NFL Draft News & Analysis

2023 NFL Draft: One riser, one faller at each position according to PFF's Mock Draft Simulator

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Tennessee Volunteers offensive lineman Darnell Wright (58) blocks at the line of scrimmage against Pittsburgh Panthers defensive lineman Calijah Kancey (8) in overtime at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

• QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA: Originally QB13 on PFF's big board after the Senior Bowl, Thompson-Robinson jumped into the QB7 spot and has moved up nearly 100 spots in PFF's Mock Draft Simulator.

• OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee: Wright has gone from being selected around the No. 67 pick in mid-February to near the No. 18 pick as of early April, per PFF's Mock Draft Simulator.

• S Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M: A poor combine has sent Johnson plummeting, and he now finds himself as a late second-rounder in PFF's Mock Draft Simulator.

Estimated Reading Time: 8 mins

Risers

QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA

PFF Big Board Rank: 163

Originally QB13 on PFF's big board after the Senior Bowl, Thompson-Robinson jumped into the QB7 spot after a strong combine performance — including a class-leading 62 mph throw velocity.

Thompson-Robinson has gone from being selected around the No. 235 pick in early March to near the No. 144 pick as of early April, per PFF's Mock Draft Simulator.

RB Tank Bigsby, Auburn

PFF Big Board Rank: 86

Bigsby's bottom line in the PFF Draft Guide calls him “a gifted, all-around runner who could do damage as a bell-cow back if his hands improve.” He didn't overly stand out at the combine, but he continues to rise up boards as draft analysts further evaluate this deep 2023 running back class.

Bigsby has gone from being selected around the No. 128 pick in mid-February to near the No. 90 pick as of early April, per PFF's Mock Draft Simulator.

WR A.T. Perry, Wake Forest

PFF Big Board Rank: 83

After testing well at the combine, headlined by a 90th-plus-percentile broad jump, Perry was elevated on PFF's big board and has accordingly been drafted earlier in the simulator. His bottom line in the PFF Draft Guide reads, “Perry has some unique physical tools to work with. If he lives in the weight room his first
couple of years in the league, he could be a difference-maker.”

Perry was selected around the top of the fourth round in early March but has since climbed to a mid-third-round pick as of early April, per PFF's Mock Draft Simulator.

TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah

PFF Big Board Rank: 15

The fastest-rising tight end in this draft cycle is now considered a mid-first-round pick. The Green Bay Packers at No. 15 is Kincaid's most popular landing spot, and although he didn't test at the combine or his pro day, he is considered the “best receiving tight end in the class” by PFF lead draft analyst Mike Renner.

Kincaid hasn't risen significantly in PFF's Mock Draft Simulator, going from a top-30 selection in late February to a top-20 pick as of early April — but it's a jump nonetheless.

OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee

PFF Big Board Rank: 20

It's anyone's guess as to which tackle will come off the board first, and while Wright's chances are quite slim, his experience and strong combine performance have him rocketing up the order in the simulator.

Wright has gone from being selected around the No. 67 pick in mid-February to near the No. 18 pick as of early April, per PFF's Mock Draft Simulator.

IOL Juice Scruggs, Penn State

PFF Big Board Rank: 103

A 32-inch vertical and 29 bench reps at the combine boosted Scruggs to No. 103 on the PFF big board — a rise of more than 50 places.

Once a consistent late sixth-rounder, Scruggs is now going in the late fourth round or early fifth round in PFF's Mock Draft Simulator.

EDGE Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern

PFF Big Board Rank: 41

PFF lead draft analyst Mike Renner called Adebawore the “single most impressive performer at the combine” due to his speed, vertical jump and broad jump testing numbers. He also improved his PFF pass-rushing grade in each of his final three seasons at Northwestern.

Adebawore was teetering on the edge of the second and third rounds in late February but has since risen to an early second-rounder. He is being drafted at the 39th pick or earlier in 50% of simulator mocks.

DI Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin

PFF Big Board Rank: 55

Per PFF's Draft Guide, “Benton split time almost evenly between the A- (698 snaps) and B-gaps (612) over the course of his career. He can easily fill the same role in the NFL.”

Benton was being drafted around the No. 80 pick in late February but is now going near the No. 53 pick as of early April, per PFF's Mock Draft Simulator.

LB Jack Campbell, Iowa

PFF Big Board Rank: 45

Campbell is one of the hottest names of the pre-draft process after a stellar combine performance. He is now LB2 on PFF's big board.

The Iowa product has gone from being selected around the No. 62 pick in late February to near the No. 44 pick as of early April, per PFF's Mock Draft Simulator.

CB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State

PFF Big Board Rank: 31

Forbes is going in the first round in recent mock drafts, thanks in no small part to a strong combine showing and notable ball skills. His 4.35 40-yard dash placed above the 90th percentile for the position.

Forbes hasn't risen much, moving from around the No. 44 pick in mid-February to near the end of the first round as of early April, but his stock is now clearly that of a fringe first-rounder, which is notable.

S Anthony Johnson Jr., Iowa State

PFF Big Board Rank: 69

PFF's Draft Guide sings Johnson's praises after he seamlessly moved from cornerback to safety in 2022.

Johnson is now a mid-fifth-round pick in PFF's Mock Draft Simulator after rocketing up the PFF big board, improving on his seventh-round draft slot in March.


Fallers

QB Tanner McKee, Stanford

PFF Big Board Rank: 37

This “fall” coincides with McKee's steady descent down PFF's big board as the 2023 NFL Draft nears. He put together a strong combine performance and earned a 90.0-plus deep passing grade in 2022, but he'll likely be a ways away from a first-round pick.

McKee has gone from being selected around the No. 31 pick in early February to near the No. 69 pick as of early April, per PFF's Mock Draft Simulator.

RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama

PFF Big Board Rank: 50

Gibbs is firmly entrenched as RB2 behind Texas' Bijan Robinson, so any “fall” has little significance. He earned an 80.0-plus grade in all three of his college seasons.

Once selected around the No. 40 pick at the 50th percentile and up to the No. 34 pick at the 75th percentile, Gibbs is now going around the No. 48 pick in PFF's Mock Draft Simulator — only a slight drop.

WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee

PFF Big Board Rank: 77

The Biletnikoff Award winner tested well at the combine but has seen a significant drop-off in where he's being selected in the simulator. His bottom line in PFF's Draft Guide reads, “Hyatt's speed is NFL-ready, but the rest of his tape shows a project as a route runner.”

Hyatt, a fringe first-round pick in PFF's Mock Draft Simulator at the end of February, is now being selected around the No. 65 pick, making him an early third-rounder.

TE Darnell Washington, Georgia

PFF Big Board Rank: 68

A freakish combine showing put Washington in the first-round conversation, only for that hype to slowly die down in the weeks since. He remained PFF's TE5 following the event but has fallen to a late second-round pick.

After being drafted at No. 38 or higher in 25% of drafts by PFF Mock Draft Simulator users in early March, Washington is now going around the No. 58 pick in half of drafts as of early April.

OT Broderick Jones, Georgia

PFF Big Board Rank: 26

Jones is now OT5 on PFF's big board after ranking as OT3 prior to the combine. Still, it's hard to put much stock into this “fall” due to the ever-changing rankings of this year's top tackles. He earned an 84.1 pass-blocking grade in 2022 and should be a first-round pick when all is said and done.

Mock draft simulator users were drafting Jones around the No. 17 pick following the combine, but he has since fallen to around the No. 25 pick.

IOL Jaxson Kirkland, Washington

PFF Big Board Rank: 165

There hasn't been much movement in what is considered a weak interior offensive line class. Kirkland has fallen around 30 spots in PFF's Mock Draft Simulator, though, but that likely is more related to other tackles improving their stock than anything of his doing.

EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson

PFF Big Board Rank: 23

Murphy, once considered a top-10 pick, has largely fallen outside of the top 20 in PFF's Mock Draft Simulator. He recorded 96 total pressures and 20 sacks in his Clemson career.

Murphy has gone from being selected around the No. 7 pick in early February to near the No. 22 pick as of early April, per PFF's Mock Draft Simulator.

DI Siaki Ika, Baylor

PFF Big Board Rank: 63

Ika was largely tabbed as a first-rounder throughout the 2022 college football season. While he's a massive prospect at 6-foot-3 and 335 pounds, “his down-to-down effectiveness is a serious question mark,” per PFF's Draft Guide.

Ika is being drafted in the late second round in PFF's Mock Draft Simulator after going around the No. 32 pick in early February.

LB Trenton Simpson, Clemson

PFF Big Board Rank: 78

Simpson showed up in the first round in early mock drafts but has since fallen. His slide in PFF's Mock Draft Simulator corresponds with a significant drop down PFF's big board, although he still tested well at the combine.

Simpson has gone from being selected around the No. 44 pick in late February to near the No. 64 pick as of early April, per PFF's Mock Draft Simulator.

CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia

PFF Big Board Rank: 73

Ringo is CB12 on the PFF big board, and a lackluster combine showing — despite a 4.36 40-yard dash — did him no favors.

His draft range in the simulator varies greatly, with some selecting him as high as No. 28 and as low as No. 70 in late February. As of early April, he's being drafted around the No. 62 pick.

S Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M

PFF Big Board Rank: 64

As the 2022 college football season wore on, it seemed certain Johnson would be a first-round pick. A poor combine sent him plummeting, though — including just eight bench reps and a 9-foot-10 broad jump.

Johnson was going around the No. 32 pick in mid-February but now finds himself as a late second-rounder as of early April, per PFF's Mock Draft Simulator.

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