2023 NFL Draft night two preview: Where will Michigan cornerback DJ Turner go?
The first night of the 2023 NFL Draft is in the books with only a single Michigan player selected in defensive tackle Mazi Smith, who went to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 26 overall. One player was all it took for the Wolverines to extend their streak of having a player drafted in every year of the common draft era.
We could be in for a busy two days and six remaining rounds. Smith and cornerback DJ Turner were potential first-round picks that lead the way in this class, so Friday night is a chance to see that come to fruition.
RELATED: NFL Draft grades: Mixed reviews on Dallas Cowboys taking Michigan DT Mazi Smith
Here’s a recap of what happened Thursday night, who to watch on Friday and the range the rest of the guys are expected to go.
What’s happened so far
Smith came off the board to the Cowboys late in the night when it looked like the first round might expire on the Wolverines. A cursory glimpse at Dallas’ depth chart has a whole lot of nothing at defensive tackle. The former Michigan star is immediately their best interior defensive lineman and will do a lot of the dirty work in opening things up for pass rusher Micah Parsons, another former Big Ten East star out of Penn State.
“It might not be an exciting pick, but for a team that has struggled to stop the run consistently recently, it makes a lot of sense,” PFF wrote of the Michigan lineman’s selection. “An impressive athlete for someone his size, Smith posted PFF grades of 75.0 or better in each of the past two seasons.”
Regardless, this is a good landing and a big stage for Smith. He will get to center a defense that has playoff and Super Bowl aspirations. We wish him all the best at the next level.
Michigan players in the mix on Friday
The conversation moves now to where Turner is selected. The Michigan cornerback lit up the NFL Combine with the fourth-fastest 40-yard dash in the history of the event (4.26) to add to already-strong tape. Turner is sticky in press and man-coverage situations but does not have the height or ball-hawking skills that typically make players into first-round picks. Cornerback-needy teams likely have him near the top of their board heading into Friday evening.
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The clock for him starts as soon as the second round picks off with the Pittsburgh Steelers picking at No. 32 overall. Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. is going to be a popular name there given that his father played for the organization. Michigan’s Turner is in any at any time on Friday night and all options are on the table. He will not last until Saturday.
After Turner goes is where we tread into murky waters for Michigan’s draft class. Tight end Luke Schoonmaker is the next most logical pick with some mocking him as high as the second round. That seems a bit ambitious, but this is a deep and unpredictable draft class in the top 100 or so picks. We should probably dial in our television sets for “Schoony” somewhere in the third round to see if he goes.
Mocking the rest of the way
We ran a mock draft simulation on Pro Football Focus on Friday morning. Here is where it has the rest of the Michigan prospects slotted throughout the remainder of the event.
38. Las Vegas Raiders – DJ Turner, cornerback (second round)
97. Washington Commanders – Luke Schoonmaker, tight end (third round)
134. Kansas City Chiefs – Olu Oluwatimi, center (fourth round)
137. Buffalo Bills – Mike Morris, EDGE (fifth round)
167. Los Angeles Rams – Ryan Hayes, offensive tackle (fifth round)
194. Detroit Lions – Ronnie Bell, wide receiver (sixth round)
The 2023 NFL Draft takes place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Round 1 of the NFL Draft was on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft will be broadcast throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.
