NFL Mock Draft 2023: Our beat writers pick 5 QBs in first round with Bryce Young No. 1 [includes the Rams 2nd rounder below]

The Athletic NFL Staff

https://theathletic.com/4438654/2023/04/26/nfl-mock-draft-beat-writer-picks-2023/

With the 2023 NFL Draft (finally) set to get underway Thursday, the timing was right to get our beat writers together one last time to see how they’d represent the team they cover with their first selection.

Compared to our previous beat writer mock draft (on March 22), many of the names remained the same in Round 1, but the order of those names are jumbled after the first six selections. As with previous mock drafts, we encouraged our writers to trade picks to move up or down if they felt their team would do the same, but there was just one trade (the Eagles dealt the 30th pick to the Raiders).

Here are how things played out:

1. Carolina Panthers (from CHI): Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
C.J. Stroud was at the top of this mock a month ago. So what changed? Well, Young crushed his interviews with the Panthers at his pro day and his top-30 visit to Carolina, and perhaps the media (raises hand) made too much of the Frank Reich-loves-big-quarterbacks storyline. Young also scored in the 98th percentile on the S2 Cognition test, which Panthers owner David Tepper is said to put a lot of faith in. There will continue to be concerns about whether the slightly built Young can endure the pounding of the NFL, but the Panthers believe he’s the player and leader to become the next face of the franchise. — Joe Person

2. Houston Texans: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
Despite reports of an extremely low S2 score, a number of NFL talent evaluators still hold Stroud in high regard, even keeping him atop their quarterback boards. Could the Texans elect to pass over the Ohio State product and client of David Mulugheta (the same agent who reps Deshaun Watson) and go with another position of need to kick off the DeMeco Ryans era? Certainly. But there are a lot of smokescreens this time of year, and the Texans do need a quarterback. And so they go with Stroud and fill a gaping hole in their franchise. — Mike Jones

3. Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson, edge, Alabama
Prior to this mock, I had made it known the Cardinals were willing to trade down in case Anderson was not available. But with Carolina and Houston sticking with QBs, Arizona needs to take the best football player in the draft — which coincides with its biggest need — and make the obvious decision. With trades involving receiver DeAndre Hopkins and/or safety Budda Baker possibly coming, the Cardinals should have opportunities to add draft picks soon enough. Anderson gives first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon a defensive pillar, a playmaker he can build around. If he’s on the board, this is an easy choice. — Doug Haller

Dane Brugler’s 7-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Predicting all 259 picks

4. Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
After the smoke cleared with Houston at No. 2 and Arizona at No. 3, the Colts’ decision came down to Kentucky’s Will Levis or Florida’s Anthony Richardson. They chose the latter, with Richardson having the most upside of any player in this year’s class. New coach Shane Steichen’s track record with QBs — most recently Eagles dual-threat superstar Jalen Hurts — gives the team confidence that he can help develop Richardson the same way. Gardner Minshew will likely start the season, but Indy believes its patience will pay off after potentially landing its first franchise quarterback since Andrew Luck retired in 2019. — James Boyd

5. Seattle Seahawks (from DEN): Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
Carter fills an urgent need at a position of value that pushes the Seahawks closer to title contention. There are few concerns about him as a player. He might very well be the best full-time interior defensive lineman the Seahawks have had under coach Pete Carroll. The issues, of course, are the off-field concerns regarding work ethic and decision-making. Those questions lead me to believe Seattle will attempt to trade back Thursday. When they don’t find any suitors, they’ll roll the dice on Carter. — Michael-Shawn Dugar

6. Detroit Lions (from LAR): Tyree Wilson, edge, Texas Tech
Come draft day, the Lions will be watching and waiting as the top five unfolds. Plenty of options, including a trade-back if a QB-needy team is hoping to move up for Levis. But in this scenario, Wilson is the pick. He’s one of the best defenders in the draft, at a premium position, and he’s a really nice fit opposite Aidan Hutchinson as a long-term edge. No need to overthink it. Detroit’s defense improves with a move like this. — Colton Pouncy

7. Las Vegas Raiders: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
The Raiders fielded a call from the Titans about trading down to No. 11, but a deal ultimately didn’t materialize. Instead, they stayed put and took the best defensive player available. Gonzalez has ideal size at 6-foot-2 and 197 pounds, ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash, has explosive athleticism, displayed inside-outside versatility, has experience playing various man and zone coverages, is a willing tackler and has refined fundamentals. He’ll be a Year 1 starter and has plenty of upside at just 20 years old. — Tashan Reed

8. Atlanta Falcons: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
The Falcons had to take a long look at Northwestern offensive lineman Peter Skoronski here. Skoronski is considered one of the best, if not the best, offensive linemen in this class, and he would fill an immediate need for Atlanta at left guard. In the end, though, the team that just gave right guard Chris Lindstrom a $105 million extension decides that using a top 10 pick on another guard — even though Skoronski might be able to play tackle down the road — is a bridge too far in terms of positional value.

There’s a need at cornerback in Atlanta, too. The Falcons added Jeff Okudah in a trade, but they just cut veteran Casey Hayward. They had their eye on Gonzalez for a while because of his traits, but Witherspoon might fit better anyway. The 5-foot-11, 181-pounder “competes with the tenacity of a junkyard dog,” The Athletic draft analyst Dane Brugler wrote in “The Beast” draft guide. Head coach Arthur Smith and defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen will take that. — Josh Kendall

9. Chicago Bears (from CAR): Peter Skoronski, OT/G, Northwestern
If Levis is available, the Bears should have trade talks with QB-needy teams. I tried to for this exercise. But if not, taking the best offensive lineman on the board is the correct move. Teams have concerns about Skoronski’s arm length, but some around the league will tell you his footwork and sound fundamentals more than make up for it. He was a unanimous All-American at left tackle and has earned the right to start his NFL career there or, at the very least, as a right tackle. If not, the Bears just selected an All-Pro guard in the making to protect QB Justin Fields. There’s nothing wrong with that. Skoronski could be that for a decade. — Adam Jahns

10. Philadelphia Eagles (from NO): Nolan Smith, edge, Georgia
The Eagles prioritize the lines of scrimmage, and Smith’s unique athletic traits, including a 4.39-second 40-yard dash and 41.5-inch vertical jump, are hard for GM Howie Roseman to ignore. His 238-pound frame might be a concern — so was Haason Reddick’s, and that turned out OK — and the Eagles would need to rationalize the lack of prolific pass-rush production, but the upside is clear. This would be the third consecutive year the Eagles used their first-round pick on a player from the national champions. Paris Johnson Jr. was also under heavy consideration at this spot considering the way the Eagles value offensive linemen. A trade-up for Jalen Carter would have been enticing had he slipped a bit. — Zach Berman

11. Tennessee Titans: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
The Titans looked into moving up to take Levis with Seattle’s pick at No. 5 and Las Vegas’ pick at No. 7 but ultimately balked at Seattle’s price and bailed out of talks with the Raiders, gambling that no one would jump in front of them to take Levis. That paid off with no draft capital lost to acquire the gifted yet inconsistent Levis, a clear object of interest for the Titans throughout the pre-draft process. Levis struggled in 2022 with a new offensive coordinator, lackluster support from his O-line and receivers, plus his own injuries. But his 2021 season under Liam Coen was that of a top-five-caliber player. Now he can sit for a year behind Ryan Tannehill before assuming control in 2024. — Joe Rexrode

12. Houston Texans (from CLE): Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
After getting their quarterback with the No. 2 pick, the Texans give Stroud a familiar face for a weapon. Smith-Njigba is a crafty and precise route runner and highly productive pass catcher who should help boost the Texans’ offense. — Jones

13. Green Bay Packers (from NYJ): Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State
The Packers jumped the Patriots with a Round 1 pick swap being part of the trade that sent Aaron Rodgers to the Jets in hopes of snagging Smith-Njigba before Bill Belichick. Then the Texans foiled that plan by turning in their draft card at No. 12 with the Ohio State receiver’s name on it, so Green Bay settles for another former Buckeyes star. In drafting Johnson, the Packers don’t fill an immediate need, but they secure their left tackle of the future. Keeping new starting quarterback Jordan Love upright is paramount, and five-time All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari might be in his last season with the Packers because cutting him next offseason would free up $21.5 million in cap space. General manager Brian Gutekunst hopes Johnson is for Love what Bakhtiari was for Rodgers. — Matt Schneidman

14. New England Patriots: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
The Patriots’ worst-case scenario nearly came to fruition with no trade partner to move back, the top two cornerbacks off the board and nearly the top three offensive linemen gone (thank you, Texans, for choosing Smith-Njigba instead of an offensive lineman to protect Stroud). Instead, Jones fell to the Pats. Jones has so many of the traits teams want in a modern offensive tackle, but there’s one concern: He played in only 19 collegiate games, the least of any lineman in the class. But the Pats badly need an offensive tackle of the future, and they get one in Jones, who is only 21 and should have a lengthy career in front of him. — Chad Graff

15. New York Jets (from GB): Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
This wound up being close to a worst-case scenario at No. 15. All three top offensive tackles were picked, plus other potential targets such as Smith-Njigba. There were no takers for a trade back — which is understandable because all the top QBs had already been taken, too. So I settled for the next best offensive tackle prospect, addressing arguably the biggest need the Jets have right now.

The Jets are locked in at left tackle (Duane Brown), left guard (Laken Tomlinson) and right guard (Alijah Vera-Tucker), with Connor McGovern likely starting again at center. That leaves right tackle, which is Wright’s best position and a spot he’s suited to play right away. He’ll get pushed by Mekhi Becton and Max Mitchell in training camp, but the Jets aren’t drafting someone at No. 15 — in a year when they’re all-in with Aaron Rodgers — unless they plan to play him as a rookie. I also considered Calijah Kancey, Jordan Addison, Lukas Van Ness, Brian Branch and Dalton Kincaid at this spot. — Zack Rosenblatt

16. Washington Commanders: Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
This is a brutal scenario with offensive linemen going back-to-back-to-back in front of Washington. Signing free agents Andrew Wylie and Nick Gates helps with depth, but the group lacks upside. We tried trading down because O-line and cornerback options exist later in the first, but with no luck. So we considered RB Bijan Robinson and really considered Iowa DE Lukas Van Ness, knowing 2024 uncertainty exists with Chase Young and Montez Sweat.

There are solid DB options here, though, including safety/slot CB Brian Branch … and Forbes, a rail-thin playmaker who holds the FBS record with six interceptions returned for touchdowns. I would have preferred to make this choice a few slots lower, which is something real-life general managers will be saying this year. — Ben Standig

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
If a certain player is hanging around longer than expected (ahem, an offensive tackle), the Steelers wouldn’t hesitate to move up and get him. But with the cornerback position being so deep this year, they will let that position find them. And perhaps nobody is a better fit than Porter Jr., whose dad played for the Steelers for nine seasons in the 1990s and into the 2000s. Incidentally, one of the first things Mike Tomlin did as head coach in 2007 was to release Porter. The elder Porter ended up coaching with the Steelers and brought his son around as a teenager to work out before practices with the likes of Antonio Brown.

Relationship aside, the Steelers need a physical and talented cornerback who can play man coverage. Porter is just that, and he is being slotted in the territory where the Steelers make their first-round pick. Porter wasn’t blazing at the combine, but his 4.46 40 is fast enough to go along with a 6-foot-2 1/2, 193-pound frame. He fits what the Steelers want to do. — Mark Kaboly

18. Detroit Lions: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
I have a hard time believing Robinson will fall this far Thursday, but if he does, he’d be an excellent selection. Robinson is a top-five prospect in this class. Lions GM Brad Holmes said he understands the narratives about first-round RB value and countered with this: “I kind of just look at it as they’re all football players. If they can help you, they can help you.”

Yes, the Lions signed David Montgomery, but D’Andre Swift is a free agent next year, and Holmes doesn’t draft with a depth chart in mind. If Detroit is riding with Jared Goff at quarterback a little longer, it would make sense to surround him with as much talent as possible. Getting a blue-chip prospect such as Robinson at 18 was too good to pass up, and Detroit still has three Day 2 picks and four Day 3 picks to use on other future needs. — Pouncy

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
The Bucs are positioned well because they can go a number of different ways in the first round. If an offensive tackle fell to them, that would probably be the ideal scenario, but that did not happen here. With the way this mock played out, they had three intriguing possibilities: Banks, Lukas Van Ness and Brian Branch. Banks is a high-end talent at a position of need and a value at 19, so he makes sense. — Dan Pompei

20. Seattle Seahawks: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
The Seahawks would like to trade down here as well, and they might have better luck finding a partner at this point in the draft. If they don’t, Flowers fills another need. Seattle hasn’t had any luck finding a serviceable WR3 to put next to Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. Flowers is a big-play threat who can work the middle of the field and generate yards after the catch. Those traits mesh well with what Lockett and Metcalf already provide. — Dugar

Miami Dolphins: Forfeited pick
21. Los Angeles Chargers: Lukas Van Ness, edge, Iowa
Van Ness is the No. 10 player on Dane Brugler’s big board, and the Chargers get him at 21, filling a pretty pressing need in the process. This would be fantastic value for GM Tom Telesco and head coach Brandon Staley if the first round unfolds this way Thursday night. Passing on an offensive weapon to aid QB Justin Herbert and new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore would be tough, but the Chargers need a capable edge rusher to provide depth behind Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. Van Ness is young and relatively raw, but he is athletic with tremendous upside as a versatile front player who can rush from the edge or inside. — Daniel Popper

Lukas Van Ness’ best trait might be his versatility. (Charlie Neibergall / Associated Press)
22. Baltimore Ravens: Jordan Addison, WR, USC
Cornerback would have been the preference here, but none of the first-round cornerbacks are left. There were no trade offers to move back, either. Getting one of the draft’s better receivers will suffice for the Ravens, who now have a high-quality group of targets for (presumably) Lamar Jackson to throw to in 2023. A Maryland native, Addison is a good route runner with the speed to get behind a defense. With newcomers Odell Beckham Jr., Nelson Agholor and Addison joining returners Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay, GM Eric DeCosta has delivered on his vow to upgrade at receiver. Now about the quarterback situation … — Jeff Zrebiec

23. Minnesota Vikings: Calijah Kancey, DL, Pitt
Kancey made the most sense here. He is undersized for a defensive tackle, standing 6-foot-1 and weighing only 281 pounds, but Brugler did not rank him as the 26th-best player in this class for no reason. Kancey is violent and explosive. Kancey uses his hands effectively and wreaked constant havoc on quarterbacks this past season. Comparisons to Aaron Donald have and will always be unfair, but they exist for a Pittsburgh product at his size. It would be a major swing, but the Vikings’ defense could make a leap under Brian Flores with a player capable of applying interior pressure. — Alec Lewis

24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Branch, S, Alabama
The Jaguars have worked to improve their secondary this offseason, and that effort continued here with the best safety in the draft. Branch is Brugler’s 14th-ranked prospect, so there’s strong value. He had four interceptions and 27 pass defenses in three seasons at Alabama, and Branch can also play downhill, recording four sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss. He should start immediately in Jacksonville. — Jeff Howe

25. New York Giants: Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
This was a tough decision. I’ve been weighing the wide receiver vs. cornerback debate for a long time, and as we inch closer to the draft, I’m leaning toward cornerback given the Giants’ offseason additions. New York could definitely still use a top wide receiver, and I was tempted to go with TCU’s Quentin Johnston. There was even a part of me that wanted to go with defensive tackle Bryan Bresee, someone who would enhance the line for years to come. Instead, I went with Ringo because I just think he’s so intriguing as a prospect because of his age and size. — Charlotte Carroll

26. Dallas Cowboys: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
Dallas hasn’t drafted a tight end in the first round since picking David LaFleur 22nd in 1997. But in this mock draft scenario, Mayer was just too good to pass up. He’s a complete tight end who could immediately replace Dalton Schultz, who signed with the Texans last month. The Packers never drafted a TE in the first two rounds during Mike McCarthy’s 13 seasons in Green Bay, but he didn’t sound opposed to the idea when asked about it Monday, mentioning that he believes tight end value has increased in today’s game. The Cowboys would be in excellent shape at the position with Mayer, Jake Ferguson, Peyton Hendershot and Sean McKeon. — Jon Machota

Scouting the 2023 NFL Draft tight ends: What makes this class so impressive?

27. Buffalo Bills: Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina
With Addison and Flowers off the board, the Bills tried to get a deal done with the Raiders to land Nos. 38 and 70, but the clock nearly ran out. Jalin Hyatt was tempting, but his fit as a slot receiver in Buffalo’s offense is more of a projection and not as clean a fit in the Bills’ 11 personnel-heavy offense as Josh Downs. In Downs, the Bills get a locked-in slot receiver who can make an impact in 2023 by manipulating defenders over the middle and hauling in tough, contested catches. In the past, having that go-to slot receiver was a critical element when the Bills were at their best offensively. — Joe Buscaglia

28. Cincinnati Bengals: Myles Murphy, edge, Clemson
It’s as though Murphy was created in a lab solely for the purpose of playing for the Bengals, who covet character, consistency and effort as much as they do size and production. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo also loves versatility, and Murphy has the ability to kick inside on third downs to add some needed juice to the pass rush when he’s not spelling Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard on the edge.

Cincinnati D-line coach and Clemson grad Marion Hobby ran the D-line drills at his alma mater’s pro day, adding just one more reason why the Bengals would be thrilled to have to pick between Murphy and Bryan Bresee at 28. They have more immediate needs at running back and tight end, so Dalton Kincaid would be tough to pass on here, but ultimately they stand firm on their conviction to not use a premium pick on a non-premium position. — Jay Morrison

29. New Orleans Saints (from SF via MIA, DEN): Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
New Orleans lost both of its starting defensive tackles this offseason with David Onyemata (Falcons) and Shy Tuttle (Panthers) off to NFC South rivals. The Saints added Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd through free agency, but the team could use an impact player up the middle. Bresee (6-foot-5, 298 pounds) played primarily as a three-technique defensive tackle for Clemson and picked up nine sacks in his three seasons. Some of his medical history could be a concern, including a torn ACL in the 2021 season and a kidney infection last season. But he ranks No. 23 on Brugler’s big board and No. 2 among defensive tackles. The value works. The fit works. — Larry Holder

30. Las Vegas Raiders (from PHI): Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
Trade details: Eagles trade No. 30 to the Raiders for Nos. 38 and 70

With only six picks in their holster and none in Rounds 4, 5 and 6, the Eagles are happy to move back a few spots and pick up an extra third-rounder. Had they been forced to pick here, Northwestern’s Adetomiwa Adebawore and Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs would have been atop their board. — Bo Wulf

The Raiders get their QB of the future thanks to a trade-up. We gave the Eagles pick Nos. 38 and 70 for a chance to get a QB who is 25 and coming off ACL surgery. It was a no-brainer, actually, thanks to Hooker’s accuracy, athletic ability and strong leadership traits, plus he gets a “redshirt” year to learn Josh McDaniels’ complex offense and watch Jimmy Garoppolo strut his stuff. The Raiders gave Garoppolo $33 million guaranteed, but they wanted to come out of this draft with a young QB. Mission accomplished. — Vic Tafur

Why Hendon Hooker is one of the most difficult QBs to evaluate in 2023 NFL Draft

31. Kansas City Chiefs: Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan
Adding another defensive lineman is more of a need for the Chiefs than a receiver. Since the combine, the Chiefs have been interested in Smith. Not only is he projected to be a starter, but his talents and role should also excite defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and superstar defensive tackle Chris Jones. As the No. 1 player on Bruce Feldman’s 2022 Freaks List, Smith has a rare combination of power and athleticism to take on double teams. That should help free up Jones, the league’s best interior pass rusher, to win one-on-one matchups and pressure the quarterback.

Smith also fits the Chiefs’ timeline when it comes to adding depth at the position because Derrick Nnadi and Tershawn Wharton are set to be unrestricted free agents next spring. — Nate Taylor

Beyond Round 1

36. (Round 2) Los Angeles Rams: Adetomiwa Adebawore, DE, Northwestern
First and foremost, the likelihood that the Rams trade this pick to accumulate more top-100/-150 picks is high. But the board falls how it falls, and with Adebawore a top target, they simply couldn’t let him get to another team lurking a few picks later (ahem, Eagles). By picking Adebawore, the Rams address multiple glaring needs with a single selection on their interior defensive line and within their pass-rushing corps.

The 6-foot-2, 282-pound defensive lineman has all the versatility they could want to truly help disrupt alongside Aaron Donald, and Adebawore has a 9.83 RAS athletic testing score that ranked him No. 46 among all defensive linemen since 1987. He can continue to develop as an inside-outside pass rusher alongside Donald and under the guidance of top D-line coach Eric Henderson. — Jourdan Rodrigue

51. (Round 2) Miami Dolphins: Cody Mauch, OL, North Dakota State
I remain steadfast that the Dolphins’ top priority must be to bolster the offensive line in front of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The preference would be to upgrade at right tackle, but the Dolphins need help along the interior as well. This is what makes Mauch such an intriguing fit. Though he played left tackle at North Dakota State, he’s extremely athletic, giving him the chance to play well just about anywhere on the offensive line. Miami could give Mauch a shot to win the job at right tackle, and if it doesn’t pan out, he should easily be able to slide over to guard and immediately upgrade the O-line. Meanwhile, he could serve as valuable depth at left tackle should Terron Armstead miss more time. — Jim Ayello

67. (Round 3) Denver Broncos (from IND): Tuli Tuipulotu, edge, USC
There’s no telling what the board will actually look like for the Broncos when they are finally called on to pick in the third round, but Tuipulotu would fill a need for a team that has a lot of unknowns at outside linebacker following last season’s deadline trade of Bradley Chubb. Tuipulotu led all FBS players with 13 1/2 sacks last season and plays with a relentlessness that would fit well with the culture new head coach Sean Payton is trying to cement in Denver. — Nick Kosmider

74. (Round 3) Cleveland Browns (from NYJ): Isaiah McGuire, DE, Missouri
The Browns aren’t done remaking their defensive line, and at 6-foot-4 and 268 pounds, McGuire is the prototype for a developmental defensive end. The Browns like players who excel in the athletic testing portion of the pre-draft process (which McGuire did), they look for younger players inside the top 100 picks (McGuire is 21), and though the top of their depth chart is pretty much set, adding to the pass-rush group sits atop their list of remaining offseason priorities. McGuire produced 31.5 tackles for loss across his final three college seasons and 7.5 sacks last year, and the Browns might view him as ready to compete for snaps right away. — Zac Jackson

99. (Round 3) San Francisco 49ers: Blake Freeland, OT, BYU
Trent Williams will be 35 next season, and the 49ers potentially face a hole at right tackle, where they’re currently putting a lot of faith in Colton McKivitz following Mike McGlinchey’s departure via free agency. Drafting Freeland, whose 6-foot-8 frame and excellent athleticism scores have drawn comparisons to McGlinchey, would give the 49ers a developmental piece to fill two potential holes over the long run. It’s very hard to find surefire tackle talent this late in the draft, but if someone like Freeland or Utah’s Braeden Daniels is available at No. 99, the 49ers might pounce. — David Lombardi