NFL Draft

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 314

HAND: 10 1/4"

ARM: 33 1/2"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: TBD

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: TBD

BROAD: TBD

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POSITIVES

— Good size for an NFL defensive tackle and carries little to no bad weight. Has room for growth on his frame if needed.

— Accelerates off the line of scrimmage well in pass-rush situations or when given a jet/go call to put pressure on offensive linemen immediately.

— Combines that get-off with low pad level, strength and physicality at the point of attack to help collapse the pocket with a bull rush.

— Does a good job of working to get on an edge instead of trying to go straight through an offensive lineman's chest.

— Shows impressive quickness, active hands and athleticism to win with finesse moves as a rusher.

— Has a wide array of pass-rush moves that he can win with: bull rush, push-pull, arm over/swim, rip, cross chop, etc.

— Impressive agility, bend and a limber lower half help him take an efficient path to the quarterback when slanting or when turning a tight corner after beating an offensive lineman.

— Great pass-rush motor to get coverage sacks and fight through double-teams.

— Has the quickness and nimbleness against the run to change the offensive lineman's aiming point and get off or avoid blocks, especially when slanting.

— Also has the agility to gain ground vertically and laterally with his first step when slanting.

— Has the athletic ability to redirect and make the offensive lineman miss if slanting puts him out of position.

— Has good knee bend to get leverage advantage when he does take on blocks, and has plenty of strength to get extension and shed.

— Violent when shedding to help get off blocks.

— Has the strength to hold his ground versus one-on-one blocks and won't pop his gap/leave his assignment early.

— Little to no issues making tackles near the line of scrimmage.

— Hustle player with decent speed to factor into gang tackles in pursuit.

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NEGATIVES

— More deliberate off the ball when he isn't slanting on running downs, which could cause him to lose some ground against physical offensive linemen in the NFL.

— Takes on blocks with a narrow base when one-gapping.

— Was reliant on his upper-body strength in college.

— Has wide hand placement against the run and when bull-rushing.

— Linemen with strong grip strength will be able to get to his chest and latch on.

— Struggles to recognize and anticipate double-teams coming to turn his hip into the second blocker.

— Will get caught off guard and kicked inside against doubles.

— Can fall into a habit of doing too much dancing before bull-rushing.

— Needs to just get off the ball and get into the blocker every time.

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2022 Statistics

— 13 G, 32 TOT, 7 TFL, 3 SK, 2 FF, 31 QBH

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NOTES

— 5-star recruit in the 2020 class, No. 18 nationally, No. 4 DT, per 247Sports composite rankings

— Injuries: 2022 ankle (limited 1 game, missed 1 game), 2022 knee/MCL sprain (missed 2 games)

— 11 career starts, played with three first-round defensive linemen last season

— 2021 Honors: Coaches' All-SEC second team

— Played basketball and was a competitive weightlifter in high school

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OVERALL

When watching Travon Walker, Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt last year, Jalen Carter constantly kept popping off the tape.

Carter was the best player on a defensive line that featured three 2022 first-round picks, including the first overall selection. That's part of the reason why he's been considered a top-five player throughout the 2023 NFL draft process.

Unlike a lot of defensive tackles who have a specialty, the Florida native is about as versatile as they come. He's quick and athletic to make offensive linemen miss as a run defender and has plenty of strength to hold up against and shed one-on-one blocks. As a pass-rusher, he can win with power using a bull rush or push-pull move or around the edges with finesse moves.

A lot of the Georgia product's negatives are admittedly nitpicky. There are a few technical flaws that he needs to clean up, most notably his hand placement on bull rushes and against the run, but most of his issues are easily fixable. His biggest area for concern in the NFL is probably his ability to take on double-teams, which slightly impacts his scheme fit.

Carter would be best as a 3-technique for a team that uses a lot of even fronts. He has the athleticism to also play as a 4i- to 5-technique in odd fronts, but his struggles against double-teams would be a major issue playing anywhere further inside than a 2i, and even that might be pushing it. He also lacks to size to play too close to the center.

With that said, any team picking toward the top of the draft that's looking for an interior defender who can make an impact against the run and as a pass-rusher should be more than happy to select Carter.

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GRADE: 9.5 (Top-Five Prospect)

OVERALL RANK: 2

POSITION RANK: DL1

PRO COMPARISON: Warren Sapp

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Written by B/R NFL Draft Scout Matt Holder

HEIGHT: 6'3.5"

WEIGHT: 253

HAND: 9 7/8"

ARM: 33 7/8"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.60

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: TBD

BROAD: TBD

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POSITIVES

— Good get-off, quick to react to the snap with good acceleration while taking short, powerful steps to maintain his base.

— Takes on blocks with low pad level and quick, accurate hands on the offensive lineman’s chest to gain leverage.

— Recognizes blocking schemes well to put himself in a good position to take on blocks—i.e., working wide versus reaches or shooting his hands to play the cut.

— Physical at the point of attack with plenty of strength to set the edge against offensive tackles versus outside zone. He’s a lot stronger than his frame would suggest.

— Gap-disciplined, won’t leave his assignment until the running back commits. Has no issues shedding blocks with his hand placement and strength, and has the agility to cross the face of the offensive lineman he’s engaged with to make tackles in the adjacent gap.

— Can be lethal when slanting with his get-off and movement skills. Gains ground laterally and vertically with his L-step and can get penetration easily.

— Powerful for his size as a bull-rusher to put offensive tackles on skates. Also works to get on an edge and has developed several inside countermoves off the bull rush.

— Excellent change of direction for a defensive lineman to test offensive linemen’s ability to redirect and consistently win with inside pass-rush moves. Also uses his hands well to get clean wins that lead to sacks.

— Has shown solid hand-swipe and arm-over moves to win on the outside that he can develop in the pros.

— Recognizes and anticipates chip blocks well, which allows him to take them on and avoid getting caught off guard or put on the ground.

— Effort rusher who will get coverage sacks.

— Effective on stunts as both the penetrator or looper. As the penetrator, his get-off and aggressiveness at the point of attack will catch offensive linemen off guard and get them off their feet. As the looper, his change of direction and agility allow him to move laterally without losing ground, and he has the acceleration to win and close on the quarterback.

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NEGATIVES

— Could afford to add weight to maintain his physical playing style in the NFL.

— Might struggle to get extension versus NFL offensive tackles. Wasn’t routinely locking out tackles in college, more just getting them off his frame with enough room to shed the block.

— Against power, counter and split zone, doesn’t get his eyes inside to see and get underneath pullers as the spill player in run fits.

— Likes to lunge and leave his feet to make tackles, leading to a high rate of missed tackles.

— Doesn't have a go-to outside move that he consistently wins with, and lacks top-tier bend to turn a tight corner at the top of outside rushes.

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2022 Statistics

— 13 G, 51 TOT, 17 TFL, 10 SK, 1 INT, 2 PD

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NOTES

— A 5-star recruit in the 2020 class, No. 17 nationally, No. 1 WDE, per 247Sports' composite rankings

— DOB: Sept. 2, 2001

— 40 career starts

— 2021 Honors: Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner (CFB’s top defensive player), unanimous first-team All-American, SEC Defensive Player of the Year

— 2020 Honors: FWAA Freshman of the Year, Freshman All-American, SEC All-Freshman team

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OVERALL

The best way to describe Will Anderson Jr.'s college tape is that everything just looked easy for him. From his movement skills to how effortlessly he took on blocks, it almost looked like he was getting bored out there. That's part of the reason why he’s been considered the top player in this year’s draft class since last January.

As a pass-rusher, Anderson is impressive with his inside countermoves. His speed off the ball puts pressure on tackles vertically, and once they open their hips, he has the quickness and change of direction to dart inside and leave tackles grasping at air.

He also has an effective bull rush that he’ll use to set up those inside countermoves and allows him to be effective when turning speed to power.

The biggest concern about the Alabama product’s pass-rush arsenal is that he hasn’t shown a go-to move that he can win with on the outside. He also isn't super bendy to turn tight corners at the top of the rush or around the edge. With that being said, he’s shown flashes with the hand-swipe and arm-over moves mentioned above. The latter is more that he just lacks the elite bend that one might expect from a potential No. 1 overall pass-rusher.

While Anderson led the nation with 17.5 sacks in 2021, he's probably an even better run defender. He’s hard to move one-on-one with his strength and leverage at the point of attack, and he has little to no issues getting off blocks with his excellent hand placement.

He needs to do a better job of getting his eyes inside when unblocked to see pullers coming and shore up his tackling form, but those are two very fixable flaws.

He’d fit best as a stand-up outside linebacker in a scheme that uses a lot of odd fronts and occasionally has edge-rushers drop into coverage. He held his own when Alabama asked him to do the latter, which suggests he can be asked to zone-drop in the NFL as a change of pace.

As far as even fronts go, Anderson can play with his hand in the dirt as a defensive end as well, so he’s scheme-versatile and a plug-and-play type of player. He just might be a little more effective as a stand-up outside 'backer.

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GRADE: 9.6 (Top-Five Prospect)

OVERALL RANK: 1

POSITION RANK: EDGE1

PRO COMPARISON: Khalil Mack

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Written by B/R NFL Draft Scout Matt Holder

A national title isn't the only thing Ohio State star C.J. Stroud has to play for this bowl season.

The MMQB's Albert Breer spoke with an NFC executive who compared Stroud favorably to Chicago Bears star Justin Fields but didn't rank him as the No. 1 quarterback in the 2023 NFL draft class.

"I like him better than I did Fields," the executive said. "But he's still third in the group [behind Alabama's Bryce Young and Kentucky's Will Levis] for me."

Stroud has thrown for 3,340 yards, more than 1,000 fewer than in 2021, along with 37 touchdowns and six interceptions this season.

The third-year signal-caller is still on track to be a Day 1 pick this spring, but he might have ceded some ground to the competition. He's the No. 9 overall player and No. 2 quarterback beyond Young on Bleacher Report's 2023 big board.

The postseason was a great showcase for Stroud in 2021. He went 37-of-46 for 573 yards, six touchdows and one interception in Ohio State's Rose Bowl victory over Utah.

A similar showing against Georgia in the Peach Bowl on Saturday is bound to get noticed by NFL talent evaluators.

As the 2022 NFL season winds down, many teams are still focused on fighting for a spot in the playoffs, but some teams have already turned their attention to securing their position in the 2023 draft.

Week 16 saw a bit of shuffling after Saturday's full slate of games, and Sunday's rundown also provided some movement.

Here's a look at the updated 2023 NFL draft order following Sunday's results:

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1. Houston Texans

2. Chicago Bears

3. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos)

4. Arizona Cardinals

5. Indianapolis Colts

6. Atlanta Falcons

7. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams)

8. Carolina Panthers

9. Las Vegas Raiders

10. Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans Saints)

11. Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns)

12. Seattle Seahawks

13. Tennessee Titans

14. New England Patriots

15. New York Jets

16. Pittsburgh Steelers

17. Green Bay Packers

18. Detroit Lions

19. Jacksonville Jaguars

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

21. Washington Commanders

22. Miami Dolphins (forfeited)

23. New York Giants

24. Los Angeles Chargers

25. Baltimore Ravens

26. Denver Broncos (via San Francisco 49ers)

27. Dallas Cowboys

28. Cincinnati Bengals

29. Kansas City Chiefs

30. Minnesota Vikings

31. Buffalo Bills

32. Philadelphia Eagles

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The Green Bay Packers opened Christmas Day by extending their win streak to three games with a 26-20 road victory over the Miami Dolphins.

While the win slightly improved the Packers' chances of making it to the postseason, it also knocked them down the draft board. Green Bay was slotted in the No. 12 spot entering Sunday, but fell to No. 17 after the victory.

However, draft position is the last thing on the mind of Packers star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The back-to-back reigning NFL MVP is more concerned about making a push for the playoffs this season, despite how slim Green Bay's hopes may be at this point in the year.

Aaron Rodgers on being 7-8 and with playoff chances looking up: "Consiedering where we were two weeks ago, a lot has happened in our favor.

"We played meaningful games in December and we won all three of those. Now we're playing meaningful games in January and got to win those."

— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) December 25, 2022

After Week 12, the Packers had a 3% chance to make the playoffs, per ESPN’s playoff predictor. They entered Sunday with a 17% chance but, after their third straight win, the Packers have a 37% chance. Their simplest path is to win out and have Washington lose one of its last two.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 25, 2022

The loss didn't mean much for Miami in terms of draft position, as the Dolphins forfeited their 2023 first-round pick after an investigation revealed that the team violated league policies related to the integrity of the game.

The Dolphins fell to the seventh spot in the AFC after the defeat, putting their playoff hopes in jeopardy. Miami will close the 2022 season with back-to-back division games against the New England Patriots and New York Jets, respectively, who are the two teams right on their heels in the postseason race.

The matinee matchup saw the Los Angeles Rams blow out the Denver Broncos with a 51-14 victory. The most interesting thing about this game was that it featured a pair of disappointing teams who don't own their respective first-round picks in next year's draft.

Thanks to the loss by Denver, the Seattle Seahawks maintain their position in the No. 3 spot. The Seahawks likely expected their own pick to land in the top three when they traded star quarterback Russell Wilson to the Broncos, but the misfortune of Denver wound up benefitting Seattle in the long run.

The win by Los Angeles moves the Detroit Lions down to the No. 7 spot, for now. There's still a likelihood that the defending champs' pick lands in the top five, as the Rams close the season with unfavorable matchups against the Los Angeles Chargers and the Seahawks, respectively.

Lastly, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved down one spot to No. 20 after their overtime win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday Night Football.

Michigan running back Blake Corum hasn't made a final decision on whether to return to the Wolverines next season or declare for the 2023 NFL draft.

Corum told ESPN's Adam Schefter that he's "50-50" and still weighing his options:

Michigan RB @blake_corum said today that he is “50-50” about whether to turn pro or stay in school.

🎧 https://t.co/FM4ma9TDQU pic.twitter.com/yhraGkxNeH

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 20, 2022

Corum also said recently that he'll come to a decision "sooner than later," per Angelique Chengelis of The Detroit News. The deadline for players to declare for the 2023 draft is Jan. 16.

The 22-year-old is in his third season with the Wolverines. In 12 games this season, he rushed for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also caught 11 passes for 80 yards and one score.

However, Corum's year was cut short after he underwent season-ending knee surgery following an injury in a Nov. 19 matchup against Illinois. He was widely considered a Heisman Trophy candidate before being sidelined.

During his time at Michigan, Corum has rushed for 2,489 yards and 31 touchdowns in 30 games, in addition to catching 40 passes for 294 yards and two scores.

Corum won't get the chance to help Michigan compete for the national title in the College Football Playoff because of his injury. The No. 2 Wolverines will begin their playoff journey against No. 3 TCU in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31.

If Corum thinks Michigan can get back to the CFP in 2023, that could also play into his decision. If he decides to return to Ann Arbor for another season, it could also help his draft stock.

However, Corum is still expected to be one of the top picks at his position in the 2023 draft despite his injury.

Some of the other top running backs who have or are expected to declare for the 2023 NFL draft include Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Zach Evans and Mohamed Ibrahim. Robinson has been viewed as a potential first-round pick, which has become rare for running backs of late.

Army linebacker Andre Carter II is expected to be eligible for the 2023 NFL draft thanks to a provision in the Omnibus Appropriations Measure.

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported amended language was added to the Congressional bill and filed Tuesday. The changes will provide Carter and any other current academy upperclassmen at Army, Navy and Air Force the ability to defer their military service for the chance to play professional sports.

Thamel noted the bill is "expected to pass this week."

Carter is a potential first-round draft pick who is the No. 29 overall player and No. 6 edge-rusher on B/R NFL Scouting Department's big board.

Thamel previously noted athletes have been able to delay service requirements since 2019 if they had the opportunity to play professionally, but that seemed to be changing before the new language that permits a legacy exception.

The language said the inability to apply for such an exception "shall only apply with respect to a cadet or midshipman who first enrolls in the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, or the United States Air Force Academy on or after June 1, 2021."

Carter had the opportunity to transfer to powerhouse college football programs in the past and perhaps cash in on his name, image and likeness, but Thamel reported his family never even gave such a path "serious consideration."

That was one reason they were so upset before Tuesday's amended language. His mother, Melissa Carter, said:

"Here's the thing that's so painful. You guide your son to do the right things because it's right. And it's really disappointing that it's not reciprocated. This has been his goal since childhood, to go into the NFL. Every step of the way, that was on track, until we saw this article. That's the part that's disappointing. It's not surprising to see so many people transfer, opt out or switch teams. When loyalty is not reciprocated, that stings."

Army coach Jeff Monken echoed those sentiments.

"It's just kind of pulling the rug out from under him," he said. "It's not fair. It's not fair to him. He was loyal to this team and institution. He could have left and he didn't. He still wants to serve. It's not that he doesn't want to serve. He wants to pursue the NFL and play, and then serve."

Yet Thamel reported Carter's situation "rippled quickly through Washington, D.C.," which led to the expedited process that resulted in the amended language.

Members of Congress such as Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell were all involved.

Carter's parents, Melissa and Andre, told ESPN:

"Thank you to the members of congress who stepped up, spoke out and worked expeditiously in support of Andre and other service academy cadets and midshipmen who made decisions in reliance on the 2019 policy allowing deferral of service. The goodness we saw in people this past week will forever be imprinted upon us."

Attention turns to the NFL draft process as the 6'7" pass-rusher attempts to make an impression on teams through the scouting combine, Senior Bowl and interviews.

His breakthrough season came in 2021 when he tallied 41 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two passes defended, one interception and one fumble recovery. He helped lead Army to an Armed Forces Bowl win over the SEC's Missouri with a sack to end that season.

That put Carter firmly under the spotlight in 2022, and he responded with 41 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two passes defended in 10 games. He also posted four tackles in a double-overtime win over Navy.

The B/R NFL Scouting Department listed him as the best speed-rusher in the draft, and he has the chance to become Army's third player drafted since 1969. It has not had a first-round pick since 1947, but Carter could change that.

The positional value of running backs in the NFL draft may have fallen in recent years, but that's unlikely to stop Texas star Bijan Robinson from being a Day 1 selection.

Robinson announced Monday he's entering the 2023 NFL draft and skipping the Longhorns' Alamo Bowl matchup against No. 12 Washington on Dec. 29.

Texas Forever. Thank you, 5🤘 pic.twitter.com/eyPt452GXn

— Bijan Robinson (@Bijan5Robinson) December 19, 2022

The junior ran for 1,580 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2022. He's the No. 4 overall player on Bleacher Report's big board and was projected to be the 19th pick in B/R's most recent 2023 mock draft.

Robinson is as sure a thing as you'll get out of the backfield this spring, and he should provide immediate help to whatever team takes him.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rank last in rushing yards per game (74.3) and yards per carry (3.3). Leonard Fournette is only one year into his three-year, $21 million contract, though, and the Bucs used third-round picks on Rachaad White and Ke'Shawn Vaughn in 2022 and 2020, respectively.

Even if it means getting an upgrade, would Tampa Bay be willing to use a first-round selection on Robinson?

The Miami Dolphins, on the other hand, have all four of their running backs (Salvon Ahmed, Myles Gaskin, Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr.) hitting free agency in 2023. Targeting Robinson would fill an immediate need and give Miami a cost-effective solution that frees up some salary cap space for the rest of the offense.

There's only one small problem. The Dolphins forfeited their 2023 first-rounder following a tampering investigation, and they dealt the first-round pick they got from the San Francisco 49ers as part of the Bradley Chubb trade.

Absent moving back into the first round, Miami might not have a path to landing Robinson.

Using a first-round pick on Clyde Edwards-Helaire hasn't worked out for the Kansas City Chiefs so far. Edwards-Helaire ran for 302 yards and three touchdowns before losing his starting job and landing on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain.

It's difficult to see the former LSU star coming back from this, so the Chiefs might be looking for a long-term replacement. Robinson would offer just that if he's still available when Kansas City is on the board.

One team could catapult to the top of the list of Robinson's best suitors: the New York Giants.

Saquon Barkley is on a path to his second Pro Bowl with 1,464 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns in 14 games. Re-signing the 25-year-old could nevertheless be a tricky proposition depending on what kind of demands he'll have.

The Giants saw the limits even an elite running back can have on wins and losses when they posted nine combined victories through Barkley's first two years. Letting him walk will be the more sensible decision if push comes to shove.

In Robinson, New York could have a ready-made replacement in the event it lets Barkley walk as a free agent.

The Houston Texans and Chicago Bears were competitive in Week 15, but neither team affected their 2023 NFL Draft stock.

Houston took the Kansas City Chiefs to overtime, but lost after a Davis Mills fumble set up the game-winning touchdown from Jerick McKinnon.

Chicago played well at home against the Philadelphia Eagles, but it failed to keep up with Jalen Hurts and Co. in the second half.

The Texans and Bears are the only two NFL teams with fewer than four wins heading into Week 16.

The Denver Broncos' win over the Arizona Cardinals moved their pick that transfers to the Seattle Seahawks to No. 3.

Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order

1. Houston (1-12-1)

2. Chicago (3-11)

3. Seattle (from Denver - 4-10)

4. Arizona (4-10)

5. Detroit (from L.A. Rams - 4-9)

6. Indianapolis (4-9-1)

7. Atlanta (5-9)

8. Carolina (5-9)

9. Philadelphia (from New Orleans - 5-9)

10. Green Bay (5-8)

11. Las Vegas (6-8)

12. Jacksonville (6-8)

13. Houston (from Cleveland - 6-8)

14. Pittsburgh (6-8)

15. Seattle (7-7)

16. New England (7-7)

17. New York Jets (7-7)

18. Detroit (7-7)

19. Tampa Bay (6-8)

20. Tennessee (7-7)

21. Washington (7-6-1)

22. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)

23. Miami (8-6)* forfeited pick

24. New York Giants (8-5-1)

25. Baltimore (9-5)

26. Denver (from San Francisco - 10-4)

27. Cincinnati (10-4)

28. Dallas (10-4)

29. Kansas City (11-3)

30. Minnesota (11-3)

31. Buffalo (11-3)

32. Philadelphia (13-1)

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Houston is in terrific shape to land the No. 1 overall pick.

The Texans are 1.5 games behind the Chicago Bears in the overall record column.

Houston finishes the season with games against each of its three AFC South rivals. The Texans are 1-1-1 against the division so far this season.

Chicago ends the regular season against the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, all of whom will be playing for something in their respective playoff races.

The Bears need to lose out to ensure they pick second.

The Denver Broncos' win over the Arizona Cardinals allowed that scenario to come into play. Denver, Arizona, Indianapolis and the Los Angeles Rams all have four wins.

Fans of the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions will watch the results of the Broncos and Rams closely over the next few weeks.

Seattle gets Denver's selection and the Lions will receive the Rams' first-rounder.

The Broncos and Rams play each other on Christmas Day, so either the Seattle or Detroit fan base will come away from that game with a better chance to land in the top five.

The Philadelphia Eagles will also have their eyes on the draft order despite being in the playoff mix.

Philadelphia owns the first-round pick that belongs to the New Orleans Saints.

New Orleans, Atlanta and Carolina are all still alive in the NFC South title race and in the top 10 of the draft order.

The Saints' battle with Cleveland next week will also have the interest of the Texans, who have the Browns' top pick.

Houston's rooting interest should shift directly to the Browns' opponents, especially if the top pick is locked up in short order.