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The NFL combine is officially underway, and hundreds of players' draft stock is on the line. Over the weekend NFL general managers will evaluate every player attending the combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.
How some teams evaluate the prospects could change drastically over the next, especially the quarterbacks. While Bryce Young won’t participate, Ohio State’s CJ Stroud, Florida’s Anthony Richardson, and Kentucky’s Will Levis will all be competing to be the second quarterback taken in this draft. While Stroud looks like the clear cut number two, some question that Richardson holds the most potential.
The biggest spotlight shines on the number one overall pick which is expected to be an all out bidding war between multiple teams in the NFL, but mainly between division rivals, the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts.
In my very first mock draft I have three total trades in the 2023 NFL Draft, two of which involve teams moving up to draft their potential franchise quarterback. Keep reading to find out what I have your favorite team doing.
Reminder: There are only 31 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft due to the Miami Dolphins being forcefully forfeited of their own first round pick.
Pick 1: (TRADE) Indianapolis Colts select Bryce Young, QB, Alabama.
Trade: Pick 1 for pick 4, pick 35, 2024 1st round pick, 2024 3rd round pick.
Colts owner Jim Irsay is a loose cannon and Chris Ballard is fighting for his job. They will want the bidding war for Bryce Young to end quickly. Ryan Poles jumps back only four spots while adding a high second round pick, a next year's first, and third giving the young general manager plenty of resources to build the future, while the future arrives in the house that Manning built in Bryce Young.
Pick 2: Houston Texans select CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State.
Texans general manager Nick Caserio is younger and fighting for less in Houston than his division rival. He will be just fine letting Indianapolis bid the house on Bryce Young while he sits back and drafts CJ Stroud, who ripped apart the dangerous Georgia defense in the College Football Playoff Semi-Final game.
Pick 3: Arizona Cardinals select Will Anderson, Edge, Alabama.
Newly appointed head coach Jonathan Gannon will be thrilled landing the best edge prospect in the draft since Myles Garrett came out of Texas A&M. The former Eagles defensive coordinator will have Will Anderson looking like the next JJ Watt.
Pick 4: Chicago Bears select Tyree Wilson, Edge, Texas Tech.
This pick has Matt Eberflus written all over it. Many believed this would undoubtedly be Will Anderson or Jalen Carter, but in light of the recent news surrounding Carter, the Bears will go elsewhere. Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus have little experience to take on the risk of Jalen Carter. Tyree Wilson, who’s 6’6 with a seven foot wingspan, fits right in with Matt Eberflus’ needs.
Pick 5: Seattle Seahawks select Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia.
With John Schneider and Pete Carroll, the Seahawks are the perfect landing spot for Jalen Carter. Two guys who have been in the business for a long time and will know how to get Carter pointed in the right direction on and off the field. This athletic freak will destroy the interior of many offensive lines.
Pick 6: Detroit Lions select Joey Porter Jr, CB, Penn State.
This could be a reach for the Penn State cornerback. He fits the bill physically and plays with lots of aggression. He will fit right in with Dan Campbells intensity, and fills a position of need for the ready to contend Detroit Lions.
Pick 7: Las Vegas Raiders select Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida.
Now you could easily swap in Will Levis here and I won’t be shocked, but I think Anthony Richardson gives Josh McDanies the most flexibility to keep his job. I think his upside will give McDaniels life for maybe two to three more years in Las Vegas now. Look for Jimmy Garoppolo to fill in as the starter until Richardson is ready to become the franchise guy.
Pick 8: Atlanta Falcons select Myles Murphy, Edge, Clemson.
Atlanta could be looking to go many directions here at pick 8, but addressing the defensive line seems most likely. I think they will wait a year on quarterback and let Desmond Ridder take the reins if they can’t pursue Lamar. Adding a force on the defensive line seems safe in building towards the future.
Pick 9: Carolina Panthers select O'Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida.
This is by far maybe my largest reach in the entire draft. Frank Reich wants to do this right and will not let his time in Indianapolis follow. I don’t believe he will take the risk on Will Levis, and would rather wait another year to take a swing at quarterback. Meanwhile he will need to bolster up his offensive line to make sure when they make that move, he’s got a wall to protect him. This 6’5, 345 pound monster can move mountains. He will pair well with recent first round pick Iken Ekwonu.
Pick 10: (TRADE) Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Will Levis, QB, Kentucky.
Trade: Pick 10 for Pick 19, pick 155, and a 2024 1st round pick.
If Will Levis manages to slip past both Las Vegas and Carolina like I predict, Bucs general manager Jason Licht will get twitchy. I don’t believe he has the urge to make a massive jump into the five to seven range of the first round, but if Levis can make this fall, he will take the risk and not let him potentially end up in Tennessee.
Pick 11: Tennessee Titans select Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern.
Tennessee just cut ties with franchise legend Taylor Lewan and fill the need immediately by taking Peter Skoronski. Some say he’s the best offensive lineman in the draft, but others say he’s more of a guard than tackle. I believe Tennessee will give Skoronski every chance to be the franchise left tackle, but a move to guard could be the best thing for his career.
Pick 12: Houston Texans select Jordan Addison, WR, USC.
The Houston Texans don’t overthink this pick and get their rookie quarterback CJ Stroud and elite weapon in the passing game. While Jaxon Smith-Njiba has ties to Stroud, I think Addison is the best receiver in this draft, and general manager Nick Caserio won’t be too worried about them establishing a great connection in Houston for years to come.
Pick 13: New York Jets select Paris Johnson Jr, OT, Ohio State.
Paris Johnson very well could be the most pure tackle in the draft this year. The Jets will make sure the protection of the quarterback is locked in whether it’s Aaron Rodgers or Zach Wilson. Johnson will be a day one starter next to Alijah Vera-Tucker, while Mekhi Becton will be moved to right tackle if healthy.
Pick 14: New England Patriots select Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois.
Bill Belichick finally has a draft pick that doesn’t make fans tilt their neck and scratch their head. The loss of JC Jackson was very apparent this year in New England and Witherspoon's physical presence will fit right in with Belichick’s style.
Pick 15: Green Bay Packers select Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame.
The loss of Robert Tonyan will cause Green Bay to jump all over Michael Mayer. Notre Dame, widely considered one of the best universities at breeding tight ends, have built a monster in Michael Mayer. He is more of a Gronk than a Kelce, but Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love will have no issue finding this beast in the passing game.
Pick 16: Washington Commanders select Christian Gonzales, CB, Oregon.
Ron Rivera will be foaming at the mouth with Christian Gonzales sitting here at pick 16. Highly considered as maybe the best lock down corner in the draft with his speed and strength. Rivera will have no issue getting Gonzales ready to guard AJ Brown and Ceedee Lamb twice a year.
Pick 17: Pittsburgh Steelers select Lukas Van Ness, Edge, Iowa.
Lukas Van Ness has the potential to become one of the players to fly up the draft boards pending his combine results. Van Ness has a very large presence and will have no issue getting pressure to the quarterback with TJ Watt alongside him. In a division with Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, and Deshaun Watson, Mike Tomlin takes a swing at building a nightmare defensive line.
Pick 18: Detroit Lions select Keion White, DL, Georgia Tech.
Dan Campbell’s offense had no issue getting going in 2022, which is why I expect Detroit to double dip at defense in this year's draft. Adding to both the secondary and defensive line will get Detroit poised for a playoff run in 2023, and a potential run at their first division title in 30 years.
Pick 19: Philadelphia Eagles select Bryan Breese, DL, Clemson.
Sean Desai, a direct product from Vic Fangio’s system in Chicago, will be all over Bryan Breese at 19. He measures in at 6 '5 and 300 pounds, and will fit right in with the NFC Champions force defensive front. He will fill in for Javon Hargrave, who I expect to leave in free agency.
Pick 20: Seattle Seahawks select Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia.
This is another great Pete Carroll selection in the draft adding swiss army knife of a defensive back in Kelee Ringo. Many experts believe he could ultimately switch to safety, which I’m sure Carroll will find what's right for Ringo. Carroll loves tall athletic defensive backs and will turn them into premier players. Just look at Tariq Woolen.
Pick 21: Los Angeles Chargers select Jaxon Smith-Njiba, WR, Ohio State.
Kellen Moore knows a lot is on the line for his career. He makes a potential life changing move by becoming the offensive coordinator for the Chargers. Getting Justin Herbert to break the barrier into super star level play will make him a head coach in this league. Keenan Allen and Mike Williams can’t seem to stay healthy which leads to the selection of Jaxon Smith-Njiba selection here at 21. Although if Allen, Williams, and Smith-Njiba all are on the field at once, watch out world, it could be scary.
Pick 22: Baltimore Ravens select Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia.
While many expect this selection to be a wide receiver, I think Broderick Jones will be best for the Ravens here at 22. Jones will have every opportunity to learn from offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, while Lamar gets himself much needed protection.
Pick 23: Minnesota Vikings select Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State.
After disappointing, injury riddled seasons from defensive backs Lewis Cine and Andrew Booth Jr, Minnesota can’t keep waiting around for production from a rough defense. Their offensive window to compete is growing shorter as Kirk gets older. Emmanuel Forbes is a highly graded cornerback who can come in day one and have an immediate impact on a struggling defense. Brian Flores will have his hands all over this pick.
Pick 24: Jacksonville Jaguars select Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU.
Trevor Lawrence finds his big body guy to pair with Christian Kirk. Johnston will have an immediate impact in this offense and will help Lawrence etch his name in the upper echelon of starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Doug Pederson will have a field day with this new look offense.
Pick 25: New York Giants select Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College.
Zay Flowers age is maybe the only thing holding him back from being the number one receiver taken in the draft. He will turn 23 by the time the 2023 season kicks off, but will have no problem turning the passing game around in New York. While I don’t believe Daniel Jones has proved himself to be the long term answer for the Giants, if anyone can help that, it’s Zay Flowers.
Pick 26: Dallas Cowboys select Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee.
Dallas is in desperate need of a turnaround season from Dak Prescott, and while Noah Brown has been very impressive for being a 7th round pick, he’s not a very good wide receiver number two. Jalin Hyatt is a speed demon who will spread the field for Dallas and get Dak Prescott back to form.
Pick 27: Buffalo Bills select Antonio Johnson, DB, Texas A&M.
Buffalo addresses depth and the potential replacement for Jordan Poyer who has expressed the idea of leaving the state of New York. With teams like Buffalo who are set across the board from a roster standpoint, defensive backs are always a safe play.
Pick 28: Cincinnati Bengals select Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State.
While Dawand Jones may not be a day one starter in Cincinnati, adding a player of this size to your offensive line depth is nice. If the 6 '8, 360 pound offensive lineman can continue to rise off his Senior Bowl success, he will do wonders for keeping the Bengals franchise quarterback healthy.
Pick 29: New Orleans Saints select Tuli Tuipulotu, DL, USC.
This massive force racked up 13.5 sacks in the 2022 season for the Trojans and will step in to be a day one help for New Orleans. The franchise needs help all around, but adding a force to your defensive line is a step in the right direction.
Pick 30: (TRADE) Arizona Cardinals select Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas.
Trade: Pick 30 for pick 34, and pick 105.
While many believe this is the perfect spot for Howie Roseman to take Bijan Robinson, I think the very successful general manager will have no problem moving back four spots while landing a fourth round pick in the mix. Roseman will have a fair shot drafting Jahmyr Gibbs at pick 34, while Arizona makes sure they land the best running back in the draft to pair with Conner for a year.
Pick 31: Kansas City Chiefs select BJ Ojulari, Edge, LSU.
The Super Bowl champions don’t need much. I think this could be an area where Kansas City goes anywhere. They have one of the best rosters in football. His brother Azeez Ojulari is currently in New York with the Giants, and Bj could come in and be even better. This a total depth move as the team will look to keep winning and staying young.
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