Although there were no Rutgers players drafted on the first two days of the 2023 NFL draft, they did not go the entire weekend without a pick. A couple of Scarlet Knights had the chance to be picked and were even predicted to be. In a surprising turn of events, the one Scarlet Knights player that was expected to be drafted was not. Here is a look at the Rutgers players drafted in 2023.
Rutgers Players Drafted
Former Rutgers DBs Avery Young (2) and Christian Braswell (0) – Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports
Round 6 Pick 202: Christian Braswell
Cornerback Christian Braswell became the first of the Rutgers players drafted in 2023. Braswell had a strong 2022 season and was taken by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the sixth round. The Jaguars took a couple of players from the Big Ten already in its draft, and Braswell was one. Braswell spent three years at Temple before spending 2022 with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Now he heads to Jacksonville.
Braswell played in every game in 2022 and was one of the top Scarlet Knights this past season. In 2022, Braswell had three interceptions for 13 yards, one touchdown, and 11 pass deflections, according to Sports Reference. He also had 36 combined tackles, 25 of which were solo, and one tackle for loss. In the sixth round, Braswell has a chance to compete for a roster spot while also being one of the Rutgers players drafted with time to develop.
Braswell was not just one of the Rutgers players drafted; he was the only one. This is great for Braswell, as he has a chance to put Rutgers back on the map in a similar way as Isiah Pacheco did last season. Braswell did well for Rutgers in just one season, and it will be great to see him do well with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Rutgers punter Adam Korsak – Andrew Mills/NJ Advance Media
Rutgers Players Drafted: No Adam Korsak
Ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, of all the Scarlet Knights discussed when it came to the draft, the main one was Adam Korsak. The punter from Australia was the only Rutgers player invited to the NFL Combine, and he even played in the Senior Bowl. Korsak was also a guest on Good Morning Football, as he was expected by many to be taken. There were a couple of punters that did get drafted on the final day of the draft, so why was Korsak’s name never called?
In 2022, Korsak averaged 44 yards per punt, with the longest being 77 yards, according to ESPN. Perhaps one issue was that last season, the punter had no kicks in the 20. This could be something that dropped his stock a bit, but he was invited to the combine and won the Ray Guy award despite this. Korsak was one of the top punters when it came to limiting return yards as well.
The reason why Korsak was not one of the Rutgers players drafted could be the way he kicks. As stated, Korsak is from Australia, and he has stated multiple times that he kicks in a different way because of that. He explains where he drops the ball to punt is different than the American style. It is believable that scouts may not have liked that, causing him to go undrafted. In the offseason, he has practiced punting in the normal style. Either way, Korsak not being one of the Rutgers players drafted is still a shock.
Former Rutgers DB Avery Young (20) – Mitch Stringer/USA TODAY Sports
Aside from Korsak, many other players did not get drafted either, such as Christian Izien. Following the draft, defensive back Avery Young did sign with the San Francisco 49ers. While Young may not play, this is a team he can develop well with whether he makes the final roster or practice squad.
As the 2023 season gets closer, it will be interesting to see where these Rutgers players end up, whether it be if Brawell makes the final roster or if Korsak signs with a team. Hopefully, in 2024, there will be more Rutgers players drafted.
