Here Are/Were the Majors of 5 Anticipated NFL Draft Picks

First Round Mock’s Victoria Jonach takes a deeper look into what it takes to select a winning roster in the NFL Draft

With less than two weeks until one of the biggest days of the year for NFL players, coaches, scouts and fans, it is only natural to focus on prospective athletes’ skills on the field.

However, a player’s physical abilities are only one part of their overall contribution to a team.

If a team is filled with unmotivated and unintelligent players, they have a much higher chance of lacking success later. Sometimes it can be difficult weeding out the dangerous and unpredictable athletes from those who are devoted to the game.

However, these five dedicated prospects for the 2023 Draft are proving to be good additions to any team.

Bryce Young – Psychology

It is only natural that this Crimson Tide quarterback chose to study psychology as his father, Craig Young, has his degree in counseling. The current senior at the University of Alabama certainly did not struggle with his workload. He received a 4.0 GPA after only his first semester.

“To have success, you have to stay focused on the things you need to do to improve, to prepare, to lead, to impact and affect other people around you,” Young’s coach, Nick Saban has commented. “Bryce has shown every indication that he’s got a willingness to do all those things. He’s a perfectionist in terms of what he wants to accomplish.” Young graduated in three years and served as the first quarterback from his school to win the Heisman Trophy.

Paris Johnson Jr. – Journalism

This Ohio State offensive tackle is very familiar with the world of journalism as he has experience writing for his school’s student newspaper, The Lantern. His mother, Monica Daniels is a high school counselor and notes Johnson’s varied scholarly interests in an interview with The Columbus Dispatch. She says, “Education is extremely important in our household. There’s an expectation to be a scholarly athlete, not just a student-athlete, to be scholarly in everything that he did.”

Nolan Smith – Mathematics

Georgia linebacker, Nolan Smith has repeatedly shared his feelings about his major and education on several occasions. This Bulldogs’ NFL Draft prospect went into detail in an interview with NFL reporter, Sherree Burruss, saying, “Counting wide receivers, numbers changing from one side of the field to the other…Math is just like football”

In another interview before his participation in the 2021 Orange Bowl, Smith responded to a question about what he would tell kids from his hometown watching his success. He brought up staying in school, saying, “The books are what’s winning. Books are cool.”

Will Anderson Jr. – Communications

Enrolling at the University of Alabama in 2020, this Crimson Tide linebacker completed his Communications degree by his junior year. According to Sportskeeda, the outside linebacker “hopes to work in the sports industry and believes that his degree in Communications will be invaluable in pursuing his goals.”

Anderson not only graduated early, he also served as the first male in his family to get a college degree. Qualities such as this must be noted as not every player has the motivation that Anderson clearly has.

Myles Murphy – Construction Science & Management

Finally, a defensive end from Clemson, Myles Murphy is working on his degree in Construction Science and Management. According to the Tigers’ official site, he wants to pursue a “similar path as his brother, an engineering major, and has expressed aspirations of becoming an architect” after his career as an athlete. 

Murphy has talked about the struggles of balancing football with academics during his time at Clemson. He said, “It can be tough. During my entire freshman year, I was struggling with time management and getting my work done. If you learn how to handle those things, it goes pretty smoothly.” He proved to have the drive.

Not only are these NFL Draft prospects representing themselves and their team well through their athletic skills – – they are also serving as leaders and role models by excelling at academics. Players do not need to be rocket scientist to make it to a professional career as an athlete.

However, being smart can take athletes from one level to the next.

Victoria Jonach is an aspiring writer and media analyst fascinated in what kinds of activities players participate in off the football field. Growing up in New Jersey, she is a New York Giants fan and attends Rutgers University, pursing a career in Journalism and Media Studies. She writes for FirstRoundMock.com covering anticipated draft picks and their acts of volunteerism, entrepreneurship, and other interests that shape these individuals.