Top 50 prospects 1.0 (pre-combine version)

There’s a lot that goes into a Big Board, and where you are in the evaluation process matters a lot. NFL teams have area scouts and scouting directors reporting to general managers; they’ve done the work on prospects all year long. If you’re writing about the NFL in-season, and sneaking away to watch as much college tape as possible, you’re scrambling a bit after the Super Bowl and before the scouting combine just to catch up.

So, full disclosure: This first Big Board of mine for the 2023 draft process reflects the 100-plus players I’ve watched to a point where I can reasonably assess what I think their NFL potential might be. Before the combine, I’ll watch a bunch more tape, and hopefully become more refined in the overall.

Once that happens, we’ll be building all kinds of position lists, single-subject evaluations, and mock drafts reflecting the widening of that study.

A few near-misses who may make the next Big Board based on combine and Pro Day performances, as well as further tape analysis:

Oregon LB Noah Sewell
Utah CB Clark Phillips III
Notre Dame EDGE Isaiah Foskey
Michigan DT Mazi Smith
Clemson TE Davis Allen
TCU OG Steve Avila
Alabama DB Eli Ricks
Houston WR Nathaniel “Tank” Dell
UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu

With all that in mind, here’s Touchdown Wire’s introductory Top 50 draft prospects for 2023:

(Syndication: USA TODAY)

When it comes to projecting Jalen Carter to the NFL, we can take one of two paths: We can look at his relatively pedestrian production (three sacks, five quarterback hits, and 23 quarterback hurries in 2022), or we can watch the tape, which shows a frequently double-teamed Carter demolishing blockers from every gap from nose to edge. Err on the latter concept.

There will be pre-draft fatigue at some point with the whole “Jalen Carter is the best prospect in this class” thing.

So, let’s be specific about it. Jalen Carter is the best prospect in this class. pic.twitter.com/yEAly3SBIf

— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) February 17, 2023

(Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports)

Were it not for the concerns about his size (an unofficial 6-foot-0, 194 pounds; we’ll get the officials at the combine), Young would likely be the consensus No. 1 player in this class. Teams will be able to overlook those issues to a degree, because of the tape Young has put up as an intelligent, productive ball distributor both in and out of the pocket. You can see everyone from peak Drew Brees to…