2023 NFL Draft: The Most Intriguing Prospect on Each Top 25 Team in the Preseason AP Poll

BYU has sent a player to the NFL in six of the past seven years, including a whopping five in 2021. Two Cougars have a great chance of being drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft, but one of them stands out. Offensive tackle Blake Freeland is listed at 6’8, 305 pounds, and he looks even bigger with his pads on. Freeland began his career at right tackle, starting 7 games as a true freshman. During the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the towering lineman started eight more games. In 2021, he continued his ascension by starting all of the team’s 13 games at left tackle. Freeland, a former quarterback, moves extremely well for his size and possesses a strong technical prowess at offensive tackle, even with his limited experience. To hear his name called early, Freeland must continue to refine the fundamental side of his game.

The Houston Cougars program has become an NFL factory of sorts in the trenches. Ed Oliver, Josh Jones, Payton Turner, and Logan Hall are all examples of Houston alum going inside of the first two days of the NFL Draft. After redshirting in 2017, Derek Parish went on to appear in 47 games over the next four seasons. He became a full-time starter alongside Logan Hall in 2021, and oftentimes, Parish stole the spotlight from his former teammate. The two helped form what is known as “Sack Avenue”, a fitting name for a stacked group of defensive linemen in Houston. Parish will get his chance to be “the guy” on the defense this season. If he can prove that his success wasn’t a byproduct of all the attention his teammates have garnered, expect the star pass rusher to challenge for double-digit sacks in 2022.

This might be cheating, but both of the Pace brothers deserve to be highlighted here. Deshawn has been a member of the Bearcats since arriving on campus as a true freshman in 2020. He posted strong numbers during Cincinnati’s playoff run this past season, ranking third on the entire team in total tackles. Ivan Pace Jr. began elsewhere, at Miami (OH), but ultimately ended up back with his brother after announcing his transfer to Cincinnati this offseason. Ivan stuffed the stat sheet in 2021, recording 125 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, and even an interception! He brings that versatility to the Bearcats’ linebacker room that lost their leader, Darrian Beavers, to the NFL Draft. Both players are enticing prospects for the next level, but their improvements in 2022 will ultimately determine how high they go.

You would be forgiven if you haven’t watched much Wake Forest football over the past couple of years, but they’ve got something good going on in the ACC. While they’ll likely never be a powerhouse, the Demon Deacons have had at least one player drafted since the 2016 season. This includes current Bengals’ superstar, Jessie Bates III. Who is next in line? None other than Rondell Bothroyd. After starting sparingly for his first couple of years on campus, Bothroyd broke out in a major way in 2021. The gifted pass rusher recorded a team-leading 16.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and even added seven sacks to his resume. Bothroyd is not a “freak” athlete, but that doesn’t mean he’s a bad one. He must prove that he can maintain stamina throughout the game and it wouldn’t hurt if he introduced a few more pass rush moves to his catalog. If he shows improvement in terms of consistency, there’s a chance he’s a big-time riser in the 2022 NFL Draft.

It has become a popular trend on social media to say that “running backs don’t matter”. We can argue about that all day, but I can tell you for a fact that Zach Evans matters to the Ole Miss offense. Evans has never been a bell-cow back in college, as he spent 2020 and 2021 as a change of pace back that rarely saw any in-game action. After transferring to Ole Miss, Evans is in line to finally get some run as the top player on the depth chart. In his limited action with TCU, Evans proved to be an explosive player with the ball in his hands. He brings a strong career yards-per-carry (7.3) with him to the Rebels. Lane Kiffin is a maestro when it comes to the offense, so don’t be surprised if you see Evans regularly putting on a show in 2022. Keep an eye out for him.