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Most Underrated Player at Each Position | 2023 NFL Draft

Most Underrated Player at Each Position | 2023 NFL Draft

Every year, scouts and fans alike are so convinced that they know who the top prospects are.

And yet every year, the same two things happen:

  • Dozens of day 3 picks end up outperforming the 1st round picks.
  • Dozens of players are drafted way higher than expected.

So who are some of these underrated players who could end up surprising from the 2023 class? I’ve picked my favorite at each position.

All of these players are expected to be drafted, just lower than I think they should be.

If you’re interested in some more sleepers, I recently ranked the best deep sleepers in the class.

 

Most Underrated Prospects

Clayton Tune, QB, Houston

I told myself I was going to pick an underrated player at every position, and unfortunately I don’t really have a great pick for quarterback.

If I had to pick one, Clayton Tune would be my pick.

Tune may look like the traditional beneficiary of a college spread system, but he has a lot of traits to work with.

People also seem to view him as a pocket passer, but what if I told you that Tune had nearly the same amount of rushing yards as Malik Cunningham did this year?

At 6’3″ 220 pounds, Tune ran for over 500 yards in 20022, and put up incredible athletic testing numbers at the combine.

4.64 40 yard dash, 37.5″ vertical, 122″ broad jump, 6.89 cone, 4.25 20 yard shuttle.

Tune is highly experienced as a four year starter and three time captain, while doing a good job of keeping his eyes down field while escaping the pocket. He has a good enough arm and is solid at reading defenses.

The stats were dominant over the past two seasons, with over 4000 yards this season, 40 touchdowns, and a 67% completion rate.

If he can prove he can throw it through an intense pass rush and improve his accuracy on the move, there’s a lot to work with.

 

Trey Palmer, WR, Nebraska

There were a few options for the most underrated receiver prospect, but I decided to stick with Trey Palmer.

They LSU transfer dominated in his one season in Lincoln.

His 1043 receiving yards was 3rd in the Big 10, only behind Charlie Jones of Purdue and Marvin Harrison Jr., who each had QBs throwing for significantly more yardage.

In fact, Palmer accounted for 39.4% of his team’s receiving yardage this past season, the highest mark of any Power 5 receiver in the draft.

The stats won’t always show the troublesome drop rate, which is a legitimate issue. He doesn’t always attack the ball and frequently lets it get too far into his body.

But at the end of the day, you should remember that this productive Power 5 receiver is also the second fastest receiver in the draft, having ran a 4.33 at the combine.

He’s a gliding route runner who will demand safety help over the top, and does a nice job of changing speeds during his routes. He can almost lull you to sleep sometimes because it doesn’t look like he’s even running, before turning on the afterburners.

If he can improve his ability to catch it with his hands, there’s a ton to like here.

 

Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pittsburgh

I have a spreadsheet containing the top 187 running backs in the draft.

On that spreadsheet I decided to check, how many running backs have ALL of the following important factors:

  • Size (215+ pounds)
  • Speed (4.50 or faster)
  • Production (1,000+ rushing yards this year)

Only 2 of the 187 prospects remained. One was Bijan Robinson, and the other was Israel Abanikanda.

Abanikanda weighed in at the combine at 5’10” 216 pounds, but didn’t participate in athletic testing. When he finally did at his pro day, he turned heads.

He recorded a 4.45 40 yard dash, a 41″ vertical (2nd best in the entire RB class), and 128″ broad (also 2nd best).

Putting up those times at his size? Elite.

And the production was incredible this past season.

The breakout Pitt star put up 1431 rushing yards, 20 rushing touchdowns, and average 6.0 yards per carry.

With his combination of size and speed, running back coaches have a ton to work with.

He definitely needs some refining, especially when it comes to patience hitting a hole. But the physical tools are as good as anyone in the class, and he has plenty of tread left on the tires.

 

Hunter Luepke, FB, North Dakota State

I wasn’t going to include a fullback since I’m only including players I thoroughly expect to be drafted, but Luepke is incredible underrated so I included him anyway.

What you need to understand about Luepke is that he’s not just a fullback, he’s a complete offensive weapon.

He can play running back, block like a tight end, and has incredible body control splitting out as a receiver.

When it came to athletic testing, Luepke put up an impressive 4.57 40 yard dash at 230 pounds.

Luepke is one of those guys who’s just an elite all around football player, but is also a really solid athlete.

I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see a team who usually doesn’t keep a fullback draft him. I also think the Kyle Juszczyk comps are completely accurate.

 

Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa

What if I told you Sam LaPorta was a better-blocking version of Dalton Kincaid?

It wouldn’t surprise me at all.

I’ve watched a TON of LaPorta over the last couple years, and he’s as smooth as you’ll find as a receiver.

He lines up all over the field, with great athletic ability and incredible hands.

His 657 receiving yards this past year is really impressive, and although it’s less than Michael Mayer and Dalton Kincaid, LaPorta wasn’t playing with a full deck of cards.

Iowa’s offense was so inept, that he literally was the offense.

LaPorta accounted for 32.3% of his team’s receiving yardage, which ranks 1st among the 142 tight ends I’ve rated this year.

Having come from Iowa, LaPorta offers a little bit as a blocker as well.

While I wouldn’t consider him a great blocker, he has decent form and is more than willing to stick inline.

At the end of the day, LaPorta does everything you could want from a tight end. This year’s tight end class is really strong at the top, but in the average class I’d expect him to be the first tight end off the board.

 

Tyler Steen, T/G, Alabama

Tyler Steen is an example of a player I’m not necessarily higher on than most, but I think he’ll be drafted much earlier than people realize.

After going through my 7 round mock draft, I started realizing just how many teams desperately wanted offensive line help.

It felt like almost every pick I was asking myself “would this team reach for an offensive lineman?”

With so many teams needing immediate help, I doubt that Tyler Steen makes it out of the 2nd round.

Tyler Steen is as NFL ready as any offensive lineman in the draft.

After spending his first 4 years at Vanderbilt, Steen transferred to Alabama and was a steady presence at left tackle. He’s started over 40 games in his college career, and plays with as much power as any player in the draft.

Best of all, Steen can be a plug-and-play guy at tackle or guard.

In a class that’s really light on guards near the top, and overall light on tackles, that’s a real blessing.

The biggest concern is arm length, which falls just shy of the arbitrary 33″ cutoff (32.75″).

His power, versatility, and experience will still make him a favorite of NFL executives, and lock him in as at least a top-75 pick. Likely even higher.

 

Joey Fisher, G, Shepherd

I’ve talked about Joey Fisher a few times, but fans don’t seem to realize that the D2 offensive lineman is a lock to be drafted, with a good chance of going in the 4th round.

He physically dominated his competition in college, and he’ll do the same in the NFL.

I evaluated 440 offensive linemen in this year’s draft (see my full spreadsheet here), with combine and pro day data for most of them.

Fisher led the entire draft class with 40 bench reps of 225 pounds. He was also in the top 1% of offensive lineman with a 4.96 40 yard dash, at 6’4″ and roughly 300 pounds.

His vertical, broad jump, and cone drill all would have been in the top 30% of offensive linemen at the combine since 2017.

The athletic traits are legit for Fisher, and in a class that isn’t particularly strong on offensive lineman, those traits will be highly sought after.

Fisher had the opportunity to impress scouts at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, and was so impressive that the Senior Bowl called him up as a late addition.

He also blocked for a QB who drew NFL scouts all year in Tyson Bagent. Suffice to say he’s had plenty of looks from scouts, and has aced the audition.

 

Jarrett Patterson, C/G, Notre Dame

Jarrett Patterson compared to John Michael Schmitz

Unlike most of the other players on this list, Jarrett Patterson isn’t a freakish athlete.

So what is he? He’s a tactician with extensive experience for Notre Dame’s elite offensive line, having been a 4 year starter at center and left guard.

I’ve kept him inside at center, but many see him as a guard (where he played in 2022).

Here’s the biggest thing to know with Jarrett Patterson: He’s allowed 0 sacks in his entire career. He’s played over 3000 snaps, roughly half of them being passing plays. And not a single sack.

There has to be a point where you throw out the average athleticism and subpar arm length, and just notice that he’s been elite without those things.

An important note about the physical traits, Patterson has enough traits to get it done in the NFL. He’s 6’5″ 306 pounds, has decent flexibility and knee bend, and plays with a good base.

His size, 40 yard dash, vertical, and broad jump were all very similar to John Michael Schmitz and Olu Oluwatimi.

His ability to recover, attention to detail, football IQ, and ability to play multiple interior positions make him a valuable asset to an NFL team who can play right away.

 

Keondre Coburn, DT, Texas

Coburn is a true nose tackle who might not wow fans, but his power and ability to plug holes as a run defender won’t be overlooked by NFL teams.

There are a ton of teams looking to beef up the interior of the defensive line, and Coburn offers a ton of value as an elite run stopper.

Texas had a really deep interior defensive line this past year, but Coburn was the guy who kept drawing my eye. He has impressive flexibility for someone of his size (6’2″ 332 pounds), with raw power and the ability to open up holes for his pass rushers.

Despite modest stats of 29 tackles, 4 TFLs, and 2.5 sacks this year, you need to keep in mind that sacking the QB is not what a nose tackle is asked to do.

He actually played so well beyond the stats that he garnered 2nd team All-Big12 recognition.

He’s never going to develop much of a pass rush, but every team needs a consistent run stopper who plugs holes and can knock offensive linemen out of their lanes.

Coburn does that as well as anyone in the class, including Siaki Ika.

 

Durrell Johnson, EDGE, Liberty

FBS TFL Leaders in the 2023 NFL Draft
This graph contains the top D1-FBS edge rushers in the draft, sorted by tackles for loss. Players who played in 10 or fewer games this year have their games played next to their name.

 

Outside of quarterback, edge rusher is probably the most sought after position on the field. About 30 are drafted each year, and NFL teams always want a deep rotations.

Luckily, the edge rusher who led the FBS in tackles for loss in 2022 is in this draft class.

Now what if I told you he’s not even an option on the most popular 7 round mock draft simulators?

Durrell Johnson is the deepest sleeper on this list, but he’s a lock to be drafted.

At 6’4″ 251 pounds, Johnson has enough size to be an NFL edge. He ran a solid 4.68, with an impressive 38.5″ vertical and 124″ broad jump.

The traits aren’t freakish, but they’re very good. And the production this year was wild.

In 13 games, Durrell Johnson had 58 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, and 9 sacks. The TFL total was more than Tyree Wilson and Lukas Van Ness combined, and it was 5.5 more than Tuli Tuipulotu’s impressive mark.

His motor is non-stop, he gets off blocks at a high rate, his acceleration is elite, and he’s a highly active run defender.

When a player checks off all of these boxes:

  • Highly productive
  • Enough size
  • Enough athleticism
  • No major character issues
  • No major injury issues
  • At a marquee position

There shouldn’t be any question if they’re getting drafted. Instead you should be asking if you should trade up to get them.

Durrell Johnson will seriously exceed expectations in the NFL.

 

Ivan Pace, LB, Cincinnati

Ivan Pace is the most underrated player in the 2023 NFL Draft, and it might not be close.

The consensus All-American was the best linebacker in college football this past year, and his size doesn’t limit him at all.

People see 5’11” 231 pounds and assume he’s one of those scrappy over achievers with a limited ceiling, but that isn’t the case at all.

Pace has routinely been clocked at 20mph on the field with GPS tracking, and the productivity is simply out of this world.

136 total tackles, 20.5 TFLs, 9 sacks, and 4 passes defenders. All just last season.

I’ve rated 351 linebackers in this draft class. Among those 351, Pace is 3rd in total tackles (2nd in the FBS), 3rd in TFLs (1st in the FBS), and 6th in sacks. Again, out of 351.

When you watch the tape, it isn’t surprising.

Pace gets sideline to sideline as fast as any linebacker in the draft, and always plays at top speed.

He bends well to get in the backfield, has the best anticipation of any linebacker in the draft, and is really difficult to knock off his lane due to his low center of gravity.

The normal problems that might plague a smaller linebacker just haven’t bothered him, and he’s one of the most consistent tacklers in the entire draft, regardless of position.

Pace handled the slight uptick in competition this past year without any issue (transferring from the MAC to the AAC), which suggests he’s up to the mental challenges of facing increased competition at the NFL level.

His coverage ability is decent, with good instincts in zone and a quick lateral movements and acceleration to cover in space. His lack of length will limit his ability to actually break up passes, but he still managed to have more passes defended this year than Trenton Simpson, Daiyan Henley, or Henry To’oTo’o.

In a class where almost every linebacker is undersized, there just isn’t an excuse not to like Ivan Pace. He’s heavier than Daiytan Henley, Dorian Williams, Henry To’oTo’o, Owen Pappoe, DeMarvion Overshown, SirVocea Dennis, Dee Winters, and many others.

If Pace is drafted into a system that likes to bring pressure from their inside linebackers, he’s going to develop into the best linebacker in this class.

 

Jartavius Martin, S, Illinois

Every year there’s at least one surprise player who is drafted in the bottom of the 1st or early 2nd who no one expected.

My pick this year in Jartavius “Quan” Martin.

Martin played in an elite Illinois secondary, and was just as important as Devon Witherspoon or Sydney Brown.

He played primarily in the slot, but also lined up all over the field. This past season he played:

  • Slot: 493 snaps
  • Free Safety: 177 snaps
  • Corner: 75 snaps
  • Box: 44 snaps

His versatility is impressive, with good tackling ability, a nose for breaking up passes, and much improved instincts.

But what helps him stand out is his truly elite athletic ability.

The 4.46 40 yard dash at 5’11” 194 is really good, but his burst is truly special. His 44″ vertical was the highest of any player in the entire draft, and his 133″ broad jump led all safeties at the combine.

Martin has the feet the cover in man, an impressive first step, and the powerful burst required to close quickly and with force.

In a very weak safety class, his versatility, athleticism, and production help him stand out.

Teams who need either a free safety or a slot defender will start considering him as early as the late first round.

 

Terell Smith, CB, Minnesota

Terell Smith and Kelee Ringo Comparison

Terell Smith is another player who is going to be drafted way earlier than people realize.

He had an up and down career at Minnesota. He started from day 1 as a true freshman, barely played the next couple seasons, then had a dominant season in 2022 where he was one of the highest graded corners in the nation.

Along with his shutdown ability this past season, Terell Smith is oozing with traits.

An elite high school track athlete, Smith plays every bit as fast on tape.

He has a smooth, low backpedal, and great recovery speed. He’s also a great run defender and overall tackler who limits yards after catch.

Smith went to the East-West Shrine Game, and looked like one of the best players on the field working across from some great wide receivers.

Still, everything comes back to traits.

Cornerback is a position where physical traits are an absolute necessity, not a luxury. And players with traits like Terell Smith don’t make it past the third round.

Compare him to Kelee Ringo, a player who is thought of as having elite traits, and you won’t be able to recognize who is who.

Ringo is .05 seconds faster at the 40, but with slower feet underneath and significantly shorter arms.

The only big question I have for “T-Time” is his confidence. Most corners have that bulldog bite that can’t be broken, and I haven’t seen that from Smith.

Even with that, he’s a lock to be a top-75 pick.

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