NFL Draft 2023: All-Athlete Offensive Team Via Relative Athletic Scores
Contents
The 2023 NFL Draft is full of elite athletes across every position. This article breaks down the top athlete at each position on offense, building a full 11-man lineup. Keep reading to learn more about some of the most athletic prospects at offensive positions in this year’s draft class and check out the defensive lineup here.
NFL Draft 2023 All-Athlete Offensive Team
Last year, I put together an article highlighting some of the best athletes in the NFL Draft. It was a hit, and I’m excited to bring the same content back to you guys for the 2023 draft class. This time around, I built a full lineup of 22 of the best athletes in this class.
I split this into two articles highlighting the best athletes among offensive and defensive players in this draft. In this article, you’ll find the all-athlete offensive lineup. You can find the defensive roster here.
I also included an “athletic comps” section at the end of each player breakdown. Keep in mind that these aren’t necessarily comps regarding a player’s projected production or scheme fit. Rather, they are focused on which pro players the draft prospects most resemble athletically.
Without further ado, here’s the offensive all-athlete lineup in this year’s NFL Draft.
- Quarterback – Anthony Richardson, Florida
- Running Back – Devon Achane, Texas A&M
- Wide Receiver – A.T. Perry, Wake Forest/li>
- Wide Receiver – Andrei Iosivas, Princeton
- Wide Receiver – Bryce Ford-Wheaton, West Virginia
- Tight End – Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion
- Offensive Tackle – Blake Freeland, BYU
- Offensive Guard – Jon Gaines II, UCLA
- Center – Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas
- Offensive Guard – Sidy Sow, Eastern Michigan
- Offensive Tackle – Jake Witt, Northern Michigan
Resources used:
Anthony Richardson – Quarterback, Florida
I expected big things from Anthony Richardson at the combine this year as the best athlete in this year’s quarterback class, but he absolutely blew any expectations out of the water. Richardson set a modern combine record for quarterbacks with a 40 ½ inch vertical jump and tied the modern record in the broad jump at 10’9”.
Richardson also ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash which would put him in the 98th percentile all time at the position. His spider graph on MockDraftable looks ridiculous – it’s filled to the brim in all directions. Check it out here.
Richardson made Feldman’s Freaks List last year in a rare event for a quarterback, and Feldman reported that Richardson cleaned 325 pounds and squatted 500 last offseason. His strength is such that he could play linebacker with no problems.
I love the following quote that was included in the Feldman article. “Anthony is physically built like an outside linebacker – tall, long, and chiseled out of stone,” said Florida strength coach Mark Hocke. “Has the athleticism and bounce of a running back/wide receiver combined with a Jugs machine for an arm.”
Richardson might not be the most polished passer or have the most refined mechanics, but athletically he’s a different breed. He joins Cam Newton and Daunte Culpepper as the only three quarterbacks to ever register a 10.0 Relative Athletic Score (RAS), which is a perfect score.
Richardson hasn’t come close to hitting his ceiling as a player, although he did literally hit the ceiling at his pro day as you can see in the clip below.
Athletic Comps: Cam Newton, Daunte Culpepper, Desmond Ridder
Devon Achane – Running Back, Texas A&M
Call him a one-trick pony if you want, but there’s no denying Devon Achane’s otherworldly speed. He was arguably the fastest man in college football this past season, and he was the only dual-sport athlete to qualify for the NCAA Track & Field Championships in a track event. He’s also a three-time track & field All American.
Achane boasts an all-conditions personal best of 10.02 in the 100 meter dash – for reference, Tyreek Hill’s best time was 9.98 in the 100m. Achane was used on kick returns frequently for the Aggies, and his breakaway speed made him a constant home-run threat.
At the combine, Achane ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash that ranks in the 98th percentile all-time. However, the rest of his testing presented some concerns. He was in the fifth percentile or lower in weight (188 lbs), arm length (29”), and hand size (8 ½”). Still, speed kills at all levels, and it will make him an enticing mid-round draft target.
Athletic Comps: Jahmyr Gibbs, Darren Sproles, Steven Turner (CFL)
A.T. Perry – Wide Receiver, Wake Forest
Any wide receiver running a 4.47-second 40-yard dash is a solid result – that’s in the 63rd percentile at the position. However, when that wide receiver is 6’4″, you’re entering incredibly rare territory. That’s where A.T. Perry checks in.
The Wake Forest product combines that height and 33 1/4″ arms with an electric broad jump of 133″ – that ranked in the 96th percentile. Perry’s explosiveness at his size flashes consistently on film, but he also has polished footwork you don’t often see from someone his size.
The only real knock on Perry from a physical standpoint is his relative lack of weight at 198 lbs, but he’ll bulk up once he gets in a professional strength and conditioning program. This type of profile is well worth a Day 2 selection.
Athletic Comps: DeVante Parker, George Pickens, Jamari Staples
Andrei Iosivas – Wide Receiver, Princeton
If you were a fan of Christian Watson last year, you’ll love Andrei Iosivas. The Princeton product unsurprisingly tore up the combine this year with excellent numbers across the board, earning him an RAS score of 9.92.
Iosivas ran track at Princeton and had the fastest 60 meter dash in NCAA heptathlon history at 6.71 seconds. In Feldman’s Freaks list, it was noted that he also benched 370 pounds last year.
Checking in at 6’3”, 205 lbs, Iosivas ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash, which was perhaps even a bit disappointing as crazy as that sounds – that’s how electric of a runner he is. His explosion and agility grades were also very impressive.
At 23 years old, Iosivas isn’t especially young for this class, but he’s coming off a career-high 66-reception, 943-yard, and 7-touchdown season. The Hawaiian receiver is worth taking a chance on in the middle rounds with his remarkable athletic traits.
Athletic Comps: D.J. Chark, Tyrell Williams, Breshad Perriman
Bryce Ford-Wheaton – Wide Receiver, West Virginia
At 6’3”, 220 lbs, it was hard to miss Bryce Ford-Wheaton when you turned on West Virginia games this season. Ford-Wheaton followed his grandfather, Garrett Ford Sr., and uncle, Garrett Ford Jr., to West Virginia, although they both played running back.
Ford-Wheaton said he was going to “put on a show” at the scouting combine, and he absolutely did. He ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the combine, which is in the 90th percentile all time. That level of speed at his size is absurd.
The West Virginia product also leaped 41 inches in the vertical jump, which was in the 95th percentile, and 10’9” in the broad jump, which was in the 89th percentile. His strength is also impressive. According to Feldman’s Freaks article, he power cleaned 365 pounds last year
Ford-Wheaton’s production never reached elite levels, although he set career highs with 62 receptions for 675 yards and 7 touchdowns this past season as a fifth-year senior. He’s older than you’d like for a developmental receiver, but with his impressive athletic traits, NFL teams could take a swing on his upside sooner than some are expecting.
Athletic Comps: Martavis Bryant, Donte Moncrief, Chase Claypool
Zack Kuntz – Tight End, Old Dominion
The tight end position in this year’s draft is absolutely loaded with talent. Once considered a Day 3 sleeper in that stacked group, Zack Kuntz may have worked himself into top 100 territory after an unbelievable NFL combine performance.
Kuntz checked in at #11 on Feldman’s Freaks list last year, so perhaps we shouldn’t be overly surprised, but he registered a perfect 10.0 RAS despite suffering an undisclosed season-ending injury on October 31. Only four tight ends have ever checked in with an RAS of 10.0 since the database began in 1987.
The Old Dominion product ranked first among all tight ends at the combine with a 40” vertical, 10’8” broad jump, and 6.87-second 3-cone. He also tied for first with 23 reps on the bench and was second among tight ends in the 40-yard dash at 4.5 seconds.
Kuntz was a high school track star and state champion in hurdles, and he had plenty of offers from high-profile schools, but he didn’t break out until he transferred to Old Dominion. Now with production to match his athleticism, it’s safe to say he’ll be a problem in the NFL.
Athletic Comps: Jordan Cameron, Mike Gesicki, Jelani Woods
Blake Freeland – Offensive Tackle, BYU
Blake Freeland has always been a standout athlete as he was a Utah state champion in javelin and all-state pick in basketball in high school. A former tight end, Freeland converted to offensive tackle and uses his elite athleticism to excel at that position.
Freeland was an absurd performer at the combine this year, especially in recording a 37” vertical jump. That was a new record for an offensive lineman checked in above several elite wide receivers in the NFL, as you can see in the Tweet below. And he did it at 6’8”, 302 pounds!
He was also in the 98th percentile for the broad jump (120 inches) and 93rd percentile for the 40 yard dash (4.98 seconds) according to MockDraftable. All of that combined to give him an RAS of 9.89, a top 15 score in the database that goes back to 1987.
There were some concerns about Freeland being a bit undersized as his weight of 302 lbs checks in at just the 12th percentile for the position. He’s also below the 50th percentile in arm length and hand size. However, he possesses rare athletic traits for the position, and I’m excited to see how the NFL values him in the draft.
Athletic Comps: Lane Johnson, Kolton Miller, Kaleb McGary
Jon Gaines II – Offensive Guard, UCLA
According to Next Gen Stats, Jon Gaines II was the top rated offensive guard in combine testing. He also had the third-best RAS at the position at 9.69. At 6’3 ⅞” (31st percentile) and 303 lbs (16th percentile), Gaines is undersized for an offensive guard, but his athletic numbers were impressive across the board.
Gaines was in the 94th percentile with a 5.01-second 40-yard dash, and his 10-yard split of 1.65 seconds earned a 10.0 RAS. However, it was his 4.45-second short shuttle that was arguably most impressive as it led all offensive linemen – no other lineman was under 4.5 seconds.
Unfortunately, Gaines’s clear athletic advantages never translated to elite production at UCLA. However, his athleticism allowed him to playevery position for the Bruins., There could be plenty of interest in him as a developmental prospect in the later rounds.
Athletic Comps: Joel Bitonio, Ali Marpet, Connor McGovern
Ricky Stromberg – Center, Arkansas
Ricky Stromberg is a decorated player who spent time at all three interior positions for Arkansas in his collegiate career and won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the best offensive lineman in the SEC in 2022. Much of that was due to his outstanding strength through his entire body, but his athleticism is also excellent.
At the combine, Stromberg added to his impressive profile. Stromberg recorded a 32 ½” vertical jump and 9’3” broad jump, both of which were the best among all centers. At his pro day, Stromberg ran a 4.47-second 20-yard shuttle which would have been the second-best among all offensive linemen at the combine.
The only center to make Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List last year was Joe Tippmann, but the Wisconsin product didn’t test at the combine or the Wisconsin pro day, so I went in a different direction. Stromberg should wind up a Day 2 pick.
Athletic Comps: James Daniels, John Flannery, Chris Spencer
Sidy Sow – Offensive Guard, Eastern Michigan
A Quebec native, Sidy Sow was rated the third-best prospect in the Canadian Football League draft entering the 2021 season, but he deferred his draft status to the 2023 class as he spent six seasons in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
At Eastern Michigan, Sow evolved into one of the best athletes among offensive linemen in the country. Sow put his athleticism on full display at the combine, ranking in the 90th percentile or better for offensive guards in the 40-yard dash (5.07 seconds), vertical jump (32”), and broad jump (110”).
You’ll notice below that Sow’s closest athletic comps are all offensive tackles. While he spent one season at tackle and four at guard at Eastern Michigan, I believe Sow has unique positional versatility in the NFL. With five years of starting experience and high-end athletic traits, Sow is the type of player who could become an early starter as a mid-round pick.
Athletic Comps: Taylor Moton, Cameron Erving, Trey Smith
Jake Witt – Offensive Tackle, Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan hasn’t seen a football player drafted to the NFL in the last 30 years. However, Jake Witt is about to change that. Witt only has one season of full-time starting experience after arriving at Northern Michigan as a tight end, but the 6’7” prospect now weighs over 300 lbs and is building towards offensive tackle size.
Witt ran a 4.89-second 40-yard dash at his pro day, which would have been the best among all offensive linemen. He also registered a 37-inch vertical and 10’3” broad jump – all three of those results would have either tied or bested the top numbers ever for the position in NFL combine history.
The term “deep sleeper” was penned to describe Jake Witt, but his elite athleticism should have everyone taking notice – his RAS ranked 26th out of 1,239 offensive tackles since 1987. One year of starting experience at a DII program isn’t a lot to go on, but Witt could develop into a high-level starter in the NFL with his extraordinary athletic traits.
Athletic Comps: Kellen Diesch, Matt Patchan, Brian Mihalik
