Baltimore
The Ravens only had six picks in the 2023 NFL Draft but they effectively used their limited assets to best effect. Obviously, the highlight of Thursday for Baltimore is the re-signing of Lamar Jackson but they also executed the draft well to attack positions of need at WR, Edge, CB, and OL.
Best pick – Flowers
??? pick – Blu-Kelly
Grade – B+
Round/Pick | Prospect | Pos | College | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1/22 | Zay Flowers | WR | Boston College | Baltimore re-signed Lamar Jackson today and they get him a weapon in Flowers, who is similar to former Raven Hollywood Brown. Flowers is a threat to take the ball all the way on any touch. |
3/86 | Trenton Simpson | LB | Clemson | The Ravens always seem to find talent where other people pass. Simpson is fast, rangy, and quick. |
4/124 | Tavius Robinson | Edge | Ole Miss | Robinson fits the profile of what Ravens like about their Edge Rushers with the length and skills to provide pressure off the edge. |
5/157 | Kyu Blu-Kelly | CB | Stanford | KBK fits what the Ravens like from their CBs – length, physicality, and ball skills. KBK is tight in the hips and can lose space at the break point, but when he is able to lean on the WR with his size and strength, he has great success. |
6/199 | Malaesala Aumuvae-Laulu | OL | Oregon | Baltimore has a preference for what they like in their OL – big, strong, and long power players lined up on the edge. MAL has enough versatility to slide inside and play OG. |
7/229 | Andrew Vorhees | IOL | USC | The Ravens always seem to find a talented player that falls to them. This year, they selected the big, long, and technically proficient Vorhees who tore his ACL during the postseason evaluation period and may require a redshirt year in Baltimore. But Vorhees has long-term NFL starting potential and is a steal as a 7th round pick. |
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Cincinnati
Cincinnati used their eight picks well to address team needs. The Bengals have few big needs and are set to compete for the AFC title again in 2023. The first five picks (Murphy-Brown) are all going to start or be in the two deep rotation. Solid draft by an underrated organization in the practice of college scouting.
Best pick – Brown
??? pick – Robbins
Grade – B+
Round/Pick | Prospect | Pos | College | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1/28 | Myles Murphy | Edge | Clemson | A great value pick at #28 for Cincinnati. Murphy has Top 10 Edge Rusher skills with size, burst, and bend to threaten the QB. Murphy gives the Bengals a high upside prospect to develop. |
2/60 | DJ Turner | CB | Michigan | Turner ran a blazing 4.26 40 at the combine which really opened up some eyes. Turner figures to be a slot corner in the NFL. |
3/95 | Jordan Battle | S | Alabama | Battle starts from day one in Cincinnati. He has good size, length, and instincts with plenty of high-end SEC experience. |
3/100 | Charlie Jones | WR | Purdue | Jones transferred from Iowa to Purdue to play in a more open offense so to enhance his draft value. And it worked. Jones figures to work out of the slot in the Bengals high octane offense. |
5/163 | Chase Brown | RB | Illinois | Reportedly Joe Mixon is on the outs in Cincinnati. If true, the biggest benefit of this development may be the Illini RB. Brown has the vision, feet, and burst to become a starter early in his career in Cincinnati. |
6/206 | Andrei Iosivas | WR | Princeton | Iosivas is a champion heptathlete who has a great combination of size, speed, and explosiveness. Iosivas has not faced many elite CBs and his route running needs development but he is a truly rare athletic specimen. |
6/217 | Brad Robbins | P | Michigan | Robbins is the second punter, and second Wolverine specialist, drafted. He specializes in getting good hang time and is good at placing coffin corners kicks inside the 20. |
7/246 | DJ Ivey | CB | Miami, Fl | |
Cleveland
When your first pick isn’t until the third round, it is hard to address team needs without any surefire prospect to draft. But considering the Browns had 7 picks, they did well for themselves. The first 4 picks (Tillman-McGuire) should all be contributors early in their careers. DTR is a QB worth developing behind Deshaun Watson, and Wypler in the sixth round is a steal at #190.
Best pick – Wypler
??? pick – McGuire
Grade – B-
Round/Pick | Prospect | Pos | College | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
3/74 | Cedric Tillman | WR | Tennessee | Browns make it two Vols (73 – Hyatt) in a row with the selection of Tillman. Tillman has great size and gives the Browns a big wideout with their first pick. |
3/98 | Siaki Ika | DT | Baylor | Ika is a powerful run stuffing DT who has surprisingly light feet. |
4/111 | Dawand Jones | OT | Ohio State | Didn’t think Jones would be available on day 3. Jones is huge with incredibly long arms and is nearly impossible to bull rush when he is on his game. |
4/126 | Isaiah McGuire | Edge | Missouri | McGuire is a solid run defender who shows promise as a pass rusher. The 4th round is a little high for him as a prospect but he has skills worth developing. |
5/140 | Dorian Thompson-Robinson | QB | UCLA | DTR falls to the fifth round but he remains an NFL prospect as a potential starting QB. Cleveland is an excellent fit for DTR’s skill set and he can be developed as a reliable back up in Cleveland during his rookie contract. |
5/142 | Cameron Mitchell | CB | Northwestern | Mitchell joins former Wildcat Greg Newsome in Cleveland’s secondary. Mitchell is smooth, efficient, and disciplined and a great value pick at #142. |
6/190 | Luke Wypler | IOL | Ohio State | Wypler falling to pick #190 is surprising. The Buckeye center plays with excellent leverage, is smart and aware, and has the athleticism to get out and seal at the second level. |
Pittsburgh
The Steelers had 7 picks in this year’s draft and used them well to bring talent into positions somewhat ignored in recent drafts. The first 5 picks (Jones-Herbig) will all be expected contributors for the team in 2023.
Best pick – Washington
??? pick – Herbig
Grade – C+
Round/Pick | Prospect | Pos | College | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1/14 | Broderick Jones | OT | Georgia | The Steelers trade up to #14 and jump the Jets to select the young and extremely talented Bulldog OLT. Jones has the most upside of any OL in this draft. |
2/32 | Joey Porter | CB | Penn State | Well, this was predictable. Porter has ideal size and length and relishes contact. And oh yeah, he is Steeler royalty. This pick addresses a serious need in Pittsburgh. |
2/49 | Keeanu Benton | DT | Wisconsin | Benton has excellent quickness and the versatility to play up and down the line. His first step quickness is the best skill he employs. |
3/93 | Darnell Washington | TE | Georgia | Washington’s fall finally stops. Washington is an excellent blocker and a difficult TE to tackle in space. Great value pick for the Steelers. |
4/132 | Nick Herbig | Edge-LB | Wisconsin | Herbig, who hails from the same school as TJ Watt, has similar traits to the perennial Pro Bowler and fits the scheme in Pittsburgh. |
7/241 | Cory Trice | CB | Purdue | Trice has ideal size and plenty of big game experience in the Big 10. His length benefits his coverage abilities and makes up for agility deficiencies that can be exposed by speed in space. Special teams abilities will be influential on his immediate NFL future. |
7/251 | Spencer Anderson | IOL | Maryland | Anderson has good size and plenty of starting experience at OG for the Terrapins. Making the roster will be challenging due to the depth on the roster but Anderson seems likely to be on the practice squad in September. |
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