By Marvin Moore July 18, 2023
NFL training camps have officially started, and the 2023 regular season is just around the corner. Every year the league has numerous unpolished players that develop into bonafide Pro Bowl and All-Pro studs. However, identifying which players are on the cusp of superstardom is not easy.
Last year, journeyman quarterback Geno Smith enjoyed a career resurgence as the Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback. The 32-year-old beat out 2019 second-rounder Drew Lock for the starting job to earn Pro Bowl honors and win the Comeback Player of the Year award.
A pair of running backs, Josh Jacobs and Jamaal Williams, also turned in breakout campaigns a year ago. Jacobs led the league with 1,653 yards – an increase of 781 yards from 2021 – to earn first-team All-Pro recognition. Williams, who tallied 13 rushing touchdowns in his first five NFL seasons, paced the league with 17 rushing touchdowns last year.
Without further ado, here are our top picks for the most likely breakout players this upcoming season.
1. Derek Stingley Jr, CB, Houston Texans
The third overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Stingley played in just nine games during an injury-plagued rookie season. The former collegiate All-American did not surrender a touchdown catch while posting one interception and breaking up four passes. Stingley has all the tools – size, coverage skills, and athleticism – to be a lockdown cornerback like Sauce Gardner, the 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year, who was the fourth player taken in last year’s draft. If the Louisiana native can stay off the injured list, he has a chance to become one of the league’s elite defensive backs.
2. Jaelan Phillips, OLB, Miami Dolphins
Phillips was the 18th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and has racked up 15.5 sacks in two seasons. The 24-year-old posted a 15.6% pressure rate last year, which ranked 11th out of 143 pass rushers who rushed the passer at least 250 times. The Dolphins have a new defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, and added cornerback Jalen Ramsey to a defensive unit that traded for Bradley Chubb last November. Phillips is a high-motor defender in an excellent spot to blossom into a double-digit sack artist in 2023.
3. Sam Williams, DE, Dallas Cowboys
A second-round pick last year, Williams broke the Ole Miss single season-sack record with 12.5 sacks during his final season with the Rebels. The rookie tallied four sacks, 22 pressures, and three fumble recoveries in 2022 despite playing just 27% of the Cowboys’ snaps. The 24-year-old had a 13.9% pressure rate last season and should have a more prominent role in defensive coordinator Dan Quinn’s rotation opposite Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence this season.
4. Drake Jackson, DE, San Francisco 49ers
Jackson was the 61st pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and finished his rookie campaign with 14 tackles, three sacks, eight pass deflections, and one interception. The former USC standout will have a chance to win a starting role in one of the league’s top defensive units and have plenty of one-on-one matchups with teams focusing on Nick Bosa and Javon Hargrave. Jackson is a raw talent with the athleticism to become an elite pass rusher for new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
5. Isaiah Simmons, DB, Arizona Cardinals
The eighth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Simmons will move to the defensive backfield this season after playing his first three pro seasons at linebacker. The former Clemson All-American will be a free agent in 2024 and will be in an excellent position to become a playmaker now that he is back in his natural position. Look for Simmons to finally showcase the skills that made him a top-10 selection and secure a lucrative free-agent contract.
6. Baron Browning, OLB, Denver Broncos
The former third-round pick managed five sacks last season despite the loss of Randy Gregory (injury) and Bradley Chubb (trade). The Ohio State product posted a 14.2% pressure rate and turned in the fifth-fastest time to pressure – 2.27 seconds. Browning is a complete player with 21 tackles, two passes defended, and one interception in his sophomore season. The talented 24-year-old oozes talent and should be even more disruptive this upcoming season.
7. Derrick Brown, DT, Carolina Panthers
The seventh overall pick three years ago, Brown recorded 67 tackles last season while finishing eighth in the league in run stops. The former Auburn standout has 78 solo tackles in 49 games and has a good shot at becoming one of the NFL’s top run defenders this season under new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.
