Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – We've finally reached draft week, as Round 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft is set to get underway Thursday evening in Kansas City.
After months of discussion and deliberation of who will go No. 1 overall to the Carolina Panthers, and whether or not the Buffalo Bills will actually take a running back in the first round, we will officially know those answers by the end of the night.
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Like my previous two NFL Mock Drafts, there will be no trades except for the ones already made.
The Miami Dolphins are also without a first-round pick this year after being forced to forfeit their selection due to multiple violations of the league's anti-tampering policy.
So without further ado, here is my final mock of the 2023 NFL Draft:
1.) Carolina Panthers (from Chicago Bears)
Selection: Bryce Young - QB - Alabama
This has now become the obvious choice, and while I would personally go with the higher upside in someone like Anthony Richardson, I can understand the appeal of Young at No. 1 overall, especially when you pair him with Frank Reich at head coach.
Will Carolina be considered the favorite in the NFC South with this pick? There could definitely be an argument they are.
2.) Houston Texans
Selection: Tyree Wilson - EDGE - Texas Tech
I'm choosing to believe in the smoke here with the Texans, but I also kind of like it for them.
Next year’s quarterback class is considered to be much better than this year, and Houston can get a game-changing pass rusher with the second pick. This pick would be a potential indicator the Texans are eyeing a less than successful year in 2023 before getting someone like Caleb Williams or Drake Maye next offseason.
3.) Arizona Cardinals
Selection: Will Anderson - EDGE - Alabama
Arizona should trade out of this pick, but if they stay at third overall - depending on who you ask - they could get the best defensive player in this year's draft. The Cardinals needs talent, and Anderson offers that in spades.
The real interest in Arizona is if wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and safety Budda Baker will be moved during the first two days.
4.) Indianapolis Colts
Selection: Will Levis - QB - Kentucky
So much smoke is coming out about the Colts being enamored with Levis, and I’m choosing to buy in, mainly because while Levis doesn’t have the same upside as Richardson, it is still incredibly high. However, the floor may not be as low as Richardson.
Levis has the second-best arm of this draft class, and also has decent wheels of his own. This pick will get the Colts out of the constant quarterback conversation they’ve been in for several years now.
5.) Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos)
Selection: Anthony Richardson - QB - Florida
The Seahawks likely want to go defense here, but if Richardson is sitting at No. 5, I don’t see how Seattle doesn’t jump on the opportunity.
Seattle only signed Geno Smith to a three-year contract, and with Richardson needing some seasoning before jumping into action, this might be the perfect landing spot for the 6-foot-5 freak of nature.
Smith had to grow into the passer he is today, and Richardson could absolutely do worse than watching and learning from Smith.
6.) Detroit Lions (from Los Angeles Rams)
Selection: Devon Witherspoon - CB - Illinois
For a moment, I thought about going wide receiver here due to the six-game suspension of Jameson Williams because of gambling, but I’m staying at defense with this pick.
Witherspoon or Christian Gonzalez from Oregon could be massive game-changers for a team who had no problem scoring points, but massive issues stopping other teams.
7.) Las Vegas Raiders
Selection: Christian Gonzalez - CB - Oregon
It’s a deep cornerback class, especially at the top, but the Raiders desperately need to get better on the back end of their defense.
With the potential that Denver could be what many of us thoughts they should be last year thanks to Sean Payton coming aboard, you’ve go to react and be ready to stop these high-flying passing attacks.
8.) Atlanta Falcons
Selection: Bijan Robinson - RB - Texas
I don’t care that he’s a running back, I can't get this fit out of my head.
The Falcons were one of the top teams in the league last season who liked to run the ball. If they add maybe the best player at a position this draft, I can really see the fit.
And much like Arizona, there could be a feeling you get Robinson now and ride things out with Desmond Ridder under center before going high on a quarterback next year.
9.) Chicago Bears (from Carolina Panthers)
Selection: Parris Johnson Jr. - OT - Ohio State
The Bears have had a fantastic offseason, and with Aaron Rodgers officially out of Green Bay, Detroit having serious wide receiver issues with suspensions, and Minnesota being a team that had far too much luck in late games, I could see Chicago being a trendy pick to go from worst-to-first in the NFC North.
They’ve added to the wide receivers room with D.J. Moore, and now they get the best tackle in the draft at No. 9.
Chicago is definitely a team to keep an eye on this season.
10.) Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans Saints)
Selection: Jalen Carter - DT - Georgia
This is a fall for Carter after a truly awful pre-draft process, but he goes to a good team who can afford to not have him be the face of the defense right away.
Carter should be a top-five pick and likely the first defensive player off the board, but with him serving 12 months probation after being involved in a car accident that killed a Georgia staffer and a teammate, along with declining interviews with teams ahead of the draft and showing up overweight and out-of-shape to his Pro Day, this is absolutely the best-case scenario for Carter.
11.) Tennessee Titans
Selection: C.J. Stroud - QB - Ohio State
12.) Houston Texans (from Cleveland Browns)
Selection: Peter Skoronski - OT - Northwestern
13.) Green Bay Packers (from New York Jets)
Selection: Jaxon Smith Njigba - WR - Ohio State
14.) New England Patriots
Selection: Darnell Wright - OT - Tennessee
15.) New York Jets (from Green Bay Packers)
Selection: Broderick Jones - OT - Georgia
16.) Washington Commanders
Selection: Joey Porter Jr. - CB - Penn State
17.) Pittsburgh Steelers
Selection: Deonte Banks - CB - Maryland
18.) Detroit Lions
Selection: Calijah Kancey - DL - Pittsburgh
19.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Selection: Nolan Smith - EDGE - Georgia
20.) Seattle Seahawks
Selection: Lukas Van Ness - EDGE - Iowa
21.) Los Angeles Chargers
Selection: Zay Flowers - WR - Boston College
22.) Baltimore Ravens
Selection: Jordan Addison - WR - USC
23.) Minnesota Vikings
Selection: Quinton Johnston - WR - TCU
24.) Jacksonville Jaguars
Selection: Brian Branch - S - Alabama
25.) New York Giants
Selection: Bryan Bresee - DT - Clemson
26.) Dallas Cowboys
Selection: Jalin Hyatt - WR - Tennessee
27.) Buffalo Bills
Selection: Michael Mayer - TE - Notre Dame
Over the course of this entire draft process, I have not been able to figure out who exactly the Bills will take. When you look at the board, I can’t see the Bills going offensive line or linebacker at Pick 27 and reaching into second round-type value. It’s the same situation with the wide receiver position.
Mayer has been productive since the moment he arrived in South Bend, and offers a more complete tight end game than Dalton Kincaid from Utah. This is a weapon for Allen, make no mistake there.
It will be up to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey to get him on the field, because he is one of the special prospects at the position who could produce on Day 1 for his team.
Mock 1.0: O'Cyrus Torrence - OL - Florida
Mock 2.0: Darnell Wright - OT - Tennessee
28.) Cincinnati Bengals
Selection: Dalton Kincaid - TE - Utah
29.) New Orleans Saints
Selection: Mazi Smith - DT - Michigan
30.) Philadelphia Eagles
Selection: Jahmyr Gibbs - RB - Alabama
31.) Kansas City Chiefs
Selection: O’Cyrus Torrence - OG - Florida
