2023 NFL Draft: 5 Players Who Would Be Huge Round 1 Mistakes

There are several prospects hoping to hear their names called during the first round of the upcoming NFL draft. While some of the talents who will eventually go on to earn the distinction of being a Day 1 pick undoubtedly deserve that status, there are plenty of players on the fringes who could end up being a regrettable selection.

Whether they failed to regularly produce in college, are undersized for their respective position or have some other concerning trait, these prospects are already sending out warning signs that they just might not pan out in the pros.

These red flags won't stop clubs from expending a coveted first-round pick on some of the more tantalizing athletes in the class.

With that in mind, here are five players found in the first-round of multiple mock drafts on NFLMockDraftDatabase.com who could be remembered as massive Round 1 mistakes:

Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Northwestern

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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 01: Defensive inemen Adetomiwa Adebawore of Northwestern speaks to the media during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 01, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

There may have been no prospect more impressive at the combine than Adetomiwa Adebawore. The Northwestern defensive lineman was a force at the event, posting incredible metrics in every drill he took part in.

The 22-year-old blitzed through the 40-yard dash in just 4.49 seconds—a remarkable showing for someone who stands 6'2", 282 pounds—and showcased great leaping ability by posting a 37.5-inch vertical and a 10'5" broad jump. Strength isn't a concern here either after he tossed up 27 reps on the bench.

While Adebawore showed he's a superstar in the gym, it'll be much tougher for him to become a Pro Bowl-caliber talent in the NFL.

There's been a concerning lack of on-field production from the Wildcats product for someone with his unteachable athleticism. Adebawore tallied a pedestrian 11.5 sacks and 23.5 tackles for a loss in the 33 games he participated in since the start of 2020.

He's a bit of a positional tweener as well. Adebawore spent most of his time as a defensive end at Northwestern, but he could be used inside at the next level. He relied on power for much of his production in college, but that won't be as effective against the myriad of hulking offensive linemen he'll have to battle in the pros.

Factor in his subpar awareness, pursuit and tackling abilities and it's tough to see Adebawore making a successful transition to the NFL quickly. He'll be decent against the run early, but he's a developmental pass-rushing prospect who may need a few years to reach his potential in that area, which is one of the reasons the B/R Scouting Department has him ranked No. 72 overall.

Despite this ranking, ProFootballNetwork's James Fragoza has Adebawore being selected all the way up at No. 23 overall in a recent mock draft.

Toward the middle or late on Day 2, Adebawore would be a nice pickup for many teams. Passing over a more guaranteed prospect for him in the first round would be a mistake, though.

Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 02: Mississippi State defensive back Emmanuel Forbes answers questions from the media during the NFL Scouting Combine on March 2, 2023, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Emmanuel Forbes is undoubtedly one of the fastest players in this class after he ran a blistering 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the combine, but the cornerback is severely lacking in the size department.

While he stands a respectable 6'1", Forbes weighed in at just 166 pounds in Indianapolis. That lack of mass could end up limiting his assignments at the next level, as bigger receivers may simply outmuscle the slight defensive back.

The Bulldogs star may have racked up an impressive 14 interceptions since the start of the 2020 campaign—leading the FBS in that category during that span—he'll find it tougher to come up with as many takeaways when facing the oversized wideouts that currently litter NFL rosters.

Forbes has shown some discipline issues in zone coverage and can be overly aggressive at times, traits that crafty receivers and quarterbacks will be able to take advantage of if he doesn't improve in that area. He's a weak tackler as well—an issue compounded by his feathery frame—which could lead to problems with conceding yards after a catch.

The corner is ranked No. 55 overall by the B/R Scouting Department, but ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. (h/t SI.com) has Forbes coming off the board in the middle of the first round.

The 22-year-old has a chance to bulk up and become a more well-rounded corner, but the risk outweighs—no pun intended—the potential rewards for a team selecting Forbes on Day 1.

Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 03: Wide out Zay Flowers of Boston College speaks to the media during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 3, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Zay Flowers is one of the more intriguing prospects in the 2023 class, but the Boston College wideout has almost as many concerning traits as he does exciting ones.

The B/R Scouting Department has Flowers ranked as their No. 47 overall prospect and fourth-best receiver available this year, but he could be gone before the first night of the draft concludes. Walter Cherepinsky has Flowers going No. 22 overall to the Baltimore Ravens in his latest mock.

While teams will see some thrilling tape when reviewing Flowers—he racked up over 3,000 yards and scored 29 touchdowns on 200 receptions and even contributed 345 yards and two scores on 57 rushes over the last four seasons—they should be wary about committing a first-round selection to a player who could turn out to be more of a gadget weapon than an every-down contributor at the next level.

Perhaps the biggest issue with Flowers is his diminutive size. He's a mere 5'9" and 182 pounds, making him one of the smallest wideouts available this year. While he performed decently well at the combine—notably running a 4.42-second 40-yard dash—his vertical leap was a more pedestrian 35.5 inches, indicating a lack of elite jumping abilities that won't do much to help offset his lesser stature.

Flowers lacks the type of big hands and arms that teams like to see in receivers as well. His arm length measured less than 30 inches, and his hands are just a shade over nine inches, which could hinder his ability to reel in contested grabs over the larger defensive backs he'll be matched up with in the NFL.

There's also a tendency for Flowers to get sloppy on his routes, fail to find soft spots in coverage and commit drops. A major reason for this is his abundant energy and explosiveness, which can sometimes lead to him playing out of control.

Don't be surprised if Flowers scores his fair share of touchdowns after being drafted, but it's hard to envision him as a consistent playmaker who collects much more than a few touches each week with any regularity.

Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 03: Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt answers questions from the media during the NFL Scouting Combine on March 3, 2023, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Jalin Hyatt is another speed demon who improved his draft stock thanks to a scintillating showing at the combine.

The Bleacher Report Scouting Department has him ranked No. 99 overall and the No. 14 wideout in this class, but there's a possibility he's taken as early as the late first round next month. The NFL Network's Chad Reuter linked Hyatt with the Kansas City Chiefs in one of his mock drafts, having the club trade up to No. 22 to secure the receiver.

While the Tennessee wideout smoked the 40-yard dash in just 4.4 seconds and showcased a ridiculous 40-inch vertical leap and 11'3" broad jump, he's a rather raw prospect who has a long way to go before he's ready to translate that unteachable athleticism into on-field production in the NFL.

Hyatt didn't struggle to produce in college, though. He's coming off a breakout 2022 campaign, one in which he amassed 67 catches for 1,267 yards and 15 scores, tied for the second-most receiving touchdowns in the nation.

While he had some impressive showings—none more so than the 207 yards and five TDs he hung on Alabama with only six catches—he also had some pedestrian performances and showed a lack of consistency.

Perhaps most concerning is how much the wideout benefitted from a Volunteers scheme that freed up unique looks for him against lesser defensive backs. He won't get nearly as many free releases against professional corners, especially the physical ones who can adequately handle a 6-foot receiver who tipped the scales at only 176 pounds.

Factor in middling route-running skills, weakness in making contested grabs and what will likely be a steep learning curve adjusting to an NFL offense, and it's all adding up to Hyatt being a developmental pickup who will be hard-pressed to contribute much early in his career.

Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 03: Quarterback Will Levis of Kentucky speaks to the media during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 3, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Due to the imbalance between the large number of teams coveting a franchise quarterback and the relative lack of franchise-caliber quarterback prospects available this year, a lower-tier signal-caller like Will Levis will likely end up coming off the board far earlier than he would in a deeper class.

There is a real chance the No. 21 overall player on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's post-combine big board ends up being drafted in the top 10, if not the top five. PFF's Marcus Mosher even had the Indianapolis Colts trading up to select him at No. 1 back in January.

While C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson are likely to be the first three signal-callers drafted in some order, Levis could realistically go as high as No. 4 overall—the spot Indianapolis currently occupies—once the dust settles from the inevitable flurry of draft-day deals.

Levis may not be a full-blown first-round mistake—there will be some value in selecting him if he slides to the back half of Day 1, but there is still plenty of bust potential regardless of where he lands—but he has a high chance to be remembered as a regrettable misstep for a desperate team picking early.

Although Levis looks the part of a franchise quarterback at 6'4", 229 pounds and can move well for a player of his size, his collegiate production was rather concerning.

The 23-year-old was responsible for 23 interceptions since he took over the starting job for the Wildcats two years ago and never truly shined against top-flight competition, breaching the 250-yard-passing mark just once in 15 SEC contests. He had some truly head-scratching moments as well, including coughing up a pair of of fumbles in the final three minutes that cost Kentucky a win against Ole Miss back in October.

While Levis has a high ceiling due to his arm strength, mobility and athleticism, his mechanics are flawed and need plenty of polish before he's ready to be an NFL starter. With an early first-round pick, teams should expect and get more from the prospect they are pinning their hopes on.