By Marvin Moore – June 22, 2023
The 2023 NFL Training Camps are set to begin in late July and early August, and numerous players are ready to take the next step to become productive league standouts.
Every NFL campaign has young players who enjoy breakout seasons and become top-level stars. Last season, Jalen Hurts, Tony Pollard, and Josh Jacobs all made the leap from players with potential to legitimate NFL superstars.
Below are players who are set for breakout campaigns this upcoming season.
1. Nakobe Dean, LB, Philadelphia Eagles
A third-round pick in last year’s draft, Dean will be the Eagles starting middle linebacker this season and will be in a position to become a tackling machine playing behind one of the league’s top defensive fronts. Although he is an undersized linebacker at 5-foot-11 and 230 pounds, Dean is a three-down playmaker who should thrive as the signal-caller for Philadelphia’s elite defensive unit.
2. Drake Jackson, DE, San Francisco 49ers
The 61st overall selection in the 2022 Draft, Jackson will get a chance to shine opposite reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Nick Bosa. The 22-year-old posted 14 combined tackles, six quarterback hits, three sacks, and one interception as a rotational player during his rookie season. Jackson has a high ceiling and can be a disruptive force if his work ethic improves.
3. Devonte Wyatt, DT, Green Bay Packers
A late first-round pick in last year’s draft, Wyatt is adept at stopping the running game and putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. During his rookie campaign as a rotational player, the 6-foot-3, 304-pound interior lineman tallied five quarterback hurries, eight pressures, and 1.5 sacks. The former Georgia standout will be a full-time starter this season and has the skill set to become an elite defensive tackle.
4. Jaelan Phillips, Edge, Miami Dolphins
The 2020 first-round pick has recorded 15.5 sacks and 41 quarterback hits in his first two seasons and is poised to post elite sack totals in 2023 under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Phillips also has 17 tackles for loss in 20 NFL starts and could develop into one of the league’s top pass rushers in a defensive scheme that creates one-on-one opportunities for pass rushers on the edges.
5. Gregory Rousseau, Edge, Buffalo Bills
The former first-rounder has tallied 12 sacks and 18 tackles for loss in two seasons and could rise to greater heights this season. The 23-year-old has made significant progress with the help of future Hall of Famer Von Miller and possesses the talent to post double-digit totals in 2023.
6. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Cleveland Browns
A 2021 second-round selection, Owusu-Koramoah recorded 70 combined tackles and two forced fumbles in 11 games last season. The 23-year-old is a gifted athlete who should benefit from an improved defensive line and a new defensive coordinator. The former Butkus Award winner and collegiate All-American is in an excellent spot to become a Pro Bowl-caliber linebacker this upcoming season.
7. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, Houston Texans
The Texans drafted Stingley with the third overall pick a year ago and passed on Sajuce Gardner, who garnered Defensive Rookie of the Year honors after an impressive freshman campaign. However, the former LSU remains a lockdown cornerback with elite coverage skills. With a new head coach with a defensive mindset, Stingley is poised to join Gardner as one of the NFL’s elite defensive backs.
8. Deommodore Lenoir, CB, San Francisco 49ers
A fifth-round pick in 2021, Lenoir has quietly established himself as a draft-day steal. The 23-year-old started 13 games for the 49ers last season, including a trio of playoff games in which he posted an impressive 21.8 passer rating. The Oregon product should thrive in the zone-based schemes of new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
9. Jaycee Horn, CB, Carolina Panthers
The eighth overall pick in the 2021 Draft, Horn is a gifted athlete who has been limited to 16 games in two seasons due to various injuries. The 23-year-old possesses lockdown cover skills and led the Panthers with three interceptions last year. Horn has the skill set to develop into one of the league’s top cornerbacks if he can stay healthy.
10. Grant Delpit, S, Cleveland Browns
The second-round pick is a future Pro Bowl player who recorded 103 tackles and four interceptions in 2022. The third-year player was a two-time collegiate All-American with good size (6-3, 208 pounds) and instincts to become an elite safety for the next decade.
