“My Guys” Team — 2023 NFL Draft (Offense)

QB: Stetson Bennett IV — Georgia

Okay, let’s get one thing clear: I don’t think Stetson Bennett is a first-rounder. He doesn’t have the elite processing, size, nor the age I would prefer for a first-rounder. While Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud are the Rolls Royces of this class, Stetson is like a trendy SUV that has high safety ratings. If he chooses to, Stetson could probably make his way like a Ryan Fitzpatrick kind of career. He could either be a super reliable backup that you trust to win a few games, or when he starts, he impresses a team enough to bring him in. Bennett can’t run every offense; it has to be an offense that isn’t requiring him to make four or five reads. Almost like how Kyle Shanahan’s offense is run, except with a lot more movement than Jimmy Garoppolo provided. Stetson has a good arm that is capable of making tight window throws. He also brings you a winning energy that could be of use to a team that isn’t in the running for a Super Bowl yet but needs a spark of energy in the locker room to help. Bennett is prolific with his legs, as his mobility almost being his main feature. People are either going to be criminally high or low on him because it’s trendy right now. If you think he should be a first- or second-round pick, I can understand why. If you think he should be a priority UDFA, I understand why. In a class with little to no quarterback depth, why not use a fourth-round pick on Stetson Bennett as a backup QB with a starter that finds himself injured more often than you would like?

RB: Zach Evans — Ole Miss

In all of the deserved Quinshon Judkins hype of the year, Zach Evans was pretty slept on. It’s almost as if people forgot what he did at TCU. The way he is able to turn on the turbo when he gets a lane and take it to the third level is impressive to say the least. He isn’t one of the smaller backs with this speed. He’s a 6-foot, 215-pound back who isn’t afraid to break a tackle. His silkiness that can cause defenders to end up on the grass is art personified. He can be utilized as a receiver out of the backfield as well. I fear Evans may fall into the later rounds because of the talent this RB class possesses, so don’t be shocked when he’s making your favorite defender admire the back of his jersey.

WR: Andrei Iosivas — Princeton

Get ready to hear this name over the next two months. Andrei Iosivas is 6-foot-3 and ran a 6.71-second 60m dash. Now I don’t understand anything about the metric system, but I think that is really good. My math told me that dumbs down to a 4.09 40, but the fastest 40 on record was Maurice Greene when he crossed 40 yards at a staggering 4.18 seconds during his 60-meter run, so I think I’m glad I’m not a math major. Some will try and draw comparisons to Christian Watson from last year because of his size and speed, but these are two different receivers. Iosivas has much better hands (which Watson has improved on in his rookie campaign), Watson was a bit smoother, and Iosivas does a better job using his body in the air. I would honestly like to see Iosivas become a better blocker, especially in this NFL with so much east-west action. After doing a bit more math in comparison to that Maurice Greene run, I got that Greene ran about .5 meters per second faster. With these completely meaningful numbers, my estimation is that Iosivas will run a 4.35 40 yard dash in Indy. While I think the 40 is completely meaningless and merely a formality, it matches his play speed.

WR: A.T. Perry — Wake Forest

Another receiver with a freaking massive frame. A.T. Perry is 6-foot-5 and also has great speed. He possesses the ability to get past DBs with ease using his burst and stay down there with his long speed. He has great hands, the ability to separate, and can win some nutty 50/50s. Not a massive explanation to this one. He is just insane.

TE: Darnell Washington — Georgia

Darnell Washington is a certified BEHEMOTH. This man makes other grown men look like tweens when he stands next to them. His 6-foot-7, 270-pound frame shows in both the receiving and blocking game. While people may drool at the idea of a quarterback throwing jump balls to this man, his biggest strengths are in blocking. He is a phenomenal blocking tight end who will create lanes in the run game and protect the quarterback when he drops back. When he does go on routes, he is very clean and has solid hands. I would like for him to be a bit more physically-imposing when he is a receiver (use his body to protect the ball when he is targeted). Washington is a high-upside tight end no matter how you use him. One play, he can be a Mark Andrews-esque receiver (not making comparison, moreso complimenting Andrews and his ability to make plays downfield), and the next he is blocking like Marcedes Lewis.

OT: Peter Skoronski — Northwestern

I’ve gotten the pleasure to watch Peter Skoronski in person, and man, was it a good experience. While he didn’t have his best game that day, he still showed so much of why I think he is a top 10 pick in this draft. My comp for him I made in Week 0 was a forklift, and it stands to this day. He is very mobile, and while his stature is a bit smaller than some would hope for, he stills moves grown men like forklifts move pallets. I feel the need to say this, yet I shouldn’t need to: stop moving good tackles to guard because of size or arm length. If a tackle is stellar even with shorter arms, it means he knows the power of leverage and placement. You know who we had this conversation about last? Oh yea, Rashawn Slater, also from Northwestern. If you want to move a tackle to guard, make it because he lacks lateral quickness to neutralize a speed-rusher, or because he gets caught holding a ton.

IOL: Andrew Vorhees — USC

The name of the game is leverage. If you cannot obtain it, you will not obtain a starting guard spot in the NFL. This won’t be a problem for Andrew Vorhees. Vorhees is one of the most seasoned players in this class, starting 48 games for the Trojans over his collegiate career. While some of these starts came at tackle, he is strictly a guard in the NFL. Vorhees has really good movement for a guy that is 6-foot-6 and 325 pounds, or even if he was smaller it’d still be impressive. I will love watching him pull to widen running lanes and serve up fresh pancakes like we’re watching film in an IHOP.

About the author

Website | Read more posts by this author

Minnesotan who will never stop cheering for his Gophers, no matter how much they disappoint him. I've been writing about football for almost two years, which has inspired me to study Sports Management at the University of Minnesota. You’ll usually see me talking about my Gophers or talking about my favorite NFL draft prospects. My favorite CFB moment was when Minnesota beat Penn St in 2019.