The 2023 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and the Illinois football program has numerous players who are going to be picked or have a chance to be selected.
This past season was special for the Illini. We won eight games for the first time since 2007. Some of the talented players who helped lead us to this great run are now going to be playing on Sundays instead of Saturdays.
Here is the Illinois football 2023 final Mock Draft.
Devon Witherspoon
Illinois had one of the best defenses in the country in 2022, and this great unit was led by cornerback, Devon Witherspoon. The 5-foot-11.5, 181-pound defensive back departed the program as one of the 21 consensus All-Americans in Illinois history.
Witherspoon is the highest-graded Illinois football player in the 2023 NFL Draft, according to NFL.com. He checks in with a grade of 6.47.
Every mock draft has Witherspoon in the top 10 picks on Thursday. But where will the superstar cornerback land?
I believe the Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, and Indianapolis Colts will all go after a quarterback. The Arizona Cardinals have some serious issues to address, but I don’t think they go defensive back. The Seattle Seahawks were 13th in the NFL in pass defense in 2022.
Devon Witherspoon’s landing spot in the 2023 NFL Draft
Those teams are probably out of the Witherspoon sweepstakes. I think that narrows the options down to the Detroit Lions and Las Vegas Raiders at picks No. 6 and No.7, respectively.
The Lions have former Illinois cornerback Kerby Joseph on their roster. The Raiders have former Illinois cornerback Nate Hobbs on their roster. So, Witherspoon would have some familiar company with both teams.
Detroit and Las Vegas ranked third and fourth to last in pass defense last season, respectively. They both need Witherspoon. With the Lions picking first, I think he ends up going to Detroit and helping their secondary improve greatly.
Pick #6 (1st Round) – Detroit Lions