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        2023 NFL Mock Draft

        Where does Bijan Robinson land? How about the QBs? And how many WRs sneak into Round 1? Here's Jared Smola's guess at how the 1st-round of the 2023 NFL Draft will play out.
        By Jared Smola | Updated on Tue, May 23 2023 5:27 PM UTC
        2023 NFL Mock Draft

          

        1. Carolina Panthers - Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

        The Panthers hope they have their answer at QB with the undersized but improvisational Young. Note that GM Scott Fitterer was Seattle’s Director of College Scouting when the Seahawks drafted QB Russell Wilson in 2012.

        Check out our dynasty value report on Bryce Young.

          

        2. Houston Texans - Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech

        The Texans pass on QB and add the toolsy Wilson to new HC DeMeco Ryans’ defense. 

          

        3. Arizona Cardinals - Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama

        The Cardinals would LOVE to trade down here, but I’m not sure they’ll find a dance partner. If they stick, the ultra-productive Anderson isn’t a bad consolation prize.

          

        4. Indianapolis Colts - Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

        Maybe I’ve been blinded by the smokescreen, but there’s been a ton of buzz that Levis is the Colts’ guy. He notably attended the Manning Passing Academy last summer. (Peyton still has plenty of pull in the Colts organization.)

        Here’s our full dynasty value report on Will Levis.

          

        5. Seattle Seahawks - Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

        The Seahawks roll the dice on Carter, who has off-field concerns but might be the most talented defensive player in the draft.

          

        6. Detroit Lions - Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois

        The Lions made some moves to bolster the secondary in free agency but still need a legit #1 CB. Witherspoon has the potential to develop into just that. He’s dominant in man coverage, making him an excellent fit in Detroit’s scheme.

          

        7. Las Vegas Raiders - Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon

        The sense I’ve gotten is that the Raiders aren’t very high on this QB class. So they pass on that group and inject the secondary with some much-needed talent instead.

          

        8. Atlanta Falcons - Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

        Arthur Smith’s wet dream. His new Derrick Henry (with pass-catching chops!).

        Does Bijan deserve all the hype? Check out our full dynasty value report.

          

        9. Chicago Bears - Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State

        The Bears snag the best pure LT in the class as QB Justin Fields enters a make-or-break season.

          

        10. Philadelphia Eagles - Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia

        GM Howie Roseman prioritizes the offensive and defensive lines with his early picks. Here, he gets the undersized (238 pounds) but explosive Smith.

          

        11. Tennessee Titans - C.J. Stroud, QB, Titans

        The Titans end Stroud's fall. This would give Tennessee the option to move on from QB Ryan Tannehill now -- or in 2024.  

        See our full dynasty value report on C.J. Stroud.

          

        12. Houston Texans - Anthony Richardson, QB, Texans

        Houston passing on QB at 2? Ok. But passing on a QB with Richardson's upside here? That'd be extremely tough to do.

        Check out our take on Anthony Richardson's dynasty value.

          

        13. Green Bay Packers - Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State

        Why did the Packers move up from 15 to 13 in the Aaron Rodgers trade? My guess is it was for Smith-Njigba, who’s been linked to the Patriots at 14.

        Dig in to our dynasty value report on Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

          

        14. New England Patriots - Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern

        The experienced, intelligent, and versatile Skoronski feels like a good fit in New England.

          

        15. New York Jets - Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia

        This 311-pound former basketball player has the movement skills to develop into a premier LT.

          

        16. Washington Commanders - Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee

        Wright is a plug-and-play RT with the versatility to kick inside to guard if needed.

          

        17. Pittsburgh Steelers - Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State

        Watch out for Pittsburgh to make a move up for an OT. But they miss out on the top four in this scenario and instead bolster their secondary with longtime Steeler LB Joey Porter’s son.

          

        18. Detroit Lions - Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa

        The Lions pair Van Ness with Aidan Hutchinson to form a potentially lethal pass-rush duo.

          

        19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma

        Harrison has seemingly been a late riser in the process and now looks like a good bet to go Round 1. The 21-year-old could become a cornerstone LT for the rebuilding Bucs.

          

        20. Seattle Seahawks - Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee

        Hooker makes perfect sense for Seattle. He could spend 2023 rehabbing that torn ACL and settling into the NFL game behind Geno Smith, who turns 33 in October and carries a $31.2 million cap hit in 2024.

        Check out our dynasty value report on Hendon Hooker.

         

        21. Los Angeles Chargers - Jordan Addison, WR, USC

        Los Angeles adds some much-needed juice to the passing game. Chargers WRs coach Chris Beatty helped recruit Addison to Pittsburgh.

        Get our take on Jordan Addison's dynasty value.

          

        22. Baltimore Ravens - Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State

        The Ravens add the seriously undersized (166 pounds) but ball-hawking Forbes, who set a FBS record with six career picks-6s.

          

        23. Minnesota Vikings - Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland

        The analytically driven Vikings grab the CB who registered a 9.99 Relative Athletic Score.

          

        24. Jacksonville Jaguars - Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson

        A clown show just a year ago, the Jaguars now have very few glaring needs. So they can just go best available player with Murphy, a three-year college starter who compiled 18.5 career sacks.

          

        25. New York Giants - Brian Branch, S, Alabama

        DC Wink Martindale would love to add the versatile Branch to his unit.

          

        26. Dallas Cowboys - Michael Mayer, TE, Cowboys

        This feels like Mayer's floor -- and a perfect player/team fit with Dallas looking to replace TE Dalton Schultz.

        Here's our outlook on Michael Mayer's dynasty value.

          

        27. Buffalo Bills - Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

        The Bills are still looking for their Robin to Stefon Diggs' Batman. Flowers is a relatively NFL-ready WR prospect, making him a good fit for the win-now Bills.

        Check out the dynasty value report on Zay Flowers.

          

        28. Cincinnati Bengals - Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah

        The Bengals strengthen a strength by adding a dynamic pass-catching TE.

        Get the goods on Dalton Kincaid's dynasty value.

          

        29. New Orleans Saints - Will McDonald, EDGE, Iowa State

        McDonald had a super productive college career, tying the Big 12 record with 34 career sacks. Then he tested as a 96th percentile athlete.

          

        30. Philadelphia Eagles - Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama

        After going defense earlier in the round, the Eagles add some juice to the offense here with the explosive, versatile Gibbs.

        Check out the full dynasty value report on Jahmyr Gibbs.

          

        31. Kansas City Chiefs - Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan

        A sleeper to sneak into Round 1, Smith was the top-ranked player on Bruce Feldman's 2022 Freaks List.

         

        Just Missed:

        O'Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida
        Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
        Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
        Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh
        Steve Avila, G, TCU
        Keion White, EDGE, Georgia Tech
        Joe Tippmann, C, Wisconsin
        Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse

          

        Jared Smola Author Image
        Jared Smola, Lead Analyst
        Jared has been with Draft Sharks since 2007. He’s now Lead Analyst, heading up the preseason and weekly projections that fuel your Draft War Room and My Team tools. He currently ranks sixth among 158 analysts in draft rankings accuracy.
        Other rankings are stale  before the 2nd round.

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