The Tribune is tracking where players from Illinois, Northwestern, Notre Dame and Illinois high schools are selected in the 2023 NFL draft.
Day 1
Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
1st round (No. 5) to Seattle Seahawks
A consensus All-American during his fourth season in Champaign, Witherspoon was the second defensive player drafted and the first cornerback off the board. The Pensacola, Fla., native had three interceptions and 14 pass breakups in 2022, didn’t allow a touchdown all season and had the nation’s best coverage grade according to Pro Football Focus.
“I’m energetic, physical. I’m a dog on the field,” Witherspoon told reporters. “I’m just very confident in what I do, passionate. I love to show my emotions out there on the field.”
It’s the highest an Illinois defensive back has been drafted and the highest the Seahawks have taken a cornerback under the Pete Carroll regime.
Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern/Maine South
1st round (No. 11) to Tennessee Titans
Many projections had Skoronski going to the hometown Chicago Bears, but they opted for Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright at No. 10.
Skoronski started at left tackle for the Wildcats for all three of his seasons but could move inside to guard in the pros. The Titans are rebuilding their offensive line after cutting left tackle Taylor Lewan and center Ben Jones to clear salary-cap space and losing right guard Nate Davis to the Bears in free agency.
“When he grabs people most of the time, they stop moving,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel told reporters about Skoronski. “So that’s really a good thing for an offensive lineman.”
Skoronski made first- or second-team All-Big Ten all three years in Evanston and became Northwestern’s first unanimous first-team All-American last season. He was the first recruit rated a five-star prospect by one of the major services to sign with the Wildcats out of high school.
Lukas Van Ness, edge, Iowa/Barrington
1st round (No. 13) to Green Bay Packers
While Van Ness is from Illinois, he told reporters he was in Wisconsin — at his parents’ home near Lake Geneva — when he got the news he will be a Packer.
“I couldn’t ask for a better result,” he said. “I’m so happy to be Packer. I can’t wait to get out there and wear that green.”
Van Ness played only two seasons for the Hawkeyes after redshirting in 2020 and never started a college game. But the former hockey player racked up 13½ sacks and 19½ tackles for a loss in 27 games.
“It’s just the Iowa way,” Van Ness told reporters. “I had two great fifth-year seniors in front of me who did the time and gave the years to the program.”
Day 2
Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa/Highland, Ill.
Round 2 (No. 34) to Detroit Lions
A John Mackey Award finalist and first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2022, LaPorta was the second tight end to come off the board. He will join a long line of former Hawkeyes tight ends to play in the NFL, including Dallas Clark, George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant.
“I feel like I’m right up there,” LaPorta told reporters.
The native of downstate Highland, near St. Louis, had 153 career receptions for 1,786 yards to rank first and second, respectively, among Iowa tight ends.
Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
Round 2 (No. 35) to Las Vegas Raiders
Mayer was widely expected to be picked in the first round, and when he remained on the board, the Raiders traded up three spots to grab the first-team All-American and John Mackey Award finalist.
Mayer, who totaled 138 catches, 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns over the last two seasons, will look to replace Darren Waller, whom the Raiders traded to the New York Giants.
“It’s about coming in and keeping the tight end tradition that they have and winning as many football games as we can,” Mayer told reporters. “It’s why they drafted me, and I’m really excited to be a part of this organization.”
Isaiah Foskey, edge, Notre Dame
Round 2 (No. 40) to New Orleans Saints
Notre Dame’s career sack leader with 26½, Foskey joins first-round pick Bryan Bresee, a defensive tackle from Clemson, in beefing up the Saints defensive line.
“Me and him are going to be dominating in the front seven,” Foskey told reporters. “They can put me anywhere and they know that I’m a disruptive defensive end. I cause havoc.”
Quan Martin, S, Illinois
Round 2 (No. 47) to Washington Commanders
After drafting Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes in the first round, the Commanders continued to focus on their secondary by picking Martin, who started 40 games in five seasons in Champaign.
He played both cornerback and safety for the Illini and projects as a safety or nickel corner in the pros. Martin had 64 tackles, 11 pass breakups, three interceptions and two forced fumbles last season en route to second-team All-Big Ten honors.
“Football just always came natural to me,” Martin told reporters. “Being able to play any position on the back end at any given moment in the game just shows my understanding of the game and my football IQ.”
Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State/Naperville Central/Metea Valley
Round 2 (No. 50) to Green Bay Packers
Reed — who celebrated his 23rd birthday Friday — was one of three pass catchers the Packers picked on Day 2 to help new starting quarterback Jordan Love, joining tight ends Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft.
“My girlfriend gave me some glasses. I got an Apple Watch,” Reed told reporters about his birthday presents. “But nothing tops this. This is all I ever wanted forever in my life.”
Reed transferred from Western Michigan after his freshman season, and in three years with the Spartans he totaled 147 catches, 2,069 yards and 18 touchdowns in 31 games.
John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota/Homewood-Flossmoor
Round 2 (No. 57) to New York Giants
Schmitz was the second center selected and will get a chance to replace Jon Feliciano, who signed with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency.
The 24-year-old Schmitz played 57 games with 35 starts in five seasons with the Gophers and was a first-team AP All-American in 2022. He also made the Academic All-Big Ten team five times.
“The biggest thing I would say,” Schmitz told reporters of his game, “(is) the nasty, tough, grit factor, definitely.”
Sydney Brown, S, Illinois
Round 3 (No. 66) to Philadelphia Eagles
Brown is 2 minutes younger than his twin, Illini running back Chase Brown, but Sydney was first to be drafted when the Eagles grabbed him with the third pick of the third round.
The native of Canada led the Big Ten with six interceptions last season and also had 59 tackles and seven pass breakups while earning first-team all-conference honors. He started 50 games in five seasons for the Illini, and his 10 career interceptions are tied for eighth in program history.
Day 3 possibilities
- Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Northwestern
- Calvin Avery, DL, Illinois
- Jahleel Billingsley, TE, Texas/Phillips
- Nick Broeker, OL, Mississippi/Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin
- Chase Brown, RB, Illinois
- Tommy DeVito, QB, Illinois
- Evan Hull, RB, Northwestern
- Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M/East St. Louis
- Charlie Jones, WR, Purdue/Deerfield
- Brandon Joseph, S, Notre Dame
- Jason Lewan, edge, Illinois State/Yorkville
- Cameron Mitchell, CB, Northwestern/Bolingbrook
- Aidan O’Connell, QB, Purdue/Stevenson
- Jarrett Patterson, OL, Notre Dame
- Mariano Sori-Marin, LB, Minnesota/Providence
- Xazavian Valladay, RB, Arizona State/Brother Rice
- Dalton Wagner, OL, Arkansas/Richmond-Burton
Associated Press contributed
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Source: Berkshire mont