We are just four days out from the 2023 NFL Draft and another prediction has Illinois football players heading to some interesting teams.
For the first time in a long time, the Illini have a player projected to go in the first round of the NFL Draft. Not only could we have someone selected in the first 32 picks, but it looks like we might have someone go in the top 10, which is insane to think about.
Most of the mock drafts that I have looked at over the past couple of months have had Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon going in the top 10. He has either been predicted to go to the Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, and there were a couple who had him going to the Philadelphia Eagles.
On Sunday, Matt Miller of ESPN produced one of his final mock drafts for the 2023 NFL Draft. He has Witherspoon going at pick No. 6 to the Lions. Detroit has been the hottest team for Witherspoon’s landing spot. He would join former teammate, Kerby Joseph, which would be kind of cool.
Happy DRAFT WEEK!
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) April 23, 2023
Let's kick things off with my final 7-round mock draft.https://t.co/jmvE94bCds
Devon Witherspoon wouldn’t be the lone Illinois football player selected by the Detroit Lions in the 2023 NFL Draft
There are three other Illinois football players who are projected to be selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. Safety Quan Martin has been rising up draft boards lately, and he has risen so far to be, potentially, a second-round pick.
Miller has Martin going in the second round to the Buffalo Bills with pick No. 59 overall. The Bills need some secondary help, and Martin would give that to a franchise that is yearning for a championship.
You don’t have to go much further to find Illinois’ next draft selection. Dropping into the third round with pick No. 78 overall would be Sydney Brown. The talented safety is projected to go to – trying not to vomit – the Green Bay Packers. That franchise could be rebuilding, so having a nice young playmaker in the secondary would help tremendously.
The final pick in the 2023 NFL Draft from the Illinois football program would be Sydney’s brother, Chase Brown. Miller has Brown getting picked in the fifth round with selection No. 159 to the Lions.
Brown would join Witherspoon and Joseph to bring a little Orange and Blue flair to the Motor City. I can honestly say that I don’t think the Lions have had a solid running attack since Barry Sanders retired. Brown could give them stability at the position for years to come.