Three Notre Dame players make Pro Football Focus’ initial 2023 NFL Draft big board

Pro Football Focus’ first 2023 mock draft contained the fewest Notre Dame players among the several way-too-early projections that dropped earlier this month. It had zero, to be exact.

Its first big board, though, has an Irish player in the top 32. And he’s not the other mock drafts’ consensus first one off the board.

Defensive end Isaiah Foskey — not tight end Michael Mayer — is the top Notre Dame 2023 draft prospect in PFF’s initial rankings. He’s the No. 29 overall player on the board and fifth-ranked edge rusher. Mayer appears at No. 42 overall and as the No. 3 tight end. Safety Brandon Joseph is not far behind, at No. 49 and the No. 3 safety.

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Foskey led Notre Dame with 11 sacks last year, which tied for 10th in the FBS. He bypassed the 2022 NFL Draft, in which he was projected Day 2 pick, to return for his senior season and a shot at the first round. He feels there’s more left for him to accomplish from a team an individual perspective. PFF lead draft analyst Mike Renner sees another level for him as well and named him to his early 2023 draft watch list.

“Foskey is built in the [New Orleans Saints defensive end] Marcus Davenport bull-rusher mold,” Renner wrote. “He has the kind of juice and length to continually collapse pockets. He took massive steps forward as a junior in that regard last season en route to an 80.7 overall grade, but there are more athletic tools to work with than even that production suggests.”

Mayer ranks behind Georgia’s Arik Gilbert (seventh overall) and South Carolina’s Jaheim Bell (39th) among tight ends, largely due to the others’ high-level athleticism. Renner called Gilbert “a true freak of nature at 6-foot-5 and 248 pounds” who will be more receiver than tight end for the Bulldogs this season.

Bell’s 2021 production (30 catches for 497 yards) is well below Mayer’s, but Renner noted Bell “moves like a jumbo running back after the catch.” That would help explain how he averaged 16.6 yards per catch last year.

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In terms of pro-readiness and a well-rounded skill set, though, Renner sees Mayer as a cut above the rest.

“Mayer is the most complete tight end on this list already — he won’t win too many underwear Olympics before the draft, but he’s as reliable as they come on the football field,” Renner wrote. “He hauled in 71 passes for 840 yards and seven scores as a sophomore last season.”

Joseph appeared as a first-rounder in several way-too-early mocks this year, sometimes before Foskey. He was an All-American in 2020 at Northwestern, snagging six interceptions in nine games and allowing a paltry 2.8 passer rating when targeted. Opponents completed eight of the 24 passes thrown his way. His 88.5 PFF coverage grade ranked third among all FBS safeties with at least 200 coverage snaps that season. He was appearing as a first-round pick in way-early 2022 mock drafts.

His 2021 season, though, didn’t back up that projection. Joseph was still productive, with 80 tackles and three interceptions. Yet he missed 21 tackles, which tied for 19^th most nationally. His coverage grade was still strong (77.2), but he allowed catches on 26 of the 32 passes thrown at him, including a touchdown. He transferred to Notre Dame hoping to find his 2020 form again.

“Joseph consistently seems to be in the right place at the right time, and it’s not by accident,” Renner wrote. “He picked off nine passes across 21 games in the past two seasons at Northwestern. He’s looking to fill Kyle Hamilton’s shoes for the Irish this fall and hopefully up his draft stock next spring, as well.”

Patterson came back for a graduate season and his fourth year as Notre Dame’s starting center. He has not allowed a sack in 1,306 career pass-blocking snaps and 34 starts. His 85.4 pass blocking grade tied for the highest among FBS centers. He was a late first-round selection in a couple, but does not appear in PFF’s big board of 124 prospects. Renner still put him on his early 2023 draft watch list, though.

“Patterson was a surprise to return to Notre Dame after three years of starting, but there’s a good chance he raises his stock significantly under legendary offensive line coach Harry Hiestand,” Renner wrote. “Patterson earned an 82.7 run-blocking grade and an 85.4 pass-blocking grade last fall.”