The day has arrived!
One last 2023 NFL mock draft to get us to Thursday night.
Tune in for The En Eff El Draft Show.
Getting the sense that I could go 1-for-31 on accuracy across all these picks.
Cheah and I nailed the first seven picks of last year’s draft.
Steve finished fifth overall in accuracy and I finished34th out of 1,379 submissions on the NFL mock draft database.
…But are mocksreallyabout being correct?
Or are they about having fun?
I don’t really have a strong opinion either way.
The 2022 draft was a lot easier to project than this one.
I’m throwing caution to the wind.
So expect at least one trade or two!
WILL (ha-ha-hee) believe it when I see it.
Size and slight frame are major red flags for Young.
Doesnt seem to matter in the eyes of talent evaluators.
Youngs special field reading, processing and leadership abilities are enough to sway Carolina to take the plunge.
Houston Texans - Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
Peter King mocked Tyree Wilson to Houston.
Let’s roll with that.
I wish the Texans would do what I want them to do.
Modern NFL schemes are multiple and hybrid and don’t often settle on 3-4 or 4-3.
I’m merely passing along what the widespread perception is.
Arizona Cardinals - Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama
There are needs pretty much everywhere on this roster.
That should give Anderson the nod over the top corners.
All the rumors about Levis' soaring stock have enough smoke around them to believe.
Levis is my clear-cut QB4.
He has horrible pocket awareness.
Also think Levis is a first-team, All-Pro weirdo.
If anyones going to take a risk on Carter early, I suspect its Seattle.
Detroit Lions - Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
I stopped mocking Witherspoon to Detroit for a little while.
Now he’s the betting favorite to go sixth overall to the Lions.
Its the best city-team identity-player fit in the entire first round in my opinion.
GM Brad Holmes shouldnt overthink this one.
Witherspoon is perfect for the culture Dan Campbell is building.
Las Vegas may roll the dice on Jalen Carter if hes here.
Ryan Tannehill being sent to Atlanta to reunite with Arthur Smith makes sense.
It’d be a matter of figuring out contract restructures, cap hits, etc.
Tennessee would just need to bring in another veteran backup to help Stroud’s transition to the NFL.
Chicago Bears (via Panthers) - Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern
Justin Fields needs better protection.
This dude is drawing comparisons to Cowboys All-Pro Zack Martin.
Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints) - Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
Bijan Robinson is flat-out special.
There arent a lot of “obvious” fits for him in the first round.
Imagine a 1-2 backfield punch of Bijan and Penny on a one-year prove-it deal.
That can take some of the running burden off of Hurts.
Terrell will get a lucrative extension.
Unclear why that hasnt happened yet.
Newly acquired corner Jeff Okudah may not get his fifth-year option picked up.
In any event, tough to expect him to be a high-end starter off a rocky start in Detroit.
I blogged about a rumor thatthe Vikings could trade all the way up to No.
2 for Will Levis.
I’d love to see Richardson slinging it to Justin Jefferson.
Editing this at the 11th hour, we have a little more information trickling in.
One from a prominent NFL agent who doesn’t represent Richardson, another from an ESPN insider.
I barely know anyone from the Packers pass-catching group outside of rising sophomores Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs.
New Green Bay QB Jordan Love needs better weapons.
Give him a slot phenom like Smith-Njigba, and itd open up everything else for Watson on the outside.
JSN is my WR1 and No.
That didnt really pan out.
Jones has a good chance to hit thanks to his athletic profile.
And nine from Michigan for that matter.
Or get on with it and be the left tackle from the jump.
The Jets defense is pretty damn loaded as is.
Fortifying the trenches for Aaron Rodgers should be a top priority for New York on Day 1.
Johnson is my ninth-rated prospect overall, OT1, and could go as high as No.
This slide is less about Johnson and more about how the quarterbacks and other positions fell.
I pounded the table pretty hard for Paris at third overall in this rumors blog from five days ago.
Washington Commanders - Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
I cant stop mocking cornerbacks to Washington.
Dont think Ive done anything different in every single mock.
That tells me the Commanders should be leaning heavily that way.
Banks would be a hell of a get at pick 16.
Plus, low cost of moving!
Im sure Washingtons area scouts have kept a close eye on Banks this past year.
Since he played right tackle in 2022, I suspect that might knock Wright down some boards.
He plays way bigger than youd expect a 238-pound EDGE prospect to.
His strength lies in run defense.
Smith has very real untapped pass-rushing potential.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Brian Branch, CB/S, Alabama
The run on tackles hurts Tampa Bay.
Oklahomas Anton Harrison is a bit rich for me with the 19th pick.
Todd Bowles would love a fundamentally-sound, physical slot guy like Branch.
Perhaps the Bucs trade up in Round 2 to get Harrison if he keeps sliding.
Seattle Seahawks - Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami
Theres always at least one first-rounder we never see coming.
Surprise draft invitee Keion White might be the guy.
Or maybe its Tyrique Stevenson.
I like the idea of Seattle going with a boundary cornerback to pair with Tariq Woolen.
Id personally prefer Kansas States Julius Brents.
Instead, Im in on Stevenson as the blindsiding pick of the first round based on Schrags intel.
Bryce Young is a Jahmyr Gibbs checkdown merchant!!
However, hes already packed on some extra weight since then.
Baltimore does so well with picks in this range on an annual basis.
Greenard’s best stretch was in 2021 when he had eight sacks in 12 games.
Murphy had 76 pressures in his final two years at Clemson.
1 overall pick Travon Walker on the edge.
I realize the G-Men added to their group this offseason.
It’s not enough in my opinion.
Johnston’s tools are that of a legit WR1.
Many argue Mayer is the best player at the position in this class.
Hard to debate that.
Hes definitely the most complete in terms of pass-catching production and willingness to run block.
Multiple comparisons to Jason Witten out in the draftnik community.
That even further suggests Mayer is an ideal fit with the Cowboys.
Buffalo Bills - Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
What a fun pairing this would be.
Hyatts pure deep speed with Josh Allens stupid-strong arm?
Compelling alternatives for the Bills at the position include Boston College’s Zay Flowers and USC’s Jordan Addison.
Hyatt’s fit with Buffalo in particular gives him the nod.
Cincinnati Bengals - Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
My final Bengals mock has Jahmyr Gibbs to Cincinnati.
For this exercise, the dream scenario of Dalton Kincaid falling happens.
Kincaid is a tight end who can split out wide and win.
Thats how special he is at the catch point and as a route-runner.
I hesitate to compare anyone to Travis Kelce but uhh…yeah.
Wouldnt mind me some Darnell Washington either.
I honestly dont know what to do for the Eagles here.
Their roster is such an embarrassment of riches everywhere.
Maybe Howie Roseman wheels and deals an earlier draft pick or two for a star player.
That hints at the bang out of ceiling many believe he has.
That innate inside-out versatility makes Van Ness an appealing fit in Kansas City.
