2023 NFL Mock Draft – Week 13 – With Analysis

Draft order courtesy of http://www.tankathon.com

Pick	Player	Stats	Commentary
1	QB Bryce Young, Alabama – 6’0, 194 lbs	230-359, 3007 yards, 27 TD, 5 INT	The Texans are a long, long way from competing, and might prefer to build up the team before committing to a quarterback. However, other than Will Anderson Jr., there really is not a dynamic prospect worth taking here. If Bryce Young was two inches taller and 20 pounds heavier, this would be an absolute no-brainer. His slight frame is a definite worry, but he offers the best mix of arm strength, accuracy, improvisation and experience amongst any quarterback prospects.
2	EDGE Will Anderson Jr., Alabama – 6’4, 243 lbs	51 tackles, 10 sacks, 1 INT	Unlike a lot of terrible teams, the Bears at least have their quarterback in place. It is the rest of the roster that is in shambles. Will Anderson Jr. would be a simple choice here. He is the best prospect in this class. More than just a pass rusher, he is a complete defender who should excel in any scheme.
3	QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State – 6’3, 218 lbs	235-355, 3340 yards, 37 TD, 6 INT	From LAR Jared Goff is solid enough that the Lions do not have to go quarterback at all costs here, but thanks to a Rams team that sold their soul to the crossroads demon for a Super Bowl championship, Detroit has the ultimate luxury here. Sure, CJ Stroud plays with a ton of NFL talent, but all he has done as a starter is thrown for almost 8,000 yards and 80 touchdowns. The quarterback class falls off a cliff after Bryce Young and CJ Stroud, so both will be in high demand.
4	DT Jalen Carter, Georgia – 6’3, 300 lbs	25 tackles, 2 sacks	From DEN Another team that is reaping the rewards of a team falling apart, the surprising Seahawks still have a top five pick. Jalen Carter’s numbers do not jump out at you, but it cannot be understated how much of an impact he has for the entire Georgia defense. He is the most talented interior lineman to come along since Quinnen Williams and will help improve a dreadful Seattle front four.
5	DE Myles Murphy, Clemson – 6’5, 275 lbs	37 tackles, 6.5 sacks	No team needs to tank like the Panthers. Their quarterback situation is the worst in the league. Unfortunately, there is no quarterback worth taking here, so they have to go best player available. Myles Murphy is not the athletic freak that a Chase Young or Nick Bosa is, but he is a very reliable run defender and pass rusher with a high floor.
6	CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia – 6’2, 210 lbs	32 tackles, 2 INT	From NO As much as it hurts for the Broncos and Rams to lose top ten picks, at least they traded those picks for quarterbacks. The Eagles have New Orleans number six overall pick because the Saints traded it for…..Trevor Penning. Ouch. Talk about short sighted. Philadelphia does not mind, as they get to add the best defensive back in this class. Kelee Ringo has great size and a real nose for the ball. The Georgia defense is an NFL pipeline, and Ringo has the look of a great CB1.
7	OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State – 6’6, 310 lbs	N/A	I am a huge Paris Johnson Jr. fan. He is a former top recruit who worked his way into the starting lineup as a sophomore, not an easy task on a team full of NFL prospects. He has anchored one of the top passing attacks in college as a junior. The Cardinals offensive tackle situation is a mess, and Johnson Jr. would be an easy start for them.
8	WR Quentin Johnston, TCU – 6’4, 215 lbs	49 rec, 764 yards, 5 TD	What a disastrous season it has been for the Green Bay Packers. Who knows what the 2023 team will look like, but a WR trio of Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Quentin Johnston would be a great start. Johnston is a TD machine with a huge catch radius, and enough speed to keep defenses honest.
9	EDGE Felix Anduike-Uzomah – 6’4, 255 lbs	39 tackles, 7.5 sacks	The Raiders are last in the NFL with 16 sacks on the season. It is almost impossible to consistently win in today’s NFL if you cannot make the quarterback uncomfortable. Felix Anduike-Uzomah is a bit one dimensional right now, and might be a slight reach in the top ten, but he is athletic and can really get after the quarterback. He will be a big help for Vegas.
10	DE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech – 6’6, 275 lbs	61 tackles, 7 sacks	From CLE Houston needs it all, so best player available here. Tyree Wilson has been a late bloomer who really started to produce as a redshirt junior and has carried that over as a fifth year senior. He is a good pass rusher and is also built strong enough to hold up against a run. Maybe not a superstar talent, but should be a solid building block for the Texans defense.
11	WR Jordan Addison, USC – 6’0, 175 lbs	54 rec, 810 yards, 8 TD	The Jaguars are committed to improving Trevor Lawrence any way they can, and should continue to provide him the skill pieces to succeed. Jordan Addison is undersized, but a true playmaker in every sense of the word. With Addison, Christian Kirk and Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville is on the right track.
12	OG Peter Skoronski, Northwestern – 6’4, 315 lbs	N/A	Pittsburgh needs to fix a troublesome offensive line. With Olumuyiwa Fashanu announcing that he will return to Penn State as I was typing up this mock, that leaves Peter Skoronski as the best available. A true run game mauler, there are questions of whether he is a guard or tackle at the next level, but he will be an easy upgrade at either position for the Steelers.
13	DT Tuli Tuipulotu, USC – 6’4, 290 lbs	40 tackles, 12.5 sacks	The Lions took a quarterback with their first pick, but should go defense for the rest of this imaginary draft. Tuli Tuipulotu leads all of college football with 12.5 sacks. He would be an absolutely perfect fit at end in Detroit’s hybrid defense. With Tuipulotu and Aidan Hutchinson getting after the quarterback, that should help Detroit’s porous defense as a whole.
14	QB Will Levis, Kentucky – 6’3, 232 lbs	185-283, 2406 yards, 19 TD, 10 INT	I am not a Will Levis fan. I find it laughable that sites such as CBS Sports recently ranked him ahead of CJ Stroud. What? He is already 23, has not shown up in big games this year and is undisciplined. But you cannot underestimate the desperation of some NFL teams, the Colts at the top of the list. The owner basically said he is tired of retread projects. They will hope they can unlock something with Levis, who does have a cannon arm and a projectable frame, if little else.
15	OLB Trenton Simpson, Clemson – 6’3, 240 lbs	65 tackles, 2.5 sacks	The Falcons have been very competitive this year, but the fact remains that is a bottom five roster in the NFL talent wise. Trenton Simpson might be a top five player in this class talent wise. He can get after the quarterback and chase down ball carries in the open field. The Falcons are bare bones on defense, and Simpson can line up almost anywhere.
16	CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon – 6’2, 201 lbs	51 tackles, 4 INT	Seattle needs to go defense often and heavy in 2023. Christian Gonzalez escaped college football purgatory by leaving Colorado for Oregon, and has worked himself squarely into the first round. He is a solid tackler with great size and a real knack for the ball. The Seahawks have nothing in the secondary and Gonzalez would be a great fit.
17	DT Gervon Dexter Sr., Florida – 6’6, 312 lbs	50 tackles, 2 sacks	The Chargers have been an embarrassment against the run in 2022. Former first round pick Jerry Tillery was cut and there is not a lot to get excited about as far as defensive lineman go. Gervon Dexter Sr. looks the part of a stud tackle, but has struggled with consistency during his three years at Florida. Still, I love his size and ability to be a three down defensive tackle at the next level.
18	TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame – 6’4, 265 lbs	67 rec, 809 yards, 9 TD	I never really know how to mock the Patriots, since it seems like they just pick names out of a hat. Tyquan Thornton in the second round in 2022? Ouch. Theoretically, Michael Mayer would be a great fit. He is not a supreme athlete like Kyle Pitts or TJ Hockenson, but represents tremendous value here. He is a reception hog who would be a great safety net for Mac Jones.
19	DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson – 6’5, 305 lbs	12 tackles, 2.5 sacks	I find it hard to believe that Tom Brady will sign up for another year of what is going on in Tampa, so who knows what that team will look like in 2023. Bryan Bresee was a monster as a freshman at Clemson, but has struggled with a variety of issues his past two years, and his stock as suffered as a result. Still, there was a reason he was formerly the top overall prospect in the country, and some team will gamble on that upside in the first round.
20	CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State – 6’2, 198 lbs	27 tackles	The Commanders have been on fire, but they still give up too many big plays in the passing game. Joey Porter Jr. only has one career interception on his resume, but that does not always tell the full story. He is big, strong, a willing tackler and is hardly tested.
21	HB Bijan Robinson, Texas – 6’0, 220 lbs	258 rushes, 150 yards, 18 TD	Bijan Robinson is the most talented running back college football has seen since Saquon Barkley. It is hard to find a fit for running backs in mocks, however, especially one who has handled the rock 258 times already this season. Still, he has carried that often because he is damn good at it, averaging over 6 yards per carry. He is a great receiver as well, making him a true three down back. The Ravens have tried to cobble together a backfield for years, and that strategy just has not worked. Robinson may not be more than a one or two contract running back, but while Lamar Jackson is in his prime, he would be very valuable.
22	OT Jaelyn Duncan, Maryland – 6’6, 320 lbs	N/A	The corpse of Duane Brown has done his best as the Jets left tackle, but they need a long term option. Jaelyn Duncan is not flashy, but he is experienced and solid, and could be a plug and play type for a playoff team needing an extra boost at tackle.
23	OT Broderick Jones, Georgia – 6’4, 310 lbs	N/A	The Bengals used a lot of free agent money on trying to fix their offensive line, with very mixed results. Broderick Jones could use another year at Georgia, but he is very talented and offers strong position versatility.
24	WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee – 6’0, 180 lbs	67 rec, 1267 yards, 15 TD	It is no secret that the Giants passing offense is being held together by duct tape this year. This team needs several new receivers. Jalin Hyatt is a bit of a one year wonder, but what a year it has been. He is third in college football in receiving yards and first in touchdowns.
25	EDGE Drew Sanders, Arkansas – 6’5, 232 lbs	103 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 1 INT	From SF The Broncos traded cornerstones Von Miller and Bradley Chubb during the past two trading deadlines, making pass rushing an obvious need. Drew Sanders has been one of the most productive defenders in college football, showing the promise that made him a former five star recruit for Alabama.
26	TE Darnell Washington, Georgia – 6’7, 270 lbs	25 rec, 403 yards, 1 TD	Drafting first round tight ends is always risky since they take so long to develop, and so often, never do. It is doubly risky drafting a player who has two zero-catch games the past month. Darnell Washington is a special talent, however. A good run blocker and size nightmare, he could develop into a solid option for a Titans team lacking a lot of pass catchers.
27	FS Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M – 6’3, 195 lbs	71 tackles, 1 sack	The Cowboys have one of the most complete rosters in the NFL, so this pick could be to fortify some depth. Antonio Johnson is big, fast, a solid tackler and has experience at both safety and cornerback.
28	HB Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama – 5’11, 200 lbs	136 rushes, 850 yards, 7 TD	If there is one team picking in the 20’s that I think should go all in on running back, it is the Bills. The offense is a dynamic threat in the backfield away from being truly special. Jahmyr Gibbs is like another receiver on the field, but has the ability to run between the tackles as well.
29	QB Anthony Richardson, Florida – 6’4, 232 lbs	176-327, 2549 yards, 17 TD, 9 INT	I think some team will trade up late in the first round to take a gamble on Anthony Richardson, if he were to declare. The physical talent is obvious, but it has been such an up and down season. It will take some work, but there is real potential here. The Vikings could opt to go this route, since Kirk Cousins shelf life is about to expire.
30	CB Cam Smith, South Carolina – 6’0, 188 lbs	27 tackles, 1 INT	When you pick late in the first round like the Chiefs do every year, loading up on defensive backs is usually a smart way to go. Cam Smith plays bigger than his size and is a solid cover guy.
31	DE Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame – 6’5, 265 lbs	45 tackles, 11 sacks	The Eagles like to employ a deep defensive line rotation, so expect several picks to adress the defensive line. Isaiah Foskey gets by more on effort than talent, but that effort has delivered 22 sacks the past two seasons.