Top 10 Best Picks from the 2023 NFL Draft: Who Are the Draft's Biggest Steals?

Derek Brown counts down his top 10 value picks from the 2023 NFL Draft. Many of these players don't have the biggest names, nor are they the highest picks, but they could make a significant impact for their teams. Find out who made the list and why they're worth keeping an eye on! 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome back to the Fantasy Pros Football Podcast. My name
is Derek Brown, and on today's show, we are going
to go through the ten best picks the NFL Draft,
starting at number ten. Let's not waste any time here,
people Number ten At Perry, wide receiver out of Wake Forest,
selecting the sixth round pick one ninety five going to

(00:21):
New Orleans Saints. This is an underrated spot here. For
At Perry was a fantastic value versatile wide receiver. He
can excel versus man and zone coverage. Last year finished
with seventy five or higher PFF receiving grades and at
least two point five to six yards per up run
against both man and zone coverage. With Rashid Shahed as

(00:43):
an unrestricted free agent after this season, Michael Thomas's health
is always a question. If Shaheed can't handle the volume
Michael Thomas is injured, you got At Perry could be
the number two in this offense, right behind Chris Lave.
Number nine. Osirah Torrents, guard out of Florida, round two
pick in the NFL Draft. This is a guy that

(01:05):
was pagged by a lot of people to possibly be
a first round pick. Heads to the Buffalo Bills the
fifty ninth overall pick. This guy is a mauler in
the run game and should also allow Josh Allen to
get clean pockets for days. Fourth in PFF run blocking grade,
didn't allow a quarterback hit or a sack. Fantastic value
pick by the Buffalo Bills. Number eight Michael Mayer. He

(01:28):
was talked about as being a first round lock pick,
possibly gonna go in the top twenty to twenty five picks.
He slips to the second round, and the Raiders did
not let him slip far. At the thirty fifth overall pick.
You have Michael Mayer, who should hit the ground running.
All he's got to compete for for snaps and routes
is Austin Hooper and Michael Mayer was first in PFF

(01:50):
yards per route run, second in PFF receiving grade last year.
Michael Mayer could smash in his rookie season as one
of the best value picks of this draft cycle. Number
seven Brian Branch. Branch, Again, we're talking about a first
round talent, a guy that was continually mocked within inside

(02:10):
the top twenty five, top thirty players in the NFL,
possibly going to go in this draft. He slipped all
the way to the forty fifth pick, second round of
the Detroit Lions. He is going to upgrade their back end,
their secondary, their pass coverage. He was eighteenth in coverage
grade last year. He could also play the nickel. A
lot of places might list him as a nickel corner

(02:30):
and not a safety. Last year he allowed a seventy
one point five pass rating in slot coverage and this
was the second most slot cover snaps amongst all collegiate safeties.
He is a fantastic value. Number six Darius Rush. Darius
Rush fell all the way to the fifth round, which
is crazy because this is a guy who was continually

(02:53):
his expected draft position was anywhere as high as in
the eighties or seventies in numerous mocks. The Indianapolis Colts
hit this one out of the park for a guy
that was thirty fifth in man coverage gray last year.
The Colts secondary walking into this draft looked rough, but
walking away of it smelling O Croses. All right, Before

(03:14):
we get to my top five players we got to
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(03:55):
all right. Number five Corey Thrice and again, yes we're
going deep here. Seventh round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
His expected draft position. He we're looking at a guy
that was expected to be a top one hundred player
slipped all the way to the two hundred and forty
first pick. Guy is a monster. Trice a six foot three,
two toh six. He allowed a forty seven point seven

(04:17):
percent catch rate last year, forty fourth lowest passer rating
in coverage. Trice was a fantastic ad and look, Steele
Curtain's going to make a comeback. He should be part
of it. Number four Christian Gonzales, cornerback, out of Oregon,
was rumored to be a top ten pick in the
NFL draft. Tumbled all the way down the first round

(04:37):
board to the seventeenth pick to the New England Patriots.
He was twentieth in coverage grade last year, seventy four
point seven passer rating allowed, twenty fifth in zone coverage grade.
Christian Gonzalez should be a Day one starter. And yes,
I'm talking about a first round pick being a value.
He should not have slipped outside of the top ten.

(04:58):
Number three, we're talking about players slip in the first round.
Then I have to discuss one of the reasons when
the Eagles knocked their draft class out of the park, baby,
and that's Nolan Smith, edge out of Georgia, was selected
thirtieth pick in the first round, almost fell out of
the first round. He was rumored by some as a
top ten pick in the NFL draft. Didn't happen. But

(05:19):
guess what Howie Roseman is going to do. Howie Rismond
things smashed this pick. Nolan Smith was eighth and pass
rush win rate last year. He is going to be
a difference maker in Philadelphia. Number two at a time,
away at a bar a. This talented monster out of Northwestern,

(05:40):
fell all the way to the fourth round, and again
we're talking about smart teams doing smart things. Indianapolis Colts said,
U uh uh, that fall stops now, baby. His expected
draft position was sitting somewhere around the forties forty fifth overall.
This is a fantastic pick by Chris Ballard. He is
an anthletic monster, nine point seven to two RAS score,

(06:04):
ninety ninth percentile vertical and broad jumps. Adamore should be
a difference maker on their defense, possibly starting as soon
as twenty twenty three. Number one guy on the board. Again,
we're heading back to Philly people. You're noticing a consistent
trend here. Certain teams crushed the NFL draft. Philadelphia Eagles.

(06:24):
We're one of them. Number one guy hero who until
of off the field stuff, was rumored as possibly the
top overall pick in the NFL draft. That's Jalen Carter,
defensive tackle out of Georgia, slipped to the ninth pick
and the Eagles said, we are going to stop the slide. Now.
You are not falling outside the top ten players. He
was seventeenth in pass rush win rate last year, seventh

(06:46):
the PFF pass rushing grade fifth in PFF run defensive grade.
He's going to be a difference maker, a monster, and yes,
the Eagles locker room is going to keep him on
the straight and narrow. This was one of the best values,
if not what the best value of the entire NFL draft.
All right, everyone, that is my top ten picks, the
best picks of the NFL Draft, highest values on the board.

(07:10):
Thank you for tuning in to the Fantasy Pros Football Podcast.
My name is Derek Brown. See you next time. Thank
you for listening to the Fantasy Pros Football Podcast. Follow
us on Twitter and Instagram at Fantasy Pros, and subscribe
to our YouTube channel at YouTube dot com slash Fantasy Pros.