We’re four games into the 2023 NFL season, and while looking ahead is typically what I do this time of year, it’s instructive to also look at how the rookies, just a month into their professional careers, are doing.
(Regarding looking ahead: On Thursday’s “With the First Pick” podcast, that’s exactly what Rick Spielman and I did — we looked at those NFL teams off to such sluggish starts that they’ve positioned themselves for a run at Caleb Williams with the first-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. So if that’s your jam, check that out.)
Specifically, I’ll rank the top 10 picks from the 2023 NFL Draft class, a group that includes three quarterbacks, six offensive players and a player who went ninth overall but is playing like one of the best players in the league. I watched every NFL snap for all 10 players, and their ranking below reflects both how they’ve performed (obviously), but also takes positional value into account. Put another way: quarterbacks are important, so even if, say, a cornerback played out of his mind, say, on national television against the Giants, he might be ranked lower than perhaps you might expect.
But here’s the thing: nine of the 10 players on this list are off to good-to-great starts; only one has struggled (though he has improved each week), and that’s likely due to a foot injury he’s still recovering from. Basically: there’s a lot of reason for optimism if your team had a top-10 pick because those guys have been impressive thus far.
We’ll start at No. 10 and work our way to No. 1.
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