Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson was the first Miami football player selected in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears with the 56th pick overall in the second round on Friday night. Tight end Will Mallory was the 162nd pick overall in the fifth round by the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday.
Stevenson quickly rose up draft boards. In consensus mock drafts Stevenson was projected to be taken in the seventies (third round). A strong performance at the Senior Bowl helped Stevenson vault up the NFL Draft. Most revised mock drafts after the first round was completed on Thursday moved Stevenson up their draft boards.
Stevenson fits with the Chicago Bears. The Bears were 17th in passing yards allowed in 2022 but only 10th in touchdown passes allowed. Chicago drafted CB Kyler Gordon with the 39th overall pick in the second round in 2022. Stevenson will have a chance to compete immediately with the Bears.
Gordon led the Chicago CBs playing 79.41 percent of the snaps on defense in 2022. Jaylon Johnson who will be entering his fourth season in the NFL in 2023 was the only other Chicago CB to play over 50 percent of the snaps in 2022. Johnson played 60.48 percent of the defensive snaps last season.
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Stevenson has been praised for his length at 6’0, his physicality and his toughness. In two seasons with Miami Stevenson had 68 tackles, four tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, three interceptions and 11 pass breakups. Stevenson will have a chance to grow with a young team that has franchise quarterback Justin Fields.
Mallory will join a Colts roster deep at TE. Kylen Granson led Colts’ TEs with 31 receptions for 302 yards in 2022. Jelani Woods had 25 receptions for 312 yards and three TDs and Mo Allie-Cox had 19 receptions for 189 yards and three TDs. Woods was a third-round pick in 2022 and Granson the fourth in 2021 by the Colts.
Cornerback D.J. Ivey became the third Miami football player selected in the 2023 NFL Draft with 246th pick overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round. Ivey has good length at 6’1 and 195 pounds. In five seasons with Miami Ivey had 127 tackles, four TFLs, one sack, five interceptions and 11 pass breakups.
Several other Miami football players will await phone calls from NFL franchises as undrafted free agents. Players to watch from Miami that are likely to be invited as undrafted free agents are punter Lou Headley, edge rusher Mitchell Agude and linebackers Caleb Johnson and Waynmon Steed.