With the 2023 NFL draft behind us, we break down every team’s draft picks over the 3 day event, giving player projections and opinions on team fits as we go division by division through the NFL.
Last but certainly not least, the NFC West
Arizona Cardinals:
1(6) OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State
2(41) LB B.J. Ojulari, LSU
3(72) CB Garrett Williams, Syracuse
3(94) WR Michael Wilson, Stanford
4(122) OG Jin Gaines II, UCLA
5(139) QB Clayton Tune, Houston
5(168) LB Owen Pappoe, Auburn
6(180) CB Kei’Trel Clark, Louisville
6(213) DT Dante Stills, West Virginia
The Cardinals now currently have 10 picks in the first 5 rounds of next year’s draft. For a team that has a flawed roster with a quarterback that will miss the start of the season because of injury, that also turned over its entire coaching staff, this was an excellent use of resources in this draft.
Trading down from #3 to #12, then back up to #6 to take the offensive lineman they desperately needed in Paris Johnson Jr., while pocketing Houston’s 1st round pick for 2024 was a beautiful piece of business.
Johnson is in need of additional work on his technique, but possesses the natural traits to become a long time starter on the left side. He’s still filling out his frame, and adding more power to his athletic tools. His positional versatility will eventually create a dominant force on the line. It would be wise to give him some leeway and expect some growing pains in his first season as he matures, but the Cardinals are clearly not in win now mode and can be patient with Johnson as he works with NFL strength and conditioning coaches to mold himself into a future star.
B.J. Ojulari is a promising prospect that the Cardinals can also take their time to develop. He’s a stand up rush linebacker with a high upside as a pass rusher, but needs to work harder stopping the run. He has the athletic skill set to be able to add more weapons in his pass rushing arsenal to consistently wreak havoc in opposing offenses backfields. Able to play contain in the run, he has the pursuit speed to chase down backs if they try to go wide, but tends to lose focus on run plays, leading to inconsistent efforts. Once he adds a bit more polish to his game, Ojulari can become a plus starter in the NFL.
CB Garrett Williams is coming off of a torn ACL, but his medical testings have all been positive as he looks to be able to return to the field in July. When healthy, Williams is a solid outside cornerback with the footwork and athleticism to match routes while in man coverage. He trusts his technique and wasn’t flagged for a single penalty over the past two seasons, always playing under control. He tends to focus more on wrapping up the receiver after the catch more than on breaking up the pass, which will limit his game changing abilities, but, if he comes back healthy, the Cardinals snagged a solid CB2 for the foreseeable future.
WR Michael Wilson is another player who entered the draft with a long injury history, but he consistently plays the game with urgency and effort. At 6’2” and 213 lbs, Wilson is a willing and capable blocker and has the potential to be a very good gunner on special teams. He plays at top speed at all times, but will need to refine his route running to beat NFL coverage and improve his ball skills. His competitive nature and locker room presence will keep him on NFL rosters as long as he can stay healthy, and he has the upside and drive to become a solid backup receiver and a full time player on special teams.
OG Jin Gaines II has elite level athleticism for a guard, has high football intelligence with a clear understanding of his duties on every snap. He needs to work on his hand placement, as despite his athleticism, he struggles with body control and balance, causing him to struggle to stay in front of opponents as a run blocker. Arizona’s coaches will love his mental makeup and the raw skills he brings to the table, but he really needs to make improvements in his technique as well as build up his core strength before he can settle into a nice backup swing guard/center role.
QB Clayton Tune is a full field reader that has proven over his college career that he can fight through adversity, turning slow season starts into strong finishes. He lacks improvisational talent and needs scripted plays to keep the offense on track. He was a 4 year starter and a 3 time captain in college, so there’s a strong locker room presence, and he can make throws given proper protection with the ability to plant his feet. However, that’s rare in the NFL and his undisciplined footwork leads to too many inaccurate passes when he’s under pressure. That, along with his sluggish release, tendency to pin his receivers to the sideline, and apparent lack of trust in his arm to throw tight windowed passes will prevent him from making much of an impact in the NFL.
LB Owen Pappoe is an undersized linebacker, but has good speed and long arms. His lack of natural instincts and playmaking ability limited his production at Auburn, but he has solid acceleration and burst to chase down running backs, and drops quickly in zone coverage with an ability to read the quarterback’s eyes in coverage. He has the potential to carve out a nice role as a third down threat and special teamer.
Kei’Trel Clark is small, but fast, and plays with twitchy feet and a competitive demeanor when challenging the throw. He’s capable of shutting down short and intermediate routes with his natural feel for the passing lanes, but can be exposed on deep throws with his lack of size and length. He also has trouble in run support, as well as covering big slot targets, so his potential, despite his ball skills and athletic traits, is fairly limited in the NFL.
Finding a fit for DE/DT Dante Stills will be paramount to his success in the NFL, as he lacks the girth to be a true interior block eater, and the get-off to play on the end. His quickness and agility will be valuable if he’s used in active, twisting defensive fronts, but he’ll need to develop more pass rushing moves if he is to be successful even in those schemes. He’s the son of a 10 year NFLer, so he likely understands what it will take to make it in the league, and he can find a home as a rotational end who can contribute some interior rushing ability.
The Cardinals management showed, for the first time in years, recognition that the team as it’s currently assembled isn’t built to win. They took some developmental prospects that could yield them high returns in years to come, and are likely to enter next season’s draft with 2 potential top 5 picks to completely change the makeup of the team. Fans in Arizona will likely be suffering through a long season, but they can feel better now that the team seems to finally have a destination in mind. Overall, this was a great weekend for the Cardinals.
Los Angeles Rams:
2(36) OG Steve Avila, TCU
3(77) DE Byron Young, Tennessee
3(89) DT Kobie Turner, Wake Forest
4(128) QB Stetson Bennett, Georgia
5(161) LB Nick Hampton, Appalachian State
5(174) OT Warren McClendon, Georgia
5(175) TE Davis Allen, Clemson
5(177) WR Puka Nacua, BYU
6(182) CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU
6(189) DE Ochaun Mathis, Nebraska
6(215) RB Zach Evans, Ole Miss
7(223) P Ethan Evans, Wingate
7(234) S Jason Taylor II, Oklahoma State
7(259) DE Desjuan Johnson, Toledo
While the Rams mortgaged the future for their Super Bowl victory, they paid for it in 2022 with a decimated roster that needed an influx of younger bodies. They left draft weekend with a surprising 14 picks, allowing Los Angeles to rebuild their roster in hopes of being competitive this upcoming season.
They got off to a great start with OG Steve Avila in the 2nd round. Avila is a plug and play day 1 starter in the NFL, and fills a massive need after an awful season for the Rams offensive line. Avila started at 4 different positions in college, and in 15 games last year didn’t give up a single sack. He has the skill and character to step up and be a leader for a Rams line that is in need of one.
The Rams defensive line also desperately needed to give Aaron Donald some help and took DE Byron Young and DT Kobie Turner in the 3rd round to do just that.
Young is an undersized defensive lineman, but he’s extremely effective against the run and has shown an ability at the college level to shed blocks with his strength and aggressiveness. That can’t always be counted on to translate to the NFL, and he will have to continue to build his strength if he wants to be successful considering he doesn’t have natural athleticism to fall back upon if he cannot overpower his blocker. He can use his strength to carve out a 2-down role in the NFL, but will be a liability in pass rushing situations which will limit his overall upside.
Turner should be able to step in immediately as a rotational piece along the defensive line. He combines his aggressiveness with his impressive strength and will be a headache for opponents all over the defensive line. He has a knack for punching the ball out when making tackles, and has an excellent pass rush motor that allows him to rack up coverage sacks. He started his career as an FCS walk-on, worked his way to becoming an all American before earning himself a scholarship to Wake Forest, so he has already shown the off the field work ethic and intangibles that coaches love. His run defense is already solid, but he needs to work on his hand usage as a pass rusher, as he is undersized to become a full time fixture on the defensive line.
QB Stetson Bennett is in need of a good mentor, and there are not many better than Matthew Stafford. Bennett was arrested in late January and charged with public intoxication, so despite the fact that he’ll turn 26 during his rookie season, he has shown he still has a lot of maturing left to do. He’s small in stature relative to today’s game, but does have a history of elevating his play in big pressure situations. He doesn’t have an overly exceptional arm and his accuracy can be inconsistent, but has shown that he has the ability to go through his progressions in a pro-style offense and throws with anticipation. He rarely takes sacks, and has enough mobility to do some damage outside of the pocket. He leaves Georgia as one of the school’s all time greatest passers after being mentored by new Baltimore OC Todd Monken. He has the potential to operate in a play action heavy offense as a low upside game manager. With Stafford’s health a major question mark, Bennett might be forced into action as early as this season.
Nick Hampton could be an absolute steal for the Rams in the 5th round and will also help the teams pass rush as soon as next season. He’s a little undersized as a 3-4 outside linebacker, and isn’t anything special in the run game but has an explosive pass rush with a nice subtle technique that helps him disrupt the pocket. His potential to excel in the NFL is scheme dependent due to his size, but at the very least he can find snaps as a full time special teamer and backup linebacker used in key pass rushing situations.
OT Warren McClendon is a hardworking team leader with plenty of football pedigree, as he follows his uncle to the NFL and has a cousin who played and coached at Georgia. His intangibles are countered by his lack of ideal size, length and athleticism as either a tackle or guard. He’ll benefit from adding more strength in the gym and can become the type of player that you can throw onto the line in a pinch, but will unlikely be able to take over a starting role full time in year 1.
TE Davis Allen is another potential steal in the 5th round at tight end. His route running doesn’t blow anyone away, but the magic happens once the ball is in the air. He’s a master at coming down with contested catches with his instinctive body control and mid air adjustments. He also shows good blocking technique, although he’s slightly undersized and of course will need to get stronger. If Allen can improve his route running, and gets used in the proper scheme to let him go and attack the ball in one on one coverage, the Rams might have found their future starter at tight end with the 175th pick.
WR Puka Nacua is an athletic wideout with a competitive nature and ball skills that will give him a fighting chance to make the roster. He doesn’t have the quickness or top end speed to attack man coverage at the NFL level, but he can be used in the slot as a possession receiver where his ability to win 50-50 balls with his size can be taken advantage of.
The Rams continue to draft players with good pedigree, as Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson is the nephew of hall of famer LaDainian Tomlinson. Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson won the 2022 Jim Thorpe award as the nation’s top defensive back, and is one of the more explosive athletes in the draft. He fell to the 5th round due to his size and his tendency to default to excessive hand fighting and crowding that results in penalties. If he can learn to trust his technique more, he has the athletic profile and aggressiveness to become a starting nickel back in the NFL.
DE Ochaun Mathis was put on the map after an impressive 2020 campaign, but didn’t live up to the lofty expectations since then. He has good size and outstanding length, but needs to spend lots of time in the weight room getting stronger and filling out his frame to avoid getting pushed around by tackles at the point of attack. He has great short area quickness that he uses to elude blockers and can slide down the line to help cut off the backside on runs and scrambles. He’ll need to be motivated to become a more attack-oriented rusher, but there’s certainly potential for him to develop into a strong 3-4 rush linebacker.
RB Zach Evans likely only dropped to the 6th round due some minor character concerns that date back to his high school days and a history of nagging injuries. But it’s hard to ignore his impressive 6.9 yards per carry over his college career. He has an NFL ready frame with a willingness to fight through tackles for additional yardage. He has a good burst to take advantage of holes created by his blockers, and runs with great balance and fluid hips. If Evans has indeed matured and can put his injuries behind him, he has the upside to eventually make it as an RB1.
When you have 14 picks in the draft, it makes sense to use a late rounder to take a flier on your new punter. Ethan Evans was a 4 year college starter and boasts the size and leg strength that teams like. He’s an aggressive punter who tries to pin teams deep, but unfortunately is too inconsistent, leading to too many touchbacks.
The Rams kept the late round pick steals coming, snagging projected 4th rounder Jason Taylor II in round 7. Taylor already has an NFL frame and is a powerful tackler who can stop both runners and pass catchers in their tracks. What he lacks in speed and agility, he makes up in instinct and football IQ. He should have no problem walking into camp and earning a role as a full time special teamer, and if utilized properly, can take serious snaps on defense as well.
DE Desjuan Johnson is as tough as it gets at the point of attack, where he consistently was able to fend off blockers who were bigger than him throughout his college career. He has great balance and almost never ends up on the ground despite being a little undersized for an interior linemen. If he can continue to add weight without slowing himself down, his already impressive pound for pound strength could lead him to earning a roster spot.
Without a top pick for another year, the Rams did extremely well, finding many potential starters in the later rounds. Many of their prospects come with risks, but with this many picks and the market still content from a Super Bowl win, this turned out to be a very impressive weekend for L.A.
Beginning to feel a lot like football season. 😍 pic.twitter.com/G9sOM7CbTO
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 23, 2023
San Francisco 49ers:
3(87) S Ji’Ayir Brown, Penn State
3(99) K Jake Moody, Michigan
3(101) TE Cameron Latu, Alabama
5(155) CB Darrell Luter Jr., South Alabama
5(173) LB Robert Beal Jr., Georgia
6(216) LB Dee Winters, TCU
7(247) TE Brayden Willis, Oklahoma
7(253) WR Ronnie Bell, Michigan
7(255) OLB Jalen Graham, Purdue
The Niners drafts are always interesting, and this year’s version was no different. While the team continues to excel, one would have to assume their odd draft choices will eventually catch up to them, but the on field product somehow still continues to be amongst the best in the NFL. The 49ers tend to use their draft picks as trade capital, and despite walking away with 9 total picks, they made their first selection well into the 3rd round.
Safety Ji’Ayir Brown out of Penn State is a tackling machine, combining for 147 tackles over the past 2 years, and was all over the field in 2022 collecting 7 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, 7 pass breakups and 2 forced fumbles. His 40 time at the combine wasn’t ideal (4.65s) but he’s a strong, aggressive safety that the team will find a way to get involved in their defense early in the season. He has the ability to play coverage in the slot, can man the outfield in Cover 1 and is a fiery defender against the run. He’ll need to focus on playing with a little more discipline, as he has a tendency to get baited into double moves and quarterback fakes. Given a little fine tuning, Brown has the potential to eventually develop into an NFL starter.
San Fran used their second pick on a kicker. You read that correctly. While having a solid kicker is a critical piece to a Super Bowl contending team, particularly one who is already comfortable kicking in colder weather like Jake Moody is, using a 3rd round pick on a kicker is particularly wild, especially considering it was San Fran’s 2nd pick in the draft. Moody will be a good, if not great, NFL kicker, but that isn’t a great use of resources.
TE Cameron Latu doesn’t wow in any areas, but has tools to contribute to the offense. With George Kittle consistently dealing with injuries due to his physical playstyle, drafting a younger prospect to learn behind him makes perfect sense for a team that lives by the next man up motto. He’s a good pass catcher with good early acceleration and the ability to shake safeties off at the top of his routes. While he has some solid pop as a blocker, he’ll need to beef up his lower body to become an effective 3 down player in the NFL. But there’s potential there for him to have a nice career in the NFL.
Darrell Luter Jr is a long-limbed press coverage cornerback with fairly decent ball skills, and could be one of those players whose game translates better to the NFL than college. He doesn’t possess top speed but his size helps mask that issue as he can bump receivers off route and use his length to break up passes if he gets caught a ½ step behind. He’ll always be more effective in press and shadow coverage than playing in Cover 3 or off-man, so his success will be scheme dependent in the NFL.
LB Robert Beal Jr. spent most of his collegiate career behind more talented defensive players on Georgia’s exemplary defense, but his size, length and athletic ability are all key elements that defensive coaches dream of. He lacks awareness as a run defender and possesses just average range as a tackler, but holds his own against power blockers. He’s a developmental edge defender who will need to prove himself on special teams while he continues to learn the game.
LB Dee Winters has experience as both an inside and outside linebacker, but lacks ideal size and will need to win with his speed and aggression. He’s adequate at dropping into coverage, and has shown flashes of ability to attack the pocket in blitzing situations. He’s a versatile defender who reads the play well, and while he may have a low ceiling, he has the potential to work himself into a nice rotational role on the defense.
TE Brayden Willis lacks the size and athletic ability that would make one think he can make it as either an in-line blocker or a pass-catching option. He still needs to prove that he can separate from defenders, as the Oklahoma system was designed to allow him to find empty space against defenses allowing him to make simple uncontested catches. He has good toughness and fights for yards after the catch, and has solid balance when blocking, but he’ll need to blow away current expectations if he expects to make it to an NFL roster.
WR Ronnie Bell made it back in the 2022 season after suffering a torn ACL in 2021 and was able to have a productive season. His intensity and competitiveness shine on his tape, and he possesses above average ball skills, with well timed leaps and the ability to make adjustments in the air. He’ll likely have to be used as a scheme dependent receiver due to his inability to create his own separation at the top of his routes and below average speed. He chipped in with some pushes and punt returning in college, so his versatility will help him when it comes to earning a roster spot.
Jalen Graham is a high upside pick in the 7th round. He’s an energy driven hybrid player who plays faster than his athletic testing results would indicate due to his football instincts and drive to be the first one to the ball. He still needs to get bigger and improve on his technique against the run, but shows a willingness to take on blocks and has good aggressiveness for the position. He’ll be exploited in man coverage, but is a fairly decent ballhawk when dropping into zone.
San Francisco filled out the rest of their roster with projects and camp bodies, which is a good strategy when they already possess a strong roster from top to bottom, but many of their picks were reaches. The team has earned the benefit of the doubt and it’ll be interesting to see what players they’ll be able to properly develop over the coming years.
Seattle Seahawks
1(5) CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
1(20) WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
2(37) OLB Derick Hall, Auburn
2(52) RB Zach Charbonnet, UCLA
4(108) OG Anthony Bradford, LSU
4(123) DT Cameron Young, Mississippi State
5(151) DE Mike Morris, Michigan
5(154) C Olu Oluwatimi, Michigan
6(198) S Jerrick Reed II, New Mexico
7(237) RB Kenny McIntosh, Georgia
Pete Carroll reminded us all in 2022 that he’s still one of the best coaches in the NFL, leading the Seahawks to a 9-8 record and the playoffs despite trading their former franchise quarterback in the offseason, largely due to coming out of the 2022 draft with one of the most productive haul of rookies in the league.
The Seahawks look to be doubling down, as they leave Kansas City as one of the big winners in this year’s draft, as they continue to reap the benefits of the Russell Wilson trade. With Geno Smith signed for another 2 seasons, Seattle didn’t have to reach for quarterback, and took the top CB available to recreate the famous legion of boom that helped earn them a Super Bowl victory.
5th overall pick Devon Witherspoon will step in and be the new leader of the 2nd iteration and pairing him with 2022 breakout star Tariq Woolen gives Carroll one of the best young CB tandems in the league. Having Coby Bryant move to nickel is a luxury most teams can’t afford. Witherspoon allowed only 22 receptions on 62 targets for 206 yards and no touchdowns in a dominant season in Illinois, and was consistently matched up one on one with the opposing team’s top receiver as opposed to just lining him up on one side of the field.
With their own 1st round pick, Seattle added the perfect compliment to their wide receiver room as Jaxon Smith-Njigba will fit in seamlessly working beside D.K. Metcalfe and Tyler Lockett. JSN was surrounded by elite wide receiver talent at Ohio State for the majority of his college career, but still managed to stand out. In 2021 he broke out with a Big10 record 1606 yards on 95 catches despite playing with 2022 1st round picks Chris Olave and Garret Wilson. When Olave and Wilson opted out of the Rose Bowl, Smith-Njigba exploded as the #1 option with an eye popping 347 yard 3 touchdown performance. With one of the best wide receiver trios, Seattle’s offense will be even more explosive in 2023.
Seattle’s weakness in 2022 was definitely along the defensive line, and they began to address that with the addition of edge rusher Derick Hall. Hall is a Pete Carroll player through and through, as his impressive off the field resume (team captain, honor roll student) matches his impressive play on the field. He played some off the ball in coverage as well, giving Carroll some versatility to utilize Hall’s physical gifts and high football IQ.
As if the offense didn’t already have enough weapons, the Seahawks opted to pair RB Zach Charbonnet with 2022 breakout rookie Kenneth Walker III to give the Seattle a strong 1-2 punch of running backs who are 2 different types of runners. Charbonnet averaged 4.2 yards after contact and only fumbled twice over his entire 4 year college career, while adding 320 yards receiving to his 1358 rushing yards, showing potential to eventually grow into a 3 down back. Again, this is more of a luxury pick than a need, but given Walker’s history of back problems, ensuring that the Seahawks run game won’t falter if he misses time makes sense. Not to mention, Carroll normally like to keep a deep running back room.
4th round pick Anthony Bradford is a massive guard who ranked 4th overall in the athleticism testing at the combine, and is built to thrive in a power run scheme.
Seattle’s next 2 picks are excellent late round selections that address their need along the defensive line, as DT Cameron Young and DE Mike Morris will both be in contention for starting roles this season. Young’s length and quick hands at the line of scrimmage will help him make an immediate impact in the run game, but he will look to develop his pass rush working with NFL coaches.
Morris had a disappointing combine, but his game tape shows a versatile lineman who’s run defense is a few steps ahead of his pass rush, meaning he’ll have to increase his intensity on a more consistent basis. He may take a couple seasons before he really hits his stride in the NFL.
C Olu Oluwatimi is a 4 year starter who at the very worst will be a high level rotational guard, and can become a solid starter with the proper development.
S Jerrick Reed probably wasn’t on many teams’ draft charts, but he has above average football IQ and at this point it wouldn’t be shocking if the Seahawks turn him into a star.
RB Kenny Mcintosh is another complementary back that has sure hands and is a willing blocker. Despite being a 7th round pick he has the toolset to crack the roster within the next couple of seasons.
Once again, the Seahawks staff put on a masterclass at the draft, and it wouldn’t be a massive surprise if at least 8 of their 10 picks become starters or key rotational pieces as soon as next season.
-Devon Gallant
Twitter: @DevGallant
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