2023 NFL Draft Stock Watch: Treasures and Fools Gold

As we near the start of the college football season, who are the players that are getting love, and the ones that shouldn't be getting as much for the 2023 NFL Draft?

We are another week closer to the start of the 2022 college football season, and teams are winding down their preseason programs, getting ready for what everyone hopes is a long season that culminates with a championship. College football truly resembles the stock market because many moving pieces and external factors can cause havoc on a team or to a singular player. It is so unpredictable that you need to only focus on what you personally or as a team can control. If you focus on everything else, you will cloud your judgment and make bad business decisions. 

Think of it like you’re building a stock portfolio. If you only go for the most popular but high-risk investments, you will eventually lose it all. When you take time and evaluate the big picture, finding the path that leads you to your ultimate goals is much easier. When you look at it through the lens of college football, if you don’t evaluate your season weekly, you will end up overlooking what should be an easy opponent and could ruin your entire season. We have closed out the first quarter, and quarter two is about to begin. Now let’s look at the market and see who’s hot and who’s not.

Portfolio Treasures

The Wolves Of Pass Rushing

This is a class graced with premier top-end talent when it comes to getting after quarterbacks. Most notably, the two at the top of the class: Will Anderson Jr. and Andre Carter. Alabama's Anderson would have been the first overall pick if he had entered the past draft class, and there is no reason to see that change. He is the best overall player in the country and can potentially become the second defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy after Charles Woodson. Carter is not only an extremely skilled pass rusher, but you can’t teach size, and he is massive. Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing 260 pounds, he can play stand-up linebacker or a down defensive end. Carter, who attends Army, is probably the most talented player to come out of a service academy in a long time and could be the highest drafted service player ever. This is a testament to head coach Jeff Monken for his dedication to his team and making the nation see that it’s possible to become a premier athlete and serve your country. As long as these two don’t get hurt, they should have no problem dominating another season. It’s not only a top-two class, though; there are good pass rushers throughout the draft. Isaiah Foskey of Notre Dame is another looking to stake his claim as a top-tier defensive end and follow a long line of Fighting Irish defensive linemen.

RB Sean Tucker, Syracuse:

Anyone who knows Syracuse football knows their profound history at the running back position, and Tucker fits the billing of a Syracuse back. He is a compact player who packs a punch at the point of attack, yet he still possesses a great amount of breakaway speed that can turn any play into a big gain and touchdown. Tucker isn’t just a great runner. He is highly effective as a pass-catcher, not to mention his ability in pass protection. As a freshman, Tucker showed no fear and took to blocking right away, which is unusual for a young player. He is a hard worker, too. Even when games seem out of reach, you can depend on him to give it his all. Though Syracuse isn’t someone you automatically think of when it comes to football, Tucker is a safe bet. He is reliable and an overall great talent looking to become one of the top running backs in the country. After finishing last year as the fourth leading rusher in the nation, it’s not hard to see the upside here.

CB Cameron Brown, Ohio State:

This is a high-risk, high-reward player to buy into. Brown has an extensive injury history and has missed much of the last two seasons. However, when he is healthy, he is a true lockdown cornerback and can be a problem for opposing receivers. He is a big-bodied corner who is very physical and has a great initial punch that jams receivers at the line of scrimmage. He is great in zone coverage and can close on receivers quickly to break up passes. He can be successful in either man or zone concepts; just don’t put him inside in man coverage. When he plays inside and in man coverage, he seems overwhelmed by all the motions and players crossing his face. Besides that, he can play pretty much anywhere on the field and will be good at it. He is great against the run and relishes the opportunity to make a tackle. He needs to stay healthy, and if he can do that, he will have a productive NFL career. Unfortunately, his injury history makes him a very difficult player to predict where he will be drafted because he has first-round talent; he just doesn’t have the playing time.

Portfolio Busters

QB D.J. Uiagalelei, Clemson

This will not be a surprise, but Uiagalelei is not that guy. Sure, he looks great in the uniform. If only looks were enough to make you successful. When it comes to game action, Uiagalelei’s stock has been plummeting since he became the outright starter at the beginning of last year. If it weren’t for talent on Clemson’s defense, last season would have been a lot uglier than it already was. He has a very powerful arm, but he isn’t an accurate passer and, most of the time, is afraid even to pull the trigger. Things did not improve in this year’s spring game either. He didn’t score once, and he had a turnover. He could be on an extremely short leash this season because this is a Clemson program that expects to compete for a championship every year, so it could be time for a new face at the position much sooner than the team would like. Once again, this isn’t a matter of a lack of skill, this is all about mentality and the moment being too big for him.

Edge Protection Hits Recent Low:

This is definitely not a typical draft year because the offensive tackle position is the weakest it has been in recent memory. Paris Johnson Jr. of Ohio State has been one of the most highly-touted tackles since arriving in college, and it hasn't paid off yet. That seems to be a theme with this class, where you have much smoke but don't get any flame. It feels like we are getting many prospects with great traits and exceptional in one area of the game, but lacking in the other aspects of the position. Broderick Jones, for instance, is considered Georgia's top offensive lineman this season because of his pass protection. Jones is also undersized and is a liability in the run game because he doesn't have enough natural strength to be a complete player. Even Zion Nelson of Miami is a high-risk player because his game has clear weaknesses. There will be teams in the upcoming draft who will overdraft a player because it's their biggest need, but that is a scary proposition this year.

CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia:

Of course, we all know that Georgia had a historically great defense that led them to a national championship, leading to a record amount of first-round picks in the 2022 draft. That level of dominance also comes with the notion that anyone left from that team is the best at their position. That is the case with Ringo, and when you look at measurements and test numbers, you might get excited. Then you turn on the game films, and your perception will change slightly. Athletically, Ringo can match up with anyone. The mental side of the game is a different story, however. At times he looks completely lost in coverage, and shifty receivers always seem to be a step ahead of him. He plays a very physical brand of football, though, so even in times where he gets beat, he can close on a man and jar the ball loose. You can get away with that in college because of the differences in your opponent's abilities. That will not work in the NFL, though, because every player you face will be at your level or even better. What does that mean? It means that the step or two you could recover from in college will be your downfall in the NFL. It will be imperative for Ringo to show teams that he can improve his knowledge of coverage and will put in the work to become a better cover corner. If he does that, he will no doubt be a first-round prospect. He just hasn't gotten to that level, and it's yet to be seen if he can get there. 

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