The Tribune is tracking where players from Illinois, Northwestern, Notre Dame and Illinois high schools are selected in the 2023 NFL draft.
Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
1st round (No. 5) to Seattle Seahawks
A consensus All-American during his fourth season in Champaign, Witherspoon was the second defensive player drafted and the first cornerback off the board. The Pensacola, Fla., native had three interceptions and 14 pass breakups in 2022, didn’t allow a touchdown all season and had the nation’s best coverage grade according to Pro Football Focus.
“I’m energetic, physical. I’m a dog on the field,” Witherspoon told reporters. “I’m just very confident in what I do, passionate. I love to show my emotions out there on the field.”
It’s the highest an Illinois defensive back has been drafted and the highest the Seahawks have taken a cornerback under the Pete Carroll regime.
Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern/Maine South
1st round (No. 11) to Tennessee Titans
Many projections had Skoronski going to the hometown Chicago Bears, but they opted for Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright at No. 10.
Skoronski started at left tackle for the Wildcats for all three of his seasons, but could move inside to guard in the pros. The Titans are rebuilding their offensive line after cutting left tackle Taylor Lewan and center Ben Jones to clear salary-cap space and losing right guard Nate Davis to the Bears in free agency.
“When he grabs people most of the time, they stop moving,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel told reporters about Skoronski. “So that’s really a good thing for an offensive lineman.”
Skoronski made first- or second-team All-Big Ten all three years in Evanston and became Northwestern’s first unanimous first-team All-American last season. He was the first recruit rated a five-star prospect by one of the major services to sign with the Wildcats out of high school.
Lukas Van Ness, edge, Iowa/Barrington
1st round (No. 13) to Green Bay Packers
While Van Ness is from Illinois, he told reporters he was in Wisconsin — at his parents’ home near Lake Geneva — when he got the news he will be a Packer.
“I couldn’t ask for a better result,” he said. “I’m so happy to be Packer. I can’t wait to get out there and wear that green.”
Van Ness played only two seasons for the Hawkeyes after redshirting in 2020 and never started a college game. But the former hockey player racked up 131/2 sacks and 191/2 tackles for a loss in 27 games.
“It’s just the Iowa way,” Van Ness told reporters. “I had two great fifth-year seniors in front of me who did the time and gave the years to the program.”
Day 2 possibilities
Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Northwestern
Sydney Brown, S, Illinois
Isaiah Foskey, edge, Notre Dame
Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M/East St. Louis
Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa/Highland, Ill.
Quan Martin, S, Illinois
Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
Jarrett Patterson, OL, Notre Dame
Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State/Naperville Central/Metea Valley
John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota/Homewood-Flossmoor
Associated Press contributed