NFL Draft 2023: The Maryland natives who could be first round draft picks
BALTIMORE -- With the 2023 NFL Draft upon us, NFL scouts and analysts have been raving about how this draft class is one of the most talented in the past five seasons.
Here are three Maryland natives that could start their NFL journey Thursday night in Kansas City.
USC wide receiver Jordan Addison
The Frederick native was a 4-star recruit and was ranked the number six overall prospect as a senior at Tuscarora in 2019.
Addison would commit to the University of Pittsburgh and quickly became one of the country's top wide receivers finishing with 1,593 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns.
That season Addison won the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to football's most outstanding receiver.
Addison transferred to USC for his final season of eligibility, where he had 875 yards and eight touchdowns despite missing three games because of injury.
Addison is easily a top 5 receiver in the draft. With high demand and low supply of NFL-ready receivers, Addison could possibly be drafted as high as number 12 to the Cleveland Browns.
Notably, Addison is one of just 17 players who will be in attendance with their families Thursday night in Kansas City
Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks
The Baltimore native and former 3-star recruit from Edgewood high school was rated as the number 12 prospect in the state of Maryland in 2019.
Playing locally, the Maryland Terp is now in the discussion of being a first-round draft pick in one of the deepest cornerback-stacked draft classes in the past 10 years.
After posting an impressive 2022 season stat line for the Maryland Terrapins, the 6'2" 205-pound Banks allowed just 26 completions for 258 yards last season. Banks had only 1 interception last year but was rarely thrown to, limiting those opportunities.
He could be a fit for a team like the Ravens, Jaguars or Chargers later in the first round.
Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee
Bresee was the country's number 1 high school recruit in the Class of 2020 after a stellar senior season posting 14 sacks for Damascus' undefeated 2019 Class 3A state championship team.
The 5-star recruit committed to play at Clemson University but hasn't put up big stats. He missed most of the 2021 season with a torn ACL and missed time last season because of a kidney infection.
He has first-round appeal because of his size and speed. The 6'5" 305-pound Bresee is very athletic and possesses modern-day versatility along the defensive line.
Some teams looking to Draft Bresee are the Detroit Lions, New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers