Top 10 2023 Dynasty IDP Prospects
It is no secret that the pre-draft process holds immense weight on your impressions of the newest influx of talent to the game we love. Whether you are trying to get an idea of just who your team is looking at or you are looking for an edge in your IDP fantasy football leagues.
As the new NFL season approaches, let us take a closer look at the defensive stars of tomorrow. After all, defenses, and the men who make them up, win championships. These are some of the top prospects in the 2023 rookie class that you should know for your dynasty IDP fantasy football leagues. Let’s dive in, shall we?
Edge
Tyree Wilson – Texas Tech
Senior (RS) 6’6 275 lbs
A true freak among freaks, out of the box, Tyree Wilson can play all three downs at the NFL level. Throughout his college career he never once met a potential blocker who was taller, stronger, and longer in the arms than him. He uses his ludicrous frame in his final season with the Red Raiders on all 538 snaps across 10 games.
In this time 37 tackles, 15 assists, and 32 stops were also tallied up. Additionally, he had an incredible 50 total pressures as a pass rusher for the season, which includes 32 quarterback hurries, 10 quarterback hits, and an outstanding 8 sacks. One of his sacks is shown below, where he extends his arm into the shoulder of the right tackle before he can return the favor. This leads to Wilson bulldozing him into the lap of the quarterback.
Tyree Wilson… that’s it, that’s the tweet#NFLDraft2023 pic.twitter.com/z2T7vna63A
— Hurricane (@GpodawundNFL) February 26, 2023
Lukas Van Ness – Iowa
Sophomore (RS) 6’5 269 lbs
When taking prospects to play edge in the first round having elite physical traits is almost a prerequisite. This player who teammates dubbed “Hercules”, while never truly starting games for the Hawkeyes, has traits in droves appearing to be chiseled out of marble.
During his final season in Iowa City, Van Ness appeared in 458 snaps in 12 games. He made 15 tackles and 11 assists. Furthermore, he had 43 total pressures, 29 quarterback hurries, 6 quarterback hits, and an amazing 8 sacks as a pass rusher. At the moment, his pass rush moves consist of just using speed to leverage into power and a well-defined spin move as a counter punch. However, the league sees the sky as the limit for his game.
Will Anderson Jr – Alabama
Junior 6’4 243 lbs
Will Anderson is the most refined edge player in this draft class. Additionally, it is well known that he is going to be a very safe pick for an NFL franchise that turns in his name card in round one. In his three years starting for Nick Saban, “The Terminator” amassed an outstanding 37 sacks, 36 quarterback hits, and 107 quarterback hurries.
Not only does he put up production on passing downs. Additionally, he is a machine against the run churning out 204 tackles, 59 behind the line of scrimmage, for the Crimson Tide. After a well-decorated college career, earning back-to-back SEC defensive player of the year and unanimous first-team All-American awards, he is turning his eyes onto the professional level to do more of this.
First step, explosiveness, power and speed, Will Anderson Jr. has it all.
He really shows the ability to consistently win in a variety of ways. Complete package. pic.twitter.com/djzo8PQ754
— Luca Sartirana (@SartiranaLuca) June 23, 2022
Nolan Smith Jr – Georgia
Senior 6’3 235 lbs
The latest product out of Kirby Smart’s defensive powerhouse, Smith is a cold-blooded assassin who can accomplish any task assigned to him. Because of his size, some may shy away from him. However, he plays faster than the men lined up against him in the trenches. By using his arm length, he exhibits the strength of a player 20 pounds heavier.
Utilized as a passing down specialist and plagued by injury, this former Bulldog doesn’t have the impressive cumulative stats of his contemporaries. According to PFF, he has a career pass rush win rate of 16.8% and a grade of 80.8. His junior season was the most impressive of his four, forcing three fumbles and earning a run defense grade of 90.6 from PFF.
BJ Ojulari – LSU
Junior 6’3 250 lbs
Bend is one of the key skills for the modern pass rusher, this Tiger excels in this department by using his flexibility to routinely dip below the outreach of offensive tackles. Additionally, the bloodline is strong with this prospect as his older brother and former second-round pick Azeez Ojulari are currently starting for the New York Giants.
Now, I must say that BJ is a much more well-rounded prospect than his brother was. He has shown a more refined set of moves for disabling potential blockers and a motor that stays in high gear until the whistle is blown. Because of this approach, he accounted for 26 sacks over his three years in Baton Rouge. In the play below, Ojulari uses an explosive first step and his loose hips to dip under #71 resulting in a quarterback hit.
https://twitter.com/StevenIHaglund/status/1617564464945180672?s=20
Interior Defensive Line
Jalen Carter – Georgia
Junior 6’3 300 lbs
In my opinion, Jalen Carter is without a doubt the best defensive player out of the draft in the last three years. He has the versatility to defend both the run and the pass. He does this by lining up as far inside as the shoulder of the center to be able to go toe-to-toe with tackles.
Additionally, Carter crushes pockets from the interior by using his immense strength and pad level. This was shown in college as he produced a pass rush win rate of 17.6%. Against the run, he can cover two gaps by extending his arms into the chest of his blocker, subsequently using his agility and quickness to make the tackle.
To see just how powerful and violently he plays, check out the video below.
Jalen Carter is stealing Oregon’s lunch money pic.twitter.com/AVLeuXb0Xw
— Matt DeBary (@MattDeBary) September 3, 2022
Linebacker
Drew Sanders – Arkansas
Junior 6’5 235 lbs
A former rotational edge rusher for Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide, Drew Sanders transferred to Arkansas in his final college season. There he made the transition into an off-ball linebacker. This decision paid dividends for both the Razorbacks and his future in the game of football. Overall, it showed his versatile toolset in all facets of the game.
In 2022 Sanders competed in 12 games and 846 snaps for the Razorbacks. His 39 total pressures as a pass rusher are comprised of 25 quarterback hurries, three quarterback hits, and an incredible 11 sacks for the season. He had a respectable 63 tackles, 27 assists, and 43 stops. Sanders recorded two pass breakups, and one interception, and allowed a QB rating of 88.0 when in coverage.
Jack Campbell – Iowa
Senior 6’5 246 lbs
This jack of all trades has everything your team could ask for in a linebacker. He’s a fluid athlete with a high football IQ and a violent tackler. His body length allows him to reach out for ball carriers to stop them in their tracks.
Also, he can keep up in zone coverage allowing for little to no yards after the catch. Through his final two years with the Hawkeyes, Campbell hoarded 265 total sacks four interceptions, and four pass breakups. The two plays below show exactly what an NFL team will be getting out of him. Finally, his athletic limitations hamper his ceiling a bit.
Campbell slides with the play action, identifies that it’s a pass and gets back into coverage. Puts himself in a position to make a play and comes down with a great interception. pic.twitter.com/2bMXjtl7aF
— Mase (@caliking49er17) February 18, 2023
Trenton Simpson – Clemson
Junior 6’3 240 lbs
Now, this is your ideal framework for an every-down linebacker in today’s spread-out and fast approach to offense. He possesses a quick twitch in open space which combined with his blazing speed truly takes your breath away.
In his three years at Clemson, Simpson tallied up 165 tackles, with 23 coming as a loss for the offense. As a blitzer, he recorded 13 sacks, getting his hands on the quarterback 23 total times for hits.
As with most linebackers slated for first-round capital, he is a projection based on traits, However, his game lacks some refinement. That being said, with the right coaching staff and environment, we may be looking at a true superstar in the making going into the 2024 season.
Defensive Back
Brian Branch – Alabama
Junior 6’ 193 lbs
Included at number 62 on Bruce Feldman’s Freak’s List. Branch, who weighs 194 pounds and is 6 feet tall, is a powerful DB, power-cleaning 335, and squatting 565. A GPS reading of 22.3 mph reveals to us that he has a great deal of speed as well. Not only is he a physical marvel, but he is also a surgical tool and a sledgehammer all in one for an NFL defense. This former member of the Crimson Tide is in line to make a defensive coordinator very happy.
In his final season at Tuscaloosa, he put together a stat line that most linebackers would die to have. This season included seven passes defended, two interceptions, 90 total tackles, and 14 tackles in the backfield. Additionally, he has a missed tackle rate of only three percent which is rare for most prospects, much less a safety
Not only does he play in open space well, but to quote Boobie Miles’ Uncle from Friday Night Lights “… and he can pass!! (rush)”. In the rep shown below, Branch gives the poor soul playing running back a valuable lesson in pass protection, never flatten your feet.
Brian Branch, man pic.twitter.com/HkpFu6lDpq
— Cory (@fakecorykinnan) February 7, 2023
Is there anyone I missed? Or did I mischaracterize one of the prospects included above? If so, or if you would just like to talk football, IDP, or dynasty please find me on Twitter @GpodawundFF to give me a shout, and let’s have a discussion!
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