1. Carolina Panthers via CHI: Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud
The Panthers gave up a king’s ransom to the Bears in order to secure the number one overall pick. They’re in desperate need of a quarterback as Sam Darnold signed with San Francisco and they’re looking for a fresh start with a new head coach and new weapons. I find C.J. Stroud to be the best quarterback in the draft as he has a big arm and pristine accuracy. He could be the player to bring Carolina out of dark times.
2. Houston Texans: Alabama QB Bryce Young
Houston is set up to have a great draft with two top 12 picks. At two here, they’ll be grabbing their franchise quarterback in Bryce Young. While I find Stroud to be the best quarterback, Young feels the most pro ready. He’ll also have better weapons than Carolina with Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, Nico Collins, and Dameon Pierce. The AFC South could be the young gun conference with Trevor Lawrence, Malik Willis, Young, and possibly Will Levis.
3. Arizona Cardinals: Alabama OLB Will Anderson
This year’s quarterback class is really talented, but no player is better than Will Anderson. Anderson had 51 tackles, 10 sacks, and 1 interception last season. Over the past two seasons, he’s totaled 152 tackles, 27.5 sacks, and 4 pass breakups. He’s a freak of nature with a high floor and an even higher ceiling. My one concern isn’t for Arizona, but for Anderson. We’ve seen great college defenders like Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins land in the desert, and then you don’t really hear from them again. They’re having solid careers, but the media coverage isn’t great out in Arizona.
4. Indianapolis Colts: Kentucky QB Will Levis
Levis to the Colts feels like a match made in heaven. He has a big arm, great mobility, and puts an extraterrestrial amount of zip on the ball. Pairing him with Paris Campbell and Jonathan Taylor could create a three-headed monster that takes over the AFC South. Levis played well against SEC opponents and I think the hype around him is real. He just needs to be put in the correct system that fits his play and Indianapolis has that system.
5. Seattle Seahawks via DEN: Georgia DT Jalen Carter
It’s still uncertain what will happen legally with Jalen Carter, but there is no denying that he’s the second best defender in the draft. His numbers don’t jump off the stat sheet, but is pass rush win rate is high and he does a really good job battling double teams and creating opportunities for linebackers. Seattle has a solid defense, but needs to up their front four and Carter will be an immediate upgrade alongside Poona Ford and Dre’Mont Jones.
6. Detroit Lions via LAR: Pittsburgh DT Calijah Kancey
Anthony Richardson and Will Levis have been big risers this offseason, but the biggest is arguably Pittsburgh defensive tackle Calijah Kancey. Kancey clocked a 4.79 40 yard dash at the combine and in 2022, he tallied 31 tackles and 7 sacks. He has great hips and works active hands as a pass rusher which will be an immediate upgrade in the Lions defense which was bottom five in the league in run and pass defense.
7. Las Vegas Raiders: Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez
With the signing of Jimmy Garoppolo, Las Vegas isn’t in the immediate market to draft a quarterback. This years cornerback class is one of the deepest in recent years, and headlining this group is Christian Gonzalez. The Ducks corner in 2022 made 51 tackles, 7 pass breakups, and 4 interceptions. He plays really physical in press man and this is important when you have to battle with Keenan Allen, Jerry Jeudy, and Mike Williams on a regular basis.
8. Atlanta Falcons: TCU WR Quentin Johnston
Atlanta has been having an explosive free agency period addressing needs on their defense and it’s time to look at their offense in the draft. With a young quarterback and two solid tight ends to go with a two headed monster in the backfield, it’s imperative to bring in a WR2 to go with Drake London. Quentin Johnston and Drake London both stand at 6’4 and this gives Ridder two large targets to throw to. In 2022, Johnston reeled in 60 passes for 1,069 yards and 6 scores.
9. Chicago Bears via CAR: Northwestern OT Peter Skoronski
The Bears knew they weren’t taking a quarterback at one and decided to gain collateral and trade back to nine. By adding D.J. Moore, they address their receiver needs and will now add a physical offensive lineman who can play either tackler position or guard. Chicago allowed 58 sacks in 2022 and if they want Justin Fields to have a fruitful career with longevity, they’ll need to keep him on his feet. By drafting Skoronski, this’ll be a step in the right direction.
10. Philadelphia Eagles via NO: Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon
It doesn’t look like Darius Slay will be back in an Eagles uniform in 2023 so they’ll have to fill a void at corner. Illinois corner Devon Witherspoon had an imposing 2022 season making 42 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 14 pass breakups. What’s good about the Eagles taking Witherspoon is that he can learn from James Bradberry and assimilate into the Eagles defense as their number two corner and not get thrown into the fire against CeeDee Lamb and Terry McLaurin.
11. Tennessee Titans: Texas Tech DE Tyree Wilson
In my last edition of my 2023 Mock Draft, I predicted the Titans to grab a tackle. With the recent signing of Andre Dillard and the loss of Bud Dupree, they need pressure off the edge. Tyree Wilson is a big-bodied player who can line up anywhere from 3-tech to wide 7-tech. His versatility and bull rush ability is how he made 61 tackles and 7 sacks in 2022 with the Red Raiders. Putting him on a defensive line with Harold Landry and Jeffrey Simmons could prove to be an issue for AFC South offenses.
12. Houston Texans via CLE: Clemson DT Bryan Bresee
In 2022, the Texans allowed the most rushing yards in the who league. Adding a wideout would be nice, but they won’t win games if they don’t address the clear holes in their defense. Maliek Collins can play 1-tech and Bresee could come into play 3-tech and work one-on-one with opposing teams guards. Bresee has great pass rush moves and a quick punch that stuns offensive linemen in their tracks which will lead to him or linebackers making tackles in the run game.
13. New York Jets: Ohio State OT Paris Johnson Jr.
It appears that Mekhi Becton has lost a substantial amount of weight and this’ll lead to his return to the field. That’s awesome, but the Jets still have to address the other tackle position. Paris Johnson has really fun energy and a great motor as he blocks through the echo of the whistle. He’s also a phenomenal athlete. He recorded a 9’2″ broad jump and the combine and this athleticism translates well to his pass protection.
14. New England Patriots: Georgia OT Broderick Jones
The Patriots lost the sweepstakes for Mike McGlinchey and it doesn’t seem like they’ll land Orlando Brown Jr. With Isaiah Wynn not returning, Bill Belichick needs to fill a void at left tackle and Broderick Jones is that guy. Jones is 6’5, 311 pounds with a 4.97 40 yard dash. He’s a mountain of a man with spectacular athleticism. He is able to effectively move flesh in the run game and stalemates elite pass rushers coming off the edge without turning his shoulders.
15. Green Bay Packers: Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer
Is Aaron Rodgers playing in Green Bay next year? It does not look likely. What I do know is that whoever is throwing the ball in Green Bay will need a tight end over the middle. Michael Mayer has outstanding hands and runs crafty routes that many tight ends currently in the league aren’t able to run. To go with that, he’s tenacious in the run game. When you put him in to block, you essentially have an extra offensive lineman. He’s crafted perfectly for their offensive scheme and is a safe pick as he has a high floor and high ceiling.
16. Washington Commanders: Florida QB Anthony Richardson
Taylor Heinicke recently signed with the Falcons and they have two unproven quarterbacks on their roster. When you look at Anthony Richardson, he’s a true specimen. He stands at 6’4, 244 pounds with a 4.43 40 yard dash and a 10’9″ broad jump. What scares me regarding Richardson is his accuracy. He had five games under a 55% completion rating and threw 9 interceptions. Either way, Washington needs a quarterback and Richardson is their best bet here.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr.
This pick right here not only benefits the Steelers secondary, but boosts fan morale. Adding a physical corner like Porter is a great replacement for Sutton, but it’d be fun to watch him play where his father once dominated. Pittsburgh is in a very weird place right now and needs help in their secondary before anything else.
18. Detroit Lions: Alabama DB Brian Branch
The Lions still nearly made the playoffs with a poor defense and at number six, they address their front four needs. Now they grab a Swiss army knife defensive back in Branch. In 2022 for Alabama, Branch made 90 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 7 pass breakups. With the addition of Cam Sutton, the Lions improve at corner and now they add a player who can lineup at high safety, in the slot, or rush off the edge.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Florida OG O’Cyrus Torrence
Tampa recently dealt guard Shaq Mason and are looking to add interior help. O’Cyrus Torrence is a large human being that performs the best as a run blocker. With a new leaf turning in Tampa Bay, it’s about time they add younger offensive linemen. Ryan Jensen has seen injuries the past few seasons and Ali Marpet retired before last season. With Anthony Richardson off the board, this is a slam dunk pick.
20. Seattle Seahawks: Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
While the Seahawks have front four holes to address, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is too good to pass up. Adding more weapons to their offense will only help Geno Smith and prove why they paid so much money for him. He’s fully recovered from his injury and is ready to bounce back. At 6’1, he can play on the inside and outside of formations and take heat away from DK Metcalf.
21. Miami Dolphins: FORFEITED
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Maryland CB Deonte Banks
The Chargers are a pretty well-rounded team, but their star cornerback J.C. Jackson missed substantial time due to an injury last season and adding Deonte Banks will be great security for the Chargers’ secondary. He has a large frame at 6’2, 205 pounds and in 2022 for the Terps he made 38 tackles, 1 interceptions, and broke up 8 passes.
23. Baltimore Ravens: Georgia OLB Nolan Smith
This year’s draft has a lot of guys you could categorize as a “freak of nature”. Nolan Smith is one of those guys. The Bulldogs outside linebacker stands at 6’2, 238 pounds and run a 4.39 40 yard dash while recording a vert of 41.5″. Smith does a fantastic job utilizing his quickness and dipping his shoulders around tackles to pressure quarterbacks. Baltimore has older pass rushers like Jason Pierre-Paul and Tyus Bowser, so bringing in a young player like Smith is very important.
24. Minnesota Vikings: USC WR Jordan Addison
As a Vikings fan, I’m sad that Adam Thielen won’t be back in the Twin City, but his time was up. Even though Thielen is gone and K.J. Osborn stepped up, I want to see the Vikings add more weapons. Jordan Addison has solid speed running a 4.49 40 yard dash and a large catch radius even though he’s only 6’0 tall. In a new system this season at USC, Addison adapted to having more weapons around him and still caught 59 balls for 875 yards and 8 scores.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars: Oklahoma OT Anton Harrison
Jawaan Taylor got the bag in Kansas City and he was a reason as to why Jacksonville ran the ball successfully in 2023. Taylor and Anton Harrison have eerily similar dimensions and are similar athletes. If Jacksonville wants to keep a stranglehold on the AFC South, they’ll need to make sure their offensive line is tuned up and drafting Harrison will be a step in the right direction.
26. New York Giants: Utah TE Dalton Kincaid
We saw the importance of having a good tight end this postseason as both Super Bowl teams had elite tight ends. New York has a solid core of receivers, and recently acquired Darren Waller. Now by adding Kincaid, they have a two-headed tight end monster that’ll give defenses a ton of trouble. At 6’4, 240 pounds, Dalton Kincaid is a threat to catch passes all over the field. He reeled in 70 balls for 890 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2022 for the Utes and could become Daniel Jones’ top target in 2023.
27. Dallas Cowboys: Michigan DT Mazi Smith
Dan Quinn’s defenses like to crowd the line of scrimmage and make life difficult for teams in both the run and pass. Using strong interior defensive lineman who possess talent frees up edge rushers like Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence. Smith stands at 6’3, 337 pounds and gets busy when he’s on the field. He had 49 tackles and 1 sack this season on a great Wolverine defense. The one drawback is I don’t know if he’s a three to four down guy. He may be most efficient only on first and second down in rushing scenarios.
28. Buffalo Bills: Texas RB Bijan Robinson
It’s an unlikely possibility that the Bills bring Devin Singletary back and to couple with their passing attack, they’ll need a powerful running back like Bijan Robinson. He was the second best back in all of college last season rushing for 1,580 yards and 18 touchdowns. Robinson also proved to be a sneaky threat in the pass game. He reeled in 19 passes for 314 yards and 2 touchdowns. He’ll be a great tool for Josh Allen in 2023.
29. Cincinnati Bengals: South Carolina CB Cam Smith
With this corner class being so deep and the Bengals not having prime drafting position, it’s best for them to draft the best available. Cam Smith was lights out for South Carolina in 2022 as he made 27 tackles, 1 interceptions, and 5 pass breakups. Teams rarely targeted Smith and was a reason why the Gamecocks saw success down the run.
30. New Orleans Saints via SF: Iowa DE Lukas Van Ness
The Saints lost Marcus Davenport in free agency and Cam Jordan is aging so they’ll need to add edge depth for the coming years. Lukas Van Ness has a herculean look to him standing at 6’5, 269 pounds, with little fat on his body. He totaled 36 tackles and 6.5 sacks for the Hawkeyes in 2022 and could see immediate time as a rookie in 2023. His quick hands and ability to bench press offensive linemen from his body is very impressive.
31. Philadelphia Eagles: Clemson DE Myles Murphy
Philadelphia has an aging defensive line. Brandon Graham is 34, Fletcher Cox is 32, and Linval Joseph is 34. They need an injection of youth getting after the quarterback. While Murphy doesn’t bend the edge great or posses good speed moves, he packs a lot of power in his strike and will be a solid run stuffer and power rusher. At 31, this is a great value selection to fill a need.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Boston College WR Zay Flowers
JuJu Smith-Schuster is heading to New England and the Chiefs will need more weapons out wide. Zay Flowers runs swift routes and creates great separation from defensive backs. In 2022, Flowers caught 78 passes for 1,077 yards and 12 scores. At 5’10, he’ll be a great fit in the slot and over the middle for Patrick Mahomes.
