2023 NFL Draft: 25 diamonds in the rough

The twin brother of Illini running back Chase Brown, Sydney had a breakout senior season and continued to increase his stock in the Senior Bowl. He finished 2022 with 60 tackles, six interceptions, and seven passes defensed. Brown could be a Day 2 pick and immediate contributor.

Carter’s stock fell slightly after 2022, with his sacks declining from 14.5 in 2021 to 3.5. However, he has plenty of size and speed to be an impact edge pass rusher at the next level, and could sneak into the first round with a good combine.

There aren’t many backs with Gibbs’ speed and pass-catching ability. He finished with 1,370 yards from scrimmage and 10 scores in one season with Alabama after transferring from Georgia Tech. Gibbs could be a Tony Pollard-like game changer at the next level.

The pocket passer is no longer en vogue, but Haener is a solid NFL prospect, nonetheless. He impressed at the Senior Bowl after completing 72% of his passes during the regular season, and has been a consistent performer over the last three seasons. The floor is a solid backup in the NFL.

Hall doesn’t quite have the size to play defensive end in a 4-3 defense, but the pass-rushing potential is interesting. He had 15.5 sacks over the last two seasons and is also more than adequate playing the run. Hall could be a steal as a late Day 1 or early Day 2 selection.

Hooker has two big strikes against him, as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered in November and is already 25. Still, the upside is huge, as Hooker has demonstrated plus mobility at Virginia Tech and Tennessee, and incredible passing accuracy with a 69.6% completion rate and 27/2 TD/INT last season. For a patient franchise, Hooker could develop into a starting quarterback from Day 2 of the draft.

Iosivas will take some molding, but the 6-foot-3 track-and-field star will excite a lot of wide receiver coaches. He was just short of 1,000 yards receiving at Princeton last season, and could be a major deep threat at the next level.

There aren’t many more productive pass rushers available than Incoom. He had 11.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss at Central Michigan last season, and has the athleticism to push up draft boards.

The hesitancy to select an FCS tight end has likely been nixed with the success of Dallas Goedert, and Kraft has the potential to follow in his footsteps. Kraft opened some eyes when he had 780 yards receiving in 2021, though missed time last year due to injury. He could still be an impact player from the later rounds.

Iowa has been a tight end factory in recent years with names like George Kittle, Noah Fant, and T.J. Hockenson. LaPorta could be next, with over 600 yards receiving in consecutive years in spite of the Hawkeyes anemic offense.

Converted from tight end, Mauch should gain some steam in the draft process because of his elite athleticism. He is older at age 24, but could be an immediate plug-and-play tackle from Day 2.

McBride had over 1,700 yards rushing last season at UAB, and has the potential to be an excellent three-down back at the next level. He has the power to make his own space in short-yardage, and will help his stock even more if he can prove a capable pass catcher.

Georgia has done an outstanding job developing NFL running backs, and McIntosh looks to be next after biding his time in Athens. He had 1,334 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns last season, showing his ability on third downs with 43 catches. The limited mileage in college before last season could play to his favor in the future.

Mims was hyped coming into college, and was able to prospect last season despite the exits of Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams. He had a career year with 54 catches for 1,083 yards and six touchdowns, and looks like an elite deep threat after averaging 19.5 yards per catch in college.

Rice couldn’t do much more than he did for the Mustangs last season with 96 catches for 1,355 yards and 10 touchdowns. He flashed as a great Red Zone target over the last three years, totaling 24 scores, and has the polish to help early in his NFL career.

There isn’t a more polarizing prospect in the 2023 crop than Richardson. He has elite arm strength and wheels, but the accuracy simply isn’t there yet. He completed only 54% of his passes last season with nine picks, though the athleticism could still make Richardson a first-round pick.

Rush was the talk of Senior Bowl week for his strong performance, even as teammate Cam Smith was considered a better prospect after last season. He could be a Day 2 pick and immediate NFL starter if the momentum continues.

Sewell was considered a potential first-round pick when the 2022 season started after recording 114 tackles in his second season, but his stock has declined a bit after last year. His tackles were more than cut in half with a new Ducks coaching staff. His speed and instincts still make him an exciting linebacker prospect.

Smith’s college production never quite matched the hype as a top recruit, but the athleticism is certainly present. He had 12.5 sacks in four seasons with the Bulldogs, though Smith played only eight games last season due to injury. His draft stock has taken a hit after a disappointing senior season, but there’s more than enough upside as a Day 2 pick.

Smith-Njigba played only three games in his final college season due to a nagging hamstring injury. The injury concerns are likely the only thing preventing him from being a top 10 pick, as he emerged to stardom with 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021. If Smith-Njigba falls in the draft due to injury concerns, it could go down as one of the bigger draft blunders.

Spears’ stock just keeps rising. After accumulating over 1,800 yards from scrimmage last season at Tulane, he was the talk of the Senior Bowl. He’s a potential immediate starter as a Day 2 pick.

There are concerns for Thompson-Robinson as an undersized quarterback who could be a product of Chip Kelly’s offense, but the talent is undeniable. He threw 88 touchdowns in five seasons at UCLA, adding 28 rushing scores. In the right system, Thompson-Robinson could be quite the third day draft value.

The perception of value for inside linebacker has taken a hit in recent years, but the floor is extremely high for To’oTo’o. He was a defensive leader for Nick Saban at Bama over the last two seasons, showing sideline-to-sideline ability with 205 tackles and 6.5 sacks in two seasons.

Tuipulotu made a big jump last year, with 13.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss in his junior season. There’s some concern that he’s more of a power rusher than finesse, but Tuipulotu should be a fantastic value late in Day 1 or early in Day 2 in the right defensive scheme.

Count out Vaughn at your own peril. The 5-foot-6 running back had over 1,800 yards from scrimmage in consecutive seasons, but will likely fall to Day 3 with questions about his size and stability. As undersize backs like Darren Spoles, Tarik Cohen, and Austin Ekeler have shown, there’s a place for these types of backs if their strengths are utilized properly.