Six Sleepers In The 2023 NFL Draft That Teams Will Love Immediately
The 2023 NFL Draft is now less than three weeks away, and the time leading up to it is usually the most entertaining. With the combine, pro days, and team meetings now wrapping up, teams are locking in on their guys.
Every year there are always a few players that are clearly extremely talented, but get overlooked for various reasons and fall to later rounds. Here are six of my favorite 2023 NFL Draft sleepers that I think teams will be more than happy to have on their roster.
TE: Payne Durham
Payne Durham made a name for himself at the Senior Bowl. Even after an impressive 2022 season and sensational Senior Bowl week, many don’t have Durham going within the first two days of the draft. The tight end out of Purdue isn’t a freak athlete like Darnell Washington or as fluid of a mover as Dalton Kincaid, but Durham looks like one of the most complete tight ends in the draft.
May I present to you the best play of the Senior Bowl so far: A @BoilerFootball TE Payne Durham TD 🔥 pic.twitter.com/U37PN0nMV2 — Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) February 2, 2023
His size, frame, and strong hands make him a great redzone and vertical seam threat, as well as a safety blanket for a quarterback and a solid run blocker for a running back. Durham looks like he’ll be one of the multiple gems in the later rounds.
QB: Clayton Tune
Clayton Tune has caught a lot of my attention over the past couple of months of pre-draft analysis. According to Ian Rapoport, I’m not alone. Tune isn’t flawless and as a senior, he isn’t a “young” product like Bryce or CJ, but he has everything you would want in a QB. He has the ability to progress through reads while resetting his base, the mobility to improvise and extend plays, and the arm and touch to make almost any throw on the field.
What a beauty!🤩 Tune ➡️ Dell for the 2nd time today to take the lead with 3 minutes left to play!#AmericanFB x @UHCougarFB pic.twitter.com/TX61AHr4Xj — American Football (@American_FB) October 1, 2022
With his solid mechanics, understanding of the position, and his ability to make plays with his legs, it’s hard to find things not to like from Tune. He doesn’t have the noise surrounding him, but his tape speaks louder than any draft hype. With the right system, he could have a nice preseason ahead of him.
RB: Evan Hull
Hull may not have the flash of other backs in this class, but he certainly looks like one of the most polished. I talked about Hull in a previous article as well, and as I continue to watch his tape, the more I feel he is still overlooked. Hull showcases amazing patience and footwork to maneuver around his blockers, the strength, and balance to get extra yards, and the football I.Q. to understand and help when his QB is in trouble.
Evan Hull squats 515 — and can do this as wellpic.twitter.com/Uj63xHCxqZ — Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) August 27, 2022
Hull’s rushing ability is only half of the appeal, as he is an exceptional receiving back too. It is argued (usually without contest) that he’s among the best receiving backs in this class. Whoever snags Hull will definitely be getting a steal. He could be a starting third-down back in September for the right team.
WR: Michael Wilson
Michael Wilson is one of the better receivers in this draft, but his draft grade won’t show it. Wilson will likely fall to Day Two, not because of his skill set, but because of his injury history. Wilson has missed 17 games in his collegiate career due to two season-ending injuries: one in 2020 and the other this past season.
Here is every one-on-one rep for #Stanford WR Michael Wilson at the Senior Bowl: pic.twitter.com/5z0gF82uBq — Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) February 3, 2023
His lack of blazing speed at the 40-yard dash will also make teams hesitate to pick him early. But just like with receivers like DeAndre Hopkins, he plays much faster than his 40-time of 4.58. With a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.54, even a pedestrian 40-time couldn’t bring down his impressive athletic profile. Teams will fall in love with his combination of size, character, release, hands, and toughness.
OT: Wanya Morris
Wanya Morris is another name I have mentioned before and is one that I’ll keep mentioning. Oklahoma has done a great job (again) at developing elite offensive tackles, with both Morris and Anton Harrison. While Harrison is expected to be a first-round pick, Morris is currently projected to be a late Day Two or early Day Three pick.
Great job re-anchoring by Wanya Morris 💪 pic.twitter.com/zSFDRCuyBQ — Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) February 2, 2023
The more I watch Morris, the more I am convinced he could be a starter from Week One. Of all the tackles’ films that I watched, Morris’ stood out the most with his consistent ability to rarely ever lose control of his base and his ability to quickly adapt to variations of rush moves and combos. He also has the versatility to play at left tackle, which he showcased during Senior Bowl week. Morris will be a valuable pick for a lucky organization.
CB: Clark Phillips III
Clark Phillips III had a phenomenal season last year and was named the best CB in college football. Yet, many don’t have a first-round grade on him as he is expected to go on Day Two. This is mostly due to his below-desired height of 5’9″ and his relatively pedestrian athletic testing scores during his Pro Day and Combine.
Clark Phillips! 🔒🔒🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/CdeaF3yWVR — WeAreDBnation (@WeAreDBNation1) March 3, 2023
Phillips made an effort to improve on creating takeaways, and he came out last season and showed it. In a deep draft class, I don’t blame anyone for overlooking him, but he has everything you would want in a star corner, especially “that dawg”. Some lucky team will land Phillips on Day Two and come upon a versatile playmaking corner that can spark a defense from day one.
The Bottom Line
These names will surely be on the draft boards of many general managers and front-office executives. The only questions are when these players get picked and by whom? Luckily for us, we won’t have to wait too much longer to find out. It all starts to unfold Thursday, April 27 on ESPN and NFL Network.
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