and 260 pounds, has 8.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, five pass breakups, and two forced turnovers.

His mobility abilities were praised by the previous Ducks coaching staff. On the GPS, his top speed was almost 21 mph. The coaches also raved to scouts about his talent, zeal, toughness, and leadership. He appeared to be a different player this autumn, though. Sewell, according to scouts, didn't play as hard or produce nearly as much. There are occasions when successful exceptional guys see their college careers kind of peter out.

Sewell showed some of that athleticism in the combine, clocking a 4.64 at 247 pounds and a 1.57 10-yard split. Chicago will appear very shrewd if he can play closer to his 2021 form, when he was a 260-pounder who moved like a 220, knew zone drops, and pursued the quarterback like a top edge rusher.

9) Round-by-round favorite value picks: Seattle's Jaxon Smith-Njigba is ranked 20th, followed by the Raiders' Michael Mayer at 35, the Steelers' Darnell Washington at 93, the Falcons' Clark Phillips III at 113, the Bears' Noah Sewell at 148, the Browns' Luke Wypler at 190, and the Jets' Zack Kuntz at 220.

10) After two days of the draft, I was astonished to see Clark Phillips III of Utah still available. I understand that at 5-9 with 29 1/8-inch arms and that his 4.51 40 and 33-inch vertical also didn't help, he is not the optimum size and length. However, Phillips is incredibly intelligent, quick, and instinctive. He simply has a remarkable aptitude for creating plays (his career totals include four pick sixes and nine interceptions). He's incredibly outstanding, and I've gotten to know him a little over the years through conversations with his coaches and the people who recruited him. After spending 15 minutes with Phillips, you come away with the impression that he has the potential to one day succeed as a coach, but that is something that will happen later. I'd wager on him. About halfway through the fourth round, the Falcons scored a bargain.

Phillips' performance, not his size, made him a draft prospect.

11) Deuce Vaughn, the outstanding running back for Kansas State, was selected at position No. 212 and is another example of a player with subpar stats. However, I believe he will have an impact. He's only 5-5 and 179 pounds, but he's incredibly elusive and will definitely figure something out. Although Kavontae Turpin made the Pro Bowl last year, I'm not sure if he will improve the Cowboys' return game, but I still wouldn't bet against him. The craziest thing I watched during the draft was a video of his dad Chris, a scout for the Cowboys, telling him that Dallas was interested in the Wildcats star.

12) The 2023 NFL Draft was only the most recent illustration of how effective the Kirk Ferentz program is at identifying and nurturing talent. In the first three rounds, Iowa had four players selected, including three in the top 34. And when they graduated from high school, none of them were rated higher than a three-star.

The Packers selected Lukas Van Ness, the 52nd-best strong-side defensive end in the 2020 recruiting class, at the number 13 spot. The Lions selected Jack Campbell, a different first-round pick who was ranked as the nation's No. 44 outside linebacker in 2019. The 662nd-ranked player overall in his high school recruiting class was Campbell. Sam LaPorta was listed as the No. 55 tight end prospect in the same year. He also got to the Lions at number 34. And the year before that, Iowa selected Riley Moss, a two-star cornerback who was ranked as the 248th corner in the nation. This weekend, Moss visited the Broncos.

The NFL undoubtedly took note when Van Ness, Campbell, and Moss formed the core of one of the nation's best defenses during the past couple of years.

13) I asked a college coach if anything caught his attention, and he texted back, "Stanford had maybe five men selected, but not many victories. Crazy” In fact, the Cardinal had five players selected, one more than USC, UCLA, and Utah, as well as two more. The fact that Stanford had those five draft picks but only six victories overall over the previous two years was the most damning aspect of it.

14) Bill Bedenbaugh is one of the most important assistants in college football, despite the fact that most fans wouldn't recognize him if they saw him strolling down the street. Since moving to Norman, Oklahoma's 50-year-old offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator has produced some excellent linemen, including a few Pro Bowlers. However, Anton Harrison is Bedenbaugh's first Sooner offensive lineman to be selected in the first round after the Jags selected him with the 27th overall pick. The exceptional situation doesn't accurately represent the guys Bedenbaugh continues to develop. The Sooners have had nine offensive linemen selected in the last six years, which is four fewer than all of the other Big 12 teams put together.

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