Top 2024 NFL Draft Prospects in Each Power 5 Conference Heading into 2023 Season
We're only a few days away from turning the calendar to August, which means college football season is just around the corner. If you're like me this time of year, you start craving some NFL draft content and want to know who the top prospects to keep an eye on this fall are.
Luckily, Pro Football Focus released its early big board that consists of its top 100 draft prospects heading into the campaign. Here, we'll take a look at each Power Five conference and list the players on PFF's board, position by position, to give you some names to look for during the season.
Also, I'll highlight a few players in each conference who are potential sleepers or who are flying under the radar, to add some extra context heading into the fall.
ACC
1 of 5
Quarterbacks
1. Drake Maye, North Carolina (PFF big board rank: 2nd overall, QB2)
2. Tyler Van Dyke, Miami (PFF big board rank: 74th overall, QB8)
3. Jordan Travis, Florida State (PFF big board rank: 79th overall QB9)
Travis made a name for himself last season by throwing for over 3,200 yards and 24 touchdowns with just five interceptions. He's also an impressive dual-threat quarterback who has posted 1,516 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns in the last three seasons combined. In a day and age when off-script plays from quarterbacks have become a coveted trait, the Seminole has the athletic ability to extend plays but needs to improve his accuracy when throwing on the run.
Running Backs
1. Trey Benson, Florida State (PFF big board rank: 69th overall, RB7)
Wide Receivers
1. Johnny Wilson, Florida State (PFF big board rank: 37th overall, WR5)
It won't surprise me if Wilson ends up playing his way into the WR2 conversation this fall. He has elite size at 6'7" and 235 pounds, giving him a large catch radius. He also has impressive speed to win down the field and standout change-of-direction skills for someone of his stature. I think he can do a better job of using his big body to box out defensive backs and become more of a hands-catcher to maximize his frame, but the Florida State product certainly has the potential to develop into a complete receiver.
Tight Ends
1. Jaheim Bell, Florida State (PFF big board rank: 76th overall, TE3)
2. Bryson Nesbit, North Carolina (PFF big board rank: 91st overall, TE5)
Offensive Line
1. Zion Nelson, Miami (PFF big board rank: 34th overall, OT5)
2. Graham Barton, Duke (PFF big board rank: 55th overall, OT8)
Edge
1. Jared Verse, Florida State (PFF big board rank: 7th overall, EDGE1)
2. Akheem Mesidor, Miami (PFF big board rank: 60th overall, EDGE10)
Interior Defensive Line
1. Leonard Taylor III, Miami (PFF big board rank: 27th overall, DL3)
Taylor carries his frame (6'3" and 305 lbs) well with little to no bad weight and room for growth if need be, and he has plenty of potential with his blend of size, strength and athleticism.
He's quick off the ball with impressive upper-body strength to help him as a run defender, and he's shown flashes of winning with few pass-rush moves. He just needs to get more consistent at finishing with a rip to get more clean wins and increase production. Pad level is his biggest issue, which comes back to haunt him versus double-teams and diminishes his bull rush.
2. Tyler Davis, Clemson (PFF big board rank: 33rd overall, DL4)
3. Ruke Orhorhoro, Clemson (PFF big board rank: 63rd overall, DL8)
Linebackers
1. Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson (PFF big board rank: 12th overall, LB1)
2. Barrett Carter, Clemson (PFF big board rank: 47th overall, LB2)
Cornerbacks
1. Fentrell Cypress II, Florida State (PFF big board rank: 95th overall, CB10)
Safeties
1. Kamren Kinchens, Miami (PFF big board rank: 22nd overall, S1)
2. Andrew Mukuba, Clemson (PFF big board rank: 77th overall, S3)
3. James Williams, Miami (PFF big board rank: 84th overall, S5)
Big 10
2 of 5
Quarterbacks
1. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan (PFF big board rank: 58th overall, QB6)
Running backs
1. Blake Corum, Michigan (PFF big board rank: 24th overall, RB1)
2. TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State (PFF big board rank: 44th overall, RB2)
3. Braelon Allen, Wisconsin (PFF big board rank: 53rd overall, RB3)
4. Donovan Edwards, Michigan (PFF big board rank: 62nd overall, RB5)
Wide receivers
1. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State (PFF big board rank: 3rd overall, WR1)
2. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State (PFF big board rank: 10th overall, WR2)
Tight ends
1. Brevyn Spann-Ford, Minnesota (PFF big board rank: 86th overall, TE4)
At 6'7" and 270 pounds, Spann-Ford can be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. He enjoyed a breakout campaign last year with 42 catches for 497 yards and two touchdowns, proving to be a receiving and blocking threat, as Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network noted:
"He's got good concentration, a massive catch radius, and enough athleticism to run away from man coverage and carry himself across the middle of the field to open up and provide a target. As a blocker, I thought he was proficient as a turnout blocker on the edge and his willingness to run slice action in split flow and cut down the end man on the line of scrimmage helped to spring some runs."
2. Cade Stover, Ohio State (PFF big board rank: 94th overall, TE7)
Offensive line
1. Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State (PFF big board rank: 6th overall, OT2)
2. Donovan Jackson, Ohio State (PFF big board rank: 48th overall, OG2)
3. Zak Zinter, Michigan (PFF big board rank: 51st overall, OG4)
4. Connor Colby, Iowa (PFF big board rank: 52nd overall, OG5)
5. Drake Nugent, Michigan (PFF big board rank: 72nd overall, C2)
Edge
1. JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State (PFF big board rank: 17th overall, EDGE4)
2. Demeiuon "Chop" Robinson, Penn State (PFF big board rank: 19th overall, EDGE5)
3. Jack Sawyer, Ohio State (PFF big board rank: 46th overall, EDGE8)
Sawyer's a physically imposing defensive end who can win with power against the run and as a pass-rusher. He has a good bull rush and one-arm stab moves to collapse the pocket against offensive tackles to go along with a decent cross-chop as a counter move. As a run defender, he's physical at the point of attack and refuses to get blocked by tight ends. He isn't a good athlete, though, and has only made a handful of starts so far in college, so it will be important for him to produce as a starter this season.
4. Jacoby Windmon, Michigan State (PFF big board rank: 65th overall, EDGE11)
Interior Defensive Line
1. Jer'Zhan Newton, Illinois (PFF big board rank: 14th overall, DL1)
2. Michael Hall Jr., Ohio State (PFF big board rank: 40th overall, DL5)
3. Tyleik Williams, Ohio State (PFF big board rank: 50th overall, DL6)
Linebackers
1. Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State (PFF big board rank: 88th overall, LB4)
2. Junior Colson, Michigan (PFF big board rank: 96th overall, LB5)
Colson is an athletic coverage linebacker who can play for either a man- or zone-heavy team. His eye discipline and ability to read the quarterback's eyes stand out, and he has the movement skills to take away passing lanes when wide receivers come into his area. Also, his athleticism plus his use of hands allow him to match up against tight ends and running backs. Run defense is a struggle for him, though. He often leaves his gap open and fits to the wrong side of the block and needs to add size and strength to hold his ground against offensive linemen.
Cornerbacks
1. Kalen King, Penn State (PFF big board rank: 13th overall, CB2)
2. Cooper DeJean, Iowa (PFF big board rank: 15th overall, CB3)
3. Denzel Burke, Ohio State (PFF big board rank: 25th overall, CB5)
Safeties
1. Josh Proctor, Penn State (PFF big board rank: 78th overall, S4)
Big 12
3 of 5
Quarterbacks
1. Quinn Ewers, Texas (PFF big board rank: 30th overall, QB5)
Running backs
None
Wide receivers
1. Xavier Worthy, Texas (PFF big board rank: 26th overall, WR3)
2. Adonai Mitchell, Texas (PFF big board rank: 32nd overall, WR4)
At 6'4" and 196 pounds, Mithcell has good length and is impressive in contested catch situations with his size and ability to high-point the ball. Also, he's fairly sudden at the top of routes. Change-of-direction issues and a lack of high-level production, partially due to a high ankle sprain last year, are the biggest concerns and make the Georgia transfer more of a projection than a sure thing heading into the fall.
Tight ends
1. Ja'Tavion Sanders, Texas (PFF big board rank: 66th overall, TE2)
Offensive line
1. Kingsley Suamataia, BYU (PFF big board rank: 20th, OT4)
BYU will be making its debut as a Power Five program this season, and Suamataia, an Oregon transfer, could help ease that transition. The former Duck has excellent size at 6'6" and 330 pounds and is a dancer in pass protection with impressive feet for someone with his frame. He'll solidify his status as a first-rounder with a strong showing against better competition in 2023.
2. Cooper Beebe, Kansas State (PFF big board rank: 28th overall, OG1)
Edge
None
Interior Defensive Line
1. Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati (PFF big board rank: 59th overall, DL7)
Corleone is a nose tackle with a thick build at 6'2" and 320 pounds who physically dominated centers in the American Athletic Conference last season. He has impressive strength to lock out offensive linemen and good agility for his size to show color in one-gap and make the tackle in the adjacent gap, which helps him when two-gapping. He does have a habit of standing up out of his stance, which can cause him issues versus double-teams, combo and down blocks, but when his leverage is right, he's hard to block and can collapse the pocket when bull rushing. It'll be interesting to see how "The Godfather" performs against a higher level of competition this year.
Linebackers
none
Cornerbacks
1. Josh Newton, TCU (PFF big board rank: 93rd overall, CB9)
Safeties
1. Jalen Catalon, Texas (PFF big board rank: 90th overall, S6)
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Pac-12
4 of 5
Quarterback
1. Caleb Williams, USC (PFF big board rank: 1st overall, QB1)
2. Michael Penix Jr., Washington (PFF big board rank: 21st overall, QB3)
3. Bo Nix, Oregon (PFF big board rank: 29th overall, QB4)
4. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado (PFF big board rank: 87th overall, QB10)
Running Backs
1. Bucky Irving, Oregon (PFF big board rank: 67th overall, RB6)
Wide Receivers
1. Rome Odunze, Washington (PFF big board rank: 38th overall, WR6)
2. Troy Franklin, Oregon (PFF big board rank: 41st overall, WR7)
Last season, Franklin proved to be an impressive deep threat by averaging nearly 15 yards per catch. He also made some highlight-reel grabs, laying out and securing the ball after hitting the ground like in the clip below. He is light and could afford to add some size, weighing in under 180 pounds, but Franklin and Bo Nix should form an explosive connection in Eugene this year.
3. Dorian Singer, USC (PFF big board rank: 61st overall, WR9)
4. Jacob Cowing, Arizona (PFF big board rank: 64th overall, WR10)
5. Mario Williams, USC (PFF big board rank: 80th overall, WR11)
6. Jalen McMillan, Washington (PFF big board rank: 85th overall, WR13)
Tight Ends
1. Benjamin Yurosek, Stanford (PFF big board rank: 92nd overall, TE6)
Offensive Line
1. Jonah Monheim, USC (PFF big board rank: 83rd overall, OT9)
Edge
1. Laiatu Latu, UCLA (PFF big board rank: 16th overall, EDGE3)
2. Bralen Trice, Washington (PFF big board rank: 39th overall, EDGE6)
At 6'4" and 275 pounds, Trice has good size and strength with solid athleticism overall. He's physical and strong at the point of attack to help set the edge versus offensive tackles and physically dominates tight ends. As a pass-rusher, he has a handful of solid inside moves that he can win with and is decent at winning with power, but he needs to improve his use of hands and develop an outside move to keep offensive linemen honest. He hasn't shown the bend to turn tight corners at the top of the rush, too.
3. Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Washington (PFF big board rank: 42nd overall, EDGE7)
4. Korey Foreman, USC (PFF big board rank: 54th overall, EDGE9)
5. Brandon Dorlus, Oregon (PFF big board rank: 81st overall, EDGE13)
Interior Defensive Line
None
Linebackers
None
Cornerbacks
None
Safeties
1. Calen Bullock, USC (PFF big board rank: 31st overall, S2)
Bullock is a smooth mover who is an impressive athlete with good speed for some range. He also has good ball production with five picks—nearly 35 yards per return too—and five passes defended last season. He's pretty good at reading the quarterback's eyes and recognizing routes to drive on receivers and either take them away or make a tackle shortly after the catch. When playing the deep half or middle in zone coverage, he plays with too much depth, which gives away completions between the second and third levels. At 6'3" and 190 pounds, the Trojan could afford to add some size and strength to avoid getting carried by bigger running backs when tackling.
2. Cole Bishop, Utah (PFF big board rank: 100th, S8)
SEC
5 of 5
Quarterbacks
1. Spencer Rattler, South Carolina (PFF big board rank: 70th overall, QB7)
Running Backs
1. Raheim Sanders, Arkansas (PFF big board rank: 56th overall, RB4)
Wide Receivers
1. Malik Nabers, LSU (PFF big board rank: 43rd overall, WR8)
2. Ainias Smith, Texas A&M (PFF big board rank: 82nd overall, WR12)
Tight Ends
1. Brock Bowers, Georgia (PFF big board rank: 5th overall, TE1)
Offensive Line
1. JC Latham, Alabama (PFF big board rank: 8th overall, OT3)
2. Amarius Mims, Georgia (PFF big board rank: 45th overall, OT7)
3. Beaux Limmer, Arkansas (PFF big board rank: 49th overall, OG3)
4. Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia (PFF big board rank: 57th overall, C1)
Leadership is an important trait for centers, so perhaps the best endorsement of Van Pran is that he's started every game in the middle of Georgia's offensive line during their back-to-back national championship runs and was a co-captain for a handful of games in 2022. As far as his play goes, the Bulldog is a well-rounded prospect and has shown plenty of upside in both pass protection and the ground game, as the The Draft Network's Damian Parson noted:
"I love competitive offensive linemen with a high motor. Sedrick Van Pran fits the bill. He's rarely seen uncovered and not looking for work. Van Pran does a good job operating as a bumper to assist his teammates with inside help. He battles to the whistle once engaged with defenders. He showcases the athleticism to fit zone blocking schemes without concern."
5. Bryce Foster, Texas A&M (PFF big board rank: 73rd overall, C3)
6. Tate Ratledge, Georgia (PFF big board rank: 97th overall, OG6)
Edge
1. Dallas Turner, Alabama (PFF big board rank: 11th overall, EDGE2)
2. Princely Umanmielen, Florida (PFF big board rank: 75th overall, EDGE12)
Interior Defensive Line
1. Maason Smith, LSU (PFF big board rank: 18th overall, DL2)
After missing essentially all of last year with a torn ACL in the season-opener, Smith has some catching up to do this fall. As a true freshman two years ago, he showed plenty of potential with his quick get-off and heavy hands to stand up offensive linemen. However, now there's a question of whether he'll be the same player post-knee injury while simultaneously showing that his game has grown enough to enter the first-round category.
Linebackers
1. Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia (PFF big board rank: 68th overall, LB3)
Dumas-Johnson is a solid player who has his pros and cons against the run and in coverage. He's solid at reading his keys and is a good athlete who can use his quickness and change of direction to slip blocks. Against the passing game, he can read the quarterback's eyes and has the movement skills to drop and take away throwing windows in the middle of the field. Occasionally, he'll be late to the flat and struggles to get extension and hold his ground against offensive linemen.
Cornerbacks
1. Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama (PFF big board rank: 9th overall, CB1)
2. Javon Bullard, Georgia (PFF big board rank: 23rd overall, CB4)
3. Malachi Moore, Alabama (PFF big board rank: 35th overall, CB6)
4. Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri (PFF big board rank: 71st overall, CB7)
5. Jason Marshall Jr., Florida (PFF big board rank: 89th overall, CB8)
6. Kamari Lassiter, Georgia (PFF big board rank: 98th overall, CB11)
Safeties
1. Demani Richardson, Texas A&M (PFF big board rank: 99th overall, S7)
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