Which undrafted free agents could make an impact in the 2023 NFL season?

#10. Christian Izien, DB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Rutgers)

Rutgers defensive back Christian Izien

In terms outside cornerbacks, there are a couple of guys who went undrafted, that I had higher in my personal rankings and were more highly valued on consensus boards.

Alabama’s Eli Ricks (now with the Eagles) would’ve probably been a mid-round pick at least without any medical concerns and Oregon State’s Rejzohn Wright was around the top-20 players at the position, but is now stuck behind three highly-drafted guys (and another one from a couple of years ago that I’m still pretty high on in Carolina). However, there’s a guy primarily looked at as a nickel, who I think has a chance to make his mark in Tampa Bay.

Christian Izien became a starter mid-way through his redshirt freshman season and logged a total of 41 career starts. Across that time, he amassed 303 total tackles, 15.5 of those for loss, four interceptions (all in 2020) and 19 PBUs. He made honorable mention All-Big Ten twice.

This dude is a rocked-up little ball of muscle at 5’9” and 200 pounds, who has regularly been praised for his crazy work in the weight room. He can take a punch by receivers and will fight blockers, in order to get to the football, regularly crashing through one shoulder or showing the quick burst to beat them to a spot, while his lack of height allow him to underneath.

Rutgers played a lot of shell coverages, where Izien’s physicality to guide receivers towards the deep safety before positioning himself between routes really stood out. However, you also lose the springy feet to stay square to receivers in man, not commit his hips prematurely and then stick at the hip-pocket of guys in trail position.

There may be some size limitations, but running a 4.42 in the 40 and jumping 41-and-½ inches in the vert at his pro day, combined with his feisty play-style, he’s not going to give you anything easy one-on-one.

Due to the measurables, he’s most likely a pure nickel, whose frame is pretty much maxed out already, and with the NFL putting taller bodies in the slot more regularly, there may be some limitations with who exactly he can match up with.

There’s definitely a tendency of getting a bit grabby as receivers are about to separate from him and due to his aggressive mind-set trying to get a finger on the ball despite the shrinked reach, he did give up an average of 6.6 yards after the catch last season.

Having expressed my concerns, let me say that this dude is a freaking baller and for all the love Utah’s Clark Phillips III received from the draft community, I thought Izien deserved some more pop. At the very least, he should be a special teams demon, where he already has an extensive resume (572 snaps).

Looking at the Buccaneers’ depth chart, unless they decide to drop Antoine Winfield Jr. down into the slot, they’re options for that role are Dee Delaney, who allowed a passer rating of 111.1 this past season, a fifth-rounder from a year ago in Zyon McCollum or a sixth-rounder from this draft in Kansas State’s Josh Hayes.

I would not be shocked if Todd Bowles falls in love with Izien’s physicality and mind-set to put him out there as a starting nickel against 11 personnel-heavy teams at least, where he can disrupt receivers in their release and the Bucs can bring the heat now that the timing of routes are thrown off.