Illinois football set to be well-represented at 2023 NFL draft
Outside linebacker Alec Bryan yells during a game against Purdue on Nov. 12 as his teammates Shawn Miller, wide receiver and defensive back Devon Witherspoon stand behind him. With the upcoming 2023 NFL draft it is expected for Illini athletes such as Witherspoon to be picked to play in the NFL.
April 26, 2023
The NFL offseason started just over a month ago when free agency opened and teams started to negotiate deals with players. But it is now time for the biggest spectacle of the offseason, with the 2023 NFL draft kicking off in Kansas City, Missouri on Thursday.
This year’s draft is expected to feature multiple former Illini players, namely defensive back Devon Witherspoon, defensive back Sydney Brown, defensive back Quan Martin and running back Chase Brown. Illinois enjoyed a resurgence in its football program during the 2022 season, much due to the contributions of these four players.
All four players were named to one of the three All-Big Ten teams, and the defensive trio are all believed to be taken within the first three rounds of this year’s draft.
Leading the pack in all mock drafts is Witherspoon, who is projected as a top 10 pick with the Detroit Lions and Las Vegas Raiders in the hunt for the consensus All-American corner. Witherspoon has been on a steady rise up the draft board since the end of the regular season and will likely be the highest-drafted Illini since 1996 when Kevin Hardy was selected second overall.
A testament to the tremendous depth of Illinois’ defense, Martin and Brown are both mocked in the late second to early third round range.
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Martin’s crowning achievement during his senior season was tackling, as he led Illinois in solo tackles (51) and was also Pro Football Focus’ fourth-best cornerback tackler. Voted to All-Big Ten second team by the media and third team by the coaches, Martin captained the Illini in its first bowl game in four years while also reeling in three total interceptions.
While not having a singular skill as dominant as Martin’s tackling, Brown’s versatility was on full display during his 12 starts in the 2022 season. Able to break up passes, bring down interceptions and tackle with efficiency, the Ontario native provides a wildcard for any team that might desire his services in the NFL.
As for Chase Brown, plenty can be said about the season he had for the Illini in 2022. Brown was the first ever Illinois player to be a Doak Walker finalist, the trophy awarded to the best running back in college football. An Associated Press second-team All-American, Brown was second in the nation in missed tackles and fourth in the nation in rushing yards. Brown had over 100 yards in 10 of the 12 games he played, helping lead the Illini to the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl which he sat out in order to prepare for the NFL draft.
There are also several other Illini players who declared for the draft, and a couple of who are in mock drafts. Defensive tackle Calvin Avery has been projected as a seventh-round pick after a standout season in which he played all 13 games, 12 of them lined up as the nose tackle. Avery was a key part of an Illinois team that ranked as the No. 1 scoring defense in the nation.
Also declaring for the draft was one of the team captains, offensive tackle Alex Palczewski. Palczewski finished an illustrious Illinois career in which he started 65 games, the most in Big Ten history and tied for the most in FBS history. Palczewski allowed no sacks while helping the Illini offense reach new heights on the ground as well.
This year’s NFL draft is set to kick off at 7 p.m. By the end of the weekend, Illinois football will likely have a couple new additions to their NFL resume.
