The 2023 NFL Draft brings significant intrigue as there are quarterback prospects that warrant early consideration and some teams picking early do not need a quarterback. Could Pittsburgh or Chicago trade out of their picks? Would Indianapolis or Washington consider trading up? Those are the scenarios that will be explored when the draft order becomes more solidified but, in today's thought exercise, we take a more straight forward approach.
The draft order below was determined using SportsLine's Super Bowl odds, but in reverse order. These are your team's betting odds of winning a Lombardi Trophy this season. Miami's selection at No. 25 overall was forfeited.
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Without further ado, let's kick this off!
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
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Round 1 - Pick 1
Bryce Young
QB
Alabama
• Soph
• 5'10"
/ 204 lbs
Young is a leader and a play extender. His feel for the game sets him apart from other quarterbacks in the class. It is the first of two first-round picks for the Texans.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Will Anderson Jr.
EDGE
Alabama
• Soph
• 6'4"
/ 243 lbs
Justin Fields has established himself as the guy in the Windy City so the team can use resources elsewhere. Anderson is a difference maker on the defensive side of the ball.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Jalen Carter
DL
Georgia
• Soph
• 6'3"
/ 314 lbs
Pittsburgh could stick and pick or trade out, but it does not have any bad options. If it sticks and picks, it is not unreasonable to think the Steelers may consider a quarterback, but Carter is the safer bet to pair with Cam Heyward.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Will Levis
QB
Kentucky
• Soph
• 6'4"
/ 229 lbs
In this scenario, Detroit would be faced with a decision between Ohio State's C.J. Stroud and Levis. Levis has struggled this season but coaches will look at the situation and say that he did not have the offensive line to allow time to make full field reads and battled through injuries, which limited him to a pure pocket passer.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
C.J. Stroud
QB
Ohio State
• Soph
• 6'3"
/ 218 lbs
After the Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield experiments come to an end, Carolina gets a franchise quarterback to build around at No. 5 overall. Stroud is a young prospect with immense upside but, just like any other quarterback, teams need to do a better job of supporting him and making him feel comfortable in the pocket.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Bryan Bresee
DL
Clemson
• Soph
• 6'5"
/ 305 lbs
Bresee was the top rated high school recruit and he remains one of the top rated draft prospects. His combination of size and athleticism make him one of the most promising young defenders in the draft class. Las Vegas gets stronger up front.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Penn State
• 6'6"
/ 312 lbs
Perhaps new head coach Jeff Saturday will be able to fix all of the team's problems but left tackle is a situation that needs to be addressed. Indianapolis is also a contender for the right to move up and take a quarterback.
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Denver Broncos
Round 1 - Pick 8
Myles Murphy
DL
Clemson
• Soph
• 6'5"
/ 270 lbs
Geno Smith becoming a quality NFL starting quarterback was the best case scenario for Seattle because now it can use those assets to address other areas of need. The defensive front seven becomes a focal point after adding Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant to the secondary a year ago.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Kelee Ringo
CB
Georgia
• Soph
• 6'2"
/ 207 lbs
Washington gets a height, weight and speed cornerback to replace William Jackson on the boundary. The Commanders have been re-invigorated by Taylor Heinicke and now opt to upgrade the defense.
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New Orleans Saints
Round 1 - Pick 10
Northwestern
• Soph
• 6'4"
/ 313 lbs
Philadelphia is notorious for preparing for the future and Skoronski is a player with positional flexibility. In the short-term, he can be a utility lineman available to step in for injury while awaiting his moment to be a full-time starter.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
TCU
• Soph
• 6'4"
/ 215 lbs
Jacksonville needs youth at wide receiver to build alongside Trevor Lawrence. Johnston has not been consistent but he has flashed more potential than any other wide receiver in college football.
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Cleveland Browns
Round 1 - Pick 12
Tyree Wilson
EDGE
Texas Tech
• Soph
• 6'6"
/ 275 lbs
By selecting Bryce Young No. 1 overall, Houston bypasses on the opportunity to draft one of the top defensive talents. Wilson does not carry the same level of fanfare or production as Will Anderson but he does have all of the traits that excite talent evaluators.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Texas
• Soph
• 5'11"
/ 215 lbs
Cordarelle Patterson is an outlier in every sense of the word. He is a 31-year-old veteran with significant playing experience albeit at another position. Although productive, he is not a part of the long-term plan in Atlanta. Robinson can be that feature running back as Kaleb McGary and Chris Lindstrom have emerged as key cogs in that Falcons offensive line.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Oregon
• Soph
• 6'1"
/ 205 lbs
Arizona needs to upgrade the cornerback position and Gonzalez is a way of accomplishing it. It feels as though the draft will be on the backburner soon with potentially more changes coming to the franchise's leadership.
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Los Angeles Rams
Round 1 - Pick 15
Notre Dame
• Soph
• 6'4"
/ 265 lbs
After trading T.J. Hockenson to Minnesota, Detroit suddenly has a vacancy at tight end. Mayer is not going to be an athletic standout at the NFL Combine but he will be a reliable target for new Lions quarterback Will Levis.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
USC
• Soph
• 5'11"
/ 175 lbs
Green Bay historically does not use first-round picks on the wide receiver position but this season has been a litmus test for that strategy and it has failed. To maximize the final year(s?) of Aaron Rodgers' career, the Packers need to jump in feet first and try to resolve their issues.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Ohio State
• Soph
• 6'6"
/ 313 lbs
General manager Joe Douglas has worked wonders on the roster in one year but offensive tackle is still an issue long-term. Johnson has fared well in his first season at left tackle and should fill a starting role with the Jets.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Ohio State
• Soph
• 6'0"
/ 197 lbs
The Giants need help at the wide receiver position. It feels as though Wan'Dale Robinson is the only player on the roster that can be expected to be on the roster long-term. Smith-Njigba comes from a program of polished route-runners and that should ease his transition in the Big Apple.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
Josh Downs
WR
North Carolina
• Soph
• 5'9"
/ 171 lbs
Downs is a polished route runner that also happens to be elusive in space. He has emerged as a personal favorite in the draft class and his lack of ideal size should not be a problem in the modern day NFL.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Clemson
• Soph
• 6'2"
/ 235 lbs
Seattle has two first-round picks as a result of the Russell Wilson trade. The Seahawks struck gold with the 2022 draft class and have revived the career of Geno Smith. The selection of not one, but two Clemson Tigers could set the franchise on a path of sustainability.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Syracuse
• Soph
• 6'5"
/ 323 lbs
Tennessee certainly needs a new starter at right tackle and may need a new left tackle in the not-too-distant future. Enough time has passed for the Titans to move on from the heartbreak of Isaiah Wilson's selection and Bergeron is on the opposite end of the spectrum in regards to his passion for football.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Maryland
• Soph
• 6'6"
/ 306 lbs
Los Angeles has used first-round picks on the offensive line each of the past two years but it is still a work in progress. It remains to be seen what the Chargers do with Jamaree Salyer once Rashawn Slater returns but the presence of Duncan gives them options to protect Justin Herbert.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Penn State
• Soph
• 6'2"
/ 194 lbs
Cincinnati drafting Porter would be hilarious considering all that the franchise went through with his father when he played for the Steelers. The Nittany Lion is at a position of need for the Bengals.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Brian Branch
CB
Alabama
• Soph
• 6'0"
/ 203 lbs
Branch is a versatile defender capable of fulfilling a variety of roles. Safety Mike Edwards is a free agent after the season so there is the possibility that they search for his replacement.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Texas A&M
• Soph
• 6'2"
/ 198 lbs
Dallas adds a versatile piece to its secondary with the physical Aggie. Although originally from Illinois, Johnson has already made quite the career for himself in the state of Texas.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
LSU
• Soph
• 5'11"
/ 197 lbs
Baltimore will eventually succumb to Lamar Jackson's financial demands but, what has it done to set him up for success in the future? The Ravens need to upgrade the wide receiver room and Boutte would certainly add immense potential.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Cam Smith
CB
South Carolina
• Soph
• 6'1"
/ 186 lbs
Minnesota has exceeded expectations this season but there is not much to get excited about as it relates to the future of the secondary. Smith is not going to test off the charts but he can be a reliable presence at what has been a volatile position group for the franchise.
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Miami Dolphins
Round 1 - Pick 29
Jared Verse
EDGE
Florida State
• 6'4"
/ 260 lbs
Denver moved on from Bradley Chubb at the NFL trade deadline and while it has some promising young players to which it is giving an extended look, the Broncos lack a difference maker at that position. Verse is a well-rounded player that can supplement the pass rush.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Jahmyr Gibbs
RB
Alabama
• Soph
• 5'9"
/ 200 lbs
Kansas City took a chance on adding Clyde Edwards-Helaire but Gibbs' skill set could be so much more impactful in that Kansas City offense. The Georgia Tech transfer is truly a wide receiver playing running back. His skill set is similar to an Alvin Kamara and the thought of that player in Andy Reid's offense is terrifying.
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Round 1- Pick 31
Illinois
• Soph
• 6'0"
/ 185 lbs
Philadelphia is all about adding players that can be staples in the locker room for several years. Witherspoon is an intelligent player at a position of need.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Georgia
• Soph
• 6'7"
/ 265 lbs
Buffalo could never give Josh Allen too many weapons. Washington would be a better fit for an offense that asks him to block in space as well, but the Bills could use his size to their advantage in red zone opportunities.
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