The 2023 NFL Draft is two weeks away, and we couldn’t be more excited here at NFL Draft Blitz! The 2023 class is full of intriguing names and faces, with guys that can potentially impact the league for a long time. Let’s look at the new offensive skill position players, including running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends, entering the 2023 NFL Draft and where they could fit best across the league.

1. RB Bijan Robinson, Texas

Bijan Robinson has been discussed by many analysts in the media as the best running back prospect since Saquan Barkley. I don’t know about that level of hype, but there is no doubt that Robinson is a great prospect and the best in the class. He’s a special level of runner, with a ton of variety in how he runs the football. He’s also capable as a receiver and pass-protector, showing improved usage as a receiver in 2022.

Best fit: Philadelphia Eagles (#10 – Starter) – Can you imagine the headache of trying to contain Bijan Robinson and Jalen Hurts out of the same backfield? It would be a nasty duo, and Bijan would be an instant star in Philadelphia. Whether they pull the trigger on the pick is the question – and honestly, if he’s available at ten.

Projection: Houston Texans (#12 – Starter) – The Texans recently saw the emergence of rookie running back Damien Pierce, but adding Robinson would give this team an undeniably great one-two punch that would be very effective in a heavy run AFC South division.

Other fits: Pretty much any team in the NFL.

2. WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State

While he didn’t see the field much in 2022 due to nagging injuries, Jaxon Smith-Njigba put enough on tape in 2021 to show exemplary route-running ability and appears to be considered the second-best prospect in the skill position group by the NFL. He’s a glorified slot receiver who might be able to contribute on the outside – but will be the best from the slot. He’s got good speed and natural route-running ability.

Best fit: Tennessee Titans (#11 – Starting Slot) – The Titans wouldn’t dare go back-to-back seasons picking wide receivers in the first round, especially with the uncertainty with their quarterback situation. But imagine Treylon Burks and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in that offense, providing the schematic versatility that allows passing game coordinator Charles London a lot of room to scheme things up.

Projection: Atlanta Falcons (#8 – Starting Slot) – Originally, I think many people thought that the Falcons would select a defender in the first round. Chances are they have a draft day trade back, but if they stay at eight, Jaxon Smith-Njigba makes a ton of sense here. With Drake London in the X, the Falcons added a couple of free agents in Mack Hollins and Scotty Miller that could potentially fill the Z. JSN could easily fill in the slot and paired with Kyle Pitts, that would be a terrifying combination for quarterback Desmond Ridder to work with.

Other fits: Indianapolis Colts (starting slot), Kansas City Chiefs (starting slot), Chicago Bears (starting slot), and New Orleans Saints (starting slot).

3. TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame

Michael Mayer may not be the best tight-end prospect in the entire draft class, but there’s no doubt that he’s the most consistent receiver out of the group. Mayer catches everything that comes his way, and it doesn’t matter where the ball is placed. He’s capable as a run blocker and can offer that support to an offense. He might not be widely regarded in the future as the best tight end in this class, but he has the type of skillset to maintain a decade long career in the league.

Best fit: Green Bay Packers (#15 – Starter) – Michael Mayer makes the most sense with the Green Bay Packers because they need a solid tight end in their offense – especially with the anticipated transition to a new quarterback. Mayer is the most consistent receiver in this class and reminds me of Heath Miller, the former Pittsburgh Steelers tight end who might not have been the best athlete on the field, but he was effective as a receiver and capable as a blocker and carved himself a very solid NFL career.

Projection: Green Bay Packers (#15 – Starter) – I can’t even play this any other way. Read the best fit.

Other fits: Miami Dolphins (Starter), New York Jets (Starter), Detroit Lions (Starter), New York Giants (Starter).

4. RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama

Jahmyr Gibbs is one of those prospects who constantly pops on film. He transferred to Alabama in 2022 from Georgia Tech where he flashed ground-breaking speed, incredible playmaking ability, and schematic versatility as a receiver. Gibbs continued that trend at Alabama, putting up 1370 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns.

Best fit: Seattle Seahawks (#20 – Rotation) – The Seattle Seahawks have two running backs on their roster right now – Kenneth Walker and DeeJay Dallas. Walker is a bell-cow style of running back who offers some versatility and groundbreaking speed – imagine how dangerous the Seahawks offense would be if they had a one-two punch like Walker and Gibbs.

Projection: Early 2nd Round (Rotation) – There aren’t a lot of players in this position group that NFL teams sound excited to take in even the back end of the first round. I wouldn’t expect Gibbs to last beyond the first ten picks of the second round.

Other fits: Los Angeles Rams (Starter), Atlanta Falcons (Starter), Chicago Bears (Starter), New England Patriots (Starter).

5. WR Zay Flowers, Boston College

Zay Flowers, personally, is my top-graded wide receiver in this class and would be my pick to have the biggest rookie season at this point of the draft process out of all the wide receiver prospects. He can go to many places to start and impact immediately, and it’s not even funny. Most analysts have projected him into the slot, but as I discussed with NFL.com’s Chad Reuter on BlitzCast, Flowers is way more than a slot. His uncanny playmaking ability and pure God-given talent at route running will allow him to make a major impact quickly with an NFL roster.

Best fit: New England Patriots (Starting Z) – The New England Patriots need a playmaker who can make big plays after the catch. They’ve needed one badly for a while, as their bland, west coast style of offense doesn’t work without guys who can’t create after the catch. The rumor is that the Patriots love this guy, too. He could help facelift the offense and give it some explosion immediately.

Projection: Early Second Round (Starting Z) – Zay Flowers could be among the first picks off the board in the second round, but with his size, it’s hard to see him sliding up into the first.

Other fits: Los Angeles Rams (Starting Z), Atlanta Falcons (Starting Z), Minnesota Vikings (Starting Z), Los Angeles Chargers (Starting Z), Tennessee Titans (Starting Z).

6. TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah

The thing that flashes on tape about Dalton Kincaid immediately is that he is a downfield threat who puts his body into difficult situations to secure catches. Compared to some of the tight ends in this class, he is a little bit undersized. Standing at 6035 and 246 pounds, Kincaid can stretch the field from the slot and is an electric receiver who catches well through contact. If a second tight end sneaks into the first round, I would be surprised if it’s not Kincaid.

Best fit: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (#19 – Starter) – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a couple of guys who are solid blockers, but they don’t have a guy who can stretch the field and be a receiver. Baker Mayfield has traditionally always used a tight end heavily where he has been – a receiving threat as a tight end is critical to a quarterback who likes to be outside of the pocket. He would immediately contribute in Tampa Bay and offer solid production.

Projection: Jacksonville Jaguars (#25 – TE2) – The Jaguars have had long meetings with Dalton Kincaid this draft cycle, and it’s believable to see the Jaguars adding another tight end/slot weapon like Kincaid to pair with Evan Engram and give defenses problems with their size combination.

Other fits: Dallas Cowboys (TE2), New York Jets (TE2), Tennessee Titans (Starter).

7. WR Quentin Johnston, TCU

Quentin Johnston is projected to go high in the draft, but he might slide down boards a little bit farther than some people expect. There is no doubt that Johnston is extremely effective after the catch, but he’s a big body at wide receiver that plays smaller than he’s listed and doesn’t dominate the catch point as well as you’d expect him to.

Best fit: Dallas Cowboys (Starting Slot) – I could see Quentin Johnston being at his best out of the slot working underneath behind the likes of CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. However, with a year left on the contract of Michael Gallup, Johnston could be considered the heir apparent to his spot. He would be most productive out of Dallas’ system.

Projection: Mid-to-Late Second Round (Backup Z) – Johnston’s lack of a big body skillset is not exactly thrilling to me, personally, and I don’t think players like him have a long history of being successful in the league. I worry that Johnston will be limited to being an after-catch receiver who will need to be schemed to space. He can find roles and be productive in the NFL, but it’s not been historically sustainable.

Other fits: Cleveland Browns (Backup Z), New England Patriots (Backup Z), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Backup Z).

8. WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee

Jalin Hyatt took the SEC by storm this year, especially after his five touchdown performance against the normally stingy Alabama secondary. While I do understand concerns that have been raised by analysts who think that Hyatt might be a one trick pony with his 4.40 speed, he showed enough on film to me to believe that he’s going to continue to develop as route runner as he expends his route tree in an NFL offense.

Best fit: New Orleans Saints (Starting Z) – The best fit for Hyatt, in my opinion, is where his speed could be utilized in New Orleans with Michael Thomas and Chris Olave. Derek Carr would have three suitable options immediately who could contribute well and attack different areas of the field. I also believe that New Orleans is the only team in the league Hyatt could walk in and start immediately.

Projection: Mid-to-late Second Round (Backup Z) – It looks like a lot of teams will be seeing Hyatt as a backup option, which should push him further into the second round than some draftniks would hope to see. Hyatt has speed and God-Given talent, but there are some aspects of his game that he has to improve.

Other fits: Arizona Cardinals (Backup Z), Detroit Lions (Backup Z), Kansas City Chiefs (Backup Z), Miami Dolphins (Backup Z).

9. TE Darnell Washington, Georgia

When we talk about winners of the Underwear Olympics, we can’t discuss such things without talking about Darnell Washington. The 6’6″ and 264-pound bemouth is also an athletic freak, running a 4.64 forty-yard dash and a 10-foot-2 broad jump. Washington’s role is still being debated among draft analysts at the next level, but to me, he appears to be a picture-perfect TE2 that would be very effective in 12 personnel sets.

Best fit: Cincinnati Bengals (Backup) – By backup, I mean that Washington would settle nicely into a tight-end-two role in 12 personnel sets and give Cincinnati help behind Irv Smith Jr, who is more of a receiving threat anyways. The size between Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Smith, and Washington would give the Bengals massive size across the board for quarterback Joe Burrow.

Projection: Early 2nd Round (TE2) – I don’t think anyone is seriously looking at Washington as starting tight-end material – at least not yet. His role in the Georgia defense was the second tight end in 12 personnel, which is what he should be expected to play at the next level. He’s a good run blocker, and he’s a good receiver, but he’s not a guy that I think is going to produce a lot because of the attention that he demands.

Other fits: Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers.

10. WR Jordan Addison, USC

One name that we’ve been hearing thrown around for a very long time in the past couple NFL Draft cycles is Jordan Addison, the freshman phenom who looked excellent at Pittsburgh in 2020 and 2021 before transferring to USC in 2022. The key to Addison’s game is his route-running, he’s ridiculously nuanced and has a complex route tree that he has already mastered. He reminds me a lot of Calvin Ridley coming out of college and could have the same impact somewhere on a team.

Best fit: Tennessee Titans (Starting Z) – Addison could get into the starting lineup at Tennessee very quickly, as that unit currently is quite depleted of talent. The Titans famously traded AJ Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2022 NFL Draft, selecting Treylon Burks to replace him, and currently have Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Kyle Phillips penciled in as starters. I think that Addison would be a logical replacement to Westbrook-Ikhine and would contribute immediately in a young receiver corps.

Projection: Mid-to-late 2nd Round (Backup Z/Starting Slot) – Most teams are going to want to work Addison out to the boundary, but I think that he starts in the slot as a rookie. His route-running prowess will cause mismatch problems across the league from there as he adjusts to the speed of the game and prepares to replace someone on the outside.

Other fits: Pittsburgh Steelers (Starting slot), Philadelphia Eagles (Starting slot), Green Bay Packers (Starting slot).

Bonus: RB Tyjae Spears, Tulane

Tyjae Spears has been one of my favorite players the entire draft cycle, even before he was on a seven-game 100-yard rushing streak. That being said, it’s hard to imagine anyone in the NFL thinking that his frame is going to hold up in anything more than a rotational role. When he is on the field, though, he’s going to be special. Spears is an excellent runner, very capable route-runner and receiver, and has the tape showing he’s a very good pass protector too. Spears might be the biggest surprise in the mid-rounds out of anyone in this class.

Best fit: Las Vegas Raiders (Rotation) – The Las Vegas Raiders makes a lot of sense with Tyjae Spears because of the type of quarterback that Jimmy Garropolo is. The system, too, allows for a running back like Spears to thrive in a rotational role. He would be very productive out there behind Josh Jacobs, and helping the entire backfield stay healthy.

Projection: Third Round (Rotation) – Third round makes the most sense for Tyjae, who should be drafted after running backs like Zach Evans, Kendre Miller, and others that I haven’t named in this article because of my conviction in Spears ending up as the third best running back out of this group in ten years. He could slide down into the fourth round, but with his abilities he displayed, its hard to reasonable expect.

Other fits: Tennessee Titans (Rotation), Philadelphia Eagles (Rotation), Atlanta Falcons (Rotation), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Rotation), Pittsburgh Steelers (Rotation).

Bonus: WR Cedric Tillman, Tennessee

Another receiver prospect who struggled through injuries in 2022, Cedric Tillman is probably the best X receiver in this entire class. At 6’3″ and 213 pounds, Tillman tested decently well to hold up at the next level but really has shown his ability to secure catches and win in contested situations is special. I think Tillman flashes some very high level route-running ability and has a chance to be special at the next level.

Best fit: New York Giants (Starter) – The New York Giants need a bit, physical presence that they tried to acquire with Kenny Golladay. It’s probably the only team that you could pencil him in as a starter right away, and he might be in a perfect position draft wise where the Giants could take him.

Projection: Late Second Round/Early Third Round – Tillman projects toward the back end of the second round and could even slip into the third round int he right circumstance. Regardless, he’s a guy that a tea is drafting for year two – to replace someone and enter him into the lineup with a year under his belt.

Other fits: Pittsburgh Steelers (Backup), Indianapolis Colts (Backup), Kansas City Chiefs (Borderline starter), Green Bay Packers (Backup).

Bonus: WR Marvin Mims, Oklahoma

Marvin Mims is a big play threat waiting to happen. He doesn’t always flash on the field, but he gets open and he makes some crazy, incredible catches. He’s not the flashiest player but when he does, he is ridiclously bright. Mims looks like a Z receiver at the next level, and there aren’t many places he would have that big of a role just yet in the NFL.

Best fit: Jacksonville Jaguars (Starting Z) – To me, Marvin Mims is the kind of guy that Trevor Lawrence would mesh with well on the football field. Mims isn’t a guy who is an elite route runner but he knows how to get open. That’s something that Trevor Lawrence can work with. To me, Mims would be an instant upgrade over Zay Jones and provide evn more big play ability than what’s already on the team.

Projection: Late Second Round/Early Third Round –

Other fits: New Orleans Saints (Backup), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Backup), Tennessee Titans (Starting Z).

Bonus: TE Luke Musgrave, Oregon State

One of the more underrated tight ends in this class, Luke Musgrave pretty much missed the entire 2022 season (outside of the first two games) with injuries. Musgrave is an athletic prospect who can stretch the field well as a receiver and did a good job making contested catches through defenders.

Best fit: Houston Texans (TE2) – The Houston Texans signed Dalton Schultz to try and beef up their tight end room, but a guy like Luke Musgrave could upgrade the depth of the group immediately. I know Brevin Jordan is in that room as well, but that’s a guy who would be better suited in an H-Back role than he is as a tight end. Musgrave can legitimately extend the field vertically with his ball skills, and that’s where the Texans offense could get an edge in the AFC South right now.

Projection: Third Round – Luke Musgrave could very well come off of the board in the second round, but I’ll say third for the sake of projecting anything that could change. There are 32 spots in the second round, and we’ve got a lot of other skill position groups that are loaded. Traditionally tight ends come off the board slower anyways, and there are a couple of prospects who could be selected beforehand.

Other fits: Denver Broncos (TE2), Las Vegas Raiders (TE3), San Francisco 49ers (TE2).