Week 1 is where NFL draft prospects can make a statement to start their seasons. Which 2023 NFL Draft prospects were able to accomplish that in the first week of the 2022 season? Here’s a look at some of the biggest risers in the 2023 NFL Draft pool after Week 1.
Week 1 2023 NFL Draft Risers
Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Any evaluation of Anthony Richardson is going to center on the tools. He’s one-of-one as a physical talent, with generational athleticism for his 6’4″, 232-pound frame and elite arm talent. But there were glimpses of growth in his game-winning performance against Utah.
Richardson navigated the pocket well. His mechanics were tighter and more efficient. And particularly on his 2-point conversion play, he effectively manipulated the defense, created for himself, and capitalized in the end. He has the profile of a first overall pick.
Jirehl Brock, RB, Iowa State
David Montgomery, Breece Hall … Jirehl Brock? The former four-star running back — who was listed as a breakout candidate this summer here at PFN — looks like he could be next in line to carry on Iowa State’s NFL pipeline at RB.
The 6’0″, 220-pound Cyclones ball carrier had 16 carries for 104 yards and a score on Saturday and added a catch for 13 yards. On one carry, he broke outside to the left and churned through tackles with contact balance, then sent a defender into another dimension with a nasty juke.
Jacob Cowing, WR, Arizona
The game is “Stop Jacob Cowing,” and San Diego State couldn’t do it on Saturday. The 5’11”, 170-pound receiver was a machine against the Aztecs. He legitimately could not be covered over the middle and racked up receptions to the tune of eight catches, 152 yards, and three touchdowns.
His smooth body control and ball-tracking ability has always been visible, as far back as his days at UTEP. But he’s a surgical separator with the burst and throttle control to cause havoc for defensive backs.
Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
I mean, do we really need to write anything here? If you watched Georgia’s dismantling of Oregon, then you saw Darnell Washington. The 6’7″, 270-pound tight end was an all-purpose stud for the Bulldogs. Although he only had two catches for 33 yards, one of his catches — a boundary throw that saw him break a tackle and hurdle a defender — was a stark display of athleticism.
Meanwhile, in the ground game, he mauled defenders as a blocker. Washington is an athletic freak and an enforcer at his size, and he’s trending up.
Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State
A couple of young offensive tackles very much improved their 2023 NFL Draft stock in Week 1. But we already know about Georgia’s Broderick Jones, so let’s spend some time on Penn State OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu.
Fashanu is now the full-time starter at LT for the Nittany Lions after Rasheed Walker’s departure. And against Purdue, he was phenomenal. Not only does Fashanu have great athleticism and balance with his long 6’6″, 321-pound frame, but he’s also composed, synergetic, and methodical with his hands.
LaDarius Henderson, G, Arizona State
If you want to watch an interior offensive lineman with high-level traits, just turn on Arizona State tape and look at No. 77. LaDarius Henderson is a physical specimen at 6’5″, 310 pounds, with searing explosiveness off the line and arms well over 35″ long.
Henderson used his matchup against an inferior Northern Arizona team to his advantage this past week, dominating opponents with his amalgam of physical tools. Leverage can still be an issue at times, but few blockers get off the line and create displacement like Henderson does.
Jake Levengood, C, Oregon State
Keep an eye on this Oregon State offensive line. It’s one of the best units in college football but also home to a few notable 2023 NFL Draft prospects. One who very much helped his stock against Boise State was Jake Levengood. At 6’4″ and under 300 pounds, Levengood is notably undersized. But he was lights out in Week 1.
Levengood paved open lanes, hit the second level as a run blocker, and stayed square, absorbing power rushes in pass protection. Steadiness is marketable at center, and Levengood brings that.
Reggie Grimes, EDGE, Oklahoma
Losing Nik Bonitto and Isaiah Thomas? No problem, says Brent Venables. The Oklahoma defensive line remained a venerable force on Saturday against UTEP, led by 6’4″, 270-pound junior rusher Reggie Grimes. Grimes had 2.5 sacks for the Sooners, kicking off what could be a breakout campaign with a massive boom.
A lot of power capacity comes with Grimes’ size, but he also has the strength to break anchors and engage in pursuit, and his closing speed can be difficult for QBs to get away from.
Nick Hampton, EDGE, Appalachian State
If there was any game to make a statement for Nick Hampton, it was this one. North Carolina fielded two Shrine Bowl 1000 offensive tackles against Hampton — Spencer Rolland and Asim Richards –, and it still wasn’t enough to keep Hampton from pressuring the QB.
Hampton ended the day with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble, playing a huge part in what was almost a stunning upset by the Mountaineers. I noted Hampton as a sleeper at EDGE before the season. He has the explosion, twitch, and length to be a terror for OTs.
Jacoby Windmon, OLB, Michigan State
Four sacks in a debut for your new school? That’ll get you on the radar. Jacoby Windmon made of the most of his first game with the green and white. He was a constant menace on third downs. More than once, he got around the apex with a brutal ghost move and made life miserable for the QB.
At 6’2″, 250 pounds, Windmon will fit best as a stand-up rusher in odd-front alignments. But he has the burst and bend to give offensive tackles headaches. His move from UNLV to Michigan State is already paying dividends.
Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
There’s no other cornerback we can list here other than Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. When Purdue needed to push the ball through the air, and when they needed to test Porter, they were met with a brick wall each time.
Porter was credited with three pass deflections in the season opener, and he contributed to several more incompletions, consistently blanketing his man at the catch point. The 6’2″ CB has an enticing mix of length and fluidity but also has the playmaking instincts and physicality to convert.
Otis Reese, S, Ole Miss
Ole Miss made short work of Troy in Week 1, putting up numbers on offense and stops on defense. One stop came courtesy of Otis Reese, who snuffed out a screen on third down with quick recognition and closing speed. The 6’3″, 225-pound safety is incredibly explosive coming downhill.
Reese has a documented 40.5″ vertical out of high school, so it’s no surprise that his accelerative capacity can be a problem in the box. Look for Reese to keep rising as the enforcer of Ole Miss’ safety group.
