2023 NFL Draft News & Rumors

LSU WR Kayshon Boutte To Enter Draft

LSU wideout Kayshon Boutte had initially committed to remaining in school for the 2023 college season instead of turning pro. As he confirmed (on Twitter) recently, however, he has since reversed course and will be eligible for the 2023 draft.

Boutte joins fellow Tigers Jaray Jenkins, B.J. Ojulari and Mekhi Garner as players forgoing their final years of college eligibility to enter the NFL. The 6-0, 190-pounder had stated his intent to return less than one month ago, but his change of heart has been well-received by the team.

“We support Kayshon and his decision,” head coach Brian Kelly said in a statement. “He went through a thoughtful process and ultimately decided this was in his best interest. We appreciate all he did during his time at LSU and wish him well.”

Boutte garnered plenty of attention during his freshman campaign. The former five-star recruit posted 45 catches for 735 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games that year. His 16.3 yards-per-catch average that season demonstrated his ability as a vertical threat, but that figure fell to 13.4 in 2021, as did his other totals in a campaign which was limited to only six games played due to an ankle injury.

He suited up for 11 contests this year, one during which expectations were once again very high. However, Boutte had an underwhelming start to the campaign, and was involved in transfer rumors early on. He was able to rebound to an extent in the latter stages of the season, including a 107-yard performance in the SEC title game. Overall, he finished with 528 yards and a pair of score on 48 receptions.

Boutte was widely regarded as a first-round prospect entering the season, but his underwhelming stats have steadily hurt his draft stock. Still, the ability he showed when healthy over the course of his college career has him considered amongst the top options at his position for this year’s class. Boutte is the fifth-ranked receiver in ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest breakdown as bowl season continues. That could put Boutte in contention to hear his name called on Day 1 despite the inconsistencies of the past few months.

Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, much is still to be decided both in terms of playoff positioning and the order of the upcoming draft. Five teams are still eligible to land the top pick.

The Texans remain in pole position to hold the No. 1 spot, but their win over the Titans (coupled with the Bears’ losing streak extending to eight games) leaves Chicago just a half-game away. The fact that the Bears would likely select a defensive player rather than a quarterback with the top pick adds considerable intrigue to the potential implications of them ending up with that slot.

With the Browns continuing to struggle even with Deshaun Watson back from suspension, there is a distinct possibility that four first-rounders which changed hands (including Cleveland’s top 2023 pick, part of the package they sent to Houston for Watson) land in the top 10. Another premium selection would obviously soften the blow of losing out on the No. 1 spot from the Texans’ perspective, should that take place.

The final Wild Card spot in each conference is still being contested by several teams, resulting in a logjam of 7-8 squads in the middle of the order. Several head-to-head matchups will be played out between those clubs, which could lead to plenty of change in their positioning over the next two weeks. The race for both the AFC and NFC South titles will also have a significant impact on the final order, given the average (at best) record each division’s winner will have at the end of the regular season.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks entering Week 17:

  1. Houston Texans: 2-12-1
  2. Chicago Bears: 3-12
  3. Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
  4. Arizona Cardinals: 4-11
  5. Indianapolis Colts: 4-10-1
  6. Atlanta Falcons: 5-10
  7. Detroit Lions (via Rams)
  8. Carolina Panthers: 6-9
  9. Las Vegas Raiders: 6-9
  10. Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
  11. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  12. Seattle Seahawks: 7-8
  13. Tennessee Titans: 7-8
  14. New England Patriots: 7-8
  15. New York Jets: 7-8
  16. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-8
  17. Green Bay Packers: 7-8
  18. Detroit Lions: 7-8
  19. Jacksonville Jaguars: 7-8
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 7-8
  21. Washington Commanders: 7-7-1
  22. New York Giants: 8-6-1
  23. Los Angeles Chargers: 9-6
  24. Baltimore Ravens: 10-5
  25. Denver Broncos (via 49ers through Dolphins)
  26. Dallas Cowboys: 11-4
  27. Cincinnati Bengals: 11-4
  28. Kansas City Chiefs: 12-3
  29. Minnesota Vikings: 12-3
  30. Buffalo Bills: 12-3
  31. Philadelphia Eagles: 13-2

Next year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom BradySean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice

Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order

Christmas Day’s Broncos-Rams matchup will pit two of the league’s most disappointing teams against one another, and the Seahawks and Lions will have a vested interest in this contest. The loser of this game will give one of the latter teams — via the Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford trades — a better chance of landing a top-three pick in next year’s draft.

At 1-12-1, the Texans are cruising home. The Bears are on their heels, potentially set to become the team that selects the 2023 draft’s first non-quarterback. But eight four- or five-win teams reside behind these two, providing some intrigue for fanbases whose squads are not moving toward the playoffs.

The NFC South’s plunge toward becoming perhaps the worst division in NFL history carries draft stakes as well. The Falcons, Saints and Panthers each have five wins, and Atlanta, Carolina and Philadelphia (via the Saints’ pre-draft trade this year) would see those picks land in the top 10 as of now. The division-leading Buccaneers would see their draft slot check in no higher than 19th. Should one of Tampa Bay’s challengers vault the current first-place team in the standings, the Bucs would see their 2023 first-round slot rise considerably.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks entering Week 16:

  1. Houston Texans: 1-12-1
  2. Chicago Bears: 3-11
  3. Detroit Lions (via Rams)
  4. Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
  5. Arizona Cardinals: 4-10
  6. Indianapolis Colts: 4-9-1
  7. Atlanta Falcons: 5-9
  8. Carolina Panthers: 5-9
  9. Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
  10. Las Vegas Raiders: 6-8
  11. Jacksonville Jaguars: 6-8
  12. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  13. Pittsburgh Steelers: 6-8
  14. Green Bay Packers: 6-8
  15. Seattle Seahawks: 7-7
  16. New England Patriots: 7-7
  17. New York Jets: 7-7
  18. Detroit Lions: 7-7
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-8
  20. Tennessee Titans: 7-7
  21. Washington Commanders: 7-6-1
  22. Los Angeles Chargers: 8-6
  23. New York Giants: 8-5-1
  24. Baltimore Ravens: 9-5
  25. Denver Broncos (via 49ers through Dolphins)
  26. Dallas Cowboys: 10-4
  27. Cincinnati Bengals: 10-4
  28. Kansas City Chiefs: 11-3
  29. Minnesota Vikings: 11-3
  30. Buffalo Bills: 11-3
  31. Philadelphia Eagles: 13-1

Next year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom BradySean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice.

Texas RB Bijan Robinson Declares For Draft

The consensus top running back in the 2023 draft class has, to no surprise, entered the pool of April’s NFL-eligible prospects. Texas’ Bijan Robinson announced (on Twitter) that he is forgoing his final year of NCAA eligibility and turning pro.

Robinson was an immediate contributor for the Longhorns in his freshman campaign, rushing for 703 yards and four touchdowns. He also displayed a dual-threat ability by adding 196 yards and a pair of scores through the air. That production continued the following year, when the 6-0, 215-pounder topped 1,000 rushing yards and recorded double-digit touchdowns for the first time.

This season, Robinson went a step further with a Big 12-leading 1,580 yards on the ground, coupled with 314 receiving yards. His 20 total touchdowns led the conference, and made him an easy selection as a consensus All-American and this year’s winner of the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back. Robinson also finished top-10 in Heisman voting, and his 3,410 career rushing yards rank fourth in school history.

Robinson represents the latest fodder for the debate on how highly running backs should be valued in the draft. In a mock released earlier this month, ESPN’s Todd McShay has the Eagles selecting him fifth overall – by far the highest a tailback would be taken since Saquon Barkley went second to the Giants in 2018. Five running backs have heard their names called on Day 1 since then (Sony Michel, Josh Jacobs, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Najee Harris and Travis Etienne), although there were no first-rounders at the position last year.

The fact that Philadelphia is slated to have multiple first-round picks could play a significant role in their choice to draft a Miles Sanders replacement, should they go down that hypothetical path. A number of other teams will be highly interested in adding Robinson, of course, so his draft stock in the coming months will be worth monitoring closely.

Northwestern T Peter Skoronski Declares For Draft

After three years of dominant play in the Big Ten, Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski announced on Twitter that he would forgo his senior year of eligibility to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. Skoronski is widely considered the best offensive lineman in the coming draft.

Skoronski was a rare five-star signee for the Wildcats, becoming their highest-rated recruit since outside linebacker Ifeadi Odenigbo signed in 2012. The two-way athlete out of Maine South HS in Park Ridge, IL, chose to stay close to home, going to college a mere 30-minute drive away.

Skoronski made an immediate impact in Evanston, starting all eight games of the COVID-shortened season as a true freshman and earning All-Big Ten Second Team honors. He followed it up with 13 starts as a sophomore with All-Big Ten First Team honors and a bowl game win over Kentucky. In his final year, the dismal Wildcats may have gone 1-11, winning only a Week 0 matchup in Dublin against the Cornhuskers, but Skoronski delivered on preseason predictions, earning AP All-American First Team honors as a junior.

Skoronski may find himself susceptible to much of the same criticism as his former teammate, and first-round pick from last year, Chargers tackle Rashawn Slater. Slater fell victim to criticism that his 33-inch arms were too short for him to be a successful NFL tackle. Lo and behold, Skoronski’s arm length is reportedly almost an inch shorter. Regardless, while Skoronski could easily dominate as a guard at the next level, NFL teams would be foolish not to give him an opportunity at tackle. Skoronski is college football’s most dominant pass blocker this year, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), allowing only five pressures on 383 snaps in pass-protection.

Skoronski isn’t the first member of his family to realize their NFL dreams. His grandfather, Bob Skoronski, was an offensive tackle for the Packers who served as the team’s offensive captain in five of the Packers’ NFL championships and two of the Packers’ Super Bowl victories. The elder Skoronski was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame after 11 seasons of play in Green Bay.

The younger Skoronski is a consensus top-10 pick in this year’s draft. While there is a little bit of argument for Ohio State tackle Paris Johnson, Skoronski is widely considered the top draft-eligible offensive lineman in this year’s crop. When ESPN put together a group of analysts to rank each position group, Mel Kiper and Todd McShay both listed Skoronski as the top tackle over Johnson, while Jordan Reid and Matt Miller favored Johnson. Dane Brugler of The Athletic and Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus both sided with Kiper and McShay in their most recent prospect rankings, listing Skoronski ahead of Johnson.

Skoronski is almost guaranteed to join Slater as a first-round selection out of Northwestern this April. With only one win this season, the Wildcats don’t have a bowl game for Skoronski to opt out of, but he will have the NFL Combine and Northwestern’s pro day to convince scouts to move him even further up their draft boards.

Clemson LB Trenton Simpson Forgoes Senior Year For Draft

One of the top draft-eligible linebackers in college football informed media yesterday that he is declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. Although he is forgoing his senior year of college, Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson has met his self-appointed goals of playing three years of college ball and earning his degree.

Simpson joined the Tigers’ 2020 recruiting class exactly three years to the date before his draft announcement, becoming one of five five-star athletes to head to Clemson that year. Simpson was considered the top recruit at his position by 247Sports, as well as the No. 12 recruit in the entire country. A standout dual-threat athlete at Mallard Creek HS in Charlotte, NC, Simpson didn’t stray too far from home, heading just across the state’s southern border for college.

Simpson made a quick impact in Death Valley appearing in 12 games as a freshman and making three starts. Simpson showed early dynamism in his first year, recording four sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss despite the limited playing time. Simpson earned a full-time starting job as a sophomore and rewarded his coaches with a breakout season. In a performance that certainly pricked the ears of every NFL scout a year early, Simpson tallied 6.5 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, and five quarterback hurries. Despite a muted junior season statistically amongst a position shift inside, Simpson did nothing to turn off scouts with another strong season of play. Over three years on the Clemson defense, Simpson showed his jack-of-all-trades ability with 165 total tackles, 23.0 for a loss, 13.0 sacks, 12 quarterback hurries, five passes defensed, and three forced fumbles.

Simpson is a complete linebacker. He’s aggressive and instinctive as he plays from sideline to sideline. After playing off the edge near the slot in his first two years and excelling, Clemson moved Simpson in the box for his junior year where he showed the league that his coverage abilities make him an extremely valuable asset in this year’s draft.

Simpson is not quite comparable to Cowboys star Micah Parsons, but to call him a poor man’s Parsons takes far too much away Simpson’s game. Like Parsons, Simpson has the do-everything skill set that has created some of the best linebackers in today’s game. Simpson, though, may not have the explosive play-making ability that pushed Parsons into the top 15 picks of the draft. Parsons also had the luxury of sitting out the 2020 COVID-season before being drafted, tantalizing scouts with how he may have progressed in his third year of college ball had he played. Simpson, on the other hand, used his third year to develop new experience on defense that will help him at the next level.

Views on this year’s top draft-eligible linebackers vary. When a group of four evaluators at ESPN ranked the position, Mel Kiper was the only one who did not have Simpson in the top-two alongside Arkansas’s Drew Sanders, placing Simpson at third. Everyone else had him as either first or second. A midseason ranking, provided by Dane Brugler of The Athletic, lists Simpson as the 14th-best draft prospect with Sanders trailing back at 49. A more recent ranking by Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus agreed with Brugler’s early assessment, listing Simpson as the best draft-eligible linebacker at 28 with Sanders trailing at 41. Simpson easily has a claim as the best linebacker prospect who isn’t purely a pass rush specialist.

Predicting where Simpson may end up is quite a difficult task. There are a number of teams around the league that could use a do-it-all linebacker from the Lions to the Patriots to the Commanders, all teams who have picks around the middle of the first round. With Simpson’s prospect rankings ranging from 14-28, he’s expected to be a mid- to late-first-round pick. Only time will narrow that range down. Simpson told ESPN that he “is excited to compete at the NFL combine,” claiming he has a 40-inch vertical jump and can run the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds. Strong showings at the combine and Clemson’s Pro Day may solidify his draft stock up near the middle of the first round.

Simpson, who models his game after Parsons and former Clemson star Isaiah Simmons, will hope to continue the success of some of the draft’s recent top linebackers like Jaguars rookie Devin Lloyd, Parsons, and Buccaneers star Devin White before them. After injuring his ankle in the Tigers’ ACC Championship win, Simpson will sit out of this year’s Orange Bowl and prepare for what awaits him in the leadup to this upcoming April.

Texas A&M S Antonio Johnson Declares For Draft

Texas A&M junior safety Antonio Johnson announced on Twitter this week that he will forgo his senior season to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. Since the Aggies finished this year at 5-7, there is no bowl game to skip so Johnson has played his last game in maroon and white.

Johnson joined the Aggies’ 2020 recruiting class as a consensus top-100 prospect in the country out of East St. Louis HS in Illinois. Some recruiting websites had Johnson as the second-best safety in the class, behind only his teammate in College Station, Jaylon Jones. Johnson appeared in seven games as a true freshman, making one start. By his sophomore year, Johnson was a full-time starter, a role he continued this season despite missing the last couple games of the season with injury.

Johnson’s play at safety is not exactly based in coverage skills. The big-bodied defensive back can be compared physically to Ravens rookie Kyle Hamilton. Listed at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, Johnson’s size grants him physical abilities akin to an outside linebacker from the safety position. Playing often in the slot, Johnson tallied two sacks, 13.0 tackles for a loss, four quarterback hurries, and four forced fumbles in his three years calling Kyle Field home. Missing three games, is the only thing that kept Johnson from leading his team in tackles, as well, though he ended the season second on the team. He’s a sure tackler with strength and range.

There isn’t much that draft pundits tend to agree on, but there seems to be a consensus with this year’s top draft-eligible safeties. From a group of evaluators at ESPN to Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus to Dane Brugler of The Athletic, there is a clearcut 1-2 duo at the top of each of the safety rankings. Everyone slots Alabama safety Brian Branch as the draft’s top draftable safety. Behind only Branch, Johnson is the next name on everyone’s board. Branch plays a much more complete safety, being much more active in coverage and even returning a punt for a touchdown this season, but Johnson has more length and size and can go toe-to-toe with Branch in run defense and pass rush.

Johnson is projected to be a late-first-round selection. With safety Jordan Poyer likely headed to free agency and Micah Hyde missing all but two games this year before next season’s contract year, the Bills are a likely playoff team who could end up with a need at safety around the time when Johnson may be coming off the board. The Bengals, who are currently pushing the Ravens for the division lead in the AFC North, will see both safeties Vonn Bell and Jessie Bates hit free agency, unless they can extend or franchise tag Bates before he gets there. Johnson may find stripes on his helmet if the Bengals find themselves making their selection among other playoff teams.

Johnson should find himself a favorable home this coming April. Whether drafted by a playoff team picking near the end of the first round or having a team at the top of the second round trade up because he fits their system perfectly, Johnson should be set up well for success at the NFL-level.

Cowboys Claim CB Trayvon Mullen

DECEMBER 14: The Cowboys have claimed Mullen off waivers, per Garafolo (Twitter link). Dallas has been dealing with multiple injuries at the position, including the Achilles tear recently suffered by Anthony Brown. That has let the team in search of depth options late in the campaign.

The most recent example of that was the practice squad deal signed by veteran Mackensie Alexander last week. Mullen will likewise get an opportunity play at least a rotational role during Dallas’ closing games of the regular season and, presumably, the playoffs, aiming to rebuild some of his value along the way.

DECEMBER 13: A full-time starter during much of his Raiders run, Trayvon Mullen could not secure a first-string spot with the Cardinals. The team will move on from the fourth-year cornerback, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter).

Arizona sent a conditional draft choice to Las Vegas for Mullen on cutdown day in August. Had Mullen been active for 10 games, the pick would have become a 2023 sixth-rounder. Because the former second-rounder only suited up for eight, the pick will be a seventh.

Still, this represents a disappointing development for both the Cardinals and Mullen. The Clemson product had started 31 games during his three Raiders seasons. Although he played a season-high 42 defensive snaps Monday night, the Cards are still moving on. Mullen only surpassed 30 defensive snaps in one game — the loss to the Patriots.

In limited work, Mullen allowed a career-high 12.1 yards per target and a staggering 156.7 quarterback rating as the closest defender in coverage this season. A Cardinals team that spent much of the offseason in need at corner traded for Mullen just as it was finalizing its initial 53-man roster, but the Raiders’ new regime was planning to cut him. That led to the low-end compensation for a player who was a full-time starter during Jon Gruden‘s time with the Raiders.

The 40th overall pick in 2019, Mullen landed on IR twice last season. Foot trouble led to both stints, and Mullen underwent foot surgery during the spring. He began the Raiders’ training camp on their active/PUP list and did not begin practicing until mid-August. Mullen did not make his Cardinals debut until Week 3 of this season. Arizona has used Marco Wilson and journeyman Antonio Hamilton ahead of Mullen alongside Byron Murphy this season.

Mullen joins Alex Leatherwood and Johnathan Abram as highly drafted players from the Raiders’ Gruden-Mike Mayock era to be waived this year. Both Leatherwood and Abram are still tied to their rookie deals, via waiver claims (two in Abram’s case). Mullen will hit free agency if he is not claimed by Wednesday afternoon.

Clemson DE Myles Murphy To Enter Draft

Clemson has seen four of its defensive line standouts become first-round picks (Shaq Lawson, Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins) in recent years, with others (Grady Jarrett, D.J. Reader, Andre Branch) becoming long-term starters after being chosen outside of Round 1. More Tigers D-linemen are likely to be taken in next year’s first round.

Myles Murphy is passing on his senior season (and the Tigers’ Orange Bowl tilt) to enter the 2023 draft, Pete Thamel of ESPN.com reports. A three-year contributor at defensive end for the ACC power, Murphy is projected to be a first-round pick. Murphy rates as the No. 5 overall prospect, per ESPN.com’s Matt Miller, and colleague Todd McShay has him going off the board 14th overall in his first 2023 mock draft.

A first-team All-ACC selection this season, Murphy finished with 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss as a junior. Contributing steadily in each of his three seasons at Clemson, Murphy totaled 18.5 sacks and 36 TFLs during his three-season run in college. Murphy should be expected to produce a 40-yard dash time in the 4.6-second range, Thamel notes. The 6-foot-5, 275-pound Georgia native is a former five-star recruit.

The consensus top two pass rushers expected to be available in this upcoming class are Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter and Alabama edge Will Anderson. Texas Tech edge Tyree Wilson is expected to generate early-first-round buzz as well, while Murphy’s Clemson teammate — former five-star recruit Bryan Bresee — is expected to join him in being a first-round selection. Bresee has not yet declared for the draft.

Latest On 2023 QB Draft Class

As the regular season continues to wind down for the teams near the bottom of the standings in the NFL, attention will turn increasingly to the upcoming draft class. This year’s crop of prospects was thought at the beginning of the year to include far superior options at the quarterback position relative to 2022, but that may not be the case in the eyes of some evaluators.

As detailed by Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post, the 2023 class of passers is not viewed by some around the league in the same light as their pre- and in-season buzz would suggest. Alabama’s Bryce Young is seen as the clear-cut top signal-caller, which puts him in a good position to be drafted first overall. With the Texans looking increasingly likely to finish with the worst record in the league, they are expected to hold the No. 1 pick in the spring.

Young’s numbers are down this season compared to his Heisman-winning campaign of last year, but that has not been seen as a regression so much as a reflection of an underwhelming Crimson Tide offense around him. Nevertheless, one source expressed concern to La Canfora about the six-foot, 194-pounder’s upside at the pro level. Similar questions could be asked of C.J. Stroud, the Buckeyes passer whose stock may have taken a hit given his and Ohio State’s performances down the stretch this season. He and the team still have the CFP semifinal available to generate momentum for the spring, of course.

Other highly-regarded QBs in this class include Kentucky’s Will Levis and Florida’s Anthony Richardson. The latter – who officially declared for the draft last week – is perceived to have perhaps the highest ceiling in the group from an athletic standpoint. Both have been named as first-round candidates, but significant holes in their games have led to doubts about their NFL readiness in 2023 in particular.

Evaluation of these and other passers comes against the backdrop of few teams near the top of the board being locks to pursue upgrades at the position during the offseason. Another factor greatly influencing the college environment is NIL money. As Jim Nagy, executive director of the Senior Bowl notes (on Twitter), the spike in players using the transfer portal in de-facto free agency has – among other things – “considerably” shrunk the list of signal-callers entering this year’s draft.

Plenty is still to be determined between now and Day 1 of the draft, including further examination of the top QBs. While a repeat of last spring – where Kenny Pickett was the only first-rounder – is still highly unlikely, though, the position may not dominate the top of the board as some predicted not long ago.