By Marvin Moore June 2, 2023
Now that the draft is completed, it’s time to predict which rookies will have an “instant impact” this upcoming season. While it is a Herculean challenge to forecast which players will find early success at the NFL level, some rookies possess game-changing talent from day one.
Sauce Gardner established himself as a shutdown corner early in training camp for the Jets last year, and Micah Parsons was an immediate beast for the Cowboys in 2021. Other recent impactful rookies include JaMarr Chase, Justin Herbert, Justin Jefferson, and Garrett Wilson, to name just a few.
Below is my list of the top five instant impact rookies from the 2023 NFL Draft class.
5. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
A surprising 12th overall pick, Gibbs was one of the top dual-threat running backs in college football last season. The Alabama standout posted 151 carries for 926 yards and seven touchdowns, leading the Crimson Tide with 44 receptions for 444 yards and three scores.
Gibbs, who has sub-4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash, averaged 6.1 yards per carry and 10.1 yards per catch in his final collegiate season. He also returned 13 kickoffs for 258 yards, including one for 57 yards. The former Georgia Tech transfer finished third in the SEC and 21st in the nation with 1,628 all-purpose yards.
The Lions will have a new-look backfield this year with the departures of D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams. Former Chicago Bears workhorse David Montgomery is projected as the featured back, with Gibbs having the inside track as the No.2 back. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound back is expected to be deployed as both a runner and a receiver in Ben Johnson’s offense.
4. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
The eighth-overall pick is the highest-drafted running back in five years and the early frontrunner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Robinson was a unanimous All-American pick last year after an ultra-productive at Texas with 3,410 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns. He also added 805 receiving yards and eight scores via the passing game.
Robinson joins a run-happy Falcons squad that led the league with 559 rushing attempts in 2022. The reigning Doak Walker Award recipient, recognizing the nation’s top running back, forced 104 missed tackles on 257 carries in his final season with the Longhorns. An elusive runner with above-average receiving talent, Robinson has a well-rounded skill set that could make him an instar NFL star.
A two-time, first-team All-Big 12 selection, Robinson finished second in the FBS with 1,894 scrimmage yards last year. With a bruising backfield mate in Tyler Allgeier, two young but talented pass-catchers in former top picks Kyle Pitts and Drake London, and dual-threat quarterback Desmond Ridder, Robinson has a solid supporting cast to make an early impact.
3. Tyree Wilson, Edge, Las Vegas Raiders
A speed-to-power type of rusher, the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft started three years at Texas Tech after transferring from Texas A&M. Wilson compiled 61 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and seven sacks before a foot injury knocked him out for the remainder of his senior season.
Wilson won’t open the season as a starter with Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones ahead of him on the depth chart. However, he will have a valuable role as a versatile defensive lineman who can play inside and outside and could see additional playing time if Jones does not bounce back from a subpar 2022 campaign.
The massive 6-foot-6, 275-pound defensive end delivered back-to-back double-digit tackle-for-a-loss seasons and posted 27.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks over his final two collegiate seasons. Wilson has a high ceiling and should have plenty of opportunities during his rookie year to cause havoc in opposing backfields with his signature slap-and-swim moves with his long arms.
2. Will Anderson, Edge, Houston Texans
The third overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft came with a heavy price: the No. 12 and No. 33 choices in this year’s draft and first- and third-round selections in the 2024 draft. But the Texans believe that Anderson is a game-changing pass rusher who will immediately impact a defensive unit that ranked last in rushing a year ago.
The 6-foot-4, 253-pound rookie tallied 34.5 sacks in 41 games for Alabama, earning SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors twice. He finished his collegiate career with a whopping 58.5 tackles for loss and even returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown last year.
Anderson will move from linebacker to defensive end in his rookie season but is an elite pass rusher Houston will build their defensive front around. He has a unique skillset and is a candidate to be the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
1. Jalen Carter, DT, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles got the steal of the draft when Jalen Carter fell to them with the ninth overall pick. Carter’s off-the-field problems and lackluster pro day led to many teams passing on the ultra-talented defensive tackle prospect.
The unanimous All-American will be an early contributor to a loaded Philadelphia defense. The 6-foot-3, 310-pound rookie has extraordinary natural strength and a rare blend of first-step quickness and leverage through contact.
Carter is a freakish talent several NFL scouts consider the best player in this year’s draft. He is the frontrunner for top defensive rookie and will see significant playing time on one of the NFL’s top-ranked defensive units.
