Best players available heading into day two of the 2023 NFL Draft
Apr 28, 2023, 6:47 AM
The first day of the NFL Draft was incredible! It started off the way I expected with quarterback Bryce Young being selected No. 1 overall by the Carolina Panthers. After that, chaos ensued.
It was a wild ride as we saw teams make multiple trades to get the players they wanted. We saw a run on a position (four wide receivers in a row!) and some surprise picks (and non-picks) along the way.
After 31 players have been selected, there are still quite a few talented players left on the board. I’m not going to include Kentucky quarterback Will Levis in this article, because I had a second-round grade on him. The TV cameras kept going back to Levis in the green room, but NFL scouts weren’t as high on him as those in the media. However, there are some players I thought could at least go in the teens that will be available on day two of the draft.
If round one was any indication, then round two and round three on Friday are going to be crazy! Here are some of the best players available for day two of the NFL Draft.
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O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida – the best guard in this class remains on the board. It’s not him, as Torrence is incredibly talented, but positional value as pass-rushers and cornerbacks were deemed more important by teams I felt would be considering him.
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Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame – arguably the best tight end in this class will be available on Day 2, and I expect there will be a run on the position early in the second round. Dalton Kincaid (Bills) was the only tight end selected in the first round, but he’s more of a pure receiving threat while Mayer is a better all-purpose tight end who can catch and block.
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Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State – speaking of tight ends, one of my favorites in this amazing class is still on the board. Musgrave is a “Y” tight end like Mayer who can catch and block. I feel he’s got the ability to start immediately in the NFL, something that most tight ends need time to achieve. Perhaps the Broncos could move up for Musgrave if his slide continues much further into the second round.
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Joey Porter Jr, CB, Penn State – this is a fine cornerback class, and Porter is one of the best of the bunch, so it was surprising he didn’t hear his name called on Thursday. He’s a tough corner with strength and length. There is no doubt that Porter can re-route receivers and stick with them down the field. I expect him to be one of the first five players selected in the second round.
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Keion White, Edge, Georgia Tech – I felt that White was a borderline first-round pick. He didn’t get his name called, but this quick pass-rusher is a favorite of scouts I talk to. He’s a violent player who arrives at the ball-carrier with bad intentions. White also has the speed to work in coverage when tasked with sticking to running backs in the open field.
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B.J. Ojulair, Edge, LSU – Ojulari is a freakish athlete who can get after the quarterback. I like the way he bends and bursts on the way to the passer. Ojulari wins with quickness, and he’s got multiple moves to bust out on blockers. At the very least, I think Ojulari will make for a good rotational pass-rusher in the NFL.
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