2023 NFL Mock Draft: Ryan Noonan's Final Mock Draft
It's finally time to submit the final answers to the test. The 2023 NFL Draft should be a wild ride. Having viable quarterback options near the top of the draft adds a layer of intrigue that the 2022 Draft was missing, and uncertainty near the top of the board makes this year's exercise a difficult one. Unfortunately, the betting markets were slow to develop this season, and drastic price moves have regularly occurred regardless of the bet type or information behind each placed bet.
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Now, on to the fun stuff. Here's my final look at this year's first round.
2023 NFL Draft Date & Time
Date: Thursday, April 27 (Round 1), Friday, April 28 ( Rounds 2 & 3) & Saturday, April 29 (Rounds 4-7)
Time: 8:00 PM EST (Round 1), 7:00 PM EST (Rounds 2 and 3), & 12:00 PM EST (Rounds 4-7)
Channels: NFL Network, ESPN & ABC, also FuboTV Livestream
2023 NFL Mock Draft
1. Carolina Panthers (Via CHI) – Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
At this point, Bryce Young is the overwhelming favorite to be the first pick of this draft. Everyone knows that Young would be a historical outlier in terms of height and weight at the position, but his abilities as a pure passer are unmatched in this class.
2. Houston Texans - Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
The Texans lacked an identity last season, and while there's a lot of debate about what they'll do with this pick, I believe Will Levis is the pick. The owner reportedly wants a quarterback, and I trust my sources, who are adamant that Levis is the second quarterback on Houston's board behind Bryce Young. The Colts, Patriots, and Titans' interest in Levis bolsters the case for Levis being the selection.
3. Arizona Cardinals - Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
I'd still put it at a coin flip that the Cardinals sit here and make this pick, but as of this writing, they still haven't been able to. It's an ideal trade-up spot for any quarterback-hungry team that wants to get ahead of the Colts, and the Cardinals, with needs all over the roster, appear to be a willing dance partner. The Titans trading up for Anthony Richardson makes a lot of sense.
With Chandler Jones, Zach Allen, and J.J. Watt departing over the past two seasons, the Cardinals are in need of anyone who can pressure the quarterback. Depending on if they trade back and how far down they move, the offensive line (Paris Johnson) and cornerback (Christian Gonzalez) are also in play.
4. Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Ever since Andrew Luck retired, the Colts have been playing musical chairs at the league's most important position. It's obvious that GM Chris Ballard is on the hot seat here, and the success of this pick will go a long way in determining his and the team's future. Ballard has outed himself as a traits guy, willing to prioritize size, speed, and athletism over past performance. Reports are that Will Levis is their preference, but they're going to stumble into the better prospect here with Anthony Richardson, who is the traits poster child of this draft.
New head coach Shane Steichen comes over from Philadelphia, where he was able to turn Jalen Hurts, someone labeled an athlete more than a quarterback, into one of the best young quarterbacks in the league. Steichen is probably salivating at the prospect of trying it again with someone bigger and faster because Richardson's athletic profile is off the charts.
5. Seattle Seahawks (Via DEN) - Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
The Seahawks also have a need at edge rusher, with Uchenna Nwosu and Darrell Taylor entering the final year of their deals, and ESPN's Todd McShay said he doesn't expect the Seahawks to leave Round 1 without a quarterback, but Jalen Carter is a force multiplier whose ceiling is unmatched in this class.
6. Detroit Lions (Via LAR) - Will Anderson Jr., DE, Alabama
The Lions added three edge rushers in last year's draft, but early draft rumors had Detroit considering trading up for Will Anderson, so if they can just sit here and let him fall to them, I think they run this pick up to Rodger Goodell.
7. Las Vegas Raiders - Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
The Raiders get this class's top cornerback and an absolute dog in Devon Witherspoon. The Raiders have a lot of needs, so it makes sense that we've had quarterbacks, offensive linemen, and edge rushers linked to them, but I think Witherspoon is a true difference-maker at a premier position.
8. Atlanta Falcons - Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
I'm holding the line here. Arthur Smith refused to acknowledge the forward pass for most of the season, so why not just lean into it? Tyler Allgeier had a nice rookie season, but Smith has already stated that he wants someone to carry the load with Allgeier, who Atlanta selected with a fifth-round selection last season. General Manager Terry Fontenot has been willing to skip premier positions in the past, instead relying on what his big board says. It's hard to imagine Bijan Robinson is not near the top of Atlanta's board.
9. Chicago Bears (Via CAR) - Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
The Bears would've skipped offensive line help if Jalen Carter fell to them, but I believe the Seahawks or Eagles block that from happening. With Carter off the board here to Seattle, Chicago takes Wright, who, as a left tackle in the SEC last season, didn't allow a sack and limited defenders to a 1.7% pressure rate, which ranks third among all Power Five tackles.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (Via NO) - Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio St.
The Eagles would likely be ecstatic to sit here and have Paris Johnson fall into their lap. The Cardinals are linked to Johnson, but that feels unlikely if they aren't able to trade back. Here, the Eagles add a versatile lineman that can kick inside in the short-term while profiling as a long-term option at tackle when needed.
11. Tennessee Titans - C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio St.
I think there's a chance that the Titans trade up to three, but I believe Will Levis or Anthony Richardson would be the target over C.J. Stroud.
Fellow Ohio State alumni Mike Vrabel helps end C.J. Stroud's slide, setting the franchise up for a post-Ryan Tannehill run.
12. Houston Texans (Via CLE) - Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
Here's another reason that taking a quarterback at No. 2 makes sense to me. The Texans can take their preferred EDGE rusher with this selection, and there are plenty still on the board, including Smith, who could come off the board as early as pick No. 8 to Atlanta.
13. Green Bay Packers - Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio St
The irony of the Packers using a first-round selection acquired in the trade of Aaron Rodgers on a wide receiver to support new starter, Jordan Love, is not lost on me. Now, they didn't exactly acquire the pick in the trade, but the pick swap from 15 to 13 happened for a reason, and with New England being a popular mock home for JSN, this allows the Packers to strike first.
14. New England Patriots - Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
I'm always surprised when New England sits still and makes its assigned first-round pick. They love to trade down, but they've been trying to get up into the quarterback sweepstakes here, though I don't suspect they're willing to pay the freight to do so.
That's noteworthy by itself, but I'm interested to see what they'd do here with Christian Gonzalez and Peter Skoronski still on the board. I'm going to stop Gonzalez's slide here, but I don't feel good about it.
15. New York Jets - Broderick Jones, OL, Georgia
Protecting Aaron Rodgers is the priority here, and the Jets always seem to have issues at tackle. Last year's fourth-round pick Max Mitchell and the enigma known as Mekhi Becton are penciled in right now, but adding Jones can turn a question mark into an exclamation point.
16. Washington Commanders - Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
The Commanders could add an EDGE rusher here, but cornerback is a greater need. Banks gets to stay close to College Park, Maryland, and anchor this secondary. His athletic testing was off the charts, and he's a better scheme fit than some of the other cornerbacks that are still on the board.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers - Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern
The Steelers pick at 17 and 32, and in my opinion, need to come out of it with a cornerback and an offensive lineman. There's depth at both positions, but Peter Skoronski's fall ends here. He could go as high as seventh to the Raiders and is widely believed to have the highest floor of any offensive lineman in this class.
18. Detroit Lions - Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn St.
The Lions only have one cornerback signed beyond 2023, and since they passed on Devon Witherspoon at pick No. 6, I expect it'll be a priority here. Porter profiles as a better fit for press man coverage schemes, and the Lions run man along the outside at a top-five rate in the league. With a coaching staff made up of former players, I think they'll like the NFL pedigree that Porter brings with him.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma
I've heard some scouts say that Anton Harrison is the best tackle prospect in this class. As a 19 and 20-year-old, he played exclusively at left tackle for Oklahoma and held his own. The Buccaneers have a lot of moving parts along the offensive line right now, but continuing to add top-tier talent upfront is a priority during this rebuild.
20. Seattle Seahawks - Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
I've been a "Hendon Hooker in the first-round" detractor from the jump, but the constant drumbeat from every major NFL media outlet was too much for me to ignore. Hooker is allegedly recovering well from his ACL tear, but he can red-shirt behind Geno Smith, taking the pressure off of both of them in Year 1.
21. Los Angeles Chargers - Jordan Addison, WR, USC
I think the Chargers need to think long and hard about adding a cornerback here, but there are exciting Day 2 prospects in the secondary while the wide receiver pool gets increasingly shallow very quickly this year. Addison thrived under coach Chris Beatty while at Pitt in 2021, and Beatty is now the wide receiver coach in Los Angeles, making this pairing too hard to ignore.
22. Baltimore Ravens - Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi St.
Two things can be true at the same time. Emmanuel Forbes has exceptional ball skills and is an exciting prospect. Also, he's Flat-Stanley-sort-of-thin, and I worry about his ability to tackle and stay healthy at this level. He's going off the board anywhere between 16 and 25.
23. Minnesota Vikings - Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
The Vikings have a glaring need at wide receiver after Adam Thielen's release and are getting the best receiver in the class here, in my opinion, Zay Flowers. He has the versatility to line up in the slot and outside, making him an ideal fit in this offense. With just five selections in this draft, I think a trade-down is Minnesota's preference if they can find someone willing to come up.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars - Matthew Bergeron, OL, Syracuse
Protecting your top asset continues to be a priority in Jacksonville, and the recent news surrounding tackle Cam Robinson turns a luxury pick into more of a need here for the Jaguars. Bergeron is an ascending player after coaches and scouts raved about his steadiness and ability to process pre-snap. His long arms and strong hands also should serve him well at the next level, and he played both tackle positions at Syracuse, so he offers the much-coveted flexibility.
25. New York Giants - Brian Branch, DB, Alabama
The Giants were able to hide a suspect secondary via Wink Martindale's blitz-heavy scheme last season, but it could be even more effective with a chess piece like Brian Branch. He doesn't wow you with his athletic profile, but Brian Daboll's ties to Alabama help. Branch can matchup in the slot or play in the box in the role that Julian Love thrived in last season.
26. Dallas Cowboys - Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
The Cowboys have done a solid job at addressing some off-season needs at cornerback and wide receiver, but there's still a void at tight end, and they address that here with Michael Mayer. Mayer is still just 21 years old and is this draft's most complete tight end.
27. Buffalo Bills - Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan
The Bills add one of this class's top athletes, which is an incredible thing to say about a 340-pound nose tackle. Smith is often compared to the guy he's likely to replace, Ed Oliver. His ability to collapse the pocket and pressure the quarterback from the middle of the line is a much-needed piece to Buffalo's defensive front.
28. Cincinnati Bengals - Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh
The Bengals could go a number of ways here, but I've heard that they love Calijah Kancey. Cincy did a great job at addressing future needs at cornerback and safety in last year's draft, and the same applies here with DJ Reader set to be a free agent at the end of the 2023 season.
29. New Orleans Saints (Via SF) - Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa
Lukas Van Ness could go as high as 10 to the Eagles, but here, he falls a bit. He's an incredible size and speed athlete and would likely be a target of a team looking to trade up in the first round like the Saints have been rumored to be exploring. New Orleans lost Marcus Davenport, Shy Tuttle, and David Onyemata along their front four this offseason, so adding a big-bodied pass rusher makes a ton of sense here.
30. Philadelphia Eagles - Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson
The Eagles continue to add depth in the trenches here, selecting another athletic freak in Myles Murphy. The Clemson EDGE rusher shows flashes that make you wonder why he's not a consensus top-ten selection, but he could easily be the steal of this draft five years down the road if he's able to tap into his top-level play more consistently.
31. Kansas City Chiefs - Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa St.
With Frank Clark, Carlos Dunlap, and Khalen Saunders moving on, the Chiefs need help along their defensive front. Will McDonald was asked to play a number of roles at Iowa State, but he should be a more traditional speed EDGE rusher in this Chiefs' 3-4/wide-9 front.
