DT: Jalen Carter, Georgia
Barring any advances in Carter’s off the field issues, he should be the first interior defensive lineman drafted. He is probably the second best defensive player in the draft and earned that label for good reason. Carter has fast hands that couples nicely with a quick get off. His job at Georgia wasn’t to necessarily make plays, but to allow others to make plays. That didn’t stop him from making plays, though. In addition to battling double teams, Carter made 32 tackles and 3 sacks this season.
DT: Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh
No players draft stock has been skyrocketed quite like Calijah Kancey. Scouts took notice when he ran a 4.67 40 yard dash and they further combed through his tape. In the right scheme, Kancey could become one of the leagues next best 3-techs. His fluid hips and fast hands remind me a lot of a certain former Pitt defensive tackle. Aaron Donald perhaps. While Carter serves more as a run stopper, Kancey uses his active hands like a Swiss army knife to get after quarterbacks.
EDGE: Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
Anderson isn’t only the best edge rusher in the draft, or even just the best defender. He’s the best overall player. If you watched him at all this season, you’d understand why I say this. His ability to break games open by himself is what sets him apart from any other player in this year’s draft. Whether it’s taking on double teams to help linebackers or getting after the quarterback, Anderson is a stud. He tallied 51 tackles and 10 sacks this season and was, for the second year in a row, Alabama’s leader on their defense.
EDGE: Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
I toiled between putting Wilson or Lukas Van Ness here, but I think Wilson is a better all-around player. The 6’6, 275 pound defensive end is more of a true defensive end, rather than a standup pass rusher, and I love the way he plays. He has an aura of nastiness around him and is a good athlete having run a 4.82 40-yard dash. With 61 tackles and 7 sacks, Wilson is a projected top ten pick. His tenacious play makes him a nightmare to have to block.
LB: Jack Campbell, Iowa
This year’s draft isn’t super strong when it comes to linebackers, but Jack Campbell stands at the top. His play along with Lukas Van Ness off the edge single handedly kept the Hawkeyes in games they should have been blown out in. He made 125 tackles, a sack, and 2 interceptions this season. Any time you watched Iowa play this year, Campbell was making plays. His physical play and killer mentality makes him the best linebacker in the 2023 draft.
LB: Trenton Simpson, Clemson
Like I mentioned prior, this year’s linebacker class is pretty weak. When you looked at the Clemson defense this year, their big players were Myles Murphy, and when he played, Bryan Bresee. But the one guy who made them right was Trenton Simpson. Simpson made 73 tackles, 2 sacks, and 3 pass breakups this season. He possess elite sideline to sideline speed and is an above average player in coverage.
CB: Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
I don’t know if we’ve ever seen a cornerback class with this much talent. At the top of the class talent wise is Illinois Devon Witherspoon. Illinois had a good season in 2022 and I attribute a lot of that success to Witherspoon’s play. He broke up 14 passes, tallied 3 interceptions, and made 42 tackles. He’ll be a top ten pick this year and for good reason.
CB: Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
Christian Gonzalez essentially came out of no where this season and played with a boulder on his shoulder rather than just a chip. He’s super physical in press coverage and in zone, and he does a great job playing the ball. Gonzalez made 51 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 7 pass breakups vs good receiving cores this season. He’ll either be the first or second corner off the board and it’ll be because he’s a physical monster on the outside.
DB: Deonte Banks, Maryland
With this cornerback class being so strong, I would have been remised to not add a third to this defense. It came down to either Banks or Cam Smith, but I love the way Deonte Banks plays. Banks had to matchup against Parker Washington and Marvin Harrison Jr. and played really well. Teams rarely targeted him and when they did, he broke up 8 passes and picked off one. He’s a fantastic run support corner and elite in coverage.
S: Brian Branch, Alabama
What can’t Brian Branch do? This past season, Branch made 90 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 7 pass breakups. His play style resembles that of Panthers safety Jeremy Chinn or Patriots safety Kyle Dugger because you can drop him into the box and he’ll thrive. If you need him to blitz, he’ll provide great pressure. In coverage, if you need him man on a tight end or running vertical with a receiver, he can do it. I think he’s one of the most pro-ready players in the draft and will make an immediate impact for whoever draft him.
S: JL Skinner, Boise State
While corner is a strong position group this year, outside of Branch, safety is fairly weak. JL Skinner out of Boise State is the next best at the position and many scouts attribute this to his size. He has a 6’4 frame that makes him great in coverage in short yardage routes. He puts a good jam on slot receivers and tight ends, but where he struggles is when a receiver tries to push vertical on him.