2023 NFL Draft Big Board: Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud Battle To Be QB1

2023 NFL Draft Big Board: Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud Battle To Be QB1

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.

RankPlayerPositionSchool
1Will Anderson Jr.EDGEAlabama
2Jalen CarterDTGeorgia
3C.J. StroudQBOhio State
4Christian GonzalezCBOregon
5Bryce YoungQBAlabama
6Bijan RobinsonRBTexas
7Paris Johnson Jr.OTOhio State
8Brian BranchSAlabama
9Myles MurphyEDGEClemson
10Anthony RichardsonQBFlorida
11Devon WitherspoonCBIllinois
12Tyree WilsonEDGETexas Tech
13Lukas Van NessEDGEIowa
14Dalton KincaidTEUtah
15Jahmyr GibbsRBAlabama
16Bryan BreseeDTClemson
17Kelee RingoCBGeorgia
18Jaxon Smith-NjigbaWROhio State
19Quentin JohnstonWRTCU
20Anton HarrisonOTOklahoma
21Joey Porter Jr.CBPenn State
22Broderick JonesOTGeorgia
23Deonte BanksCBMaryland
24Isaiah FoskeyEDGENotre Dame
25Jordan AddisonWRUSC
26Michael MayerTENotre Dame
27Zay FlowersWRBoston College
28Calijah KanceyDTPittsburgh
29Darnell WrightOTTennessee
30Cam SmithCBSouth Carolina
31Antonio JohnsonSTexas A&M
32Cedric TillmanWRTennessee
33John Michael SchmitzOCMinnesota
34Keion WhiteEDGEGeorgia Tech
35Josh DownsWRNorth Carolina
36Peter SkoronskiOTNorthwestern
37Clark Phillips IIICBUtah
38Drew SandersLBArkansas
39Will LevisQBKentucky
40Derick HallEDGEAuburn
41Adetomiwa AdebaworeDTNorthwestern
42Trey PalmerWRNebraska
43Trenton SimpsonLBClemson
44Felix Anudike-UzomahEDGEKansas State
45Jack CampbellLBIowa
46Jalin HyattWRTennessee
47Nolan SmithEDGEGeorgia
48BJ OjulariEDGELSU
49Siaki IkaDTBaylor
50Noah SewellLBOregon
51Emmanuel ForbesCBMississippi State
52Jaylon JonesCBTexas A&M
53Sydney BrownSIllinois
54Jonathan MingoWROle Miss
55Dawand JonesOTOhio State
56Gervon DexterDTFlorida
57Cody MauchOTNorth Dakota State
58Tyjae SpearsRBTulane
59Jayden ReedWRMichigan State
60Will McDonald IVEDGEIowa State
61Joe TippmannOCWisconsin
62Kendre MillerRBTCU
63Tyrique StevensonCBMiami (FL)
64Wanya MorrisOTOklahoma
65Tank BigsbyRBAuburn
66Israel AbanikandaRBPittsburgh
67Zacch PickensDTSouth Carolina
68Julius BrentsCBKansas State
69DJ TurnerCBMichigan
70Tuli TuipulotuEDGEUSC
71Steve AvilaOGTCU
72O'Cyrus TorrenceOGFlorida
73Darnell WashingtonTEGeorgia
74Luke MusgraveTEOregon State
75Isaiah McGuireEDGEMissouri
76Zach HarrisonEDGEOhio State
77Mazi SmithDTMichigan
78Tyler ScottWRCincinnati
79Eli RicksCBAlabama
80JL SkinnerSBoise State
81Hendon HookerQBTennessee
82Marvin MimsWROklahoma
83Moro OjomoDTTexas
84Keeanu BentonDTWisconsin
85Rashee RiceWRSMU
86Tyler SteenOTAlabama
87Christopher SmithSGeorgia
88Jartavius MartinCBIllinois
89Tank DellWRHouston
90Darius RushCBSouth Carolina
91Byron Young (Ala)DTAlabama
92Dorian WilliamsLBTulane
93Carrington ValentineCBKentucky
94Xavier HutchinsonWRIowa State
95A.T. PerryWRWake Forest
96Matthew BergeronOTSyracuse
97Blake FreelandOTBYU
98Devon AchaneRBTexas A&M
99Daiyan HenleyLBWashington State
100Tucker KraftTESouth Dakota State
101Jammie RobinsonSFlorida State
102Kei'Trel ClarkCBLouisville
103Jaelyn DuncanOTMaryland
104Kayshon BoutteWRLSU
105Trey Dean IIISFlorida
106Kenny McIntoshRBGeorgia
107Zach EvansRBOle Miss
108Sam LaPortaTEIowa
109Jay WardSLSU
110Jordan BattleSAlabama
111Alex AustinCBOregon State
112Nick HamptonEDGEAppalachian State
113Luke WyplerOCOhio State
114Henry To'o To'oLBAlabama
115Warren McClendonOTGeorgia
116Keaton MitchellRBEast Carolina
117Ji'Ayir BrownSPenn State
118Kyu Blu KellyCBStanford
119Roschon JohnsonRBTexas
120Eric GrayRBOklahoma
121Tre'Vius Hodges-TomlinsonCBTCU
122Zach CharbonnetRBUCLA
123Parker WashingtonWRPenn State
124Ivan Pace Jr.LBCincinnati
125Nic JonesCBBall State
126Daniel ScottSCalifornia
127Mike MorrisEDGEMichigan
128Emil Ekiyor Jr.OGAlabama
129Jake HaenerQBFresno State
130Jaren HallQBBYU
131Michael WilsonWRStanford
132Malik KnowlesWRKansas State
133Myles BrooksCBLouisiana Tech
134Christian IzienSRutgers
135Ricky StrombergOCArkansas
136Terell SmithCBMinnesota
137Dontayvion WicksWRStanford
138Puka NacuaWRBYU
139Garrett WilliamsCBSyracuse
140Mohamoud DiabateLBUtah
141Brandon JosephSNotre Dame
142Olusegun OluwatimiOCMichigan
143Andre Carter IIEDGEArmy
144Mekhi GarnerCBLSU
145Jason BrownleeWRSouthern Miss
146Thomas IncoomEDGECentral Michigan
147John OjukwuOTBoise State
148Cameron LatuTEAlabama
149Rejzohn WrightCBOregon State
150Deuce VaughnRBKansas State
151Sean TuckerRBSyracuse
152Arquon BushCBCincinnati
153Jalen CropperWRFresno State
154Jason Taylor IISOklahoma State
155Colby WoodenDTAuburn
156Sidy SowOGEastern Michigan
157Jordan McFaddenOTClemson
158Viliami FehokoEDGESan Jose State
159K.J. HenryEDGEClemson
160Chase BrownRBIllinois
161Martez ManuelSMissouri
162DeMarvion OvershownLBTexas
163Owen PappoeLBAuburn
164Brenton Cox Jr.EDGEFlorida
165Bryce Ford-WheatonWRWest Virginia
166Braeden DanielsOGUtah
167Sir'Vocea DennisLBPittsburgh
168Luke SchoonmakerTEMichigan
169Riley MossCBIowa
170Dylan HortonEDGETCU
171Jaxson KirklandOGWashington
172Cameron MitchellCBNorthwestern
173Karl BrooksDTBowling Green
174YaYa DiabyEDGELouisville
175Dee WintersLBTCU
176Yasir AbdullahEDGELouisville
177Cory TriceCBPurdue
178Rakim JarrettWRMaryland
179Carter WarrenOTPittsburgh
180Isaiah LandEDGEFlorida A&M
181Michael JeffersonWRLouisiana
182Earl Bostick Jr.OTKansas
183McClendon CurtisOGChattanooga
184Demario DouglasWRLiberty
185Habakkuk BaldonadoEDGEPittsburgh
186Kobie TurnerDTWake Forest
187Charlie JonesWRPurdue
188Dorian Thompson-RobinsonQBUCLA
189Jalen GrahamLBPurdue
190Tanner McKeeQBStanford
191DeWayne McBrideRBUAB
192Nick HerbigEDGEWisconsin
193Drake ThomasLBNC State
194Juice ScruggsOCPenn State
195DJ JohnsonEDGEOregon
196Jakorian BennettCBMaryland
197Isaiah MooreLBNC State
198Ronnie HickmanSOhio State
199Jon Gaines IIOCUCLA
200Mitchell TinsleyWRPenn State
201Tre TuckerWRCincinnati
202Zack KuntzTEOld Dominion
203Darrell Luter Jr.CBSouth Alabama
204Camerun PeoplesRBAppalachian State
205Dallas DanielsWRJackson State
206Atonio MafiOGUCLA
207Demarcco HellamsSAlabama
208Malaesala Aumavae-LauluOTOregon
209Jarrett PattersonOGNotre Dame
210Jadon HaselwoodWRArkansas
211Ben VanSumerenLBMichigan State
212Andrei IosivasWRPrinceton
213Jeremy BanksLBTennessee
214Gervarrius OwensSHouston
215Dante StillsDTWest Virginia
216Ronnie BellWRMichigan
217Andrew VorheesOGUSC
218Nick SaldiveriOTOld Dominion
219Jaylon ThomasOTSMU
220Brandon KipperOGOregon State
221Payne DurhamTEPurdue
222Ikenna EnechukwuEDGERice
223Anfernee OrjiLBVanderbilt
224Jaquelin RoyDTLSU
225Byron YoungEDGETennessee
226Chris MurrayOGOklahoma
227Jared WayneWRPittsburgh
228Jose RamirezEDGEEastern Michigan
229Connor GalvinOTBaylor
230Cam JonesLBIndiana
231Kaevon MerriweatherSIowa
232Justin ShorterWRFlorida
233Matt LandersWRArkansas
234Clayton TuneQBHouston
235Zaire BarnesLBWestern Michigan
236Blake WhiteheartTEWake Forest
237Jeremy LucienCBVanderbilt
238Asim RichardsOTNorth Carolina
239Xavier GipsonWRStephen F. Austin
240Chandler ZavalaOGNC State
241Thomas GreaneyTEAlbany
242Luke HaggardOTIndiana
243Rashad Torrence IISFlorida
244Tavius RobinsonEDGEOle Miss
245Ventrel MillerLBFlorida
246Tyson BagentQBShepherd
247Marte MapuSSacramento State
248Mohamed IbrahimRBMinnesota
249Nehemiah SheltonCBSan Jose State
250Devonnsha MaxwellDTChattanooga
251Xazavian ValladayRBArizona State
252Anthony JohnsonCBVirginia
253Lonnie Phelps Jr.EDGEKansas
254Mark Evans IIOGArkansas-Pine Bluff
255Titus LeoEDGEWagner
256Caleb MurphyEDGEFerris State
257Spencer AndersonOGMaryland
258Josh WhyleTECincinnati
259Antoine GreenWRNorth Carolina
260Jerome CarvinOGTennessee
261Jaleel McLaughlinRBYoungstown State
262Malik CunninghamQBLouisville
263Lance BoykinCBCoastal Carolina
264Alex ForsythOCOregon
265Kadeem TelfortOTUAB
266Khalan LabornRBMarshall
267Nesta Jade SilveraDTArizona State
268Jadakis BondsWRHampton
269P.J. MustipherDTPenn State
270Brevin AllenEDGECampbell
271Desjuan JohnsonDTToledo
272Brendan BeaulieuWRBemidji State
273Ochaun MathisEDGENebraska
274Colby SorsdalOTWilliam & Mary
275Justin MarshallWRBuffalo
276Derius DavisWRTCU
277Aubrey MillerLBJackson State
278Brock MartinEDGEOklahoma State
279Cameron BrownCBOhio State
280Stetson BennettQBGeorgia
281Demontrey JacobsOTSouth Florida
282Deneric PrinceRBTulsa
283Ben SimsTEBaylor
284Tyler HudsonWRLouisville
285Travis VokolekTENebraska
286Keondre CoburnDTTexas
287Jimmy PhillipsLBSMU
288Kemari AverettTEBethune-Cookman
289Theo BenedetOTBritish Columbia
290Eku LeotaEDGEAuburn
291Sean CliffordQBPenn State
292Richard GouraigeOTFlorida
293Justin FordCBMontana
294Max DugganQBTCU
295Tre HawkinsCBOld Dominion
296Jake WittOTNorthern Michigan
297Darrious GainesCBWest Colorado
298Elijah DotsonRBNorthern Colorado
299Chamarri ConnerSVirginia Tech
300Robert BealOLBGeorgia

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