Top College Football Underclassmen Who Should Declare for 2023 NFL Draft
With the college football regular season culminating in championship week last Saturday, plenty of players around the nation have life-changing decisions to make.
Will they head to the NFL and bet on themselves to make millions, turning down college life and NIL money? If they go, will they risk injury by playing in the College Football Playoff or bowl games? Or are they running it back another year?
This year's crop of juniors and redshirt sophomores is top-heavy and loaded. It's possible the top six or seven guys in the NFL draft, at least, will be non-seniors. It's that good.
While it's seemingly inevitable stars like Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud will make it official and head to the NFL, they haven't yet. So, they're represented here.
To make this list, you have to be undeclared. Therefore, guys such as Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez and Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. aren't present.
Neither are guys who are going back to school who should have declared (LSU receiver Kayshon Boutte, who was a projected first-rounder in some places) or who are leaving and shouldn't (such as raw Florida quarterback Antonio Richardson).
Here are the best of the best who are still college players but shouldn't be for long.
Note: Any declarations that occurred after Wednesday morning may not be accounted for. Players listed in alphabetical order.
Honorable Mentions
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The 12 players on our proper list may have a little higher ceiling and be more pro-ready than our honorable mentions, but any of the guys in this section could be first-round picks and become stars.
Georgia tight end Darnell Washington has taken a back seat to Brock Bowers, but he's gotten much better as an in-line blocker and is a force catching the ball.
Jared Verse transferred from tiny Albany to Florida State and became one of the best edge-rushers in the ACC. Clemson star defenders Trenton Simpson (outside linebacker) and Bryan Bresee (defensive tackle) are first-round talents with huge upside.
There are a ton of exceptional defensive backs such as Alabama safety Brian Branch and Texas A&M safety Antonio Johnson.
Do-it-all Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs is a versatile weapon, and Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt was the nation's most productive receiver.
Dominant defenders such as LSU edge-rusher BJ Ojulari, Notre Dame lineman Isaiah Foskey, raw Kansas State defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Noah Sewell, an exceptional Oregon linebacker, could declare and be big-time weapons.
Georgia offensive lineman Broderick Jones is also a potential first-round talent.
A ton of players who could easily fit on this list.
Jordan Addison, USC Wide Receiver
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Jordan Addison made headlines last offseason by transferring from Pittsburgh, where he won the Biletnikoff Award, to USC to finish his college career under Lincoln Riley.
After battling injuries and still posting quality numbers, Addison is ready to head to the NFL.
The 6'0", 175-pound Maryland native finished with 59 catches for 875 yards and eight touchdowns in a Trojans offense loaded with weapons, and though those were a far cry from his numbers a year ago, he has little left to prove.
Like everybody on this list, Addison is named in the first round of several mock drafts, and while that's no guarantee he gets picked that high, his skill set gives him a good shot.
He'll likely be the best route-runner in the draft should he declare. He can make every catch, is a silky-smooth playmaker and boasts good enough speed to take it to the house once he gets it.
Riley is known for putting offensive star after star in the NFL, and while he won't be able to take full credit for Addison, who was close to a finished product before heading to L.A., the receiver is pro-ready.
Will Anderson Jr., Alabama Edge
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Much like Addison, Alabama edge-rusher Will Anderson Jr. didn't put up the same numbers this season as he did a year ago, but there isn't a more pro-ready defender in college football.
Maybe there hasn't been since Ndamukong Suh came out of Nebraska in 2010.
While that's high praise, it isn't hyperbole. No defender impacts the game like Anderson. A season ago as a sophomore, he registered an improbable 17.5 sacks and 33.5 tackles for a loss.
This year, those numbers dipped to 10 sacks and 17 tackles for a loss, but he was often double- and triple-teamed and still harassed quarterbacks from the edge.
He's elite, and it's only been a matter of waiting until the requisite three collegiate years were up for him to head to the NFL. No, he hasn't declared yet, but he's a lock to be a top-three pick, and the Georgia native can be an All-Pro edge-rusher right away.
Of all the players coach Nick Saban has developed in Tuscaloosa, Anderson may have the highest ceiling of anybody—offense or defense.
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Jalen Carter, Georgia Defensive Lineman
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Last year, it was Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker who surged up draft boards to become the first overall pick.
While it would be a shocker for the 1-10-1 Houston Texans—who have the league's worst record after Week 13—to do anything but take Bryce Young at No. 1 overall, this year's Bulldogs candidate to be drafted extremely early is Jalen Carter.
The former 5-star recruit has been a havoc-wreaker. At 6'3", 300 pounds, the junior from Apopka, Florida, is almost certain to be a pro defensive tackle but is athletic and aggressive enough to play outside in a 3-4 defense.
Anderson has a much higher upside, but that doesn't take anything from the sheer awesomeness of Carter, who can do it all and is firmly in the draft's top two defensive players.
When you can do things like this, everybody takes notice.
The past two seasons playing on a loaded Bulldogs defense, Carter has amassed 66 tackles and six sacks. Men this big and strong shouldn't be this athletic, but he can get after quarterbacks from the middle of the line and disrupt run plays with his size and agility.
He'll be an immediate difference-maker.
Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State Offensive Tackle
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Offensive tackle isn't the sexiest position, but the paychecks they pull down show you all you need to know about their importance.
The Big Ten is home to the two best offensive linemen in this year's cycle.
The most athletic "big-name" O-lineman in this draft is Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr., another former top-rated recruit who, like many of the guys on this list, lived up to his prep billing, enjoyed a massive college career and is pro-ready.
It's hard to envision a player of Johnson's ilk needing to head back to college for any reason.
Due to the Buckeyes' wealth of talent, experience and options at the position, Johnson broke into his college playing days at guard, and that experience on the interior only made him more attractive to NFL teams.
He's settled in at left tackle this season, and Johnson is one of the most dominant players at his position—big and powerful yet possessing exceptional athleticism and footwork. He shows a nasty streak and is a great leader who will continue to develop as a run-blocker.
Getting extra work is always a good thing for linemen, but Johnson has plenty of experience and has flashed dominance. He's ready to go make his millions.
Quentin Johnston, TCU Wide Receiver
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This potential class of playmakers at wide receiver could be special. You've got great all-around guys such as Addison, Rome Odunze and Smith-Njigba. Then there are speed-burners like Hyatt, Rashee Rice and Josh Downs.
But Quentin Johnston could be the alpha of the bunch.
Not only is he the long-striding, big-bodied force who can stiff-arm defenders and get away from them in the open field, he is also fast and plays with the type of aggressiveness that lets everybody on the field know he simply wants the ball more than them.
The 6'4", 215-pound Temple, Texas, native had a huge year for the nation's surprise TCU Horned Frogs, pulling down 53 catches for 903 yards and five touchdowns. You'd like to see more scoring production from your WR1, but Johnston is an excellent prospect.
“Long, fast, explosive athlete who has really good hands,” one AFC executive told SI.com's Albert Breer. “He’s physical to attack the ball and really tough after the catch.”
Johnston is far from a finished product, but he breaks so many tackles, has such long strides and good speed at his size that his upside is tantalizing.
If somebody can mold these traits and get him to put everything together, he could be the best receiver in an excellent class. He's ready to shine in the right system.
Myles Murphy, Clemson Defensive Lineman
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The Clemson Tigers will probably lose a whole lot of talent from an exceptional defense this year, and head coach Dabo Swinney essentially burned all that talent the past few seasons by having an inept offense.
Regardless, it's time for players like Bresee and Simpson to go make their millions. But the guy with the highest upside of the bunch is edge-rusher Myles Murphy.
The former 5-star prospect has been a jewel ever since arriving on campus for the Tigers, and he has continued to improve. He won't get picked above Alabama's Anderson, but Murphy should be the second player taken at his position.
You can't put a price tag on getting after the quarterback, but Murphy can do that, and what adds to his value is his excellence in defending the run game.
The 6'5", 275-pound Marietta, Georgia, native isn't a fast, aggressive speed-rusher. He's more of a defensive end who can do it all, but while his numbers don't grab you, he's gotten a ton of run since day one as a freshman. In three seasons, he has 117 tackles and 17.5 sacks.
Murphy has a lot of untapped potential too. He is extremely fast for a guy his size, excels in the run game and is an uber-intelligent playmaker on the front who can read blocking schemes and beat blockers.
Kelee Ringo, Georgia Cornerback
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When Georgia head coach Kirby Smart went all the way to Arizona and convinced 5-star defensive back Kelee Ringo to head to Athens, Georgia, you knew the Dawgs brand was strong.
Even after missing his true freshman season with injuries, the 6'2", 210-pound defender's potential was obvious.
Simply put, a player who is the size of a jumbo safety shouldn't be able to run and cover like a cornerback, but Ringo can. He is good enough to shut down an entire side of the field and can play either cornerback position. NFL teams can move him around too.
No matter where Ringo lines up, he's a twitchy athlete who can do a lot of things. There really aren't a lot of weaknesses here, and it's clear Ringo is the best, most pro-ready cornerback in the class.
He is at his best in man coverage where he can jolt a receiver at the line of scrimmage, get him off his route and then catch up and still make a play on a ball. His closing speed makes him a force in zone coverage too.
This is the type of all-around defensive back teams love, and playing in a fast, aggressive defense such as that of the defending national champion Bulldogs will only make him even more coveted.
As soon as a team needs a defensive back, Ringo will come off the board.
Bijan Robinson, Texas Running Back
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Much like Mayer, Bijan Robinson may not be taken above some of the players who didn't make this list. But that's because he's a running back, and the short NFL shelf life of the position has caused backs to fall in the draft.
Robinson can break that mold.
Whoever gets him will be drafting the most can't-miss running back since Saquon Barkley.
While he hasn't declared for the draft yet, it would be shocking if he didn't. Texas is one of those schools that can put together the type of NIL package to make the decision tough, but Robinson is ready.
Not only does he have game-breaking speed, he is also big and powerful and is an every-down back who has been ridiculously productive no matter how the up-and-down Longhorns have played throughout his career.
This season, Robinson accumulated 1,580 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns with a 6.1 average after gaining 1,127 yards and scoring 11 times on the ground a season ago. He also has 19 catches for 314 yards and a couple more scores this year.
At 6'0", 220 pounds, the Tucson, Arizona, native is a load to bring down, and he has the type of can't-miss ability that could make him one of the NFL's top runners right away. There's nothing left for him to prove in Austin.
Peter Skoronski, Northwestern Offensive Tackle
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It's been a forgettable past couple of seasons for a Northwestern program that just saw head head coach Pat Fitzgerald make wholesale coaching changes.
But one elite player the Wildcats have enjoyed having on campus is offensive lineman Peter Skoronski.
Now, it's time for him to go make his millions, even if he hasn't declared for the draft yet. He's simply too good to stay in college and play for a team that will try to save its head coach next year.
Like Paris Johnson Jr., Skoronski is versatile enough to play inside or out, and it could be argued his highest ceiling in the NFL would be on the interior, where he would be a force right away and a long-time top player at his position. But he's also so great at tackle that a team has to put him there.
The 6'4", 315-pound lineman is elite, but that won't stop questions about whether he's big and long enough to play on the outside and protect quarterbacks. Arm length is a big concern.
But that's just ridiculous.
The man can play football, and he's been nothing but productive in college. He's ready to go, and even if a team decides he can't play pro tackle, it will still get the best guard in the draft. Is that enough to select him highly? We'll see.
But he should go to the NFL right now.
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State Quarterback
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C.J. Stroud isn't the quarterback everybody is talking about being taken first overall, but he may wind up being the signal-caller with the highest pro ceiling.
Who'd bet against him?
Yes, the dude down in Tuscaloosa we're going to talk about in a little while is pretty darn special, but so is Stroud, a California-cool customer who redshirted his first year in Columbus, but as soon as he took over the starting job, he started throwing up PlayStation numbers.
Stroud is 6'3", 218 pounds and can make all the throws. When he had Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba on the perimeter a year ago, he was throwing lawn darts all over the place.
The first two went to the NFL and Smith-Njigba spent nearly the entire 2022 season hurt, and while Stroud went from 4,435 passing yards to 3,340 this year, those are still impressive numbers, and guys like Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Julian Fleming thrived.
Stroud hasn't been asked to run much at Ohio State, but he certainly can, and that's an underrated part of his game.
He's deadly accurate, has great arm strength and is used to flinging it all over the place. Stroud could wind up being a franchise quarterback for somebody, and if Kentucky's Will Levis gets taken above him, it will be a joke.
Bryce Young, Alabama Quarterback
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These players are listed in alphabetical order, but we've still saved the near-certain No. 1 pick for last.
Alabama quarterback Bryce Young won the Heisman Trophy as a true sophomore a season ago, throwing for 4,872 yards, 47 touchdowns and seven interceptions in an amazing year that fell just short of a national championship.
Despite battling injuries and having nowhere near the receiving firepower with the Crimson Tide, Young almost led coach Nick Saban's team to the CFP again this year. He threw for 3,007 yards, 27 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Simply put, Young is a magician who extends plays and makes things happen that nobody else can. He knows where his receivers are at all times, throws players open and has underrated athleticism and good arm strength.
Young is a rhythm passer who throws well to all levels of the field, and he has proved time and time again he can connect on the deep ball, even if there are prospects with better arm strength. With his poise, intelligence and leadership skills, he's a can't-miss, instant-impact starter who could be a long-time star.
All stats courtesy of CFBStats and Sports Reference. Recruit ratings courtesy of 247Sports.
Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.
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