Category: Draft News

Boise State S JL Skinner suffers torn pectoral during predraft training

Boise State safety JL Skinner will have surgery next week, but will still attend the NFL Scouting Combine for interviews with teams

One of the top safety prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class will be starting his transition to the next level by rehabbing a new injury.

Boise State’s JL Skinner suffered a torn pectoral muscle during his predraft training, and will have surgery next week. Skinner will obviously miss the on-field drills at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, but will still be in attendance for interviews with NFL teams.

The news was first reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, then confirmed on social media by Skinner himself.

It remains to be seen when Skinner will be back to full strength and ready to return to the field, but his film shows a high-upside player who could make a big impact at the next level whenever he’s fully healed.

Hendon Hooker says he should be ready for 1st NFL training camp

Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker gives a positive update on his recovery from a torn ACL

One of the most hyped up and productive quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL draft class gave us a major injury update on Monday morning.

Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker, a Heisman Trophy favorite before an unfortunate ACL injury took him out of the season on November 19th against South Carolina, was projected as a potential first-round pick prior to the injury.

Hooker told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero that he expects to be running by the end of March, and ready to go by training camp for whichever team lands him in the draft.

This is fantastic news for Hooker, who likely has had some of his draft stock suffer because of the injury, and the mystery surrounding his recovery time. With news he will be ready for training camp, it must ease the anxieties of teams who were looking at the Vols’ signal-caller to their quarterback room.

While that might not be enough to keep him in the first-round conversation, the news could put him back on track to be one of the passers off the board on Day 2, and should allow him to come in right away to compete for a backup position, or perhaps even a starting role.

It will be interesting to see how teams view Hooker’s injury and recovery time come draft weekend, and if a team will be willing to take a chance on a quarterback who was on his way to having one of the most productive seasons in recent memory.

Hooker has all the tools he needs to fight and claw his way into a starting role one day, and could end up being the steal of the draft.

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Georgia QB Stetson Bennett arrested on public intoxication charge

Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett was arrested in Dallas early Sunday morning on a charge of public intoxication

Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett was arrested early Sunday morning on a charge of public intoxication, police confirmed to Dallas news station WFAA.

Here are more details on the situation, from WFAA’s report:

The arrest happened around 6 a.m. Sunday in the 1600 block of Tribeca Way in Old East Dallas, according to police.

Officers responded to reports of a man banging on doors in the area, police said.

When the officers arrived, they found Bennett “and determined he was intoxicated,” a police news release said.

The release did not say if Bennett was the man reportedly banging on doors, and it did not say where, specifically, they located him.

Bennett, 25, was arrested and taken to a city detention center. It was unclear when he was being released Sunday.

A 2023 NFL draft hopeful, Bennett helped lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships.

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NFL announces 69 players granted special eligibility for 2023 draft

See all of the players who have been granted special eligibility for the 2023 NFL draft

Now that the deadline for underclassmen to declare has passed, we now know which of those prospects will be available for selection in the 2023 NFL draft.

The league released the full list of 69 players granted special eligibility for this year’s draft, headlined by some of this year’s top overall talents at every position.

Top quarterbacks like Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud are among them, as well as elite defenders like Alabama’s Will Anderson and Georgia’s Jalen Carter.

That number is a slight drop from last year’s class, which saw 73 players granted special eligibility for the draft.

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TCU WR Quentin Johnston declares for 2023 NFL draft

TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston is leaving school early to enter the 2023 NFL draft

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One of the best pass-catchers in college football is making the early jump to the next level.

TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston made it official Monday evening, announcing via social media that he’ll be declaring for the 2023 NFL draft.

Arguably the top receiver prospect in this year’s draft class, Johnston should be a first-round lock when April rolls around, with the well-rounded skill set to make an immediate impact in the pros.

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Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud declares for 2023 NFL draft

Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud is leaving school early to enter the 2023 NFL draft

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It went down to the wire, but one of the nation’s top passers is officially making the jump to the next level.

Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud is leaving school early to enter the 2023 NFL draft, making his announcement via social media just ahead of Monday’s deadline for underclassmen to declare.

A two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, Stroud put up huge numbers for the Buckeyes over the past two seasons, leading them to the College Football Playoff this past year. Stroud’s incredible performance in the CFP semifinal nearly knocked off eventual national champion Georgia, and no doubt impressed NFL decision-makers.

One of this year’s top quarterback prospects, Stroud should easily be a top-10 pick as one of the first signal-callers off the board.

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USC WR Jordan Addison declares for 2023 NFL draft

USC wide receiver Jordan Addison is leaving school early to enter the 2023 NFL draft

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One of the best pass-catchers in college football is making the early jump to the next level.

USC wide receiver Jordan Addison is leaving school early to enter the 2023 NFL draft, making his announcement via social media just before Monday’s deadline.

Before transferring to the Trojans, Addison won the Biletnikoff Award as the top wide receiver in the country as a member of the Pitt Panthers.

He’ll now head to the pros as one of the top prospects at his position in this year’s draft class, and a lock to come off the board in the first round.

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Washington WR Rome Odunze returning to school, won’t enter 2023 NFL draft

Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze is returning for another year with the Huskies, passing up the 2023 NFL draft

One of the top pass-catchers in college football isn’t making the early jump to the pros just yet.

Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze announced via social media Thursday that he’ll be returning for the 2023 season with the Huskies, foregoing the 2023 NFL draft.

Odunze burst onto the scene with a stellar 2022 campaign, and could have easily been a first-round pick as one of the first wide receivers off the board in this year’s draft.

Returning for another year at the college level will give him an opportunity to polish his skill set even further, improving his stock for the 2024 draft.

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TCU CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson declares for 2023 NFL draft

TCU cornerback Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson is declaring for the 2023 NFL draft

One of the top defensive playmakers in college football is making the jump to the pros.

TCU cornerback Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson is declaring for the 2023 NFL draft, making his announcement via social media Thursday.

An undersized but talented defender, Hodges-Tomlinson makes up for his smaller frame in just about every other area of his game. He should be a Day 2 pick in this year’s draft, and could be an immediate impact player as a slot-nickel corner.

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Georgia TE Darnell Washington declares for 2023 NFL draft

Georgia tight end Darnell Washington is leaving school early to enter the 2023 NFL draft

One of the best tight ends in college football is making the early jump to the next level.

Georgia’s Darnell Washington is declaring for the 2023 NFL draft, making his announcement via social media Thursday.

An imposing offensive weapon with a rare combination of size, athleticism and versatility, Washington’s massive frame and catch radius make him a quarterback’s dream as a pass-catcher. He also puts that size to good use as a blocker, with plenty of experience helping out the ground game in Georgia’s physical offensive scheme.

Don’t be surprised if Washington dominates at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, and flies up the draft board into the first round.

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