Notable CFB Players Who Could Help Their 2023 Draft Stock This Year
The 2023 NFL draft may be a long way off, but it's never too early to start looking ahead. In fact, there are a number of players that could boost their draft stocks during the 2022 college football season.
While some of these players already have some draft projections this early, a lot of these guys could move up draft boards with big seasons in 2022. For this one, we'll include players eligible for the 2023 draft and not include guys who are already projected to be top-10 picks.
Let's try to predict which players could see their draft stocks rise with a big season in 2022.
Oregon QB Bo Nix
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New Oregon head coach Dan Lanning got a talented transfer quarterback in Bo Nix, who spent the last three seasons at Auburn.
While a simple change of scenery might do Nix some good, one of the main reasons his transfer to Oregon may help boost his draft outlook is that he will be reuniting with his offensive coordinator from Auburn in 2019, Kenny Dillingham.
Under Dillingham's tutelage, Nix had a breakout season as a freshman, throwing for 2,542 yards and 16 touchdowns. He took home the SEC Freshman of the Year Award and helped Auburn finish 9-4, with an upset over then-No. 5 Alabama in the Iron Bowl.
Nix's production tapered in the following two seasons after Dillingham left to become the offensive coordinator for Florida State, though his most recent campaign was cut short after injuring his ankle in November.
Nonetheless, he'll have plenty of weapons at his disposal to help ease his transition to the Pac-12. Oregon will get back receiver Kris Hutson, who was second on the team with 419 yards and two touchdowns last season. Dont'e Thornton and Troy Franklin had big outings in the Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma, combining for eight catches and 155 yards with a touchdown each. The Ducks added UCLA transfer Chase Cota this offseason and will have the majority of their starting offensive line return, as well.
Nix has also rushed for 869 yards and 18 touchdowns in his career, showing the mobility that NFL teams are looking for under center.
If Nix has the best season of his collegiate career at Oregon, his name could be called a little closer to guys like C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young in the 2023 draft.
Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel
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Similar to Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel will be looking to improve his draft stock at a new school with a new head coach. After spending his first three years at UCF, Gabriel will play for Oklahoma under new head coach Brent Venables next season.
Gabriel had previously verbally committed to UCLA before flipping to Oklahoma in early January.
At UCF, he put up some pretty impressive numbers. As a true freshman in 2019, he threw for 3,653 yards—a UCF freshman record—and 29 touchdowns with just seven interceptions. In 2020, UCF played in only 10 games because of the pandemic, but Gabriel still finished with 3,570 yards and 32 touchdowns with just four interceptions.
Unfortunately, Gabriel's 2021 season ended after just three games, as he suffered a broken collarbone in Week 3 against Louisville.
The new Oklahoma quarterback has a big arm, averaging 8.8 yards per attempt in his career. He can scramble out of the pocket to make throws downfield when he needs to, as well. He's rushed for 372 yards and eight touchdowns over three seasons.
Lucky for Gabriel, he will reunite with his former UCF offensive coordinator from 2019 in Jeff Lebby. Oklahoma will get some talent back from the 2021 season, too. Returning for the Sooners will be leading receiver Marvin Mims, who averaged 22 yards per reception and led the team with 705 yards last season.
OU also gets back offensive linemen Brey Walker and Marquis Hayes Jr. and landed OL transfer McKade Mettauer from Cal.
Georgia LB Nolan Smith
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Nolan Smith will be a key piece in Georgia's attempt to defend its national title in 2022. Although he was eligible for this year's NFL draft, the linebacker opted to return to Athens for his senior season.
Smith has played since his true freshman season in 2019 but didn't break out until 2021. He finished fifth on the team in total tackles with 56 and added 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Here's what The Draft Network has to say about Smith's skill set and how it might translate to the NFL:
"Nolan Smith is a good reactive athlete with his movement skills and agility as a pass rusher. He is playing a role that his skill set isn't ideally suited for as a 4-3 end/EDGE. In the run game, he shows good physical toughness to battle as an in-line player. For a slightly undersized player, he is surprisingly good at the point of attack. He can contort his body to knife through crevices to affect run plays. In the passing game, he threatens an offensive tackle's edge with his good get-off.
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The Georgia linebacker will be one of the few returning starters on defense from 2021. Defensive backs Tykee Smith, Christopher Smith and William Poole will be back next season, as well as linebacker Robert Beal Jr.
Smith is projected as a first-round pick already—most mocks have him getting picked in the late 20s. But if Smith can have an even bigger season in 2022, there's no question he can move even further up in the round.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler
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Like some of his fellow signal-callers, Spencer Rattler will be looking to find success at a new school. After spending three years in Norman, Rattler will be in South Carolina in 2022.
Rattler won the starting job in 2020 for the Sooners, finishing the season with 3,031 yards and 28 touchdowns with just seven interceptions through the air and another 160 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. OU won the Big 12 Championship and finished the season 9-2.
Rattler subsequently entered the 2021 season as a Heisman candidate, expected to have another big season.
However, Rattler threw five interceptions in the first six games of the season and failed to repeat his success from the term prior. Not long after throwing his fifth pick of the year against Texas, Rattler was benched for true freshman Caleb Williams. Williams led Oklahoma to a 55-48 come-from-behind victory, and the job was Williams' from then on.
Rattler's transfer isn't too surprising, and he'll enter South Carolina as the favorite to win the starting job.
As a pro-style passer, Rattler shows good accuracy when he has time in the pocket, going through his progressions and firing efficiently when he sees his man open. He can make throws on the run, too. While Rattler's offensive scheme at Oklahoma included a lot of single or two-man routes, Rattler can likely show some more versatility in his game at South Carolina.
The Gamecocks return their leading receiver from 2021 next season in Josh Vann, who recorded 679 yards and five touchdowns. The Gamecocks also added James Madison standout receiver Antwane Wells Jr, who set the single-season program records for receiving yards (1,250), receiving touchdowns (15) and receptions (83) last season.
Rattler will also play with one of his former tight ends at Oklahoma, Austin Stogner, who accounted for 654 yards and eight touchdowns over three seasons in Norman. All of South Carolina's offensive line returns, as well.
Rattler's 2021 season will certainly hurt his draft stock, but if he can bounce back, it will definitely catch the attention of NFL scouts.
Alabama Safety Jordan Battle
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Jordan Battle has a good chance to find NFL success, just like former Crimson Tide safeties like Minkah Fitzpatrick and Eddie Jackson. Since Battle's true freshman season in 2019, his numbers have improved each season.
Two seasons ago, Battle finished with 30 total tackles and an interception. In 2020, he finished with 66 total tackles and an interception, including another three tackles for loss.
But his best season so far came in 2021. Battle finished tied for third on the team in tackles, with 87 total, including three interceptions. One of his picks was returned 40 yards for a touchdown against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. Here's a scouting breakdown from Sports Illustrated's Jack Borowsky on what makes Battle so versatile at safety:
"In zone coverage, Battle displays really impressive eye discipline. He stays grounded, relying on his instincts and speed to make a play on the football. His man coverage skills are great as well. His athleticism and fluidity allow him to stay with tight ends and slot receivers in coverage. He has some of the best man-to-man coverage skills in the nation, which should translate very easily at the next level.
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Alabama returns most of its defense from 2021, including Battle. Don't be surprised if he has his best season in Tuscaloosa yet that will shoot him up the draft boards.
Georgia WR/TE Arik Gilbert
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Another crucial component to Georgia's 2022 national title repeat aspirations will be having receiver Arik Gilbert finally suit up. Gilbert missed Georgia's entire 2021 season due to personal reasons.
But Gilbert, who started his career at LSU in 2020 before transferring to Athens, is reportedly back with the team. He accounted for 368 yards and two touchdowns as a true freshman with the Tigers.
The former 5-star recruiting prospect was the No. 1 tight end prospect from the class of 2020 and was ranked fifth nationally. Gilbert had 1,860 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior at Marietta High School. Walter Football has Gilbert as the No. 9 receiver in the 2023 NFL draft.
The Dawgs will get 73 percent of their offense back from 2021, per ESPN's returning production rankings from S&P+. Starting quarterback Stetson Bennett, receiver Kearis Jackson and tight end Brock Bowers will return in 2022.
Nonetheless, Gilbert should be a huge boost for this Dawgs offense, and if he has a breakout season, his draft stock should soar.
Auburn RB Tank Bigsby
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Tank Bigsby is a candidate to see his draft profile rocket if he can continue his ascension. As a true freshman at Auburn in 2020, he rushed for 834 yards and five touchdowns. He finished fifth in the SEC in rushing yards and won the conference's Freshman of the Year Award in addition to being named a first-team freshman All-SEC player.
As a sophomore in 2021, Bigsby recorded 1,099 yards and 10 touchdowns. Per Auburn, Bigsby is already 20th in career rushing in school history. Although Bigsby was reportedly set to enter the transfer portal after the 2021 season, he ultimately stayed put at Auburn.
Bigsby will be working under a new offensive coordinator in Eric Kiesau in 2022. Kiesau was the Tigers' wide receivers coach for most of last season and also worked for Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin at Boise State as the offensive coordinator in 2020 and co-offensive coordinator in 2019. Here's Pro Football Focus on how a new offensive scheme just might be what Bigsby needs to have a breakout season:
"He went from generating 0.24 WAA in 2020 to -0.08 this past season. For reference, that's the difference between the 96th and 25th percentile among FBS players at the position. A shift in offensive philosophy under the new regime could have played a part in that—Bigsby ran a zone concept on 76% of his runs in 2020 to just 52% in 2021. The Auburn star has every bit of a chance to become a first-team All-American in 2022.
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If Bigsby can have a strong campaign, don't be surprised if he becomes one of the best running backs available in the 2023 draft.
Boston College QB Phil Jurkovec
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Boston College signal-caller Phil Jurkovec could have declared for the 2022 NFL draft. Mel Kiper Jr. listed the Eagles' signal-caller as the No. 6 QB prospect for 2022, but the rising senior decided to return to Chestnut Hill next season.
Jurkovec started his career at Notre Dame, playing in just eight games across two seasons before transferring to BC. In his first year as the Eagles' starter, he threw for 2,558 yards and 17 touchdowns with just five interceptions in 2020.
Unfortunately, Jurkovec' suffered a hand injury that required surgery in Week 2, though he did get better in time to play in the Eagles' final four games. On the year, he threw for 914 yards and seven touchdowns.
Jurkovec, who checks in at 6'5", 226 pounds, has NFL-caliber arm talent, per one scouting report on the QB. He can put the ball in the right spots on short and long passes.
Having another complete season under his belt is likely wise for Jurkovec. In 2022, the QB will be working in a new offense under John McNulty.
Jurkovec will get BC's leading receiver, Zay Flowers, back in 2022. Flowers caught 44 passes for 756 yards and five touchdowns last season. In 2020, the receiver caught 56 passes for 892 yards and nine touchdowns from Jurkovec, so the two have plenty of chemistry.
Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs
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Another transfer looking to shine elsewhere is running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who is now at Alabama after spending his first two seasons at Georgia Tech.
Although the Yellow Jackets struggled to win games with Gibbs on the roster (6-16 over the last two seasons), the tailback put up some big numbers both on the ground and in the passing game.
As a true freshman in 2020, he rushed for 460 yards and four touchdowns, adding another 303 yards receiving with three touchdowns in just seven games.
In 2021, he had an even bigger year, recording 746 yards on the ground and 465 receiving. He has six total touchdowns on the year.
On film, Gibbs shows an impressive start-stop ability and quickness that makes him hard to track down once he breaks loose upfield. He can easily turn a screen in the flat into a big gain.
A mock draft from Walter Football has Gibbs going No. 31 overall to the Dolphins in the first round. For this to happen, Gibbs has to have his best season yet.
Luckily for the former Yellow Jacket running back, he should be in a good spot to win the starting job. Starting running back Brian Robinson Jr. declared for the 2022 NFL draft, and backups Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams are coming off of season-ending injuries. Meanwhile, Trey Sanders missed the 2019 season due to injury and suffered a broken pelvis in 2020.
If Gibbs can win the starting job and maintain his production from his days at Georgia Tech, he might be hearing his name called early on draft day.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
