Welcome to a list of the Arizona State Top 5 NFL Draft prospects for 2023, as seen by Draft Scout.
Each week brings us closer and closer to one of the most anticipated days on the sports calendar, the NFL Draft. This year’s draft will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, from April 27-29, 2023. We take a look at the PAC-12 seniors, the class of 2023. Since we don’t know yet which underclassmen will declare, we’ll reconfigure the rankings when everything is completely official, so be sure to revisit us.
Our PAC-12 Draft Prospects Series will run for the next week, with three schools running per day in alphabetical order. A master conference list of the Pac-12’s Top 20 NFL draft prospects will conclude this series. Please check the team links below frequently to see the other schools’ top prospects as the week progresses.
PAC-12 TOP 20 PROSPECTS: Overall PAC-12 Top Prospect List
PAC-12 PROSPECTS: Arizona | Arizona State | California | Colorado | | Oregon | Oregon State | Stanford | UCLA | USC | Utah | Washington | Washington State
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We know that not every team in the country has five surefire draft picks. Some programs do, especially in the more elite conferences, but the majority don’t have many top-flight prospects. We also know a “top-flight” player doesn’t always pan out, and at the same time, that strong undrafted free agent everybody forgot about ends up making an NFL team and flourishing.
Below is a look at the Arizona State Top 5 NFL Draft Prospects, and how they project in the eyes of Draft Scout. Again, for now, we’ll go strictly with seniors (Class of 2023), as underclassmen have not been allowed to officially declare for the NFL, though when they do, we’ll update the list below.
ARIZONA STATE TOP 5 NFL DRAFT PROSPECTS
NO. 1 PROSPECT
NAME: Nesta Jade Silvera (Defensive Tackle)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: High Priority Free Agent (HPFA)
CAREER STATISTICS: 161 total tackles; 20.5 tackles for loss; 3.5 sacks; 4 passes defended; 2 fumbles recovered; 2 forced fumbles
THE TRUTH: According to Draft Scout, Nesta Jade Silvera is projected to be an HPFA. During the 2022 preseason, NFL scouts were mixed about where his talent projects. While most scouts view him as an HPFA, some assert that he has the potential to be taken early in the 2023 NFL Draft, even as early as the first round.
Silvera has increased his production every season, and he is trending in the right direction to make an NFL roster. His increased production each season has me thinking that he will be taken in the 6th or 7th round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Silvera has too much talent to go undrafted, and he can make solid contributions at defensive tackle for an NFL team.
NO. 2 PROSPECT
NAME: Kyle Soelle (Inside Linebacker)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: High Priority Free Agent (HPFA)
CAREER STATISTICS: 257 total tackles; 16 tackles for loss; 4 sacks; 8 passes defended; 2 forced fumbles
THE TRUTH: Draft Scout projects Kyle Soelle to be an HPFA. Many NFL scouts are impressed with his athleticism, and they find that such athleticism allows him to be an outside linebacker if the team needs him to play the position. Although he was not impressive in his first three seasons, he turned into a tackling machine in his final two seasons.
Given his versatility to play inside linebacker and outside linebacker at a high level, he will make an NFL roster as an HPFA. His decision to play a fifth season, which was his best season, helped him to garner the attention necessary to make scouts believe more in his talent.
NO. 3 PROSPECT
NAME: LaDarius Henderson (Offensive Guard)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: High Priority Free Agent (HPFA)
THE TRUTH: According to Draft Scout, most NFL scouts project LaDarius Henderson as an HPFA, although some scouts see him being taken as early as the 4th round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He is a reliable offensive guard, one ready right now for the NFL. I contend that an NFL team will take him in the 4th round. Even though he has one additional season he could use due to Covid-19, he is expected not to use it.
Again, look for LaDarius Henderson to be taken in the 4th round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He’s a dependable offensive lineman ready to protect his quarterback.
NO. 4 PROSPECT
NAME: Xazavian Valladay (Running Back)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: High Priority Free Agent (HPFA)
THE TRUTH: According to Draft Scout, Xazavian Valladay is projected to be an HPFA. Many NFL scouts are concerned about his durability; they do not believe he can stay healthy in the NFL.
Even though his ability to run and catch are attractive, NFL teams’ fears about his durability will result in him not making an NFL roster. To prove me wrong, he will need to show NFL teams dramatic improvements in his health, which is unlikely to happen.
NO. 5 PROSPECT
NAME: Khoury Bethley (Strong Safety)
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: High Priority Free Agent (HPFA)
CAREER STATISTICS: 381 total tackles; 22.5 tackles for loss; 8 sacks; 7 interceptions; 19 passes defended; 2 fumbles recovered; 5 forced fumbles
THE TRUTH: According to Draft Scout, Khoury Bethley projects as an HPFA, although some NFL scouts believe he will be taken in the 7th round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He is a former running back.
Bethley will be given an opportunity to make an NFL roster, but he will need to improve more to make a roster. I have not been impressed enough with his talent to believe he will make an NFL roster.
