NFL Draft Community Mailbag: Will a QB Rise to the Top of the 2023 Class?

NFL scouts are on the road with nearly a third of the college football season already over. What they've likely learned is that the 2023 draft class is vastly different from the April one.

Multiple quarterbacks are in the discussion to be first-round picks after only one heard their name called in the first frame this year. One will possibly be selected No. 1 overall. The top signal-caller will have competition from at least one elite talent, as Alabama's Will Anderson Jr. is a superior prospect compared to Travon Walker. Conversely, the offensive tackle and wide receiver groups don't appear as strong.

Every class has its own identity.

To understand how the spring crop is taking shape, the Bleacher Report NFL Scouting Department of Brandon Thorn, Brent Sobleski, Cory Giddings, Derrik Klassen and Matt Holder has been evaluating prospects and building its first draft board.

At this point in the college and pro seasons, B/R opened its initial community mailbag to first ask and then answer questions readers may have about early impressions of the NFL's next wave of talent.

This class will surely draw excitement because it is not primarily built upon talent in the trenches, so let's start with a group of quarterbacks who is lighting it up.

Are there any quarterback "sleepers" who could shoot up draft boards, and how many first-round QB prospects do you see given this class to be the most talented in draft memory —@Schmackle

If Kansas' Jalon Daniels still counts as a sleeper after the Jayhawks' 5-0 start and first Top 25 ranking since 2009, he's probably the one to watch. The junior is young and undersized (6'0", 215 pounds), but his arm strength is impressive, and he's taken great strides in his second season under head coach Lance Leipold.

As for first-round projections, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud feels like a lock. Kentucky's Will Levis is likely to be a first-rounder by the end of the cycle, too.

Alabama's Bryce Young and Florida's Anthony Richardson are the two wild cards, but for very different reasons. Young is a first-round passer, but a fringe 6-foot, sub-200-pound quarterback might be a risk teams want to avoid, especially since his physical tools are more good than great or elite. Conversely, Richardson has been maddeningly inconsistent, though his tools—a 6'4", 232-pound frame, ample arm strength and athleticism—are unrivaled in this class and he has shown flashes of high-level play from the pocket.

—Klassen

How good of a prospect is Texas' Bijan Robinson and is his game reminiscent of any other running back? —@jakthegreat

Texas' Bijan Robinson might be the best skill player in the draft.

Aside from one or two runs a game wherein Robinson tries to be too perfect instead of just slamming through an open rushing lane, there isn't much to pick apart.

Robinson's zero to 60 acceleration and flexibility are outrageous for a player his size (6'0", 222 lbs), and he has the heft and contact balance to be a force between the tackles.

Regarding a comparison, the Big 12 back fits a similar mold as that of another product from the conference: Joe Mixon.

—Klassen

Are there any left tackle prospects who can make an immediate impact at the NFL level, and how many first-round picks will it take to make the New York Jets competitive? —@ab223

I don't have an "impact starter" grade for any tackle in this class. I see Northwestern's Peter Skoronski as a Year 1 starter whom some teams may view as a guard.

Skoronski has the body control, footwork and movement skills to stay at tackle. But his smaller stature (6'4", 315 lbs) and length may force a move inside depending on the coaching staff. One can envision him as an immediate starter at either spot because of his technical proficiency, though his best long-term outlook may be on the inside.

The other tackles in contention are Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr. and Penn State's Olumuyiwa Fashanu.

I view them more as potential impact starters rather than sure things because of glaring breakdowns in technique that cause them to fall off too many blocks. The underclassmen are young and inexperienced but have enough talent to get in the conversation by the end of the year.

Assuming Mekhi Becton can become a starter again and Max Mitchell is the right tackle, the Jets may need just one first-round pick along their offensive line to be competitive as a unit. I would look to upgrade center and possibly Mitchell depending on how the rest of his rookie season goes when he returns from his recent knee injury.

—Thorn

Who are the best prospects at defensive tackle this year and where will they be drafted? —@maxtlr

Georgia's Jalen Carter is the top dog by a good margin and brings top-five overall talent. Where he lands will depend on how certain teams value the position. Will it be enough to take him that high, since no defensive tackle has been selected that early since 2019, when Quinnen Williams became the third pick? Beyond Carter, if you're interested in defensive tackles or defensive linemen in general, I recommend watching as many Clemson games as possible.

Bryan Bresee is my DT2 and a projected first-round talent. The biggest problem with Bresee is that his sample size is small since he is a redshirt sophomore and tore his ACL only four games into last season. A lot of the evaluation is based on his freshman year. That being said, it is clear he has a rare combination of strength and athleticism, which makes it easy to see why he was one of the nation's top recruits and gets so much love from the draft community.

After Bresee, Myles Murphy is another name to know as a Day 1 talent. He falls into that fringe category where some people will consider him more of an edge-rusher than an interior player, though. Tyler Davis is a true defensive tackle. He has the traits to be a really good run defender, but his injury history and lack of pass-rush production will likely push him into the third or fourth round.

With Carter and Bresee as my top two tackles and Murphy listed as an edge, my top five interior defenders rounds out with Baylor's Siaki Ika, LSU's Jaquelin Roy and Texas Tech's Tyree Wilson.

Ika is one of the most athletic near-360-pounders you will ever see, while I'm betting on Roy's raw traits and upside as a pass-rusher. Wilson is similar to Murphy in that he's a tweener, but Wilson's strength and power lead me to believe he will be better suited on the inside in the pros. Florida's Gervon Dexter Sr. is pretty close to those three as well and has the potential to be an early Day 2 pick.

—Holder

Who's the best linebacker prospect in this year's class? —@NinoHorte

It's a tough call since no one really stood out during my summer scouting. Oregon's Noah Sewell, Iowa's Jack Campbell and Clemson's Trenton Simpson are my top three, and they're all within 0.2 points of one another on Bleacher Report's grading scale.

Sewell is LB1 because he's very good against the run and at 253 pounds has impressive athleticism, which shows up in man coverage. However, he has two major flaws for the position: shaky tackling form and questionable eye discipline in zone coverage. He had 19 missed tackles last season and missed two more against Georgia, per Pro Football Focus. Passes went zipping past his ears in zone coverage because he'd get caught with his eyes in the backfield far too often last season.

I'm higher on Campbell than most seem to be. He's a great run defender who is aggressive and craves contact but also has the instincts and football IQ to avoid coming too far downhill and getting caught in the trash. Many have serious questions about his athleticism. While I don't think he'll light up the combine, he has enough athletic ability to get by. His 6'5", 246-pound size is elite for an NFL linebacker.

While not the same caliber of prospect, Simpson played a similar role to Isaiah Simmons as a hybrid safety-linebacker in Brent Venables' Clemson scheme. Simpson's role helped him show off some of the athleticism that made him a "Feldman Freak," and he's very physical at the point of attack to hold up against the run and even stop some offensive linemen in their tracks. I'm looking forward to diving in to how he's being used with new defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin, and Simpson put on about 10 pounds over the summer. I wouldn't be surprised if he leapfrogs Campbell and Sewell as my top linebacker.

—Holder

Which prospect will rise up the board most by draft time? —@TTP2113

Arkansas' Drew Sanders doesn't need to wait until the offseason to push his stock through the roof. The Alabama transfer has been exceptional as part of the Hogs defense because he's getting an opportunity to fully utilize his vast skill set.

The 6'5", 233-pound junior is equally capable of playing off-ball linebacker and rushing off the edge. The Arkansas coaching staff uses him as a chess piece.

Sanders starts at inside linebacker. He can bump out and play as a hang defender in coverage. He's used in pressure packages as a blitzer. And he's clearly comfortable working over an offensive tackle with his long frame. His closing speed is evident in every one of these areas.

In just five games with the Razorbacks, Sanders has eclipsed his production from the last two seasons. He leads the nation with 6.5 sacks and has forced two fumbles and defended a couple of passes. He's the perfect fit in the modern NFL because he never needs to come off the field.

Doing what Sanders is doing in the nation's toughest conference and how he goes about his business place him in the first-round conversation. The first-time full-time starter must continue to play at the same level, though.

As for another prospect who could skyrocket, Penn State's Olumuyiwa Fashanu is already garnering attention as a sophomore who is three years removed from high school. His physical traits scream first-round prospect, and at 6'6" and 308 pounds with long arms, he looks smooth and effortless in his pass set.

His timing, balance and hand placement will need to be refined. But the left tackle has yet to even turn 20 years old. Fashanu could be OT1 and a top-10 pick depending on his development this season.

—Sobleski

Which small-school standout most likely to hear his name called in the first round? —@ElJefedelBarrio

Army isn't a small program, but a Black Knight hasn't heard their name called in the first round since 1947, when the Detroit Lions drafted Heisman Trophy-winning running back Glenn "Mr. Outside" Davis and the Chicago Cardinals selected offensive tackle DeWitt "Tex" Coulter.

Andre Carter II has a chance to end the drought. Obviously, Carter is an anomaly in regards to modern military programs. The third-team All-American is a 6'7", 260-pound edge defender and racked up an impressive 15.5 sacks in 2021. Despite his size, Carter can drop into space, though that's clearly not where his value lies.

"Carter's length is only more amazing when factoring in that he also blazed a 4.2 in his pro agility test this offseason," The Athletic's Bruce Feldman wrote in August. "Army coaches say that when Carter's doing change of direction work in the summer, he finishes in the top three with their skill guys. They also say his reaction time and processing speed is unmatched."

As with any Cadet, teams will have to weigh whether Carter will be available or if he'll serve his commission upon graduation from West Point. A deferment is a possibility, as the Air Force granted Jordan Jackson one after the New Orleans Saints selected the defensive lineman in this year's sixth round.

If anyone is interested in the talent from the lower ranks, the class doesn't appear to have a Trevor Penning-level prospect.

South Dakota State tight end Tucker Kraft (who suffered an ankle injury Sept. 3 and hasn't played since), North Dakota State offensive tackle Cody Mauch, NDSU fullback Hunter Luepke, Montana cornerback Justin Ford, UC-Davis tight end McCallan Castles and Princeton wide receiver Andrei Iosivas are counted among the best in the FCS.

—Sobleski