2023 NFL Draft: Prospects with the Most to Prove in 2022

Bryan Bresee, DL, Clemson

Bryan Bresee was a top-three recruit in the entire nation when he chose to attend Clemson University. Bresee helped lead one of the strongest defensive units in the country, en route to a playoff appearance in 2020 versus the Ohio State Buckeyes. Trevor Lawrence’s storied career came to an end, but Bresee was amped up to get back and avenge the loss in 2021. Unfortunately, the football gods had other ideas. The monster defensive tackle was working on career highs across the board, however in the fourth game of the season, disaster struck. Bresee tore his ACL and subsequently was out for the remainder of the season.

Clemson found themselves in uncharted territory by starting 4-3. They won out, ending the season on a high note. Head coach Dabo Swinney holds higher standards, though, so you know that he is hungry to hush all the doubters. Bresee himself will need to prove that his knee is fully recovered and capable of holding up for an entire season of football. When healthy, he is a menace as a run defender and still very much improving as a pass rusher from the interior. He earned one of the highest grades of any recruit in the past decade, now he and his team have the opportunity to rebound after a down 2021 season. If he returns to form, expect to hear Bresee’s name early in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Eli Ricks, CB, Alabama

The LSU Tigers firing head coach Ed Orgeron had program-wide repercussions. Perhaps the biggest transfer took place when Eli Ricks entered his name into the portal. Ricks provided stellar play at the cornerback position as a true freshman, earning Second Team All-SEC and Third Team All-American honors. He not only did things that don’t show up in the box score, he also stuffed the stat sheet with four interceptions, taking two of those all the way back for a pick six. Ricks is a game-changer in every sense of the term.

To the surprise of many, Ricks chose to transfer within the SEC, joining the rival Alabama Crimson Tide. He enters a star-studded secondary in Tuscaloosa. With the sheer amount of talent rostered, Ricks will not have the luxury of resting on his laurels. The former five-star recruit out of Mater Dei must earn his playing time, like anyone else in the locker room. The good news? He’s got the talent in spades to claim one of the starting cornerback spots. After a recent arrest for speeding and possession of marijuana, he may be working with a shorter leash than others due to head coach Nick Saban’s no nonsense attitude. All eyes will be on Eli Ricks this fall.