The 2023 NFL Draft is just around the corner, and because of that, we at the peak of the Draft process. Teams, evaluators, and scouts all around the country are working on completing their studies by putting in final grades on prospects.
Meanwhile, it’s also “smokescreen season,” with agents and teams trying to push narratives through media channels. Truly, we are in the middle of the madness. So, why not add more fuel to the fire by highlighting which prospects are, in my opinion, overrated?
Will Levis
Quarterback, Kentucky
The hype around Will Levis’ profile has gone down a little bit as of late, with instead Anthony Richardson getting pushed as a potential underdog for the 1st overall pick. Levis, though, still looks pretty much a lock to be a top-10 selection later this month.
Watching Levis’ tape, his athleticism and arm talent gets easily noticed, but at the same time, on top of being an older prospect (he’ll turn 24 in June), he brings to the table immense question marks from an accuracy, ability to operate within the pocket and decision-making standpoints. Levis worked in pro-style offenses at Kentucky and didn’t have much help weapon-wise.
But focusing on his strengths and weaknesses, I don’t see why it would make sense to invest and work on a long-term development with a prospect who’s on the older side compared to average. Also, Levis’ combination of athleticism and arm talent isn’t even the best in the class, with Richardson taking that crown.
Jahmyr Gibbs
Running back, Alabama
I’ve been tricked by Gibbs early in the process because his style of play and running technique reminded me quite a lot of Alvin Kamara. But digging deeper into the tape, Gibbs, in my eyes, looks much more like D’Andre Swift rather than one of the best Swiss Army knives in the NFL.
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Although I still think that Gibbs will certainly help his future offense, especially from a receiving and returning perspective, he has never been particularly efficient as a runner, which often translates to the NFL level. As a runner, Gibbs appears particularly hit or miss, with inconsistent vision, and he’s far from a broken tackles machine. I expect Gibbs to be more of a 3rd down back going forward in his career rather than a true and complete workhorse. That’s why I don’t not in the same position as most, who sees him as the rock-solid RB2 behind Bijan Robinson.
Michael Mayer
Tight end, Notre Dame
I actually think that Michael Mayer is a solid prospect, a tight end who could quickly become a reliable starter at the NFL level. At the same time, I wouldn’t invest a top-15 pick or even a 1st round pick on him.
Having a good tight end is not easy in the NFL, and if you can snag one, you should. At the same time, Mayer’s lack of athleticism, explosiveness, and ability to create after the catch puts him in a tier that makes him a potential above-average tight end but not a top or elite one. In my eyes, a player of that caliber doesn’t justify that large of an investment.
Kelee Ringo
Cornerback, Georgia
I entered the 2022 College Football season with Kelee Ringo as my CB1, betting on insane potential and hoping to see a much-needed step forward in his development. But that didn’t happen. Instead, the past season highlighted even more of Ringo’s biggest weaknesses.
Although his impressive body and athleticism clearly give him the room to become one of the best at his position, I feel like this year’s cornerback class is too talented at the top to invest in a project in the 1st round when you can get a much more developed prospect with similar athleticism. Ringo’s footwork is often still a mess, and, just like his instincts, he’s very hit-or-miss and impulsive with his decision-making.
Ringo needs work from a technique and confidence standpoint. He has the tools to take that step, but this class is too talented in the 1st round to justify an investment in him.
