An Auburn fan's guide to the 2023 NFL Draft

Here's what Tiger fans need to keep an eye out for during the 2023 NFL Draft.

Lance Dawe | Apr 26, 2023

An Auburn fan's guide to the 2023 NFL Draft /

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Auburn Tigers

The 2023 NFL Draft is almost here, and it should be a good one for Auburn fans.

After watching Roger McCreary become the Tigers' only selection last season, fans are excited to see more hype surrounding several players. Auburn could have as many as five or six players drafted when all is said and done.

Here's a guide for Tiger fans to follow through the weekend:

How to watch the 2023 NFL Draft:

Round 1: Thursday, April 27, beginning at 7 p.m. CT.
Rounds 2 and 3: Friday, April 28, beginning at 6 p.m. CT.
Rounds 4 through 7: Saturday, April 29, beginning at 11 a.m. CT

First round order:

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

Auburn football's draft prospects:

Derick Hall, EDGE

Height: 6-3

Weight: 256

What he does well

Along with outstanding leadership qualities, it doesn’t take Hall long to track the ball once the play starts, using his honed instincts to get to whoever has it quickly. He’s a hard hitter, tackling with a burst of anger, and will always be in pursuit of the ball regardless if the runner (rarely) got away from him or not. His frame and freak athleticism is also a must-have for the modern day edge rusher.

What he needs to work on

Scouts probably would’ve wanted to see more quarterback pressures from him this year, and the injury he sustained against Alabama will cause some concern, as scouts that had him high on the draft board will probably wish he hadn’t demanded to go back into the game. Once the ball carrier gets away from him, he’s not going to be able catch up once the play is beyond the linebacker’s area.

Draft projection: Borderline round 1

Tank Bigsby, RB

Tank Bigsby in the Iron Bowl — Jason Homan/ Auburn Daily

Height: 6-0

Weight: 210

What he does well

Everything is there. Patience to let the run develop, agility to break away from tackles and his speed makes him a hard target to catch. He refuses to give up on the run and can force extra yardage after the tackle, bringing traffic along with him. The simple looks extraordinary with his burst of speed and ability to finish plays.

What he needs to work on

The one popular concern with Tank would be his hands. As a runner, he’s dynamic, but as a pass-catcher there are concerns with ball security and reading the routes. His decision making while trying to decide between speed or power has also cost him a few yards.

Draft projection: Round 4

Owen Pappoe, LB

Height: 6-1

Weight: 225

What he does well

Every scout who’s looked at him has immediately noticed his intelligence and ability to read the opposing offensive line to block the run. He possesses freaky athleticism and is a hard hitter with natural instincts during the game, and he uses his quickness to get to the quarterback. He uses his hands well to keep blockers from preventing him from breaking toward the opposing runner. His leadership skills are also a strength and his character makes him a “locker room” guy that every team, especially ones going through a rebuild, would want in their culture.

What he needs to work on

Perhaps the biggest problem, if he has ANY, is his size. Position scouts have listed him as undersized for the role of a traditional linebacker, but Kyler Murray is shorter than me and he still made it, so I wouldn’t see that as a reason to not draft him. When he doesn’t use his hands fast enough, he does have a hard time escaping blockers, and while he may not miss many tackles he still has a few where the opponent was able to escape from him, so his hard-hitting ability needs to be harder, which is absolutely coachable in the pros.

Draft projection: Rounds 4-5

Colby Wooden, DL

Colby Wooden (25) blocks a pass during the football game between the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium in Auburn, AL on Saturday, Nov 19, 2022.Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers — Zach Bland/Auburn Tigers

Height: 6-5

Weight: 258

What he does well

Freak athleticism and speed, and is consistent with getting pressure on the Quarterback. Colby doesn’t let opposing defenders block him for long before he’s creating chaos in the backfield. He has shown versatility along the defensive line which NFL scouts will love, and is amazingly agile for a player his size.

What he needs to work on

Most of his weaknesses come against the run, as he’s slow to plug holes while trying to locate the quarterback. Sacks are his first priority and it shows when the play starts.

He also gets bullied by blockers who are quick with their hands and can move the lane where they want it, so run disruption will need work wherever he lands. Some teams might want him to bulk up a bit as most EDGE rushers in the NFL are around a healthy 265 pounds.

Draft projection: Rounds 2-4