NFL.com's Bucky Brooks releases initial top 5 prospects by position rankings
The pre-draft process is in full swing.
Experts have been releasing their predictions for the first round of the NFL Draft now that the 2022 season is officially over.
This week, NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks published his top 5 prospects by position rankings ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Here are Brooks' initial top prospects by position in this year's draft:
EDGE DEFENDERS
1. Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
2. Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
3. Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
4. Keion White, Georgia Tech
5. Myles Murphy, Purdue
"This year's edge crop features an intriguing collection of sack artists and disruptive playmakers."
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
1. Jalen Carter, Georgia
2. Bryan Bresee, Clemson
3. Siaki Ika, Baylor
4. Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin
5. Mazi Smith, Michigan
"The 2023 DT pool offers some high-end prospects with blue-chip potential."
LINEBACKERS
1. Drew Sanders, Arkansas
2. Trenton Simpson, Clemson
3. Jack Campbell, Iowa
4. Henry To'oTo'o, Alabama
5. Noah Sewell, Oregon
"Seeking tackling machines with outstanding instincts and high football IQs? You've come to the right draft class!"
CORNERBACKS
1. Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
2. Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
3. Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
4. Cam Smith, South Carolina
5. Kelee Ringo, Georgia
"This corner crop features a series of instinctive cover men with ball skills and playmaking ability."
SAFETIES
1. Brian Branch, Alabama
2. Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
3. Ji'Ayir Brown, Penn State
4. Jammie Robinson, Florida State
5. Jordan Battle, Alabama
"The evolution of the safety position at the NFL level makes this 2023 group an enticing collection of talent. Teams looking for center fielders and nickel corner types will love the group."
QUARTERBACKS
1. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
2. Bryce Young, Alabama
3. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
4. Will Levis, Kentucky
5. Tanner McKee, Stanford
"While the 2023 quarterback crop is an upgrade on the '22 group, it still lacks the pizzazz of certain classes from the recent vintage. That said, there are some quality signal-callers with the potential to evolve into long-term QB1s in the right environment."
RUNNING BACKS
1. Bijan Robinson, Texas
2. Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
3. Zach Charbonnet, UCLA
4. Devon Achane, Texas A&M
5. DeWayne McBride, UAB
"This RB class is loaded with potential starters, many of whom could come off the board in the middle rounds, given the devaluation of the position in the draft hierarchy."
WIDE RECEIVERS
1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
2. Zay Flowers, Boston College
3. Quentin Johnston, TCU
4. Jordan Addison, USC
5. Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
"While lacking a high-end prospect with Ja'Marr Chase-like potential, this year's wide receiver pool features a collection of intriguing pass catchers with polished games."
TIGHT ENDS
1. Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
2. Dalton Kincaid, Utah
3. Darnell Washington, Georgia
4. Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
5. Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State
"The 2023 tight end class will intrigue coaches and scouts seeking basketball-like athletes with post-up skills and soft hands."
OFFENSIVE TACKLES
1. Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State
2. Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
3. Broderick Jones, Georgia
4. Darnell Wright, Tennessee
5. Cody Mauch, North Dakota State
"This group offers a solid collection of edge blockers with the size, length and movement skills to challenge elite pass rushers in isolated matchups."
INTERIOR BLOCKERS
1. O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida
2. John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota
3. Luke Wypler, Ohio State
4. Steve Avila, TCU
5. Andrew Vorhees, USC
"The 2023 NFL Draft is loaded with talented interior blockers possessing the capacity to play guard or center. The versatility will enable teams to peg the majority of the top prospects as swing players with the potential to fill multiple spots in the lineup."
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah updated his ranking of the top 50 prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft.


No. 50 Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA

No. 49 Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa

No. 48 John Michael Schmitz, IOL, Minnesota

No. 40 Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin

No. 47 Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia

No. 37 Steve Avila, IOL, TCU

No. 46 Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee

No. 45 Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson

No. 44 Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa

No. 43 Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan

No. 42 Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee

No. 38 Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State

No. 39 Cody Mauch, OT, North Dakota State

No. 36 Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson

No. 41 O'Cyrus Torrence, IOL, Florida

No. 35 BJ Ojulari, EDGE, LSU

No. 27 Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State

No. 34 Joe Tippmann, IOL, Wisconsin

No. 32 Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State

No. 31 Brian Branch, DB, Alabama

No. 30 Quentin Johnson, WR, TCU

No. 29 Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama

No. 28 Keion White, EDGE, Georgia Tech

No. 26 Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh

No. 25 Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa State

No. 33 Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

No. 24 Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland

No. 21 Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson

No. 22 Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

No. 20 Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

No. 23 Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State

No. 17 Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State

No. 13 Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia

No. 19 Broderick Jones, OT Georgia

No. 16 Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State

No. 18 Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee

No. 14 Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa

No. 15 Jordan Addison, WR, USC

No. 12 Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

No. 10 Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon

No. 11 Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

No. 9 Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah

No. 8 Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern

No. 7 C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State

No. 5 Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois

No. 6 Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

No. 4 Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech

No. 3 Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

No. 2 Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama

No. 1 Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
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