NFL Draft Notebook: Ten Prospects who had Strong All-Star Weeks

The past two weeks were one of the most important time periods in the NFL Draft cycle as we saw top prospects take part in the East-West Shrine Game, NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, and Senior Bowl. Now that these games have wrapped up though it is time to see which players helped their draft stock the most.

In addition to taking a look at whose stock is moving in the right direction this week’s article also takes a look at the following

• Why the Denver Broncos must address their offensive line
• The top tight ends in the 2023 NFL Draft
• A quarterback whose draft stock is falling
• And much more

NFL Draft Prospects: Top Ten Performances from All-Star Games

1. John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota
The top riser of any prospect to take part in an All-Star game this year was Minnesota center, John Michael Schmitz. Going into the Senior Bowl he was considered a third-round prospect, but now after a strong week teams could start looking at him towards the end of the first round. Schmitz won with both power controlling his defender at the point of attack and mobility showing the ability to easily get to the second level and winning against the most athletic defensive tackles.

2. Kei’Trel Clark, CB, Louisville
The biggest riser at this year’s East-West Shrine Bowl was Louisville cornerback Kei’Trel Clark who made numerous plays during the week including a nice interception on day three of practice. While Clark lacks ideal size he has the football IQ, quickness, and toughness to carve out a role as a nickel corner.

3. Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane
Tulane’s Tyjae Spears comes off a great bowl game against USC where he rushed for four touchdowns, with an outstanding Senior Bowl. During practice last week Spears showed the dynamic speed and curring ability that could earn him a starting job next year. He also looked impressive in passing drills oftentimes embarrassing defenders who tried to cover him one-on-one.

4. Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State
A team looking for a wide receiver who can take the top off a defense and also help out on special will love what they find in Jayden Reed. During Wednesday’s practice, Reed posted the top speed of any player at the Senior Bowl clocking in at 20.08 MPH, and gained separation from defenders down after down. He also looked good returning punts which should come as no surprise since he led the Big Ten with an 8.8 yard per punt return average last season.

5. Adetomiwa Adebawore, DT, Northwestern
A sleeper going into Senior Bowl week was Northwestern defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore, but after an impressive week no one is sleeping on him anymore. He showed an explosive first step off the ball and also moved well for someone 284 pounds.

6. A.T. Perry, WR, Wake Forst
The wide receiver everyone was talking about at the East-West Shrine Bowl who was unguardable at times was Wake Forest’s, A.T. Perry. He did a terrific job of getting separation in one-on-ones and showed he is also one of the better deep threats in the 2023 NFL Draft.

7. Kyu Blu Kelly, CB, Stanford
One of the bigger ballhawks during Senior Bowl week was Stanford’s Kyu Blu Kelly. He made several impressive plays during the week showing the ability to consistently break on the ball. If he can run a good time at the NFL Combine look for teams to consider him late on day two of the 2023 NFL Draft.

8. Aidan O’Connell, QB, Purdue
The best overall performance from any quarterback during the All-Star process was Purdue’s Aidan O’Connell. During his week at the Shrine Bowl, he displayed the footwork, accuracy, and leadership ability to go from a late-round pick to some teams might consider as early as the third round.

9. Demario Douglas, WR, Liberty
Liberty’s Demario Douglas stood out at the Shrine Bowl despite his 5-foot-7 frame. He displayed the quickness to consistently get open and the hands to secure even the toughest catch. If a team drafts Douglas they will get a player who can help out as a slot receiver and also return kicks.

10. Xavier Gipson, WR, Stephen F. Austin
A player who opened up some eyes at the NFLPA Bowl was Xavier Gipson. Gipson’s highlight of the week came when he hauled in a 48-yard pass in the first quarter. However, that was not his only highlight of the game as he also looked strong in one-on-ones and proved why he is worth a late-round pick in the 2023 NFL.

With Limited NFL Draft Capital, the Denver Broncos must address the offensive line

One of the most disappointing teams in the NFL last season was the Denver Broncos who going into the season were projected to make the playoffs, just went just 5-12 on the season. One of the main reasons for this poor season was the poor play of their offensive line.

Last year, Denver allowed the most sacks per game giving up an average of 3.7 sacks a game. They also struggled opening running lanes with the Broncos finishing 17th in yards per carry. Part of the problem with last year’s group was a lack of continuity as Denver saw several plays battle injuries and had 10 different offensive line combinations.

The lack of production from last year’s offensive line group and the fact five players from this unit are scheduled to be free agents make this a position Denver must address in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Broncos currently don’t have a first or second-round pick which means they will have to find great value with the five picks they currently have. One player the team should consider with one of their third-round picks is Miami’s Zion Nelson who despite inconsistent play this year is one of the more athletic linemen in the 2023 NFL Draft. If the team decides to look at the interior of the offensive line they could also consider a prospect like Steve Avila of TCU.

Top Five Tight Ends in the 2023 NFL Draft

1. Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
There should be no doubt that Michael Mayer will be the top tight end in the 2023 NFL Draft. Mayer is the complete package and is your classic old-school tight end. As a blocker, he has the power to consistently move his man off the ball, although he could be even better in this area with better technique. Mayer is also one of the best receiving tight ends in the draft especially in the short to mid-range passing game. In this area he shows the strength to catch the ball in traffic, the agility to make the tough catch, and is a threat to pick up yards after contact.

https://twitter.com/NDFootball/status/1477358273351147520

2. Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave only started 15 games during his college career, yet despite the limited playing time has already proven he is one of the top tight ends in the 2023 NFL Draft. The trait that first sticks out with Musgrave is 6-foot-6 250-pound size. He uses this size and his athletic ability to be a go-to target in the passing game having caught at least 5 passes in every game he played in this season. As a blocker, he has the frame to be an asset in the running game but must be more physical in this area.

3. Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
This year’s tight end class is loaded as the top three tight ends could all go with the first 50 picks of the NFL Draft. The third tight end in this group is Georgia’s Darnell Washington whose massive 6-foot-7 and 269-pound frame makes him the best blocker in this group. He also is an impressive for an athlete his size and has the skill set to be a dangerous weapon in the red zone.

4. Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State
The top small school player in the 2023 NFL Draft is South Dakota’s Tucker Kraft. What makes Kraft such a highly thought-of prospect despite missing six games due to a foot injury is his well-rounded game. Kraft is similar to Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer in that both are strong blockers who can also be counted on to make the tough catch in the passing game.

5. Dalton Kincaid, Utah
A team looking for more of an H-back who has outstanding receiving skills compared to more of an in-line tight end will like what they see in Utah’s Dalton Kincaid. This previous year Kincaid led all FBS tight ends in receiving yards with 890 yards and also finished in yards after the catch. The reason Kincaid is such an elite receiver is his strong hands and how well he attacks the ball in the passing game. On the downside, teams won’t get much from him as a blocker since he lacks the strength to hold up at the point of contact.

NFL Draft Scouting Notes

— Another all-around tight end who just missed the top five tight end list is Iowa’s Sam LaPorta. This past season despite playing in one of the worst passing games in college football LaPorta was still able to record 58 rec for 657 yards. What sticks out with LaPorta is his athletic ability which allows him to make the tough catch. He also is a threat to pick up yards after the catch due to his overall quickness and power running style after the catch.

— A player who just missed the top ten All-Star game performance list was Iowa State’s Will McDonald. To start the week he weighed in at 241 pounds which was up from his Iowa State playing weight. He also showcased the athleticism that made him such a feared pass rusher for the Cyclone despite carrying the extra weight. During his week in Mobile, he routinely beat the man he was going up off the ball and also showed the ability to beat his man in space. One team who could make sense for McDonald in the second round is the Chicago Bears if they end up not taking Will Anderson in the first round.

— Michigan’s Jake Moody proved why he is the top special team prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft with his strong performance at the East-West Shrine game. In this game, he connected on all four of his field goals including two kicks from 51 yards. For his impressive performance, he was named the MVP of the game, becoming the first kicker to win it since 2015. I currently have a sixth-round grade on him but could see him going as high as the fourth round.

— While Ohio State offensive tackle Dawand Jones had a dominant Senior Bowl practice and weigh-in, the first-round talk he is getting is too high for his play on the field at Ohio State. When watching his Buckeye film the trait that scares scouts is his ability to operate in space. At times he looks lost on film when asked to block in space and shows only average athletic ability. He also plays with a high pad level which diminishes his strength. When looking at his overall body of work which includes both his Senior Bowl and Ohio State tape he should be more of a third or fourth-round prospect than a day-one selection.

— One player who has definitely not helped his stock recently is Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett who was recently arrested for public intoxication. This is a red flag for a prospect some people were building up because of his supposedly high character. This along with the fact he has looked overly self-confident at times might make his character more of a concern than a positive at this point. It also didn’t help that he skipped the Senior Bowl which was a chance he could have separated himself from other quarterbacks talent-wise, while also selling teams on the fact he has the leadership ability to lead an NFL team.

— One of the reasons people are saying it is not a smart choice to take Texas running back Bijan Robinson, is that you can find a high-quality starter in the middle of the draft. While it is true you can find sleepers at the position in the draft, it is worth noting that nine of the top ten rushers last year were either first or second-round picks. For comparison sakes, only five of the top ten receivers in receiving yards were drafted in the first or second round. This should prove that if a player is elite like Robinson, they are worth taking in the first round.

Quote of the Week

“I love being the glue that holds the offense together. As a center, we have to connect everybody together. I have to make sure that we’re all on the same page. I have to make sure the offensive line is performing as a unit. We need to see the entire picture the defense is giving us on a snap-by-snap basis. We have to be united. I love doing that for my team. ”

-Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz to the Draft Network on why he loves playing center.