Editor’s note: Saturday Out West’s Top 25 preview week continues with a ranking and analysis of the Pac-12’s best NFL Draft prospects.

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There might be an argument about the rankings of slots 2-through-25 in the Pac-12 NFL Draft rankings, but there is no question who is at the top.

When you’ve got the returning Heisman Trophy winner, there is really no question. The only question is, can Caleb Williams be USC’s first No. 1 pick in more than two decades?

Here are some more: Can Bo Nix follow soon after? Can Washington sneak 3 players into the first round? Can the Pac-12 get back to a half-dozen first-rounders for the first time since 2017?

Here’s my take for the 25 top NFL Draft prospects in the Pac-12 heading into the 2023 season.

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25. UCLA RB Carson Steele

Steele may still have been a mid-round draft pick even had he stayed at Ball State, but getting UCLA as a platform could send him skyrocketing. Steele has the chance to fill Zach Charbonnet’s shoes, and if he’s anywhere near as productive as the former UCLA star, he could be a Day 2 pick. Unlike Charbonnet, who saw scant playing time as a Michigan sophomore precipitating his move out west, Steele had some of the best stats in the country last year with the Cardinals, rushing for 1,556 yards and 14 scores.

24. Washington State QB Cam Ward

After an FCS All-American second-team nod in 2021 with Incarnate Word, Ward had a ton of buzz coming into Washington State last year. He didn’t quite set the world on fire, throwing for 3,231 yards and 23 scores with 5 rushing touchdowns, but he was productive. If he cuts down on his interceptions this year, he’ll get some good looks. He has a nice frame at 6-2 and 223 pounds.

23. Washington OL Roger Rosengarten

An athletic former high school basketball player — and a 2-way lineman who had more than 100 tackles in his career — Rosengarten made a huge splash last season, his first seeing major playing time. A Freshman All-America selection by the Football Writers Association of America and College Football News, Rosengarten will contend for all-conference honors protecting Michael Penix Jr.

22. USC OL Jonah Monheim

By the end of last year, on an offensive line with a pair of NFL Draft picks, Monheim may have been the Trojans’ best lineman. A stout 6-5, 300-pounder with versatility, Monheim has built up so much trust among his USC coaches that he was moved to the coveted left tackle spot after playing right tackle and right guard last year. Another big year in the loaded USC offense would send him up draft boards.

21. Stanford TE Benjamin Yurosek

The son of a football player and a women’s volleyball player, Yurosek combines size, speed and hops on his 6-4, 242-pound frame. A 2-time all-conference pick who earned second-team honors from the Associated Press and Pac-12 coaches, Yurosek will need to improve his yardage per reception to get some real attention. After averaging 15.3 yards per catch in 2021 he regressed to 9.1 last year. Another important fact: His grandfather invented the baby carrot.

20. Oregon RB Bucky Irving

Bucky earned some buzz after a 1,000-yard season last year, but it was his advanced stats that drew scouts’ attention. He racked up a missed tackle on 43% of his carries, 2nd in the country, while averaging nearly 7 yards per carry. If Bo Nix vultures a few less touchdowns this year, Irving could hit the end zone 10 times. Despite sharing carries in a talented Oregon backfield, Irving will get his shine.

19. Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders

Sanders is one of the biggest league’s enigmas entering the season and maybe even the country’s. He dominated the other HBCU’s of the SWAC but now must contend with the likes of Utah, USC and more. That’s a big jump in talent, and even though Sanders was certainly playing above the competition level in the SWAC, there will still be a learning curve. It’ll be interesting to see how much of the offense revolves around Sanders in Coach Prime’s first season in Boulder.

18. Washington DE Zion Tupuola-Fetui

Though Washington played just 4 games in 2020, Tupuola-Fetui had 7 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. He didn’t do much in 2021 after dealing with injuries, and he had just 4.5 sacks in 13 games last year. But we’ve seen ZTF at his best. This prognostication is based on that — if he regains his 2020 momentum, he’ll set himself up.

17. Washington OL Troy Fautanu

Flipping from a UDub defensive lineman to the offensive lineman with whom he frequently tangles, Fautanu was a late-bloomer just like Rosengarten. Fautanu was a second-team all-conference selection last year and got a preseason first-team nod from conference coaches as well as Athlon and Pro Football Focus. If the Washington offense is as good as everyone thinks its going to be this year, Fautanu will get rewarded.

16. Oregon State OL Joshua Gray

Gray truly emerged as a force for the Beavers in 2022, rebounding from a relatively down season the year prior. He allowed 17 quarterback hurries in 2021, leading to 8 hits and 2 sacks, but just 11 hurries, 6 hits and no sacks in ’22. That, in addition to being a solid run blocker in OSU’s terrific ground game — his 85.8 run-blocking grade was 3rd in the Pac-12, according to Pro Football Focus. His bulk is a bit of a concern for the next level, as he weighs just 288 pounds.

15. Utah OL Sataoa Laumea

A 3-time all-league pick, Laumea is looking for a second-straight first-team nod, and as one of the most experienced players in the Pac-12, he’ll probably get it. He has started 31 games for the Utes, helping them average more than 217 rushing yards per game last year. He’s a bit bulkier than Gray at 6-4, 311 pounds.

14. Arizona WR Jacob Cowing

Not many players on this list worked their way into the draft like the former 2-star prospect. A star at UTEP for years, Cowing transferred to Arizona and led the conference with 85 receptions last season. With Dorian Singer off to USC, Cowing might hit the century mark this year. After flirting with the NFL Draft in the spring, he’ll make it a reality next year.

13. Oregon WR Troy Franklin

Franklin came to Oregon as a highly touted recruit and he flashed some ability with 18 receptions for 209 yards and 2 scores in 2021. Last year as Bo Nix’s primary target, Franklin caught 61 balls for 891 yards and 9 touchdowns. He stands a good shot of hitting the 1,000-yard mark this year, especially if he tops 100 yards more than 3 times.

12. Utah S Cole Bishop

A 6-3, 200-pound safety with range and a nose for the ball, Bishop took half of his freshman year to secure a starting gig, and he hasn’t given it up. He’s averaged 5.7 tackles per game, with 9 tackles in the Pac-12 title game win over USC. He also started the season with a bang, picking up a dozen tackles against Florida in the opener.

11. Washington WR Jalen McMillan

Like his teammate Rome Odunze, McMillan blew up in 2022 catching passes from Penix. McMillan was steady and explosive, topping 100 yards 3 times including 150 yards on 6 receptions — with a 75-yard grab — in the Apple Cup win over Wazzu. A second 1,000-yard season would almost certainly send him into at least the 3rd round.

10. USC WR Dorian Singer

Singer (6-0, 180) doesn’t have ideal size, but he can sure get open. He certainly did against Washington State in Week 12, catching 9 passes for 176 yards and a score, his 4th 100-yard game last year. That monster performance came just a few weeks after going off for 141 yards and 3 touchdowns against USC, a performance that convinced the Trojans to swoop him up during the offseason.

9. USC S Calen Bullock

After picking off 2 passes as a true freshman and adding 39 tackles, Bullock was one of the league’s top defensive players last season. While he took a few too many chances on an undisciplined defense last year, he ranked 2nd in the league with 5 interceptions, along with 6 passes defended and 48 tackles. Many of his tackles last year were deep in the level, and if he gets a bit more aggressive this year, he’ll play himself into the 2nd round.

8. Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.

Earlier this year, Ryan Leaf pegged Penix to go No. 2 overall behind Caleb Williams, and Leaf knows a thing or two about being a No. 2 pick. Penix rekindled a bountiful partnership with his former offensive coordinator at Indiana, Kalen DeBoer, who gave Penix the keys to the car of his rebuild. Introducing Ryan Grubb to the occasion changed things, though. Grubb’s fast-paced offense took the Pac-12 by storm last year. It’s hard to imagine how good they could be this year. Penix is a built polarizing, though. While some mock drafts have him going in the 1st round, some are not quite as bullish.

7. Arizona OL Jordan Morgan

Given Arizona’s struggles in 2021, Morgan’s solid season was overlooked. Last year, as the Wildcats took a step toward respectability, the spotlight shined on the Arizona lineman. His 82.0 pass-blocking rating was 33rd in the nation, according to Pro Football Focus, and he also ranked 21st in offensive blocking and 36th in run- blocking. Blessed with a huge 6-6 frame, Morgan allowed one sack in 670 total snaps, including 443 passing snaps, last year.

6. Oregon DL Brandon Dorlus

Another of the Pac-12’s draft mysteries, Dorlus is going as high as the 1st round in some drafts, and as low as the 4th in others. In the end, his versatility may win out. Dorlus can play any position on the line, and he has been crucial to the Ducks defensive approach. But it would be nice to see some big production. In 2022, he had 34 total tackles, including 18 solo, 9.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. But his measure is felt on more than the stat sheet: Dorlus generated 35 quarterback hurries in 2022, 2nd in the conference, according to Pro Football Focus.

5. UCLA Edge Laiatu Latu

Latu’s story is well-chronicled: The former Washington defensive end took a big hit in a 2020 practice and Husky doctors considered him medically retired with a bad neck. He thought he deserved another chance and found one at UCLA, whose doctors explained the risks and let him play. He returned their trust with an incredible 2022 that saw him finish 2nd in the conference with 10.5 sacks. Now he’s back as a preseason All-American and a contender for conference DPOY. If he stays healthy and balls out again, NFL scouts may overlook his neck issues.

4. Washington WR Rome Odunze

Odunze has everything going for him on the verge of what should be a huge year. A consensus top-5 player at his position nationally, the Husky star grades well as a deep threat and as a No. 1 receiver. Playing on a terrible offense in 2021 as a sophomore, Odunze had 41 grabs for 415 yards and 4 scores, but he blossomed with Penix in 2022, catching 75 passes for 1,145 yards and 7 scores, an average of 15.27 yards per catch. It was a bit of a surprise that Odunze returned this year as he likely would’ve been an early pick, but another big year catching bombs from Penix would solidify him as a 1st-rounder.

3. Washington DL Bralen Trice

In Odunze, Penix and Trice, the Huskies could have 3 1st-round picks. Entering the year, though, only Trice is a shoo-in to go in the top 32. The Huskies’ stud finished 3rd in the league with 9 sacks last year after 3 fairly quiet years to start his Washington career. He didn’t even see the field his first two years, and though he played in all 12 games in 2021, he wasn’t particularly productive. Last year, becoming a full-time starter, Trice was a hulk. Nearly a consensus first-team all-league pick last year, Trice on several preseason All-American first teams heading into 2023. Trice is lauded for his football instincts, his burst off the line and his motor.

2. Oregon QB Bo Nix

The final draft question mark, some mocks have Nix going as high as a top-5 pick, along with the No. 1 player on this list and North Carolina’s Drake Maye. Nix may be the best pure athlete of the three, and his 14 rushing touchdowns last year were truly eye-opening. When a QB has that kind of nose for the end zone, it can really open up an offense.

But Nix was a lot more than his legs last year. He had a sensational passer rating of 165.65, trailing only Williams. He averaged 8.78 yards per attempt, trailing only Williams. And he had just 7 interceptions, trailing only Williams among full-time starters. The key for Nix this year will be adapting to Will Stein’s offense after the kinship he had with Kenny Dillingham. If he clicks again, Nix is looking at a top-5 pick.

1. USC QB Caleb Williams

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner is the current favorite to go No. 1 in the 2024 NFL Draft, 21 years after Carson Palmer. Only recently has there been some scuttlebutt about Drake Maye pushing Williams for top-dog status, but that should quiet quickly after USC opens the season with a cupcake first half of the season. After perhaps the most productive season by a USC quarterback, ever, Williams has major ambitions for 2022. Anything less than a national championship would be considered a bust. But is 5,000 yards out of the question? What about 50 passing touchdowns? The sky is the limit for Lincoln Riley’s next No. 1 pick.