Andrew Buller-Russ
Whether you’re a football fan who appreciates all levels of the sport or are just trying to get an early sneak peek at the next round of NFL Draft prospects, the college game is the perfect tool for scouts. Each year during the pre-draft process, when analysts refer to ‘the tape,’ these are the exact games they speak of. They’ll remember Ohio State’s Miyan Williams going off for 189 yards and five touchdowns against Rutgers and several other noteworthy performances.
As we’ve done each week, we’re taking a look at ten potential 2023 NFL Draft prospects to keep an eye on during the upcoming slate of games. They may not be the best players at their respective positions, but all are being scouted by NFL teams in Week 7 of the college football season.
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Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford
- Tanner McKee plays Notre Dame at 7:30 PM ET on NBC
Just because McKee plays at Stanford, it doesn’t mean the prospect wasn’t highly-touted coming out of high school, where he received offers from Alabama and several others. When pro scouts flip on McKee’s tape, they see a prospect who checks all the boxes for how a quarterback should be built. The 22-year-old stands tall in the pocket at 6-foot-6, has a big arm, and plays smart football. Yet, his lack of consistent production leaves much to be desired.
McKee isn’t a mobile QB, but he has shown an NFL-level arm who works through his progressions quickly. In the midst of an up-and-down season, McKee takes on a Notre Dame pass defense ranked 25th in the nation, allowing just 194 passing yards per game on Saturday. We’re not expecting McKee to lead his 1-4 team over the Fighting Irish, but if the junior can make some nice throws without getting rattled by their pass rush, he can improve his draft stock.
Aidan O’Connell, QB, Purdue
- Aidan O’Connell plays Nebraska at 7:30 PM on BTN
While he’s far from being the top college football quarterback prospect in the 2023 draft class, senior Aidan O’Connell’s stock is on the rise. Already 24 years old, just how much better O’Connell can get remains to be seen. Yet, he’s already come a long way after beginning with Purdue as a walk-on. Some of the areas O’Connell can’t improve in are his biggest drawbacks, such as not having a big arm, or offering much mobility, but his accuracy is top-notch.
O’Connell will never be a first-round prospect, but talent evaluators may appreciate just how far he’s come as a player. Coaches will also like that the sixth-year senior takes care of the football and has a strong sense of timing when it comes to dropping dimes. He may not have the highest ceiling of 2023 draft class QBs, but the Boilermaker should attract enough teams who believe he can still become a starter. O’Connell should thrive against a Nebraska team allowing 29.3 points per game coming into this matchup.
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Sean Tucker, RB, Syracuse
- Sean Tucker plays NC State at 3:30 PM on ACCN
All the teams in the ACC know all too well just how impactful Syracuse running back Sean Tucker can be. In 2021, Tucker rumbled for 1,496 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. This season Tucker’s continued to run through defenses, topping 100 yards in three of his first five games. Tucker’s extremely productive due to multiple reasons, but it’s not hard to see just how much of a ‘natural’ he is for the position.
Not the biggest (5-foot-10, 205 pounds), nor the fastest, Tucker runs hard, has excellent vision, and displays good footwork whether it’s making a cut or keeping his balance taking on a big hit. We should get a full dose of Tucker on Saturday, despite facing a rush defense that ranks 28th in the nation, holding opponents to just 113 yards per game. If Tucker thrives even against NC State, there’s no reason why the 20-year-old can’t be one of the first running backs selected in 2023.
Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee
- Cedric Tillman plays Alabama at 3:30 PM on CBS
Coming into the game nursing an ankle injury that forced the star receiver out of action each of the past two contests, Cedric Tillman just might be a first-round receiver. Scouts are in love with his size at 6-foot-3, he has the pedigree (dad played WR in the NFL for four seasons), but most of all, Tillman’s really good.
Becoming a starter for the first time in 2021, Tillman went off for 1,081 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s back for his senior year and is averaging 82 yards per game. Not only is Tillman a big target, he knows how to use his size well, routinely coming away with 50-50 balls. Playing in the SEC, Tillman has had success against top talent, and Saturday’s matchup against Alabama will be his latest chance to show he can hang with even the best athletes in the world.
Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
- Broderick Jones plays Vanderbilt at 3:30 PM on SECN
There are several players who could be the first offensive tackle off the draft board in April. Georgia’s Broderick Jones is in that same class. A former five-star recruit, Jones opens up lanes for the 17th-ranked rushing offense in the country, while also manning the blindside for Stetson Bennett. While it’s possible Jones makes the transition to offensive guard at the next level, the 6-foot-4 tackle has the agility to stick at his natural position too.
While Jones has held his own as a run blocker, he’s actually better in pass pro, where he’s allowed just four hurries all season according to Pro Football Focus. In fact, Jones has allowed just two sacks in over 400 passing snaps at Georgia. Vanderbilt doesn’t have any players who have tallied multiple sacks yet this season, so Jones should have an easy matchup, anything less than pure dominance would be a disappointment.
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Myles Murphy, DE, Clemson
- Myles Murphy plays Florida State at 7:30 PM on ABC
When he’s not ‘loafing‘, Myles Murphy has a strong motor coming off the edge. Ever since he arrived on Clemson’s campus, the pass rusher has been effective at getting to the QB. He racked up 12 sacks and 25 tackles for loss in his first two seasons and has added three sacks and five TFLs now in his junior year.
Prokected as a top-15 pick, Murphy has an extremely powerful bull rush, yet also has impressive athleticism, where he’s proven to have great balance and quickness bending around his blocker on the way to the backfield. At 6-foot-5, 290 pounds, Murphy profiles as an NFL defensive end, where he’s set to be a day one starter. Murphy will be tasked with chasing Florida State’s dual-threat QB Jordan Travis out of the pocket, and if he can chase him down, scouts will be even more enthralled with the edge prospect ahead of the pre-draft process.
Related: NFL mock draft 2023: Four QBs in Round 1, Chicago Bears hold No. 1 pick
Keondre Coburn, DT, Texas
- Keondre Coburn plays Iowa State at 12 PM on ABC
At 6-foot-2, 350 pounds, they don’t come much bigger than Texas defensive tackle Keondre Coburn. When Coburn gets drafted, it won’t be due to his 40-yard dash time. Instead, NFL evaluators love how the nose tackle plugs the run. Yet, Coburn does have a strong initial burst that allows him to throw blockers off their spot and he’s managed to create more havoc in the pocket too. Just six games in, Coburn’s already posted a career-high 15 pressures. It’s a fascinating development as the space-eater had never shown much of an ability to rush the passer in season’s past.
Thanks to a skillset that’s still expanding, Coburn’s arrow for the 2023 draft is pointing up. Coming into the season as a mid-round prospect, Coburn could end up being a second-round pick when all is said and done. An upcoming battle against Iowa State gives Coburn a chance to feast, as Iowa State doesn’t have any linemen capable of holding Coburn down for long.
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Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas
- Drew Sanders plays BYU at 3:30 PM
A 6-foot-5 linebacker, it’s hard not to be excited about what Drew Sanders offers as a prospect. While the linebacker may no longer be at Alabama, he’s still making an impact with Arkansas, where he’s up to a career-high seven sacks in just six games this season. Sanders is at his best as a pass rusher, but he does just fine in coverage as well.
While he’s producing, Sanders still needs to refine the tools in his box, where he doesn’t have a true pass rush move he can consistently win with. At 230 pounds, just how well he translates to the pros on the edge is a bit of a question, but he’s strong enough stopping the run and in coverage to make it work. Basically, Sanders is a tweener, but for now, we’ll appreciate how impactful he’s been in a new role. Sanders should get plenty of chances to get to Jaren Hall as BYU typically averages at least 30 pass attempts per game.
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Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah
- Clark Phillips plays USC at 8 PM
Coming off a three interception performance, cornerback Clark Phillips is squarely on the radar of all NFL teams. Yet, the Utah defender was already being scouted as the Utes have a lot of talent on their roster and have produced several NFL defenders in recent years.
While he’s not a large, lengthy defender at 5-foot-10, Phillips has clearly shown an advanced level of ball skills that could catapult the defensive back into the first round. Up to five total interceptions on the season, Phillips will be tasked with taking on dual-threat Caleb Williams on Saturday, in what will be must-watch TV.
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Jammie Robinson, S, Florida State
- Jammie Robinson plays Clemson at 7:30 on ABC
Leading Florida State in tackles this season, Jammie Robinson is a 5-foot-11 safety who plays with a lot of physicality. Robinson may be best at stopping the run, but his athleticism also allows him to do just fine in coverage. Overall, Robinson is a do-it-all safety that is slightly better at getting stops on the ground than he is in pass coverage.
But it’s hard not to enjoy watching Robinson on game days, where he frequently delivers a hit that reverberates through the entire stadium. Robinson plays at full speed all the time, and his aggressive style often leads to big plays. Getting a chance to see Robinson against Clemson will be his biggest test yet. How Robinson handles having to limit D.J. Uiagalelei and Will Shipley could end up being a major talking point during his pre-draft evaluation process.
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NFL Draft prospects who improved their stock in Week 6
- Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami (FL) – Threw for 496 passing yards, 3 TD, and 1 INT in a three-point loss to North Carolina
- Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pittsburgh – Ran for 320 rushing yards and 6 TD against Virginia Tech
- Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU – Went off for 206 receiving yards and a TD
- Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame – Picked up 118 receiving yards and two scores against BYU
- Blake Freeland, OT, BYU – Posted 86.8 blocking grade, limiting a talented Notre Dame pass rush
- Christian Jones, OT, Texas – Helped Texas gain 585 total yards against Oklahoma
- Tuli Tuipulotu, DL, USC – Tallied three sacks in Week 6
- Felix Anudike-Uzoma, DE, Kansas State – Four sacks in past two games
- Bentlee Sanders, CB, Nevada – Forced a fumble and got his fifth interception of season
NFL Draft prospects whose stock took a hit in Week 6
- Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida – Passed for just 66 yards + 1 TD, INT at home vs Missouri
- Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn – Picked up just 19 yards on 10 carries against Georgia
- Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU – QB play hasn’t helped, but this first-round prospect hasn’t topped 50 rec. yards this season
- Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon – Missed two tackles and allowed seven catches on ten targets for 73 yards + TD
