4/22/23
Despite the weak QB class, this year’s draft features a surplus of game changers ready to begin their legacies. On the board are stud defensive ends, powerful lineman, athletic receivers, and possibly one of the best TE classes we’ve seen in years. Normally we only mock the first round of the draft, but this year’s class is so deep we had no choice but to mock the first 3 rounds!
If we know anything about the NFL draft, it’s nobody knows what’s going on in a GM’s mind. Between different draft grades, trades and pick swaps, to even videos of players ripping a gas mask bong being leaked, you just never know… Quite frankly, I feel some GMs are senseless and lost when it comes to the draft, which really makes me wonder how they got a job at that level to begin with. So, this mock draft isn’t what I think will happen, it’s more of ‘what I would do if I was the GM of each team’ mock draft. Let’s get it!
Round 1
1. Bryce Young QB (Alabama) – Carolina Panthers (via trade with 3-14 Bears)
- Team needs: QB, WR, CB, EDGE, TE, OG, DL
2. Will Anderson Jr. DE (Alabama) – Houston Texans (3-13-1)
- Team needs: QB, EDGE, DL, C, WR, S, LB
3. Jalen Carter DT (Georgia) – Arizona Cardinals (4-13)
- Team needs: DL, EDGE, RB, TE, OG, C, CB, WR
4. CJ Stroud QB (Ohio St.) – Indianapolis Colts (4-12-1)
- Team needs: QB, CB, WR, EDGE, OG, S, LB
5. Tyree Wilson EDGE (Texas Tech) – Seattle Seahawks (via trade with 5-12 Broncos)
- Team needs: EDGE, S, LB, DL, WR, OG
6. Devon Witherspoon CB (Illinois) – Detroit Lions (via trade with 5-12 Rams)
- Team needs: TE, CB, DL, OG, LB, WR, QB
7. Christian Gonzalez CB (Oregon) – Las Vegas Raiders (6-11)
- Team needs: OT, OG, C, CB, DL, LB, S
8. Nolan Smith OLB/EDGE (Georgia) – Atlanta Falcons (7-10)
- Team needs: QB, EDGE, LB, CB, S, DL, OG
9. Peter Skoronski OT (Northwestern) – Chicago Bears (via trade with 7-10 Panthers)
- Team needs: DL, EDGE, OT, C, CB, TE
10. Myles Murphy DE (Clemson) – Philadelphia Eagles (via trade with 7-10 Saints)
- Team needs: S, RB, LB, DT, EDGE, WR, OG
11. Will Levis QB (Kentucky) – Tennessee Titans (7-10)
- Team needs: OT, OG, WR, RB, LB, C, EDGE
12. Anthony Richardson QB (Florida) – Houston Texans (via trade with 7-10 Browns)
- Team needs: QB, EDGE, DL, C, WR, S, LB
13. Broderick Jones OT (Georgia) – New York Jets (7-10)
- Team needs: OG, OT, TE, LB, S, C, DL
14. Paris Johnson Jr. OT (Ohio St.) – New England Patriots (8-9)
- Team needs: OT, TE, WR, LB, EDGE, S, DL
15. Lukas Van Ness DL/EDGE (Iowa) – Green Bay Packers (8-9)
- Team needs: WR, TE, S, DL, EDGE, OG, LB
16. Darnell Wright OT (Tennessee) – Washington Commanders (8-8-1)
- Team needs: CB, TE, QB, C, OG, LB, S
17. Joey Porter Jr. CB (Penn St.) – Pittsburgh Steelers (9-8)
- Team needs: OT, CB, LB, DL, S, WR, EDGE
18. Dalton Kincaid TE (Utah) – Detroit Lions (9-8)
- Team needs: TE, CB, DL, OG, LB, WR, QB
*Tampa Bay Buccaneers trade back to the 30th pick with the Philadelphia Eagles*
19. Bijan Robinson RB (Texas) – Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
- Team needs: S, RB, LB, DT, EDGE, WR, OG
20. Calijah Kancey DT (Pitt) – Seattle Seahawks (9-8)
- Team needs: TE, CB, DL, OG, LB, WR, QB
21. Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR (Ohio St.) – Los Angeles Chargers (10-7)
- Team needs: DL, LB, OT, EDGE, WR, RB, S
22. Emmanuel Forbes CB (Miss. St.) – Baltimore Ravens (10-7)
- Team needs: CB, RB, OG, WR, LB, EDGE, OT
23. Zay Flowers WR (Boston College) – Minnesota Vikings (13-4)
- Team needs: CB, WR, OG, LB, S, DL
24. Brian Branch S (Alabama) – Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8)
- Team needs: CB, S, DL, OG, EDGE, TE
25. Deonte Banks CB (Maryland) – New York Giants (9-7-1)
- Team needs: CB, WR, C, OG, S, LB, EDGE
26. Michael Meyer TE (Notre Dame) – Dallas Cowboys (12-5)
- Team needs: OG, S, DL, LB, RB, C, TE
27. Trenton Simpson LB (Clemson) – Buffalo Bills (13-3)
- Team needs: OG, C, DL, CB, LB, S, OT
28. Will McDonald EDGE (Iowa St.) – Cincinnati Bengals
- Team needs: OT, OG, DL, CB, TE, S, EDGE
29. Quentin Johnston WR (TCU) – New Orleans Saints (via trade with 5-12 Broncos)
- Team needs: LB, DL, EDGE, CB, LB, OG, WR
30.* Hendon Hooker QB (Tennessee) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
- Team needs: S, LB, DL, TR, WR, OL, QB
31. Felix Anudike-Uzomah DE (Kansas St.) – Kansas City Chiefs (14-3)
- Team needs: EDGE, DL, OT, RB, WR, TE
Round 2
32. Bryan Bresee DT (Clemson) – Pittsburgh Steelers (from Chicago)
33. Anton Harrison OT (Oklahoma) – Houston Texans
*Arizona Cardinals trade back to pick 40th with the New Orleans Saints*
34. Jahmyr Gibbs RB (Alabama) – New Orleans Saints
35. Jordan Addison WR (USC) – Indianapolis Colts
36. Keion White OLB/EDGE (Georgia Tech) – Los Angeles Rams
- Team Needs: OL, DL, CB, TE, EDGE, QB, S, LB
37. Kelee Ringo CB (Georgia) – Seattle Seahawks (from Denver)
38. Drew Sanders LB (Arkansas) – Las Vegas Raiders
39. Jalin Hyatt WR (Tennessee) – Carolina Panthers
40.* O’Cyrus Torrence G/C (Florida) – Arizona Cardinals
41. Joe Tippmann C (Wisconsin) – Tennessee Titans
42. Adetomiwa Adebawore EDGE (Northwestern) – New York Jets (from Cleveland)
43. John Michael Schmitz C (Minnesota) – New York Jets
44. Mazi Smith DL (Michigan) – Atlanta Falcons
45. Duwand Jones OL (Ohio St.) – Green Bay Packers
46. Tyrique Stevenson CB (Miami) – New England Patriots
47. Cam Smith CB (South Carolina) – Washington Commanders
48. Jack Campbell LB (Iowa) – Detroit Lions
49. Matthew Bergeron OT (Syracuse) – Pittsburgh Steelers
50. Cody Mauch OT (North Dakota St.) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
51. Steve Avila C/G (TCU) – Miami Dolphins
- Team Needs: DL, OL, TE, RB, LB
52. Darnell Washington TE (Georgia) – Seattle Seahawks
53. BJ Ojulari EDGE (LSU) – Chicago Bears (from Baltimore)
54. Derrick Hall EDGE (Auburn) – Los Angeles Chargers
55. Isaiah Fakey DL/EDGE (Notre Dame) – Detroit Lions (from Minnesota)
56. Julius Brents CB (Kansas St.) – Jacksonville Jaguars
57. Josh Downs WR (UNC) – New York Giants
58. Byron Young DE/EDGE (Tennessee) – Dallas Cowboys
59. DJ Turner CB (Michigan) – Buffalo Bills
60. Keeanu Benton DL (Wisconsin) – Cincinnati Bengals
61. Siaki Ika DL (Baylor) – Chicago Bears (from San Francisco through Carolina)
62. Jordan Battle S (Alabama) – Philadelphia Eagles
63. Nathaniel Dell WR (Houston) – Kansas City Chiefs
Round 3
64. Sam LaPorta TE (Iowa) – Chicago Bears
65. Kayshon Boutte WR (LSU) – Houston Texans
66. Cedric Tillman WR (Tennessee) – Arizona Cardinals
67. Andre Carter III LB/DE (Army) – Denver Broncos (from Indianapolis)
- Team Needs: C, OL, CB, LB, S, DL
68. Antonio Johnson S (Texas A&M) – Denver Broncos
69. Daiyan Henley LB (Wash St.) – Los Angeles Rams
70. Luke Musgrave TE (Oregon St.) – Las Vegas Raiders
71. Henry To’oTo’o LB (Alabama) – New Orleans Saints
72. Jonathan Mingo WR (Ole Miss) – Tennessee Titans
73. Zach Harrison DE/EDGE (Ohio St.) – Houston Texans (from Cleveland)
74. Tuli Tuipulotu DL/EDGE (USC) – Cleveland Browns (from N.Y. Jets)
- Team Needs: DL, LB, EDGE, RB, OL, TE
75. A.T. Perry WR (Wake Forrest) – Atlanta Falcons
76. Marvin Mims Jr. WR (Oklahoma) – New England Patriots (from Carolina)
77. Garrett Williams CB (Syracuse) – Los Angeles Rams (from New England through Miami)
78. Rashee Rice WR (SMU) – Green Bay Packers
79. Clark Phillips III CB (Utah) – Indianapolis Colts (from Washington)
80. Nick Herbig LB (Wisconsin) – Pittsburgh Steelers
81. Jayden Reed WR (Michigan) – Detroit Lions
82. Noah Sewell LB (Oregon) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
83. Blake Freeland OT (BYU) – Seattle Seahawks
84. Gervin Dexter DT (Florida) – Miami Dolphins
85. Zach Pickens DT (South Carolina) – Los Angeles Chargers
86. Tyler Scott WR (Cincinnati) – Baltimore Ravens
87. Eli Ricks CB (Alabama) – Minnesota Vikings
88. Will Mallory TE (Miami) – Jacksonville Jaguars
89. Luke Wypler C (Ohio St.) – New York Giants
90. Sydney Brown S (Illinois) – Dallas Cowboys
91. Jammie Robinson S (Florida St.) – Buffalo Bills
92. Tucker Kraft TE (South Dakota) – Cincinnati Bengals
93. Byron Young DE/EDGE (Alabama) – Carolina Panthers (from San Francisco)
94. Bryce Ford-Wheaton WR (WVU) – Philadelphia Eagles
95. Andre Iosivas WR (Princeton) – Kansas City Chiefs
96. Zach Charbonnet RB (UCLA) – Arizona Cardinals (Compensatory Selection)
97. Jaelyn Duncan OT (Maryland) – Washington Commanders (Compensatory Selection)
98. Tyjae Spears RB (Tulane) – Cleveland Browns (Special Compensatory Selection)
99. Andrew Vorhees OG (USC) – San Francisco 49ers (Special Compensatory Section)
- Team Needs: OL, S, LB, DL, CB, QB
10. Xavier Hutchinson WR (Iowa St.) – Las Vegas Raiders from Kansas City Chiefs through
New York Giants (Special Compensatory Selection)
101. Jaquelin Roy DT (LSU) – San Francisco 49ers (Special Compensatory Selection)
102. Christopher Smith S (Georgia) – San Francisco 49ers (Special Compensatory Selection)