We’re closing in on the big event, and the class is taking shape on the Pro Football Network 2023 NFL Draft Big Board. The top prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft — including Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud — showed up every Saturday through the national championship as we’ve entered the pre-draft process for the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City.
2023 NFL Draft Big Board
Before we get into the Pro Football Network Top 300 players for the 2023 NFL Draft, here’s a little more on why these players are at the top.
Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama
He’s 6’3 1/2″, 253 pounds, with 34″ levers for arms. He has 27.5 sacks and 48 tackles for loss over the past two seasons. The No. 1 overall prospect on PFN’s most recent consensus big board for the 2023 NFL Draft is Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr.
Anderson might not have the sheer mass of a Myles Garrett or a Travon Walker, but he carries the same gravity as a defensive playmaker. He’s an elite athlete with searing explosiveness and devastating lateral agility. He can pry through gaps with his flexibility and hand strength, and generates power at a level of absurdity, mixing lightning-fast explosion and violent extensions into overwhelming displays of force.
Anderson is a large part of a very small blue-chip contingent in the 2023 NFL Draft class. He’s going to make a defensive coordinator very happy with his ability to constantly disrupt and make game-defining plays behind the line.
Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
Purely based on talent, Jalen Carter is a blue-chip prospect and a top-five player in the 2023 NFL Draft. That’s been the case since the start of the cycle, and even before when he embarked on a six-sack, 15.5-TFL stretch through 2021 and 2022.
At 6’3″, 310 pounds, with 33 1/2″ arms, Carter is an explosive ball of fury on the defensive line interior. His quickness is absolutely wicked heading into contact, and he leverages that burst into awesome power and disruption potential. Carter’s hands are strong, his motor is hot, and his leverage is overwhelming. There aren’t many questions on the tape.
MORE: PFN’s Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator
For Carter, the questions come off the field. His involvement in a racing incident that may have contributed to a fatal car crash in January has, at the very least, called his maturity into question. And his preparation and conditioning also fell under scrutiny in light of his subpar pro day showing.
Teams will need to do their due diligence on Carter, and whether they’re willing to risk heavy capital on him. But his raw film grade is the ultimate temptation.
C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
On the latest iteration of the PFN Consensus 2023 NFL Draft Big Board, C.J. Stroud is QB1. He’s fending off fierce competition from Alabama’s Bryce Young and Florida’s Anthony Richardson, but there’s an argument to be made that Stroud is the most complete QB prospect on the board.
At 6’3″, 218 pounds, Stroud has prototypical size, to go along with underrated mobility and a great arm. Beyond possessing the raw physical traits, Stroud is a quick processor who routinely exploits mismatches with anticipation, masterful precision, and layering ability — and he creates when he needs to.
Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
The 2023 NFL Draft CB class is so strong that many teams may punt on Round 1 prospects and instead seek value in the middle rounds. But the team that comes away with Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez will be very thankful. Gonzalez could end up being a game-changing starter in the NFL with his tools.
In 2022, Gonzalez transferred to Oregon and made the most of his opportunity, racking up four picks and seven pass deflections. At around 6’1 1/2″ and 197 pounds, with 32″ arms, he’s a quantifiably elite athlete, who combines effortless burst, speed, and transitioning ability with uncanny instincts, eye discipline, and playmaking prowess.
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
Bryce Young remains a contender for the QB1 mantle, but he’s just below Stroud on our latest rankings. Stroud, Young, and Richardson all offer different areas of appeal. But if you’re looking for the unshakable poise and resolve of a true franchise QB, Young has it to the highest degree.
From a raw traits perspective, Young is peculiarly average compared to the top group. He’s a good athlete, but not elite for his size, and his arm might be the weakest out of Richardson, Stroud, and Will Levis.
Nevertheless, Young has more than enough arm talent and elasticity to work with. And in high-pressure situations, his creation capacity, field vision, calm demeanor, and uncanny instincts help him consistently carry his team out of chaotic waters — the way you’d want a franchise QB to do so.