2023 NFL Mock Draft: Alpha Test
It’s a strange relationship us fans have to our favorite sports franchises. It is no secret to anyone that knows me or has read my writing that I am a Chicago boy, born and bred. That means I have the distinct misfortune of rooting for the Chicago Bears. About halfway through the season I went from hoping the Bears prove themselves to be a respectable team (if not a good one) to rooting for Justin Fields to ball out during losses. Rooting for your team to lose stinks. I felt bad in the moment and after the loss I felt dirty. I got what I wanted from this transaction, but at what cost.
As it turns out the cost was me being more interested in the NFL draft than I have ever been. With a fat helping of Chicago love from the legendary Lovie Smith, the Bears ended up with the number one overall pick. With that comes pressure the likes of which the team has only faced three times in its 103 year history. That said, the Bears are playing with house money going into this draft. They have their franchise quarterback. The team also has a dearth of talent at just about every position on the field apart from, weirdly enough, the defensive backs.
Teams like the Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, and Indianapolis Colts have just as much pressure for various reasons. None of that is particularly important to a mock draft, at least not in the sense that a massive preamble to a first ever Mock Draft article from myself needs to be tacked on describing the pressures these teams are under. What is important is the rules I have set for myself.
I am only making one trade in this draft. The Chicago Bears will receive a haul for the first pick and while many think that gracious offering will come from the Carolina Panthers, I doubt Ryan Pace has any desire to drop out of the top five of this draft. I think the Colts swap with the Bears and honestly, I am all for it as the Texans are a franchise that deserve nothing but sadness. I don’t have any desire to posit what I think the trade actually looks like as this is only a first round mock. Other than that it is just too early to determine what teams may want to move where, so there will be no other trades.
The other rule, at least for this first mock draft, is that this is a determination of what I think these teams should do with their picks. I will likely get a lot of this wrong but as it currently stands, it feels too early to accurately predict what some of these insane organizations will do with their picks. Maybe after the combine I will update this with trades and randomness. For now, let’s do some mocking. With the First Overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts select:
Indianapolis Colts: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
*6’0” 194 lbs, Age: 21
Bryce Young is the best QB in this class and I am not entirely sure how close it is. If this man was 6’4” 215 teams would be giving up 8 first round picks to draft him with the number one overall pick. Young can make just about every throw and reads the field as well as any QB to come out of the draft in the past decade. His intermediate and short passing accuracy shines on tape. His deep ball could use some work as it has a tendency to come up a tad bit short but that likely works itself out as he puts on muscle. Rumor has it the intent is for him to bulk up by about 10-15 pounds before the actual draft. Young doesn’t always throw the prettiest ball but that ball is almost exclusively in the right place. Maybe that poses some issues early on at the next level but shouldn’t be a major concern. And while I don’t think he has break away speed that guys like Lamar Jackson and Fields have, Young is every bit as agile and is adept at making defenders miss to extend plays and make a few himself.
*Awaiting Mina Kimes’ official measurements to determine the accuracy of this height measurement.
2. Houston Texans: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
6’3” 215 lbs, Age: 21
C.J. Stroud throws a deep ball so beautifully that it often makes those witnessing it feel the need to openly weep as an expression of appreciation. The accuracy with which Stroud puts footballs into the hands of his receivers is near orgasmic. Stroud is ready to sit behind a great offensive line and sling it to barely open receivers today. Therein lies the problem. Stroud absolutely has the ability to run and extend plays but is often hesitant to do so. Stroud also had the benefit of playing with wide receivers that were probably forced to play in college for one too many years. Without the stellar line and a class of receivers that would be top five in the NFL today, there may be early growing pains. As long as the Texans don’t get Stroud physically murdered, he has every chance to be a long term franchise guy throwing for 5,000 yards and 45 touchdowns.
3. Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson Jr., Edge, Alabama
6’4” 243 lbs, Age: 21
Will Anderson Jr. may well be the best player in this draft. With a violently quick first step, and strength to bully interior offensive linemen, Anderson possesses all the tools to be a game changing pass rusher. Anderson plays smart, controlled football and does not limit himself to rushing the passer. He fills running lanes and sheds blocks with the best of them. He is a relatively sure tackler inside the box, and God forbid some poor tight-end gets solo-assigned to him as a blocker. Anderson is okay covering a RB in the flats but as a legitimate coverage linebacker there is extensive work that needs to be done. That said, why waste a perfectly good pass rush monster. Somehow Anderson at three feels like a steal, and he fills a desperate need for the Cardinals.
4. Chicago Bears: Jalen Carter, Interior D-Line, Georgia
6’3” 310 lbs, Age: 22
Do you like interior defensive linemen that spend their spare time being literal bears? Then boy do I have the defensive tackle for you. Jalen Carter is a mountain of a man that may be pound for pound one of the five strongest players in this draft. This is a man that clogs up running lanes in his sleep. The beauty is that he often has the speed and agility to set the edge if needed. Carter works best when allowed to work one on one against guards in a 4-3 but could likely play any line position in a 3-4 if you needed it. His weak side prowess is what sets him apart from other DTs in this draft. Okay there are a lot of things that set him aside but that was the most prominent thing I saw in my film study. Carter needs a bit of work when it comes to his pass rush, as when he gets to the NFL certain guys like Quentin Nelson and Chris Lindstrom won’t be so easily pushed around by bull rushes.
5. Seattle Seahawks: Tyree Wilson, Edge, Texas Tech
6’6” 275 lbs, Age: 23
Men this big should not be allowed to be this fast. Tyree Wilson feels very much akin to Trayvon Walker from last year’s draft. Wilson is fast, strong, athletic, and able to make every play you need from an edge rusher. The potential here is that of someone who will wreck games for a decade plus. However he lacks coverage skills and just purely due to his size lacks a bit of that agility that separates the great pass rushers from the elite. That said his basement floor is a guy that consistently blows up runs and is at least racking up the QB pressures, if not raw sack numbers.
6. Detroit Lions: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
6’0” 180 lbs, Age: 22
This is my first real hot take. I have seen some analysts slot Witherspoon in as the 4th best DB in this draft, and here I have him going six overall. This feels like the kind of thing we hear about after the draft where Witherspoon and Dan Campbell got in a room together, barked at one another for 8 minutes, fell in love, and Campbell threatened to walk out on the team if they didn’t draft Witherspoon. Luckily for Campbell, Witherspoon is a corner that plays tight man coverage, hits like the spiritual son of a Legion of Boom member, and has never seen a ball he thought he didn’t have a chance at. Witherspoon is the physical embodiment of “He’s got that dog in him,” and for an undersized CB there are few things more important. It doesn’t hurt that he has great ball skills to go along with it. Whoever does draft him though, be prepared for around 18 holding calls his rookie year. That will take some coaching to get out of him.
7. Oakland Raiders: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
6’4” 232 lbs, Age: 22
It’s rare that a QB in college makes you glow and say “wow” on a regular basis. Watching Anthony Richardson play QB makes me feel like my skin is comprised entirely of bioluminescent algae. If there is a play that can be made by a QB, Richardson possesses the ability to make said play. However, he is a raw talent that is going to go through growing pains and could probably do with the Patrick Mahomes treatment. Richardson is an athletic freak with a cannon for an arm, and if the Raiders are smart and put the right people around him he has the potential to develop into an elite talent in this league. This is the Raiders we are talking about though and this has more than a little potential to fall completely flat.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Lukas VanNess, Edge, Iowa
6’5” 275 lbs, Age: 21
Relentless. Lukas VanNess never saw a play he couldn’t finish. VanNess very much feels like a slightly more raw version of Tyree Wilson. They are both amazing in run defense and have some limitations due to their size in the pass rush game, especially when lined up outside of a tackle in an upright stance. VanNess feels like a guy that you leave in his 3-point stance 95 times out of 100, but when you leave him to do what he does it’s glorious. Atlanta had a historically bad pass rush and VanNess is maybe a bit of a reach at eight but in my mind there isn’t anyone better at the position still available.
9. Carolina Panthers: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
6’3” 232 lbs, Age 23
Will Levis is ready to come into the NFL and play QB right away. Prototype size for a QB paired with a seeming love of the more physical aspects of the game makes Levis a very interesting prospect that some analysts are saying may go one overall. Now while I feel that particular take is very silly, I do understand why there is this hype. Levis will either be the second coming of Justin Herbert, or the second coming of Mitchell Trubisky. The Panthers seem to be putting together a very good staff and the team has some decent building blocks on offense that, should the draft fall this way, could be the perfect place for Levis to make some mistakes and develop before turning into a guy that runs an offense as well as anyone in the league.
10. Philadelphia Eagles: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
6’4” 215 lbs, Age: 21
As it turns out, the rich do in fact get richer. The Eagles had a top three defense last year and are fresh off a Super Bowl loss. After allowing 38 points the default reaction may be to draft a defensive back which, Gonzalez is here but I like the Eagles to just go full bore into maximizing Jalen Hurts’ potential. The Eagles had exactly two notable receivers all year. Now, they may address this need in free agency but why? Quentin Johnston is a big body that not only goes up and gets 50/50 balls at an astonishing rate but is far too fast for a man of his size. No one in free agency this year has the kind of potential or skill set that Johnston has. Hurts needs a new toy (or two, more on that later) and what better way to kit him out than by getting him arguably the best WR in the draft.
11. Tennessee Titans: Peter Skoronski, T, Northwestern
6’5” 315 lbs, Age: 21
Peter Skoronski is what we refer to as “A man amongst boys.” Skoronski possesses the size, agility, and strength to be plugged in at either Tackle spot and forgotten about for roughly 12-15 years. He is uniquely refined as a pass blocker for someone that's only 21 years old and in the run game Skoronski is as violent as you would want. With Taylor Lewan’s future in doubt with the Titans, there is no better way to make your all-time great running back happy than with a new person to help him put fear into linebackers everywhere.
12. Houston Texans: Bryan Bresee, Interior D-Line, Clemson
6’5” 290 lbs, Age: 21
Bryan Bresee has some of the best hand-work for a defensive lineman in this class. He is a big body that will clog up the middle, generate pressure on the inside, and rarely miss a gap assignment. Bresee does leave a bit to be desired in terms of pass rush but you aren’t drafting Bresee for his sack numbers. You are drafting him for the 10+ tackles for loss he can/will generate. Also, at some point you have to do something to try and stop Derrick Henry. If ever you were going to draft a player specifically to try and stop one guy on one team, this would be the time to do it.
13. New York Jets: Paris Johnson Jr., T, Ohio State
6’6” 310 lbs, Age: 21
I will refer you back to the entry for Peter Skoronski for this. The Jets have a really good interior offensive line but the tackle position needs some work. In most other years Paris Johnson is the easy number one guy at the position. It just so happens we have two generational talents sitting here at tackle and one of them had to go first. Johnson is a top tier O-lineman and if the Titans picked him over Skoronski I wouldn’t agree with the decision, but I would understand it. So for the Jets to get a guy this good here? I wouldn’t expect more than 17 seconds to run off the countdown clock before that pick got shot out of a cannon at Roger Goodell backstage.
14. New England Patriots: Broderick Jones, T, Georgia
6’4” 310 lbs, Age: 21
Arguably the most athletic of the three big name offensive tackles getting drafted here, Broderick Jones is also the most raw. With only 19 starts under his belt, Jones still has a lot of learning to do as a big time starter on an NFL O-line. That said, who better to learn from than Belichick and his staff. Jones is 310 pounds of almost entirely muscle and plays like someone stole his lunch money the entire week leading up to gameday. As long as he can reign in some of the big gambles he takes he has the potential to be the best offensive lineman to come out of this draft.
15. Green Bay Packers: Jordan Addison, WR, USC
6’0” 175 lbs, Age: 21
If this really is the end for Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, would it not be just the most delicious thing in the world if they decide now is the time to invest in a top end wide receiver in the draft? Whilst any Packers fan reading this may be sobbing, this really is the biggest need the team has. Addison is just what Green Bay needs to add to the big bodies they already have at the receiver position. Addison is lighting fast, exactly as agile as you would expect for a WR his size, and runs crisp routes. His acceleration out of a break is top tier as well. Size may be a concern for some, even with these middle picks. To that I would just point towards Devontae Smith. Addison doesn’t high point the ball with the same aggression as Smith, but he makes up for it in other ways.
16. Washington Commanders: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
6’2” 201 lbs, Age: 20
This feels like an absolute steal if the Commanders can nab Christian Gonzalez here. He is the absolute prototypical size for a corner, and he plays like it too. He has the range to drop deep in cover three and the intellect and ball reading skills to play the flat. In man coverage Gonzalez sticks to his assignment like an insecure boyfriend on a date at the mall with a woman he knows is out of his league. Gonzalez is also a willing tackler. He doesn't play with the reckless abandon that someone like Witherspoon does but he makes good form tackles and seems to relish in being involved in the run defense. Much like any great college DB that plays suffocating man defense, he is way too grabby in coverage and will draw calls at the next level. He will also take risks to make a play and while those pay off in college, he will get beat big from time to time at the next level because of it.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
6’2” 194 lbs, Age: 22
Joey Porter had a son that plays corner. It is both not that simple, and exactly that simple. Porter Jr. plays tight man coverage, has speed to keep up with any receiver, and has long arms with great coordination that mean, even if he does get beat, he can recover. Porter Jr. is a raw talent that is a good tackler when needed but seems to be more interested in locking his man down. He also doesn’t seem as interested in interceptions as he is in pass break-ups which is a trait I personally like a lot in a corner. The Steelers are the perfect place for him. They need another corner and their support structure and coaching is exactly what he needs to go from top prospect to legitimate lockdown corner.
18. Detroit Lions: Calijah Kancey, Interior D-Line, Pittsburgh
6’0” 280 lbs, Age: 21
A lot of places won’t have Kancey in their first round mocks. They can do one. Kancey is the next best interior defensive lineman after the big two go off the board and the Lions *need* help on the interior. Their run defense was abominable last year due in no small part to not having good enough D-tackles. Kancey is admittedly a bit undersized but he has the strength to still plug up running lanes in the middle. What makes him so appealing is his pass rush prowess that includes one of the best swim moves in the Draft.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: O’Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida
6’5” 347 lbs, Age: 23
The Bucs were a mess on the offensive line all year. Part of that was due to injury and part of that was due to not having the guys on the interior anymore. O’Cyrus Torrence can step in and immediately help to fix the biggest hole they have. Torrence is a big, strong guard that can slot in and immediately dominate in the run game. He is quick enough to protect against the faster, more pass rush oriented D-tackles in the NFL. The only downside to Torrence is he lacks versatility. There is little chance of him being a viable option at center and playing him at tackle is a bad fit.
20. Seattle Seahawks: Brian Branch, S, Alabama
6’0” 193 lbs, Age: 21
Brian Branch regularly lined up as a box safety for Alabama which I think he is a bit undersized for at the NFL level; but who cares. Branch plays the game the same way someone created in a Raytheon lab would play. Branch finds the ball and attacks it. He has legit ball skills in coverage and is extremely rangey in a way that makes him great in zone coverage. Branch also seemingly delights in tackling ball carriers around the line of scrimmage. Occasionally Branch either fails to wrap up his tackles or can be pushed back by larger running backs and tight ends but some time on an NFL regime and 10 pounds of muscle for the 21 year old can likely remedy this. Oh, and he doubles as somewhat of a return specialist, which is fun.
21. San Diego Chargers: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
5’10” 172 lbs, Age: 22
If Zay Flowers is available and the Chargers don’t take him I will become the living embodiment of discontent. Zay Flowers is an explosive, agile wide receiver that would thrive in a slot role with a team that has two bonafide outside targets soaking up attention from the larger corners. Sound like there’s a good fit for him in the NFL? Flowers is the type of guy that would allow Herbert on second and four to uncork a 60 yard bomb on a skinny post in a way that he currently cannot do very often. Flowers is quite undersized and doesn't run the most crisp routes in the draft but he is as game changing a player as there is at the position in this draft.
22. Baltimore Ravens: Myles Murphy, Edge, Clemson
6’5” 275 lbs, Age: 21
For the second year in a row the Baltimore Ravens (according to my probably too early mock) get a defensive game changer that has no business being on the board when they draft him. Myles Murphy may very well be a top ten talent in this draft. Though he lacks that explosive first step, what Murphy does have is a relentless motor. He pushes through double teams to get to his target in passing situations, and possesses the size and strength to clog running lanes. What Murphy also has that no one else in this draft has is a straight arm given to him directly from Satan himself. Myles gets aggressive amounts of leverage by simply planting one of his arms (usually the left) into a tackles chest and driving him back. Should Murphy fall this far and into Baltimore’s lap, the League should worry.
23. Minnesota Vikings: Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
6’2” 205 lbs, Age: 20
Kelee Ringo looks like the prototype for an NFL corner. He plays physically, is excellent in press coverage, and can tackle pretty well in the open field. Ringo is young and raw and because of that is susceptible to a few things like being beaten on quick in-breaking routes and a double move will catch him off guard from time to time. Ringo possesses the speed and athleticism to make up for minor mistakes in coverage which is part of what makes him so attractive but there will be growing pains as he learns how to deal with the top tier route runners in the NFL.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M
6’3” 195 lbs, Age: 21
Antonio Johnson is a box safety that hits like a freight train. Just two minutes of film will tell you that Johnson seemingly likes hitting people more than most. His ball skills in coverage leave a bit to be desired but you’re not drafting him to drop into coverage 40 times a game. He will have to do that occasionally, but the reason you draft this guy is to watch him lay down huge hits and chase down ball carriers on the edges. Johnson has great closing speed and even when he takes a bad angle can often make up for it with length and athleticism.
25. New York Giants: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
6’4” 265 lbs, Age: 21
Imagine if you will, if a mountain learned out to run routes and catch passes better than most receivers. Got that mental image? Okay that is what Michael Mayer is as a tight end. Hailing from none other than Tight End University, Mayer has made a name for himself by playing the TE position like someone 40 lbs lighter than he is. Mayer possesses the ability to high point the ball like the best receivers and has a frame that makes it near impossible for a normally sized corner to actually cover him. Linebackers like Devin White and Patrick Queen shouldn’t struggle to keep up but Mayer’s size puts even those types of guys in a tough position. The blocking and route running need work but honestly Travis Kelce has taught us you really don’t need to be that great at blocking to be the greatest TE of all time. It just helps.
26. Dallas Cowboys: Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
6’3” 240 lbs, Age: 21
Not quite big enough to be a true edge rusher, but not quite good enough in coverage to be a true will linebacker. The Cowboys have a habit of making guys like Trenton Simpson work and I think they can do it again here. Simpson can absolutely do it all. He closes down a ball carrier like a bat out of hell, he has the athleticism to bend and twist around offensive tackles to get to the QB, and he has the ball skills to be able to cover most tight ends and less shifty running backs.
27. Buffalo Bills: Steve Avila, G, TCU
6’4” 332 lbs, Age: 23
Steve Avila is a three year starter at TCU and someone that can immediately play either guard position or center at the NFL level. The Bills could use a new guard and Avila projects better as a guard than a center. He’s strong and often a violent run blocker which is exactly what you want. There isn’t anything that super stands out about him, however from your interior offensive lineman you don’t always need that. To be perfectly honest the Bills feel like a perfect trade down candidate, and this pick is a bit of a placeholder until it becomes a bit more clear who may be interested in this pick.
28. Cincinnati Bengals: Anton Harrison, T, Oklahoma
6’5” 315 lbs, Age: 21
Anton Harrison is not a day one starter. He has all the tools to be a great Tackle in the NFL. He has the size, is surprisingly quick on his feet, rarely gets knocked off balance by a power rush; however he lacks aggressiveness in the power running game at times and can get a bit lost when put on an island against a talented edge rusher. The Bengals need O-line depth and they need someone that can be a long term answer. Give Harrison one year to develop behind the guys they have now and he will be ready to step in and actually be someone that can keep a franchise guy like Joe Burrow safe for the long haul.
29. New Orleans Saints: Mazi Smith, Interior D-Line, Michigan
6’3” 337 lbs, Age: 21
Mazi Smith is the guy you draft when you have great pass rush talent on your D-line but are missing that true run stopping presence in the middle of your line. Smith is a big, strong interior D-lineman that can completely stuff any running lane you put him in. Smith occupying three offensive linemen at once is not out of the question. The Saints need to sure up their run defense and once they do that their defense, barring injury, is largely entirely set. Smith is the best available guy to do that very thing for them.
30. Philadelphia Eagles: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
6’0” 220 lbs, Age: 21
Drafting a running back in the first round is an objectively dumb thing to do. So many guys get drafted in the fourth and fifth round and become great starters. I do not care. The Eagles need to just have fun and load the offense with as much talent as possible while Hurts is still on his rookie deal. Robinson is a top tier running back talent and an instant upgrade over the likely departing Miles Sanders. Robinson is a do it all running back prospect that we haven't seen the likes of since Saquon Barkley and he has every possibility to be just as good, if not better.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Jaxson Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
6’0” 198 lbs, Age: 21
Jaxson Smith-Njigba has some of the best hands in college football. His stock largely falls due to missing the vast majority of the season with a hamstring injury. Unfortunately we did not get to see him play in what would have been the season for him to show off what he can do as a true number one. Regardless, Smith-Njigba can do literally everything you want from a WR. He doesn’t have blazing speed but his crisp routes will have defenders doing circles, and his ability to go up and grab a seemingly uncatchable ball is unmatched in this class. Mocking him to the Chiefs is both unlikely and hilarious to me. I just wanted one fun pick and whilst I don’t think he will fall this far, if he does it could be lethal. The Chiefs picking up Smith-Njigba in this draft would be akin to when the Packers drafted Davante Adams.