My top 10 players in the 2023 draft so far

[FordFairLane]

I think the tier 1 CB's are Kelee Ringo, Joey Porter Jr., and Christian Gonzalez for their size, speed, experience and productivity against excellent competition. The knock on Ringo is a lack of experience and his tendency to get too physical, though in today's NFL it seems CB's can maul receivers. Except Steelers CB's so there's that.

The next tier - and it's close between these tiers - consists of Devon Witherspoon, Cam Smith, and Emmanuel Forbes. The three are experienced, skilled, with really good ball awareness and excellent quickness/speed. The reason they don't rate as high as tier 1 is the lack of size. All three weigh in the 180's. It is what it is.

Any of those six would be a candidate to play a lot in 2023. The next tier is going to have players who are more projects, like James Pierre. They could turn out - like Pierre - to be quite good but that process will take a couple years.

Branch, by the way, is awesome. Absolutely superb in reading the QB in zone and breaking on the ball. He played slot defender a ton to take advantage of his blitzing abilities and was excellent. I just don't know if he is a CB or a S. He rarely played on the outside so listing him as a CB is not clear. Really I think he excels at free safety and the Steelers reportedly have a guy there already who is from Alabama and apparently pretty good.

I thought I would love Kelee Ringo looking at his height, weight, and speed along with a decent college production and all at just 20 years old. He to me is all potential. He is an above average blitzer but besides that not good. I mean OSU threw right at him and beat him up all game long. I mean no fear whatsoever of him and he was beat like a redheaded stepchild. I would put him closer to round three than round one and that us assuming he runs well at the combine or pro day. But he also doesn't look very quick twitch to me. More of a long strider. I would say he runs a 4.55 if I was to guess looking at film. His interceptions were just poorly thrown balls. I would say safety might be his best position in the NFL if he can show some improvement in tackling.

Gonzalez is probably just outside my top ten. I would say in that 15ish area. Good flexibility and a quick twitch athlete. Seemed to give up a lot of space though and teams really took advantage of underneath routes. Might have just been the defensive assignments to keep offenses from going over top though. He is good when he is facing the LOS but not so good when he has his back turned.

I am going to start with Forbes as I have seen the most of him. He in my opinion is right up there with Gonzalez. In fact I personally would take him ahead of Gonzalez because I feel he has the higher floor. Not as high of a ceiling but he is the safer pick and imo at the very least your #2 CB on your team. CG could be an elite guy with his height and speed but he could also be Justin Layne. Forbes has some of the best awareness and hands I have seen coming out of college football for a CB. But some of those picks could have just been luck to. I think in a zone defense he would flourish and would just dominate. I think he falls at the combine/pro day because he probably is a 4.5 guy and others might pass him by because of the upside. But if he was sitting at #32 the Steelers probably should have some deep conversations about picking him. I haven't watched enough of Withspoon or Cam Smith to give a real informed opinion as of yet. Hopefully in the coming weeks though,

Branch was played at the nickel, at safety, at the outside, hell I think I saw them play him at ILB a few snaps when blitzing. He reminds me a little of TP where he is just a good football player. I would say if the Steelers drafted him and the fact he plays so well in the box and near the LOS you could use him as a SS/Nickel and really confuse some QB's. I would be fine with pairing him with Minkah just because Minkah is a center fielder out there. You pair him with a swiss army knife like Branch and it really opens up some options for your defensive coordinator.

 

[SteelerFan448]

Branch feels like a Steeler pick. A bit off the radar, but as you said, just a good football player.

 

[slashsteel]

Branch feels like a Steeler pick. A bit off the radar, but as you said, just a good football player.

Problem is you know the Steelers usual draft BPA at need. I think Edmunds will road block this pick.

 

[Steeltime]

PFF, B+ again.

17. Christian Gonzalez CB Oregon
32. Siaki Ika DT Baylor
49. Jack Campbell LB Iowa
80. Cedrick Tillman WR Tennessee
139. Jaeylyn Duncan OT Maryland
179. Dontayvion Wicks WR Virginia
193. Luke Schoonmaker TE Michigan

IND 2024 7th round draft pick

PFF not a fan of Duncan so I know I can trade down. In real life, I think the Steelers have to take him at 120 to make sure they get him. Also, after the Senior Bowl and combine, Duncan is going to be a hot item.

Elite CB, massive NT, very good ILBer, good WR hampered in 2022 due to injury, a guy I think is a top-flight LT prospect, a really good WR whose season was interrupted through no fault of his, and a solid TE.