2023 NFL draft: Louis Riddick's favorite prospects, sleepers

The 2023 NFL draft is getting close, and I've been watching a ton of tape on the class' top prospects to prepare for the three-day event at the end of April. This class has a lot to like across the board, but a few players always seem to emerge as my favorites every spring. This year, five potential first-rounders and five sleepers who will likely get picked on Day 2 stood out for me. These are guys I'd be targeting if I were running an NFL team and players I think have a really good chance to be stars in the pros.

The first player on the list shouldn't be a surprise if you've watched me talk about NFL draft quarterbacks over the past two months. I was just at his pro day a few weeks ago, and I love his game. Here are my favorites of the 2023 class and some sleepers to watch.

Jump to:Players I love | Sleepers to watch

In my opinion, Stroud is the gem of the quarterback class. At 6-foot-3 and 214 pounds, he was one of the most accurate passers in college football over the past two seasons, and he makes good decisions with the ball. He can win throwing the ball from the pocket, but he also shows the mobility to escape the pass rush, get outside the pocket and win with his legs or his arm. A lot of people will say we saw that ability to create outside the pocket in only one game last season — Ohio State's loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff — but I think we'll see it regularly at the next level. Don't underestimate what Stroud can do there.

Give me a QB like Stroud, who has the respect of his teammates, the motivation to be great and the tools to play at the highest levels. If he lands in the right place, he's going to prove a lot of people right. I think he can quickly become one of the top quarterbacks in the