2023 NFL season: Brock Purdy, Calvin Ridley among 20 candidates to become first-time Pro Bowlers

Surveying breakout candidates for the new year

By now, everyone knows that Pro Bowls are far from the end-all, be-all when it comes to recognizing the best of the best in the NFL. There is perhaps no better recent example than the Ravens' Tyler Huntley, who made 2022's all-star lineup despite playing in just six games. Still, Pro Bowl honors can be a good barometer for how much respect a player commands league-wide.

Some players, like Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Donald, are perennial locks. But others are still searching for their first invite.

With that in mind, we've identified 20 candidates to become first-time Pro Bowlers in 2023: