2023 NFL Mock Draft With Analysis – 3/5/23

The combine has come and gone. It is never the end all be all of prospect evaluation, but it does matter. Especially if someone stinks up the joint or blows the doors off. Great time for a new Mock Draft with analysis.

Heights/weights listed are official combine measurements.

Pick	Team	Player	Stats	Commentary
1	Indianapolis Colts	QB Bryce Young, Alabama – 5’10, 204 lbs	245-380, 3328 yards, 32 TD, 5 INT	Projected trade from CHI I never project trades in my mocks, but there is almost a 100% chance that this pick will be moved. The Colts have been the most vocal about tanking for a quarterback, so why not go all the way and trade up? Even though he only measured at 5’10, I still believe Bryce Young is the QB1 in this class, though CJ Stroud and Anthony Richardson are not far behind. The tape speaks for itself. Young can make all of the throws and plays. Just hope his body holds up, but you can say that about quarterbacks larger than him as well.
2	Houston Texans	QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State – 6’3, 214 lbs	258-389, 3688 yards, 41 TD, 6 INT	Now is the time for Houston to go after its quarterback of the future. They can sit back and take either Bryce Young, CJ Stroud or Anthony Richardson. Or they can trade up one spot to ensure they land the guy they want most. Stroud does not have the natural ability that Young or Richardson have, but he has a ton of experience playing in a pro-style system. Also important is his leadership and strong makeup, something a lost Texans team really needs.
3	Arizona Cardinals	EDGE Will Anderson Jr., Alabama – 6’4, 253 lbs	51 tackles, 10 sacks, 1 INT	The Cardinals defense is in shambles. With the third overall pick, they should have an opportunity to draft either Jalen Carter or Will Anderson Jr. Either player would fill a huge need. Anderson is the guy here. He is the best pass rusher in this class, and can definitely play defensive end, after bulking up 10 pounds, if Arizona switches its scheme.
4	Chicago Bears	DT Jalen Carter, Georgia – 6’3, 314 lbs	30 tackles, 3 sacks	Projected trade from IND I am not going to pretend I am an insider or know anything about Jalen Carter’s recent off the field issues. They are potentially serious and career damaging, but it is simply too early to know what consequences they are going to have on his draft stock. So for now, he remains in the top five. Some think he is the most impressive player in this class, offering rare speed and pass rushing ability from the interior.
5	Seattle Seahawks	QB Anthony Richardson, Florida – 6’4, 244 lbs	176-327, 2549 yards, 17 TD, 9 INT	From DEN Seattle is not thought of as a team in the top ten looking for a quarterback, but would it be shocking if they took an opportunity to land an elite, potentially franchise changing talent? Anderson is the most physically dominating quarterback prospect since perhaps Cam Newton. He has a lot to learn, but playing behind Geno Smith for a year with eyes on taking over in 2024 could be just what he needs. Plus, this pick is house money, as Seattle stole it from Denver.
6	Detroit Lions	DE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech – 6’6, 271 lbs	61 tackles, 7 sacks	From LAR This is another team that could potentially look at Richardson, though I think they stick with Jared Goff. He is still young and the NFC North could be Detroit’s for the taking. Why not add yet another pass rusher to an improving group? 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.
7	Las Vegas Raiders	CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon – 6’1, 197 lbs	51 tackles, 4 INT	It is going to be a long rebuild for the Raiders, again, who need pretty much everything on both sides of the ball. Christian Gonzalez used a tremendous combine to solidify the top cornerback ranking in this class. He is big, blazing fast and a great cover guy. He needs to improve his run defense, but could help shore up a Las Vegas secondary that has had a ton of draft whiffs lately.
8	Atlanta Falcons	CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State – 6’3, 193 lbs	27 tackles	The Falcons overachieved for the majority of the season, but they are another team that needs help everywhere. Joey Porter Jr. only has one career interception on his resume, but that does not always tell the full story. He is big, strong, tackles like a safety and is hardly tested. He joins a long list of big cornerbacks who were recently top ten picks. Is this too high? Perhaps. But it is time to start looking at players in tiers instead of straight rankings. Porter Jr. definitely fits in this tier with the rest of these players.
9	Carolina Panthers	DE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa – 6’5, 272 lbs	36 tackles, 6.5 sacks	Lukas Van Ness techinically never started a game in college, but he was a back field wrecker in 2022. Couple that with a very nice combine showing, and I think he is a better defensive end prospect than Myles Murphy. His motor runs hot and he could be a problem on passing downs. The Panthers are set up to own a weak division, and I think they will try to go after a seasoned quarterback unless one of the big three happens to fall.
10	Philadelphia Eagles	HB Bijan Robinson, Texas – 5’11, 215 lbs lbs	258 rushes, 1580 yards, 18 TD	From NO Mocking running backs is never easy, but I still think the great ones should go in the first round. Especially in a draft that is light on star power. Imagine the Eagles defense with a true three down threat behind the quarterback. Bijan Robinson is tough, can catch the ball and would never need to come off of the field. Philadelphia could take advantage of that rookie contract while contending.
11	Tennessee Titans	OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State – 6’6, 313 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. For a team that wants to establish the run like Tennessee, a solid offensive line is paramount. They need several new starters.
12	Houston Texans	DE Myles Murphy, Clemson – 6’5, 268 lbs	40 tackles, 6.5 sacks	From CLE Houston needs it all, and fortunately they have quite a few upcoming picks to really rebuild the roster. Myles Murphy slips a little bit for me because his motor can run hot and cold, and he is not the athletic freak that someone like Chase Young is. But he is only 21 years old and has the ability to be a three down lineman.
13	New York Jets	OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern – 6’4, 313 lbs	N/A	Northwestern had an absolutely miserable 2022 season, but that was not Peter Skoronski’s fault. He earned spectacular offensive line grades from all analysts. There are questions as to whether he is a tackle or guard long term, but either way, he is a beast, especially in the run game. New York needs help at several positions along the offensive line.
14	New England Patriots	OT Broderick Jones, Georgia – 6’5, 311 lbs	N/A	Do not be surprised if the Patriots take a long look at Will Levis if he is available here. Mac Jones is obviously not a long term threat in this league. I think offensive line is the biggest need in Boston. Broderick Jones only has two years of experience, but that was playing tackle on a back to back champion. he has good size and is a monster in the run game.
15	Green Bay Packers	TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame – 6’5, 249 lbs	67 rec, 809 yards, 9 TD	Drafting tight ends in the first round is always risky, but Michael Mayer would be a great fit. He is not a supreme athlete like Kyle Pitts or TJ Hockenson, but represents solid value here. He is a reception hog who would be a great safety net for what could be a very young passing attack in Green Bay. He is also a willing blocker with the potential to be one of the better blocking tight ends in the league.
16	Washington Commanders	QB Will Levis, Kentucky – 6’4, 229 lbs	185-283, 2406 yards, 19 TD, 10 INT	Will Levis will be a first round pick, and will probably be selected higher than this. I just want to be on record saying I am not a fan. He will be 24 as a rookie, could not beat out Sean Clifford at Penn State, and had a pretty weak senior season. Whatever the excuses are, and there seem to be a lot, I just do not see a lot to love here. Some team will be desperate enough, however, and nothing screams desperation quite like the Washington Commanders.
17	Pittsburgh Steelers	CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois – 6’0, 181 lbs	42 tackles, 3 INT	Devon Witherspoon is not the most known out of all the top cornerbacks, but he definitely had the best 2022 season. He only allowed 22 receptions the entire year. Pittsburgh needs cornerback depth, and Witherspoon may be the most ready to play guy in this class.
18	Detroit Lions	CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia – 6’2, 207 lbs	42 tackles, 2 INT	This is a great class for cornerbacks. Kelee Ringo might be the most talented of the bunch, and had a great sophomore season for the Bulldogs. The reason he might not be a top ten pick is a lack of experience and inconsistencies in coverage. He may wind up at safety. Either way, it is another very talented piece for a Lions defense that needs to catch up to the offense.
19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	SS Brian Branch, Alabama – 6’0, 190 lbs	90 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 INT	All of the talk will be quarterback, but there are a ton of holes all over the roster. Most notably in the secondary, where there are currently zero safeties on the roster. Brian Branch is a rare prospect at safety. He tackles like a linebacker, but has the speed and quickness to play a cornerback style game.
20	Seattle Seahawks	DT Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh – 6’1, 281 lbs	31 tackles, 7 sacks	After splurging for a quarterback with the first pick, Seattle needs to go defense the rest of the way. Calijah Kancey has drawn Aaron Donald comparisons due to college and size. Of course, he is not Donald, but he is fresh off running a 4.67 40 yard dash, showing off his tremendous athleticism. He could be a great fit at end in Seattle’s hybrid 3-4 defense.
21	Los Angeles Chargers	TE Darnell Washington, Georgia – 6’7, 264 lbs	28 rec, 454 yards, 2 TD	Darnell Washington is what the draft community likes to call a “gosh darn unicorn”. A 6’7 man should not run a 4.64 40 yard dash. Washington is a supreme athlete who was not heavily featured in the Georgia passing attack. A lot of that had to do with his ability to block like an extra offensive lineman. Tight ends are always risky, but he has first round ability. The Chargers have not had a real threat at the position since Antonio Gates, and the fact that Washington can block is an added bonus.
22	Baltimore Ravens	WR Quentin Johnston, TCU – 6’3, 208 lbs	60 rec, 1069 yards, 6 TD	If your GM basically calls out a position group as the reason your offense failed, it is a safe bet that position will be upgraded. This is not a great receiver class but there are several guys who could be mid to late first round picks. The top of the group is probably Quentin Johnston. He struggles with drops, but has the best size/speed combo out of all wideout prospects.
23	Minnesota Vikings	WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee – 6’0, 176 lbs	67 rec, 1267 yards, 15 TD	Justin Jefferson is an All-World talent, but the Vikings could use a quick upgrade over the declining Adam Thielen.. Jalin Hyatt was a nice slot receiver his first two years at Tennessee, but exploded as a touchdown making deep threat as a junior. He has wheels for days, and is tougher than you would expect from someone his size.
24	Jacksonville Jaguars	DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson – 6’6, 298 lbs	15 tackles, 3.5 sacks	From CLE 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, as he offers rare pass rushing ability from the interior. He is one of the few players in this class with true star potential, and would be a great gamble at this point in the draft for a Jaguars team on the rise.
25	New York Giants	WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State – 6’1, 196 lbs	5 rec, 43 yards	Wide receiver is need one through five for the New York Giants, especially if they are forced to give Daniel Jones $40 million per season. Jaxon Smith-Njigba has 15 receptions in two years with a 95 catch season sandwiched in the middle. The talent and route running ability is there to be a prototypical WR2/slot at the NFL level.
26	Dallas Cowboys	OG O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida – 6’5, 347 lbs	N/A	There are rumblings that Dallas is going to cut the injury prone Tyrone Smith and go with 2022 first round pick Tyler Smith at tackle. If they want to keep their dangerous running game going, keeping the offensive line at an elite level would be important. Cyrus O’Torrence is easily the best interior prospect in this class, and is the type of plug-and-play offensive guard who can take care of a starting position for the next decade.
27	Buffalo Bills	OLB Drew Sanders, Arkansas – 6’4, 235 lbs	103 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 1 INT	Drew Sanders showed why he was a former top recruit for Alabama, showing a complete game at outside linebacker, winding up with over 100 tackles, 9.5 sacks and even an interception for good measure. He could play any linebacker position for a Bills defense that might let Tremaine Edmunds walk.
28	Cincinnati Bengals	TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah – 6’4, 246 lbs	70 rec, 890 yards, 8 TD	Ja’Marr Chase is a Pro Bowler, but the Bengals have questions to answer in regards to Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and Hayden Hurst. It will be hard to retain all three, so drafting someone like Dalton Kincaid would help alliviate some of the pressure. Kincaid is basically a big wide receiver but he is quite an athlete.
29	New Orleans Saints	WR Jordan Addison, USC – 5’11, 173 lbs	59 rec, 875 yards, 8 TD	From SF The Saints are lucky to get a first round pick from the Sean Payton/Denver deal, as they are way over the cap and had little in the way of resources to improve the team. Chris Olave was a home run as a rookie, but the team still needs more pass catchers for whoever will be quarterback in 2023. Jordan Addison is not the biggest, nor is he a blazer, but he has over 200 receptions on his college resume and should be a productive WR2.
30	Philadelphia Eagles	DE Keion White, Georgia Tech – 6’5, 285 lbs	54 tackles, 7.5 sacks	Keion White is a 23 year old who played on a bad football team, but used the combine to really get his name out there, and could wind up a first round pick as a result. He has great size and is a top notch athlete. The Eagles have a lot of upcoming free agents along the defensive line and like to employ a deep rotation.
31	Kansas City Chiefs	OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee – 6’5, 333 lbs	N/A	Even if the Chiefs resign Orlando Brown, there is still a need for another starting tackle. Darnell Wright might be better at guard, but should get the job done as a hulking, run blocking right tackle.