Mel Kiper Jr. 2023 NFL Draft Big Board: Jalen Carter, Bryce Young Top Final Rankings

The top of Mel Kiper Jr.'s 2023 NFL draft big board remained the same ahead of Thursday's start to the annual event.

The ESPN draft expert ranked Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter as the No. 1 overall player followed by Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. The rest of his top five (Alabama's Will Anderson Jr., Kentucky's Will Levis and Ohio State's C.J. Stroud) was unchanged as well.

There isn't much uncertainty when it comes to where Young will go in the first round. The MMQB's Albert Breer reported Monday the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner looked like the early favorite for the Carolina Panthers after they traded up to the top pick, and he has "never relinquished his lead over the pack."

Kiper wrote how Young is "accurate and is an anticipatory thrower who knows how to hit receivers where they need the ball to run after the catch." He added the Crimson Tide star "one of the best 'processors' I've scouted over the past decade."

You can't be totally certain until the Panthers make their decision, but Young seems to be a virtual lock at this point.

Carter, on the other hand, is much tougher to read, with Kiper calling him a "complicated prospect."

The upside for the Bulldogs star is undeniable, but there are serious questions about whether he'll ever hit his ceiling at the next level.

Carter was out of shape and performed poorly at Georgia's pro day. A day after the showcase, he pleaded no contest to charges of reckless driving and racing. He was at the scene of the fatal car crash involving Bulldogs recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy and offensive lineman Devin Willock.

The Athletic's Bruce Feldman spoke with an NFL defensive coordinator who called Carter "an elite talent" and "probably the best interior lineman I've ever evaluated." Still, the coordinator couldn't overlook the possible concerns.

"When he wants to be, he is unblockable," the coordinator said. "No one knows what gets this guy motivated though. He's just all over the place."

Any likelihood of Carter being the No. 1 pick went out the door when the Panthers traded up. They weren't going make an aggressive play like that in order to select a defensive player.

Falling out of the top five altogether is a plausible scenario, with ESPN's Todd McShay reporting Monday that Carter "isn't expected be the pick" for the Seattle Seahawks at No. 5.

Breer wrote he could come off the board at No. 6 to the Detroit Lions: "A mess of rival teams believe he's going to be a real consideration in this spot."

McShay also cited the Las Vegas Raiders (No. 7) and Chicago Bears (No. 9) as potential landing spots.