LOCALS IN THE NFL
Locals Land On Kiper’s 2023 NFL Draft Big Board, Top Position Rankings
SALT LAKE CITY – ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. released his early top 10 rankings for each position and his top 25 Big Board for the 2023 NFL Draft, which featured local players.
The NFL analyst released the 1.0 edition of his Big Board and position rankings on Tuesday, May 31.
Kiper ranked “the top guys at every position, starting with the quarterbacks and working our way down to the kickers and punters.”
Mel Kiper’s 2023 NFL Draft Big Board 1.0
A couple of players that played high school football in the state of Utah were featured on Kiper’s Big Board of college football’s top 25 prospects.
Those players were former East High standout Siaki Ika (Baylor) and ex-Orem High star Noah Sewell (Oregon).
Siaki Ika – Defensive Tackle (East High/Baylor)
After his time at East, Ika decided to pursue college football with the LSU Tigers. Ika played at LSU for two seasons before transferring to Baylor ahead of the 2021 campaign.
During his three seasons in college, Ika has recorded 47 total tackles, 26 solo tackles, five sacks, and one pass breakup.
Noah Sewell – Inside Linebacker (Orem High/Oregon)
Following a standout high school career with the Orem Tigers, Sewell decided to head out of state to play with the Oregon Ducks.
During his two seasons at Oregon, Sewell has accumulated 158 total tackles, 78 solo tackles, five pass breakups, six sacks, three forced fumbles, and one interception.
He was named first-team All-Pac-12 in 2021.
He is the younger brother of Penei Sewell (Detroit Lions), Nephi Sewell (New Orleans Saints), and Gabriel Sewell Jr. (USFL’s Philadelphia Stars).
Mel Kiper’s Top 10 Early Position Rankings For 2023 NFL Draft
In addition to his Big Board, Kiper released his top 10 rankings for every position. The following players from the University of Utah and BYU were featured on the rankings for their positions:
Utah Utes
- Brant Kuithe (Fullbacks/H-backs)
- Dalton Kincaid (Tight ends)
- Braeden Daniels (Offensive Line)
- Mohamoud Diabate (Inside linebackers)
- Clark Phillips III (Cornerbacks)
BYU Cougars
- Clark Barrington (Guards)
- Jaren Hall (Quarterbacks)
- Isaac Rex (Tight ends)
- Blake Freeland (Offensive Tackles)
Utah and BYU open their 2022 schedules on the road with games in the state of Florida on September 3.
The 2023 NFL Draft is slated to take place from April 27-29 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Kyle Ireland is a Locals in the NFL Insider for KSLSports.com and host of the Yards After College Podcast. Follow him on Twitter (@kyleireland) and Instagram (@kyleirelandksl).
