Mel Kiper Jr. 2023 NFL Draft Big Board: Bryce Young Climbs, Jalen Carter Still No. 1

Alabama star Bryce Young moved up one spot on Mel Kiper Jr.'s newest big board for the 2023 NFL draft.

Young ranks second overall behind Georgia's Jalen Carter in the eyes of the ESPN draft expert. Crimson Tide teammate Will Anderson Jr. had been the No. 2 prospect and slipped to third overall.

When it came to Carter, Kiper's opinion remains unchanged despite the Bulldogs defensive tackle pleading no contest to charges of reckless driving and racing in March and having a pro day to forget:

"The reality is Carter's stock hasn't dropped in the eyes of NFL teams, and so I'm not dropping him in my rankings. On the field, he is a fantastic prospect. I moved him to No. 1 in my December Big Board update, and he finished the season playing the best ball of his career. ... He's explosive at the snap and finishes well around the ball, even though he had just six career sacks."

Carter is also the No. 2 overall player on Bleacher Report's 2023 big board with a 9.5 overall grade. Anderson, graded at 9.6 overall, is fractionally higher to lead this year's draft class.

B/R NFL scout Matt Holder had high praise for the 6'3", 314-pound defensive lineman, comparing him to four-time All-Pro and Hall of Famer Warren Sapp:

"Unlike a lot of defensive tackles who have a specialty, the Florida native is about as versatile as they come. He's quick and athletic to make offensive linemen miss as a run defender and has plenty of strength to hold up against and shed one-on-one blocks. As a pass-rusher, he can win with power using a bull rush or push-pull move or around the edges with finesse moves."

In general, there isn't a clear consensus as to the top talent on offer this year, and that uncertainty extends to the quarterback position.

Young has far and away the best college resume. In two years as Alabama's starter, he threw for 8,200 yards, 79 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while winning the 2021 Heisman Trophy.

But Young measured in at 5'10" and 204 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine. He lacks an ideal QB frame and the kind of mobility that could help him compensate for his size. Kiper wrote how the Crimson Tide signal-caller would "be the shoo-in for the No. 1 pick" if he was a little bigger.

Still, the fact that Kiper ranked Young so highly is a testament to his potential at the next level.

Everyone expects the Carolina Panthers to target a quarterback after they traded up to the No. 1 overall pick. Plenty of fans would be thrilled if the franchise oriented its future around Young.