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2023 NFL Draft: Who are the top Big Ten players available on Day 3?
By Alex Hickey
Published:
By the time the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft concluded, it was fair to wonder if there would be any Big Ten prospects left to draft the next day.
After a record-tying 9 B1G players were taken in the first round, 11 more joined them in Round 2 — setting a record for the most Big Ten players selected in the first 2 rounds. Last year, a total of 14 B1G players were drafted in the first 2 rounds.
The haul continued with another 5 B1G players in the third round. That total stunningly included Michigan kicker Jake Moody, who is the first kicker drafted before the fourth round since 2016.
Overall, it’s a great sign for how players are being developed in the league. When you combine it with 2 Big Ten teams reaching the CFP last year, there are signs the B1G is gaining some ground on the SEC.
Which means that even though a metric ton of Big Ten players have already been drafted, there are still plenty of talented names available on the final day of the 2023 NFL Draft.
B1G names to look for on Day 3
Adetomiwa Adebawore, DE, Northwestern
An unexpected repeat name on the list — Adebawore was anticipated to be a Round 2 pick in many circles. He ran the fastest NFL Combine 40-yard dash for any player over 280 pounds since 2006.
Some expect him to move inside in the NFL, which may explain his fall — many teams may view him as a tweener who doesn’t fit their scheme.
Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
Jones isn’t as polished as fellow Buckeye Paris Johnson Jr., who was selected with the No. 6 overall pick. But he’s certainly good enough to challenge for a starting job somewhere in the NFL next season.
Nick Herbig, OLB, Wisconsin
Another name I didn’t expect to see on the board to begin Day 3. Although maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise. Last year every team passed on Wisconsin linebacker Jack Sanborn, who signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent. By Week 18, Sanborn was starting.
Herbig isn’t going to fall that far. But he is going to join a team that wonders how it got him on Day 3.
Charlie Jones, WR, Purdue
If you were to create a Bill Belichick receiver in a laboratory, he’d look a great deal like Charlie Jones. He might even be Charlie Jones.
The Patriots have 4 picks in the fourth round. I’d be willing to put my life savings on Jones being 1 of those picks, though I must warn you there’s not a great deal of money in that account, so it’s a low-stakes bet.
Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland
Duncan started all 4 years at left tackle for the Terps, though it’s likely he’ll need to move inside or to the right side in the NFL. But that’s what makes him the ideal Day 3 pick — he’s got the blueprint to build something out of.
Terell Smith, CB, Minnesota
Smith impressed teams at the Combine, which isn’t surprising considering he’s a 4-time Academic all-Big Ten selection. He was honorable mention all-B1G last season and particularly effective as a blitzer.
Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland
Bennett rated as the 3rd-most athletic corner in the Combine per NFL.com, so someone is definitely taking a chance on him. And whether or not Bennett makes it, no one can ever take away the fact he was the MVP of the 2022 Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Luke Wypler, C, Ohio State
Wisconsin’s Joe Tippmann, Minnesota’s John Michael Schmitz and Penn State’s Juice Scruggs were the first 3 centers drafted this year. So it’s pretty clear the NFL has a thing for Big Ten centers. Which means Wypler will be getting a phone call.
Olu Oluwatimi, C, Michigan
The winner of the Outland and Rimington Trophies did not test well at the NFL Combine. But given the level of play at the position in the B1G, it would be foolish for nobody to draft him.
Chase Brown, RB, Illinois
Might Brown join twin brother Sydney in Philadelphia? If so, he’ll be waiting awhile. The Eagles don’t pick again until the sixth round, but also have 3 picks in Round 7.
Payne Durham, TE, Purdue
Tight ends are going like hotcakes in this draft. That being the case, expect Durham to join the parade sooner than later.
Cory Trice, CB, Purdue
Trice’s 6-3, 206-pound frame make him an intriguing Day 3 option at a position where NFL teams adore length.
Trey Palmer, WR, Nebraska
Palmer provided most of the highlights in Nebraska’s passing game in 2022. He also ran the 4th-fastest time of any receiver at the Combine. He’s seen as a one-trick pony by many NFL scouts, but it helps that speed is that trick.
Aidan O’Connell, QB, Purdue
O’Connell probably isn’t a future NFL starter, but never count out the former walk-on. He does have a skill set to be a competent backup in the league.
Mike Morris, DE, Michigan
Morris followed in Aidan Hutchinson’s footsteps as the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, but has dropped to Day 3 because of a disappointing showing at the Combine. Maybe he’s just a ballplayer.
Mohamed Ibrahim, RB, Minnesota
Like Morris, Ibrahim didn’t have the best showing at the Combine. He seems poised to go in the seventh round if he doesn’t slip through the cracks entirely. But there isn’t a running back in this draft I’d trust more than Ibrahim inside the 10-yard line. This guy is a battering ram.
Alex Hickey is an award-winning writer who has watched Big Ten sports since it was a numerically accurate description of league membership. Alex has covered college football and basketball since 2008, with stops on the McNeese State, LSU and West Virginia beats before being hired as Saturday Tradition's Big Ten columnist in 2021. He is an Illinois native and 2004 Indiana University graduate.