2023 NFL Draft Matchup Preview: 5 Games in the Northeast to Watch This Season
Last week, we previewed some of the top matchups that will take place between 2023 NFL Draft prospects this year, focusing on those that will take place in the state of California. This week, we are traveling to the other side of the country and highlighting the games to watch in the Northeast. For the purposes of this article, I am limiting that definition to:
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York (west of Rochester, which includes Syracuse but cuts out Buffalo)
- Pennsylvania (west of Harrisburg, which cuts out Penn State and Pittsburgh)
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington, D.C.
That means home games for the following FBS programs are in, along with any FCS or other schools that boast interesting prospects:
- UConn
- Maryland
- Navy
- Boston College
- UMass
- Rutgers
- Army
- Syracuse
- Temple
Games are listed in the order in which they will be played. If you are in the Northeast this fall and want to jump on scouting the 2023 NFL Draft prospects, consider getting out to these games.
Matchup: Georgia State OT Travis Glover vs. Army EDGE Andre Carter II
Game: Georgia State at Army, October 1
This article would have been incomplete without a mention of Carter, who is trending in the direction of first-round consideration. Carter is one of the best players to come out of the service academies in a long time. He is a massive EDGE rusher with tremendous moves on the outside. Carter gives offensive linemen fits—he is too quick off the ball to block squarely, has the power to drive tackles into the quarterback, and finishes well. Carter does not just get sacks; he has active hands and often goes for the strip. Based on Army’s schedule, Carter should have an opportunity to rack up numbers this year.
Georgia State’s Glover is one of the best tackles Carter will face this year. He is quite underrated—I have not seen Glover talked about as much as many of the other draft-caliber tackles in this year’s class. But he is a huge left tackle who regularly overpowers defensive linemen. He might end up moving to right tackle at the next level, as his best skill may be his elite run blocking ability. Glover could conceivably put together some good tape this year and hear his name called on Day 3. The game against Army will be a big one for him, and his draft stock will soar if Glover can handle Carter (a big “if”).
Matchup: Fordham QB Tim DeMorat vs. Holy Cross LB Jacob Dobbs
Game: Fordham at Holy Cross, October 29
It’s always fun when the FCS schools get in on the NFL Draft action. The Fordham vs. Holy Cross game will showcase a couple of the best players in the Patriot League—DeMorat has been the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year twice, and Dobbs was the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. We will see if either one gets drafted, but they are both highly decorated players, and DeMorat’s ceiling may be as high as the fifth round.
Starting with DeMorat, he is just about the perfect size for the quarterback position. Fordham’s website lists him at 6’4”, 220 lb. This season, he will need to work on his accuracy and demonstrate that he has the rare arm talent that quarterbacking in the NFL demands. He can do this by nailing difficult-to-hit patterns like 15-yard square-outs and seam routes with consistency. What is encouraging about DeMorat is his ability to create plays out of nothing and keeps his eyes downfield. It doesn’t appear that he would be a system-dependent quarterback on tape.
In this game, he will line up across from Dobbs, a star linebacker for the Crusaders. Dobbs may be slightly undersized for the position at the next level, and if I were to bet on it, I would rate DeMorat’s draft chances higher than Dobbs’. Still, the defender is an instinctive backer who plays the game like someone who voraciously consumes film. He is impressively instinctive and has good tackling form. Dobbs could make a career out of playing special teams in the NFL, and watching him square off against one of the best quarterbacks in Patriot League history will be an enjoyable affair.
Matchup: Maryland OT Jaelyn Duncan vs. Ohio State EDGE Zach Harrison
Game: Ohio State at Maryland, November 19
Finding a great left tackle is key to building a winning franchise. Duncan fits the bill. Some believe Duncan is OT1 in this class, and while I’m not sure I’m ready to go that far, I do love Duncan’s game and think he is worthy of first-round consideration. Duncan combines elite size with great athleticism. Not only does he dance well with EDGE rushers, but also some of his highlights have him getting out quickly to the perimeter and blocking screens. He stonewalls pass rushers and will be able to protect a quarterback’s blind side at the next level. Duncan is a star in the making.
Harrison is going to test Duncan. A long defender with exceptional athleticism, Harrison is comfortably in the first-round conversation. Any starter on the Ohio State defense will get attention as a draft prospect, but Harrison is special. He regularly beats offensive linemen to the point of attack, and perhaps most impressive is how he never gives up on plays. Harrison will get more attention if his stat line matches his athletic prowess, but he is developing into one of the best pass rushers in college football.
Matchup: Boston College QB Phil Jurkovec and WR Zay Flowers vs. Syracuse CB Garrett Williams
Game: Syracuse at Boston College, November 26
Of all the positional rankings, quarterback rankings are probably the most subject to change. But going into the 2022 season, many are excited about Jurkovec, who will be calling signals for Boston College this season. He is fortunate to have Flowers, who is one of the best receivers in college football. Jurkovec does a nice job of giving his receivers opportunities to make plays, and his timing on throws is impeccable. I will be interested to see if he can improve his ball placement and be a bit more careful with the football, but as it stands right now, Jurkovec could hear his name called on Day 3 (or possibly Day 2). As for Flowers, he is a gifted athlete who does a nice job of finding open spots in the defense and creating separation between himself and defensive backs. When he’s covered, though, he does a nice job making catches in traffic. Flowers could go as high as the second round, but he will likely be a mid-round selection.
Jurkovec and Flowers definitely have the Syracuse game circled on their calendars. Williams is one of the best cornerbacks in his class, and he could end up in the first round next year. The thing I like most about Williams’ game is his willingness to tackle ball carriers and get physical with receivers. He also does a fantastic job diagnosing route combinations and getting himself in a position to make plays. Williams has good speed and solid ball skills, and he’ll be a starter at the next level. Flowers will have to work hard to get open against Williams, and Jurkovec will have little margin for error when throwing his way.
If you’re already tuned in to this game, make sure also to watch superstar Syracuse RB Sean Tucker, a likely middle-rounder (if he declares early) who has an outside shot at winning the Doak Walker Award this year.
Matchup: Maryland WRs Dontay Demus Jr. and Rakim Jarrett vs. Rutgers DB Avery Young
Game: Rutgers at Maryland, November 26
Demus and Jarrett are two of the best wide receivers in college football. Anyone interested in watching great wideout play should tune into Maryland games this year. I have written about Demus and Jarrett in a prior matchup preview, looking at their upcoming game against Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. The two are eminently talented pass catchers who boast different skill sets. Demus is a bigger target who figures to dominate smaller corners on the outside; he will likely be a serious red zone threat. Meanwhile, Jarrett is the lightning to Demus’s thunder—an elusive wideout with great route-running ability and game-breaking moves with the ball in his hands. Both are probably Top 50 players in next year’s class going into the season.
They will match up against a Rutgers secondary in which Young is the feature star. Young will probably be the highest-drafted player from Rutgers in 2023 (if not transfer wideout Taj Harris). He could go in the middle rounds. I have him listed as a DB right now, as opposed to cornerback or safety, because it’s somewhat unclear where he will play in the NFL. Rutgers has him playing safety, but many NFL draft analysts with whom I’ve spoken see Young as an NFL-caliber cornerback. His game is clean and fluid—there’s little wasted movement with Young, who gets from Point A to Point B efficiently. He will aim to keep Maryland’s talented wideouts in check.
