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One Non-First-Round 2023 NFL Draft Prospect For Every Team

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Draft Prospect Team

The 2023 NFL Draft is packed with prospects for every team’s needs. While the first-round prospects get all the media attention, the non-first-round prospects are the ones that fill out NFL rosters. Let’s look at one non-first-round draft prospect suited for every team.

Non-First-Round NFL Draft Prospect For Every Team

Arizona Cardinals – Luke Wypler (Center, Ohio State)

According to Tony Pauline, the Arizona Cardinals will select Luke Wypler with one of their third-round picks. After Rodney Hudson’s retirement, the Cardinals’ starting center is Hjalte Froholdt. Wypler would be an immediate upgrade. The team is also interested in tackle Paris Johnson Jr., a fellow prospect out of Ohio State, in the first round of the draft.

Atlanta Falcons – Stetson Bennett (Quarterback, Georgia)

With an unclear future for Desmond Ridder and the Atlanta Falcons, the team may add a late-round quarterback. Bennett would bring a competitive edge and winner’s mentality. In Arthur Smith’s run-first offense, Bennett would find success. Having attended Georgia, keeping Bennett local boosts the appeal of this pick too.

Baltimore Ravens – Malik Cunningham (Quarterback, Louisville)

Malik Cunningham is often dubbed ‘budget Lamar Jackson’. He is an explosive athlete with good college production. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback room is messy. Jackson has demanded a trade, though Tyler Huntley has been tendered. Whoever Baltimore has, Cunningham would be a good backup quarterback in Todd Monken’s system designed for Jackson.

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Buffalo Bills – Dee Winters (Linebacker, Texas Christian)

The Buffalo Bills need an off-ball linebacker after losing Tremaine Edmunds. Dee Winters would be a good late-round prospect for this team that could complement an early-round linebacker in the draft. Winters is strong in coverage and, despite being undersized, plays with violence and power.

Carolina Panthers – Jonathan Mingo (Wide Receiver, Ole Miss)

In trading up to the first overall pick, the Carolina Panthers lost D.J. Moore. Without Moore, Carolina has tried to re-build their receiver room by signing Adam Thielen and D.J. Chark. Jonathan Mingo would be a good value pick in the middle rounds of the draft. A big, physical slot receiver, Mingo has the potential to be a long-term piece in Carolina’s new offense under Frank Reich.

Chicago Bears – Jaelyn Duncan (Offensive Tackle, Maryland)

The Chicago Bears have needs everywhere. This year, they should address their offensive line deficiencies for Justin Fields’ long-term health. Jaelyn Duncan is a mid-round prospect with a high ceiling. Given Duncan’s athleticism and Chicago’s lack of quality linemen, Duncan could start for them at left tackle or guard.

Cincinnati Bengals – Clark Phillips (Cornerback, Utah)

Clark Phillips is an underrated cornerback prospect. He excels in man coverage and has good ball skills. Despite his smaller size, Phillips plays hard. The Cincinnati Bengals need cornerbacks and Phillips would be a mid-round nice selection. He met with the Bengals at the NFL Combine.

Cleveland Browns – Israel Abanikanda (Running Back, Pittsburgh)

The Cleveland Browns are without Kareem Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson. That leaves Nick Chubb as the team’s lone back. Adding running back prospect Israel Abanikanda through the draft would be smart for the team. The former Pitt Panther boasts excellent athletic traits and shows phenomenal contact balance.

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Dallas Cowboys – Devon Achane (Running Back, Texas A&M)

Only the Dallas Cowboys met with Devon Achane at the NFL Combine. Having attended Texas A&M, Dallas’ interest is unsuprising. With Ezekiel Elliott departing, Tony Pollard will be their feature back. Achane has been effective on limited touches. Having the speedster as RB2 makes sense.

Denver Broncos – Adetomiwa Adeboware (Edge, Northwestern)

The Denver Broncos have made a lot of splashes this off-season. After trading for Sean Payton, Vance Joseph was hired as defensive coordinator. The team lost Dre’Mont Jones but replaced him with Zach Allen. With Bradley Chubb traded, Denver needs edge rushers. Adetomiwa Adeboware is an intriguing second-round prospect, who projects well in Joseph’s scheme thanks to his athletic tools and versatility.

Detroit Lions – Noah Sewell (Linebacker, Oregon)

In 2021, the Detroit Lions drafted Penei Sewell. In 2023, the Lions could double down on the Sewell family by drafting Noah Sewell, Penei Sewell’s brother. Noah Sewell is a natural leader who plays with a lot of aggression. His mentality fits in well with Dan Campbell’s philosophy. At the NFL level, Sewell projects best as a primary pass rusher with limited off-ball duties.

Green Bay Packers – Zack Kuntz (Tight End, Old Dominion)

The Green Bay Packers are in a mess. Aaron Rodgers’ departure is imminent, meaning Jordan Love will start in 2023. A couple of seasons ago, Rodgers found success throwing to Robert Tonyan. Could the Packers recreate that by drafting Zack Kuntz? Kuntz is a great pass catcher with bundles of athleticism. This prospect would be a good late-round draft selection in a position of need for this team.

Houston Texans – Sean Tucker (Running Back, Syracuse)

Sean Tucker had one Combine visit. That was with the Houston Texans. With DeMeco Ryans bringing Bobby Slowik as offensive coordinator, expect a run-focused Shanahan offense. Acquiring a late-round halfback in Tucker would be good value. He has good agility, quick feet and high-end speed. His ability to attack holes and make cuts means he is an excellent fit.

Indianapolis Colts – Wanya Morris (Offensive Tackle, Oklahoma)

The Indianapolis Colts offensive line was once the best in the NFL. Wanya Morris would be a good pick to add quality youth and depth to their ageing line. Morris has excellent positional versatility, making him a lock for the matchday roster if drafted.

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Jacksonville Jaguars – Jaquelin Roy (Defensive Tackle, Louisianna State)

The Jacksonville Jaguars have few needs bigger than interior defensive line. Given the depth of the position, a mid-round pick is most reasonable. Jaquelin Roy has good athleticism and size and has shown upside as a pass rusher. The Jaguars visited Roy at the LSU Pro Day, suggesting there is interest.

Kansas City Chiefs – Deuce Vaughn (Running Back, Kansas State)

Keeping players local is always fun, especially when they are as talented as Deuce Vaughn. Vaughn is an undersized running back but, what he lacks in height, he makes up for in speed. With Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s Kansas City Chiefs future dwindling, Vaughn would be an excellent complement to Isaiah Pacheco. Vaughn also has experience returning and could replace Skyy Moore in this department.

Las Vegas Raiders – Marvin Mims (Wide Receiver, Oklahoma)

The Las Vegas Raiders and Josh McDaniels run a complex offense. It was the reason they needed to sign Jimmy Garoppolo, a quarterback that was familiar with the scheme. In McDaniels’ system, Marvin Mims could be used as a gadget player.

Los Angeles Chargers – SirVocea Dennis (Linebacker, Pittsburgh)

The Los Angeles Chargers will start Kenneth Murray and Eric Kendricks in 2023, but Murray enters a contract year. When Troy Reeder was forced into action, he looked far from a long-term solution. Thus, SirVocea Dennis would be a suitable late-round selection. He is a developmental linebacker who has shown good athletic upside. With a redshirt, Dennis could feasibly develop into a defensive starter for 2024.

Los Angeles Rams – Clayton Tune (Quarterback, Houston)

The Los Angeles Rams are undergoing a rebuild. At the moment, their only quarterback on the roster is Matthew Stafford. Therefore, the Rams could take a punt on Clayton Tune to be their backup. Tune is a highly intelligent player with strong leadership qualities. His mechanics need work but, under Sean McVay, Tune’s intangibles make him a good fit.

Miami Dolphins – Anthony Bradford (Offensive Tackle, Louisiana State)

Cutting Terron Armstead at some point over the next few seasons saves a lot of cap. Therefore, the Miami Dolphins could draft a project player to replace him soon. Anthony Bradford is a developmental tackle who has enticing physical traits. He has shown good versatility, meaning he would provide valuable depth too.

Minnesota Vikings – Kayshon Boutte (Wide Receiver, Louisiana State)

Without Thielen, the Minnesota Vikings only have K.J. Osborn behind Justin Jefferson. Kayshon Boutte was supposed to be part of the generation of LSU receivers, which included Odell Beckham Jr., Ja’Marr Chase and Jefferson. Boutte is not quite up there but, should Minnesota dip into the LSU receiver pool again, Boutte’s partnership with Jefferson would be electric.

New England Patriots – Jammie Robinson (Safety, Florida State)

The New England Patriots like having young, athletic defensive backs. Jammie Robinson fits that bill. The Florida State prospect has lacked production at college level, but his high motor, strong tackling and good versatility makes Robinson a fitting pick for the Patriots in the third or fourth round.

New Orleans Saints – Atonio Mafi (Offensive Guard, UCLA)

Thanks to a very capable class of interior offensive linemen this year, Atonio Mafi has resulted as somewhat of a hidden gem. The former UCLA guard is huge and great physical traits. As a depth piece on the New Orleans Saints’ line, Mafi would be able to refine his game before taking meaningful snaps.

New York Giants – Juice Scruggs (Center, Penn State)

The New York Giants’ starting center is Ben Bredeson, who is replacement quality. Scruggs would be a capable, cheap and young backup, who could earn the starting job soon. With Daniel Jones extended, drafting Scruggs as his long-term center would be a smart decision.

New York Jets – John Michael Schmitz (Center, Minnesota)

The New York Jets visited John Michael Schmitz at the Combine. They have also had a private visit and workout. He is considered the most NFL-ready center in the class and would start for the Jets immediately. Given the Jets’ lack of a starting center, Schmitz would make sense in the second round.

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Philadelphia Eagles – Tank Bigsby (Running Back, Auburn)

The Philadelphia Eagles need a power back after losing Miles Sanders. Many believe Philadelphia will draft Bijan Robinson in the first round, but that would be uncharacteristic of Howie Roseman. A more likely selection would be Tank Bigsby in the third round. Bigsby is a powerful back with good touchdown production. This makes him a good replacement for Sanders.

Pittsburgh Steelers – Dawand Jones (Offensive Tackle, Ohio State)

As Mike Kashuba said in his piece about fun rookie-team pairings, Dawand Jones and the Pittsburgh Steelers feels like a good fit. Jones is a man mountain at 6’8” and plays like a mauler. The Steelers once had one of the NFL’s most dominant lines. Drafting Jones would help them return to that status.

San Francisco 49ers – Darell Luter Jr. (Cornerback, South Alabama)

The San Francisco 49ers are very light at cornerback. This means that Darrell Luter Jr. would be a good pick in the later rounds of the draft. The South Alabama prospect has prototypical size and plays with good length. There is a lot of developing required, but he would thrive in a team with an elite front seven.

Seattle Seahawks – J.L. Skinner (Safety, Boise State)

The success of Tariq Woolen-esque prospects suggests the Seattle Seahawks can develop exceptional athletes into elite players. J.L. Skinner could be next. Skinner said that he is a big fan of former Seahawk Kam Chancellor, and the likenesses in their playstyles are astounding. While Jamal Adams returns this year, Skinner’s versatility will allow him to find playing time.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Mekhi Blackmon (Cornerback, South Carolina)

Mekhi Blackmon is a competitive cornerback who thrives on his aggressive and tight coverage. He would be a good fit for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who play a press-man system and need more cornerbacks. Tampa Bay spoke with Blackmon at the Combine.

Tennessee Titans – Cody Mauch (Offensive Tackle, North Dakota State)

Cody Mauch is among the most interesting prospects in this year’s draft. While his versatility means that he has yet to establish a long-term position, Mauch is an extremely strong lineman who will thrive in the NFL. After the Tennessee Titans’ struggles at left tackle last year, Mauch could be brought in to compete.

Washington Commanders – Darnell Wright (Offensive Tackle Tennessee)

The Washington Commanders had a private visit with Darnell Wright. Wright is a fast learner with good raw traits. He fits a run-heavy, quick passing scheme. Allowing Wright to back up right tackle Andrew Wylie for a year or two would be beneficial.

Main Photo: Nathan Fish – USA Today Sports

The post One Non-First-Round 2023 NFL Draft Prospect For Every Team appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.