Well over a dozen teams still have hope in 2022. But with all that hope, only one team will win the Super Bowl. This 2023 NFL Mock Draft provides an outlet for all 32 teams — wherever they find themselves in the present — to either carry hope into the next season or find new hope in the future to come through the NFL draft.
2023 NFL Mock Draft | Picks 1-16
1) Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB Alabama
His size will be a deal-breaker for some teams. But if it’s not a deal-breaker for you, then you should be very excited by Bryce Young‘s ability as a potential franchise QB. Young’s hyper-elite creation capacity and poise in high-pressure moments allow him to consistently elevate his team, and he has enough arm talent to layer the ball into tight windows.
2) Chicago Bears: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
The Bears have a lot of holes to consider filling and only one top-three pick to use. It’s a tough call, but Jalen Carter is arguably the best prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft, and the Bears have gotten next to no pressure generated on the interior. Carter is a rare elite prospect at DT, and he’d change Chicago’s interior presence overnight.
3) Seattle Seahawks (From DEN): Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
With Carter — the Seahawks’ ideal fit — off the board, let’s explore a new scenario. Let’s say the Seahawks tag Geno Smith, so QB is off the board. The depth of their WR corps is suspect enough that they could add Quentin Johnston to complement DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. That’s a whole lot of talent to give attention to, and with Smith distributing, it could be dangerous.
4) Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama
Arizona has a couple young, developing players at EDGE in Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders. But neither is quite at the caliber to preclude the Cardinals from picking Will Anderson Jr. if he’s there at fourth overall. Anderson is a truly elite EDGE prospect with dynamic two-phase ability and the tools to be a disruptor from down to down.
MORE: Will Anderson Jr. Sits Atop the Podium of EDGE Prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft
5) Detroit Lions (From LAR): Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
With Carter and Anderson both off the board, this decision becomes easy for the Lions: Take the QB with the most upside and stash him behind Jared Goff.
In this 2023 NFL Mock Draft, it’s Florida’s Anthony Richardson. Richardson can be a game-breaker in the mold of Justin Fields on the ground, and he’s a growing passer with a rocket launcher arm as well.
6) Indianapolis Colts: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
The latter games of the 2022 season may have cooled C.J. Stroud‘s 2023 NFL Draft stock a bit, but he’s still a passer with franchise potential. He has more athleticism than his play style implies. And in the pocket, when in rhythm, he’s one of the most accurate, surgical distributors to come out in recent years. With the Colts’ weapons, Stroud could go on to thrive.
7) Atlanta Falcons: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
The Falcons could go with a quarterback here, and in fact, steal a QB from the rival Panthers if Carolina doesn’t trade up. But for now, let’s give Desmond Ridder more time because the Falcons likely won’t be ready to compete until 2024.
Christian Gonzalez can help Atlanta get a step closer, giving them another hyper-fluid size-speed threat at CB opposite A.J. Terrell.
8) Carolina Panthers: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
There’s no rule saying the Panthers have to come out of Round 1 with a quarterback. But for a franchise that’s been stuck in QB limbo since the end of the Cam Newton era, it’s essentially a necessity.
Will Levis brings plenty of questions, but banking on his athleticism and arm talent — with a growing offensive line and WR room — could be a worthwhile gamble.
9) Philadelphia Eagles (From NO): Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
Power is the ultimate trump card in the trenches. If you have power, you have an in to the pocket. Getting enough power is often the challenge, but the Eagles can get it all in one fell swoop here with Tyree Wilson. At 6’6″, 275 pounds, with near-36″ arms and blistering explosiveness, Wilson has a nearly unmatched power generation profile off the edge.
10) Green Bay Packers: Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson
Myles Murphy can give the Packers a potentially dominant EDGE rotation. He fits the team’s mold at 6’5″, 275 pounds, with high-energy athleticism and tremendous power capacity. Add him opposite Rashan Gary, with Kingsley Enagbare and Preston Smith coming in relief, and quarterbacks will never be able to catch their breath.
11) Las Vegas Raiders: Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
It’s hard to know where to start with this Raiders team, but offensive line is never a bad play. And so far in this 2023 NFL Mock Draft, no tackles have been selected.
Las Vegas changes that by adding Paris Johnson Jr. Johnson has proven he can move around if needed, and his elite explosiveness-power mix will be an asset wherever he ends up.
12) Jacksonville Jaguars: Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
With several defensive linemen set to hit the free agent market after this season, the Jaguars could be in the market for a facelift on the interior. Bryan Bresee still struggles with leverage at times, and his injury history may be a concern in March. But few defensive tackles have the mix of explosiveness, lateral agility, and length that he has.
13) Houston Texans (From CLE): Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina
Whoever the Texans select to be their QB of the future with their first pick, they’d be well served to add to his arsenal of weapons with their second. Josh Downs could be a very good fit with Young, in this 2023 NFL Mock Draft. He can operate the quick game with his elite separation ability, but he’s also an incredibly dynamic separator and playmaker downfield.
14) Pittsburgh Steelers: Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
The Steelers’ need at cornerback does come at an opportune time. The 2023 NFL Draft has a number of high-quality cornerback prospects with plus length — something the Steelers value in their CBs.
MORE: Is Christian Gonzalez or Kelee Ringo the Top CB Heading Into the 2023 NFL Draft?
In this mock, Kelee Ringo is available to them at 14th overall. Ringo has size and physicality at 6’2″, with the speed to drape over receivers in the deep third.
15) Seattle Seahawks: Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor
There’s positional value, and then there’s sub-positional value. The Seahawks don’t just need any defensive tackle. They need a nose tackle who can hold down the center of the line, occupy double-teams, and disrupt in the passing game.
Siaki Ika — a 6’4″, 358-pound monster in the middle — has the tools to fill this role, even if scarcity drives up the price.
16) New England Patriots: Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma
The Patriots have more issues to iron out on offense beyond simple blocking, but an improvement to the OL could facilitate growth elsewhere. With Isaiah Wynn set to leave and Trent Brown’s 2023 out looking more and more appealing, a reset may be in order. Anton Harrison kickstarts that reset with his athleticism, power, and sturdy technique.
2023 NFL Mock Draft | Picks 17-31
17) New York Jets: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
Duane Brown and George Fant are both veteran stopgaps at tackle for New York, and Mekhi Becton’s long-term future is uncertain. Whatever happens past this point, the Jets should invest in more security at one of the most important positions. Broderick Jones isn’t as refined as other options, but his athleticism-power combination is worth banking on.
18) Detroit Lions: Brian Branch, DB, Alabama
The Lions have a need for more talent in the secondary — but specifically, they need a DB who can man the slot at a high level. No defender in the 2023 NFL Draft qualifies for this role more than Alabama’s Brian Branch. Branch is extremely natural in coverage with his fluidity and burst, and he’s shown to convert at the catch point.
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rashee Rice, WR, SMU
Ideally, there’d be a quarterback worth considering late in Round 1, but the depth of the 2023 NFL Draft QB class recedes quite a bit after the first four. So instead of QB, the Buccaneers add Rashee Rice to an aging WR corps. Rice is a potentially elite three-level threat, who can play both out of the slot and at the boundary.
20) Tennessee Titans: Cody Mauch, OT, North Dakota State
It’s almost a foregone conclusion that the Titans will seek a successor to Taylor Lewan this offseason. Although this may feel a bit rich for Cody Mauch, he has the tools and toughness Tennessee will be looking for.
Mauch is an extremely explosive, powerful athlete who routinely outmuscles and bulldozes opponents in the run game, and has surprisingly solid protection technique.
21) Washington Commanders: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
There are options for the Commanders to consider at CB and OT here, but few of those options are as highly rated on the composite board as tight end Michael Mayer.
With Mayer, Washington gets not only a successor, but an upgrade to Logan Thomas, and they can capitalize on the draft’s OT and CB depth later on.
22) Los Angeles Chargers: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
This is as much a value pick as it is a need pick for the Chargers. It’s always optimal when need and BPA align. Jared Verse is arguably a top-15 prospect, who’s fallen to the 22nd pick in this 2023 NFL Mock Draft. Verse has an incredibly well-rounded pallet of traits at 6’4″, 249 pounds — featuring burst, bend, power, and active hand usage around the apex.
23) New York Giants: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
The Giants will need to upgrade the cornerback position this coming offseason. When they do, they’ll need a CB who can both go toe-to-toe with physical threats like A.J. Brown and transition with route-running technicians like Terry McLaurin. Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. can do both with his fluidity, length, and physicality.
24) Baltimore Ravens: Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
When applied correctly, the simple presence of speed can have a huge impact on an offense. That’s the hope for the Ravens with Jalin Hyatt in this 2023 NFL Mock Draft.
On his own, Hyatt is incredibly dangerous with the speed, throttle control, and spatial manipulation he provides. But he can also potentially create space for other options as well.
25) Denver Broncos (From SF via MIA): Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
When you have multiple potential areas of need on the offensive line, it doesn’t hurt to add a prospect like Peter Skoronski. With his lacking length and power capacity, Skoronski’s ceiling is capped a bit.
MORE: 2023 NFL Draft Big Board
But with his athleticism, leverage, balance, and smooth footwork, Skoronski could feasibly play at left tackle, left guard, or right tackle — wherever the Broncos need him.
26) Cincinnati Bengals: Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson
That’s right. Three Clemson defensive linemen go in Round 1 of this 2023 NFL Mock Draft, with Ruke Orhorhoro being a surprise first-round selection to the Bengals.
We have at least one surprise every year, and Orhorhoro could be an underrated candidate. He’s a young, versatile, high-motor interior defender with elite explosiveness at 6’4″, 303 pounds.
27) Dallas Cowboys: Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah
At 5’10”, 183 pounds, with potentially sub-30″ arms, Clark Phillips III isn’t going to win over evaluators with his stature. But remove size from the equation, and there’s a case to be made that he’s CB1. With his combined explosiveness, fluidity, instincts, physicality, and playmaking ability, Phillips can be a lockdown CB opposite Trevon Diggs.
28) Kansas City Chiefs: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
The Chiefs need to upgrade from Andrew Wylie at right tackle, and Darian Kinnard — a potential replacement — is being cross-trained at guard. Darnell Wright might present the most upside out of all the options. He’s a former five-star recruit with size, short-area mobility, dominating power, and violent hands at the point of attack.
29) Minnesota Vikings: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
K.J. Osborn’s breakout in the Vikings’ comeback win against the Colts was impressive, but Minnesota could still stand to add an early-round talent between Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, especially with the latter getting older. Jaxon Smith-Njigba has the route nuance, short-area athleticism, and high-level catching instincts to be a slot menace right away.
30) Buffalo Bills: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
I’ve made this match way too much in my 2023 NFL Mock Drafts. I’m officially giving myself a limit of three more this cycle. But until that limit hits, Bijan Robinson is a Buffalo Bill if he falls this far.
The Bills can afford to take this luxury, and Robinson is one of the best, most dynamic, and most versatile RB prospects over the past decade.
31) Philadelphia Eagles: Jordan Addison, WR, USC
The edge was the big area of concern for the Eagles earlier in this 2023 NFL Mock Draft. Now, they can afford to take a calculated risk in adding Jordan Addison with their second first-rounder. Addison’s ability to make plays at multiple levels with his explosiveness and agility adds a new, dangerous layer to the Eagles’ offense.