Welcome to the year of 2023! This is the year when franchises that have been rebuilding are finally taking the next step to being a contender. The year when franchises that have been contenders are now entering the rebuilding stage of the sport we all know and love. Whether you’re rooting for a contender or a rebuilder, maybe this mock will be a glimpse of what could happen.

We’ll be bringing you new NFL Mock Drafts all off-season long up until the 2023 NFL Draft. Let’s get right into it with the first edition, 2023 NFL Mock Draft 1.0.

New – Mock Draft 2.0

1.) Houston Texans: Bryce Young QB, Alabama

First up is the Houston Texans. While they might have the worst record in the NFL, if you actually sit down and watch how the team has been playing, you’ll see they aren’t far from winning the AFC South. The last time they did that was back in 2019. Davis Mills had a really good rookie year in 2021 however, is he really the future?

Former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young was drawing praise as being the next Russell Wilson ever since he committed to Alabama. A comparison like Wilson is something that is rare to see. Could the Texans potentially draft Alabama’s Will Anderson or Georgia’s Jalen Carter? Sure they can and they will likely talk about it. But the question will remain the same as it did when Deshaun Watson left. Who is the quarterback of the future in Houston? If they go defense, a guy like Derek Carr or Jimmy Garoppolo will be the names to watch as the signal caller in 2023 as both of their statuses with their current teams is up in the air.

2.) Chicago Bears: Will Anderson EDGE, Alabama

Does anyone else miss when the Bears were a fearsome defense to go against? I know I do. That’s exactly why the Bears shouldn’t take calls on this pick if Will Anderson is on the board. The best defensive prospect since Chase Young is someone you get excited about and submit the pick within 30 seconds of being on the clock.

3.) Seattle Seahawks (via DEN): Jalen Carter IDL, Georgia

Could the Seahawks go quarterback here? Potentially. But will they? I doubt it. Maybe Seattle could be a team that looks to go after Carr in the off-season. Who knows if they’ll be committed to Geno Smith or if they’ll bring in a rookie to compete for the starting role. They have the weapons already, so I’m thinking the highest IDL prospect since Aaron Donald is the perfect fit for the Seahawks, and that’s Jalen Carter out of Georgia.

4.) Arizona Cardinals: Myles Murphy EDGE, Clemson

The Cardinals need help and they need it badly. Myles Murphy reminds me of Khalil Mack as his combination of speed and power is tremendous. As the Cardinals are more than likely in search of a new head coach, the best thing to do is take the best player available.

5.) Indianapolis Colts: Will Levis QB, Kentucky

Does Will Levis have the numbers that scream top-five pick? Not at all. But a lot of higher-ups believe he’s the best quarterback in this class. With an already-established offensive line, Levis will have the tools to succeed early on in his career. Furthermore, one thing the Colts will have to do is to find weapons for whomever their next quarterback is. They could definitely use another wide receiver to go with Michael Pittman Jr. and a tight end as well.

6.) Detroit Lions (via LAR): Joey Porter Jr. CB, Penn State

Jared Goff has played well this season and I expect him to be back as the starting quarterback in 2023. I think Clemson’s IDL Bryan Bresee could be in consideration for this pick but projecting Bresee as a top-10 pick is a little too rich for me. Instead, the Lions add one of my favorite prospects in this class, Joey Porter Jr. out of Penn State.

7.) Atlanta Falcons: C.J. Stroud QB, Ohio State

With CJ Stroud falling 7th overall to the Falcons, it would be a huge mistake to not take him. Stroud is still raw and has a lot of work to do but he’s definitely capable of being a franchise quarterback.

8.) Las Vegas Raiders: Quentin Johnston WR, TCU

So many question marks are surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders. One year after being projected to be a potential Super Bowl contender and now no one knows what’s going on. If they don’t land Tom Brady or Jimmy Garoppolo, do they go defense and look towards the 2024 NFL Draft for Caleb Williams or Drake Maye, or do they go after the top offensive tackle? I’m projecting they go wide receiver and either pair Quentin Johnston with Davante Adams or maybe this will be Adams’ replacement if he requests a trade.

9.) Carolina Panthers: Anthony Richardson QB, Florida

Jim Harbaugh to the Panthers? What a hire that would be. Harbaugh inheriting one of the top defensive rosters in the entire league is going to be scary. Harbaugh landing a quarterback that has the same traits as Colin Kaepernick? Even better. Anthony Richardson is my favorite prospect in this year’s 2023 rookie class as I think he draws Josh Allen comparisons.

10.) Philadelphia Eagles (via NO): Bijan Robinson HB, Texas

What do the Eagles need? They could go defense and keep developing younger guys but they really need the guy to take the workload off Jalen Hurts. Bijan Robinson isn’t Saquon Barkley but man does he look like him a lot. You’ll see a lot of comparisons over the off-season of these two running backs.

11.) Tennessee Titans: Peter Skoronski OT, Northwestern

Tennessee could go EDGE here and help bolster the defense but the Titans had offensive line issues all year long. Taking Peter Skoronski out of Northwestern, the top offensive tackle in the class is the smart thing to do.

12.) Houston Texans (via CLE): Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR, Ohio State

Remember when Ja’Marr Chase sat out a year and people were questioning who was better between him and DeVonta Smith? This is the same thing except Jaxon Smith-Njigba is coming off an injury. If he played this year, he would be gaining top-5 traction. Instead, he falls down a few spots and the Texans have two cornerstones in Young and Smith-Njigba

13.) New York Jets: Paris Johnson Jr. OT, Ohio State

I expect the Jets to be a run-first team next season if Zach Wilson is still the quarterback. With Breece Hall coming off a torn ACL, Michael Carter is going to have to carry the workload for a few weeks before Hall is 100%. Paris Johnson Jr. could replace George Fant if he leaves the Jets through free agency. Doesn’t hurt that Mekhi Becton and Alijah Vera-Tucker will be returning as well.

14.) Washington Commanders: Cam Smith CB, South Carolina

Washington seems to be the team that needs a little bit of everything other than the defensive line. That makes mock drafting for them a bit difficult. Quarterback is a huge need and so is the offensive line, however, a top cornerback is what Washington’s defense lacks. I love this fit for Washington and Cam Smith out of South Carolina.

15.) Pittsburgh Steelers: O’Cyrus Torrence IOL, Florida

A prospect I believe who will rise into top-15 consideration is O’Cyrus Torrence out of Florida. He gives me Zion Johnson-like hype behind him from last season’s draft process. He is someone who will fit right in with Mike Tomlin’s culture in Pittsburgh.

16.) Green Bay Packers: Jordan Addison WR, USC

There’s no way the Packers don’t take a wide receiver, right? Right?! Jordan Addison gained 1st-Round hype while he was at Pittsburgh in 2021. With the transfer to USC for the 2022 season, he showed he’s an NFL-caliber talent and will give Aaron Rodgers the #1 wide reciever he so desperately needs. That is, assuming Rodgers is back next year.

17.) Detroit Lions: Jared Verse EDGE, Florida State

A top-10 prospect falls to the Lions when it matters most. Aidan Hutchinson showed he should’ve been the 1st pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Florida State’s Jared Verse and Hutchinson would be a force for years to come in Detroit.

18.) Miami Dolphins: Forfeited Due to Tampering

19.) Seattle Seahawks: Tyree Wilson EDGE, Texas Tech

What a draft for Seattle if this happens. Carter 3rd overall and now Tyree Wilson. If this happens, they’d be getting to the quarterback all season long. Wilson is drawing top-10 consideration but I think he’s just a little out of that range. He’s a great player coming out of Texas Tech.

20.) Jacksonville Jaguars: Bryan Bresee IDL, Clemson

Jacksonville could go corner here but the cornerback class is so deep they should wait. Bryan Bresee was a projected top-10 pick before the season began, and here he’s falling to 20th overall. With the pass rush already set in Jacksonville, Bresee would make a great addition to this defense.

21.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Christian Gonzalez CB, Oregon

The decision here solely relies on what Tom Brady does this off-season. Since we aren’t sure quite yet, I’m sticking with the smart play of Tampa Bay taking the best cornerback available as Jamel Dean and Sean Murphy-Bunting are up for re-signs. Christian Gonzalez is a great man-to-man corner and would thrive in this already tough defense.

22.) New England Patriots: Broderick Jones OT, Georgia

I feel like I always mock the Patriots taking an offensive lineman and they never take one. If they do, they reach on a 3rd Round talent. Coming out of Georgia, Broderick Jones is a 1st-Rounder and fits what the Patriots need on the offensive line. 

23.) New York Giants: Jalin Hyatt WR, Tennessee

The Giants finally have an answer to the biggest question they needed an answer to at the start of the season. Is Daniel Jones the answer? To me, Jones was always the answer. He has the accuracy, mobility, and arm strength to be a franchise quarterback. This year, he’s really proved some of the doubters wrong and looks like he’s improving, despiting having no wide receivers to work with.

Now it’s time to see the Giants get him the correct weapons. Drafting the wide receiver out of Tennessee, Jalin Hyatt would step in and immediately be able to make a case for the WR1 on the team. Saquon Barkley and Daniel Bellinger have been reliable all year long. With the addition of Isaiah Hodgins this season, Jones started to be more comfortable in Brian Daboll’s offense.

24.) Baltimore Ravens: Zay Flowers WR, Boston College

The Ravens aren’t afraid to reach on a player if it fits their scheme. Zay Flowers might be the most underrated receiving prospect in this year’s class as he is the best catch-in-traffic receiver. He’s a talented wide receiver out of Boston College and the Ravens really haven’t had anyone step up as far as pass-catchers go besides Mark Andrews.

25.) Los Angeles Chargers: Josh Downs WR, North Carolina

Three wide receivers in a row could change the draft approach of some organizations. This is a deep wide receiver class and similar to last year, teams might panic a bit if they start to fly off the board. Teams will look to trade up around this point and teams will begin to reach. Josh Downs out of North Carolina is a 1st-Rounder and would be a huge addition to Justin Herbert’s offensive arsenal.

26.) Cincinnati Bengals: Michael Mayer TE, Notre Dame

The best tight end prospect since T.J. Hockenson and I’m aware of Kyle Pitts. However, Michael Mayer adds another weapon for Joe Burrow and helps take the pressure off of arguably the best wide receiver duo in the NFL in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. It also doesn’t hurt he’s a great run blocker for Joe Mixon.

27.) Minnesota Vikings: Emmanuel Forbes CB, Mississippi State

The Vikings need to be in the market for a #1 cornerback. They’ve already shown they’re not afraid to take one from Mississippi State as they have Cameron Dantzler on the roster. Why not pair Dantzler up with another Bulldog? Emmanuel Forbes out of Mississippi State would be a great addition to this defense.

28.) Dallas Cowboys: Brian Branch SAF, Alabama

One thing about the Cowboys’ defense is they’re super versatile. Brian Branch has the ability to line up in the slot, safety, and even as a box linebacker. Dallas loves playmakers and that’s exactly what Branch is.

29.) Denver Broncos (via SF): Darnell Wright OT, Tennessee

The Broncos have to help Russell Wilson out. They have the weapons but he needs better protection. Darnell Wright is someone I think could sneak into the 1st-Round and that’s exactly what happens here. Overall, Wright could definitely help out on this Broncos’ offensive line.

30.) Buffalo Bills: Antonio Johnson SAF, Texas A&M

With Jordan Poyer being a free agent and Micah Hyde entering the final year of his deal, the Bills could look to replace one of them or add a youngster to develop behind the two safeties. It also doesn’t hurt that Antonio Johnson can line up in the box and help blitz the quarterback.

31.) Kansas City Chiefs: BJ Ojulari EDGE, LSU

Probably a steal here as I think BJ Ojulari could go as high as a top-15 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. He has the NFL blood in the family with his brother Azeez tearing it up with the Giants.

32.) Philadelphia Eagles: Nolan Smith EDGE, Georgia

Philadelphia could go cornerback here but there’s still a lot of talent in that position group while the pass rush talent is dwindling down. Nolan Smith, a former 5-star recruit coming out of high school is a bully in the passing game. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Howie Roseman build some depth in the edge department.

New – Mock Draft 2.0

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• 2023 Class Preview
• Top 10 Quarterbacks
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