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10 Players Who Will Dominate the 2023 NFL Combine

10 Players Who Will Dominate the 2023 NFL Combine

The 2023 NFL Combine begins in less than a week, and every year we see a handful of prospects shoot up draft boards after posting eye-popping numbers.

Last year, everyone will remember the otherworldly performance that Jordan Davis put up.

This year will be no different, with 319 players accepted invites.

I’ve highlighted 10 players who are expected to dominate the 2023 NFL Combine. Really this list could have included as many as 30 guys, but I wanted to keep it brief.

 

Predicting the Top Players at the 2023 NFL Combine

Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan

You want a freak athlete? Look no further than Mazi Smith, who landed #1 of Bruce Feldman’s annual Freaks List this past season.

Smith is a very big defensive lineman at 6’3″ 335 pounds, but his explosion at that size is right up there with Jordan Davis.

He’s been recorded at a sub-7.0 second cone drill, a 33″ inch vertical, and over 110″ broad jump. Keep in mind he’s 330+ pounds.

In the weight room, most defensive linemen would be happy with 20 reps at 225 pounds (the weight they use at the combine). Mazi Smith has been recorded doing 22 reps atĀ 325.

The Michigan d-lineman has the best chance of anyone to make waves this year.

 

Dylan Horton, EDGE/DT, TCU

Dylan Horton had a breakout season for the Horned Frogs, compiling 51 tackles, 15 TFLs, and 10.5 sacks.

The 6’4″ 275 pound defensive lineman is big for an Edge Rusher, but he’ll also be one of the most athletic ones at the combine.

He’s previously been recorded with a 38″ vertical, a 10′ broad jump, and a sub-4.6 40 yard dash.

Add in impressive weight room performances like a 700 pound squat and a 400 pound power clean.

Pound for pound, Horton is one of the best straight line athletes in the class.

 

Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M

Devon Achane is known by many as the fastest man in college football.

The 5’9″ 185 pound running back had an excellent 2022 season, but his track speed is what will really help him at the combine.

Achane has ran as fast as a 10.02 in the 100 meter dash, a 20.20 in the 200 meter dash, and finished his high school career as the 2020 Gatorade Texas Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year.

Straight line speed is the strongest part of Achane’s game, and he’s fully expected to run in the 4.2’s at the combine.

 

Andrei Iosivas, WR, Princeton

Iosivas is an insane straight line athlete with a legitimate chance to put up the fastest 40 time of the year.

The 6’3″ 200 pound receiver is an elite track athlete who put up the fastest 60 time in NCAA heptathlon history.

He’s also reported to have a 370 bench and a 39″ vertical.

Andrei Iosivas didn’t stand out as much as I’d hoped at the Senior Bowl, but he is in line to be one of the fastest players at the 2023 NFL Combine.

 

Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson

Myles Murphy is big, strong, and fast. He’s still raw on the football side, but that’s not what the fans see at the combine.

At 6’5″ 275 pounds, the future 1st round pick is expected to run in the high 4.5’s or low 4.6’s, combined with a plus vertical and being strong in the weight room.

He’s fallen a bit this past month as some have labeled him as a tweener, but a strong combine performance would push him back into the top 10 for just about everyone.

 

Will McDonald, EDGE, Iowa State

Will McDonald was an all-around athlete when he entered Iowa State, and is expected to jump out of the stadium at the combine.

McDonald has a hobby of jumping over cars, and is expected to easily surpass a 40″ vertical and 11′ broad jump.

The 40 time should also be strong for McDonald, who is listed at 6’3″ 240 pounds.

The underneath quickness shined at Senior Bowl practices, and he’s likely to continue his rise with a strong performance at the NFL combine.

 

Keion White, EDGE, Georgia Tech

This is the last edge rusher I’ll mention, I promise.

Keion White had a dominate season for Georgia Tech following two seasons which were practically lost.

The hybrid lineman has big time size at 6’5″ 285 pounds, but has enough athleticism to stick on the edge.

We’ll see that athleticism on full display at the combine. White has been tracked running over 20 mph top speed on the field, and has a chance to go sub-4.7 with a good performance. He’ll also be a candidate to lead the combine in bench reps, having previously hit 38 reps of 225 pounds.

 

Ivan Pace, LB, Cincinnati

Ivan Pace was the most dominant linebacker in football this year, with 136 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, and 9 sacks for Cincinnati.

The 6’0″ 235 pound linebacker isn’t tall or long, but he’s a brick of muscle.

He’s expected to run in the 4.40-4.45 range, and put on a clinic in the change-of-direction drills.

While many people think of him as more of an effort guy than an athleticism guy, he’ll change that narrative and solidify himself as a top 3 linebacker in the 2023 NFL Draft.

 

Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon

Christian Gonzalez transferred from Colorado to Oregon this past season, and made himself into a 1st round prospect.

The 6’2″ 200 pound corner shows elite athleticism on film, and is expected to be one of the top performers at the 2023 NFL Combine.

Gonzalez is the younger brother of two All-American sprinters, and shares the same speed. He’s been tracked as fast as 23.3mph on GPS, along with a 42″ vertical.

He’s also strong in the weight room with a 325 power clean, and should hold his own with the bench press.

 

Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh

Calijah Kancey is very undersized for defensive tackle, even smaller than Aaron Donald, who was called “too small.”

But that doesn’t change the fact that Kancey is a big time athlete who will put up top percentile numbers in just about every measurement.

Kancey is expected to run in the 4.70 range, have a 31+” vertical, and potentially hit 30 reps as a 6’0″ 280 pound defensive tackle. He also has the bend and quickness to dominate the shuttle, cone drill, and positional drills

Size will definitely be a concern, but everything else will be exciting to watch.

 

 

Other Players to Watch

I mentioned this list easily could have included 30 players. Here are some honorable mentions of who might also dominate the 2023 NFL combine:

  • Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
  • Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
  • Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee
  • Rakim Jarrett, WR, Maryland
  • Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati
  • Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
  • Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State
  • Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland
  • Cody Mauch, OT/G, North Dakota State
  • Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
  • Ade Adebawore, DT/EDGE, Northwestern
  • DJ Johnson, EDGE, Oregon
  • Nick Hampton, EDGE/LB, Appalachian State
  • Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
  • Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn
  • Brian Branch, S, Alabama
  • Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
  • Riley Moss, CB, Iowa
  • Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, CB, TCU
  • Terell Smith, CB, Minnesota
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