NFL Draft Predictions - Final Round 1 Mock Draft (2023)

April 26, 2023

Kyle Lindemann's final NFL mock draft for the 1st round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He predicts the round 1 draft picks, and which players will be selected in the first round.

We are now just a day away from the 2023 NFL Draft. What will your favorite team do on the clock and what will the implications be for fantasy football purposes? It's safe to say we are all hoping for a solid landing spot for Bijan Robinson. There have been some smoke signals that have come out this week and this feels like one of the most uncertain NFL Drafts we've ever experienced.

Here is my final Round One NFL Mock Draft of the season. This will be submitted into The Huddle Report's Mock Draft challenge and ranked against some of the best rankers and sports journalists in the country. Hopefully, we can do well with our predictions and land amongst the best of the best. For the purposes of scoring in this mock draft competition: 3 points will be awarded for picking the correct player and team at the exact spot, 2 points will be awarded for picking the right draft slot, and 1 point will be awarded for picking the player in the correct round.

It really feels like either one of two things will happen at the top of the draft: the Texans taking a position player at 2 or the Cardinals trading out of the pick at 3. It's pretty obvious that Arizona needs a lot of help and might be better suited moving back in the draft and letting another team pay a premium for a quarterback so the Cardinals can begin trying to plug many of the holes that they have.  Now let's dive into this mock draft, shall we?

The Top 10 NFL Draft Picks

1. Carolina Panthers

Bryce Young - QB, Alabama

The Panthers traded up from No. 9 to No.1 over a month ago and paid a hefty price, but it finally got the franchise out of the dreaded QB purgatory. A lot of buzz in the last few weeks out of Carolina has been that they are taking Bryce Young and their minds appear made up. Young is also the top player on the Houston Texans board, which could complicate matters at No. 2 and send the draft into a tailspin. Bravo to the Panthers' front office for having the guts to go up and get their guy, now let's just hope it works. There are no talent concerns for Young. His tape is nearly flawless. The concern is his being able to hold up at his current size of 5-10 1/2 and roughly 200 lbs.

2. Houston Texans

Will Anderson - OLB/Edge, Alabama

Reports out of Houston has been that Bryce Young was their guy, but since he is off the board the Texans don't feel confident in spending a high pick on a quarterback and would rather see how the draft unfolds with their next pick. Anderson is a high-character guy who is an immediate plug-and play. He's the top-ranked player on Dane Brugler's 2023 NFL Draft board and has some scouts comparing him to Von Miller with his explosiveness off the edge on top of his athletic bend.

3. Tennesee Titans *TRADE*

Will Levis - QB, Kentucky

Expected the unexpected tomorrow. Many are split on Levis's ability at the next level, but if I recall just three years ago we were all out on Justin Herbert too. Quarterback evaluation is one of the hardest things to do in all of sports. He is a polarizing prospect but has all of the tools and traits needed to succeed at the next level. The ball explodes out of his hand and Levis is a much better athlete than he gets credit for.

4. Indianapolis Colts

C.J. Stroud - QB, Ohio State

His slide ends here after much debate about his S2 scores. Stroud is a very accurate passer and really showed off during the Peach Bowl against Georgia by evading pressure on multiple plays and using his legs to pick up first downs. This feels like an absolute slam dunk pairing with Colts head coach Shane Steichen, who coached Justin Herbert during his rookie year and was Jalen Hurts' offensive coordinator for the last two.

5. Seattle Seahawks

Jalen Carter - DT, Georgia

Arguably the best defensive player in the draft, it's difficult to believe that Carter would fall past pick 5 here even with his off-the-field issues that popped up before the NFL Combine. He moves incredibly well for a 300+ lb. player and fits an area of need on Pete Carroll's defense while being the top player left on the board. Even though the Seahawks were burned by Malik McDowell in the past, this pick just makes too much sense.

6. Detroit Lions

Devon Witherspoon - CB, Illinois

The Lions have a ton of draft picks (6, 18, 48, and 55 to name a few), but given how well the Lions finished the 2022 season after starting 1-6 it feels like they don't want to disrupt that momentum. Witherspoon is a thumper who isn't afraid to tackle and seems like the kind of player that GM Brad Holmes and Head Coach Dan Campbell want to build around. The Lions' defense was terrible last season.

7. Las Vegas Raiders

Christian Gonzalez - CB, Oregon

Arguably the best pure cover cornerback in the draft, Gonzalez has the size, speed, and length to be a true shutdown corner. The Raiders' depth at cornerback is pretty thin right now and they need to start plugging some holes, especially in a division with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and Russell Wilson.

8. Atlanta Falcons

Tyree Wilson - Edge/DE, Texas Tech

The Falcons haven't had a top-tier edge rusher since the days of John Abraham. Now that they have made some significant upgrades in the secondary they are able to bolster their pass rush for the first time in forever. Some have Tyree going higher, but he ends up in the perfect spot here anyway.

9. Chicago Bears

Paris Johnson - T, Ohio State

Considered by many to be the best pure left tackle in the draft the Bears are thrilled to land Johnson here. He's already familiar with blocking for quarterback Justin Fields and the Bears are plugging holes to finally see what their franchise quarterback can do. The Bears are still stocked with a war chest of draft picks and can see what Fields can do in 2023 with a No. 1 WR before deciding what their next step is.

10. Philadelphia Eagles

Nolan Smith - OLB/Edge, Georgia

Smith had an incredible NFL Combine where he ran a 4.39 forty-yard dash with a 1.52 10-yard split as well as a 41.5-inch vertical. He is a little undersized at 6-2, 238 lbs, but his talent and potential are undeniable. Is he better with his hand on the ground as a pure edge rusher or can he play some zone and add versatility to the Eagles' defense? Howie Roseman loves his edge guys. Smith is a luxury pick here for an already good defense.

Picks No. 11-21: Where Do the Other Quarterbacks Fall?

11. Arizona Cardinals *TRADE*

Peter Skoronski - T, Northwestern

Some scouts believe that Skoronski may be better suited for playing guard in the NFL due to his shorter arm length. Nonetheless, it's pretty obvious that the Cardinals have the worst offensive and defensive line combination in the league right now. They pick up two extra 2nds and a 5th to move down 8 spots.

12. Seattle Seahawks *TRADE*

Anthony Richardson - QB, Florida

The reports were true that the Texans were not sold on a quarterback in this class so they will slide back to pick 20 with the Seahawks in exchange for pick 52. The Texans are still a ways away from competing and need to bolster their depth. They still have two 1st Round picks in the 2024 draft, so they don't need to get impatient. Anthony Richardson's slide ends here. The Seahawks are very intrigued by his upside, but couldn't pass on Jalen Carter at No. 5 overall. This is the perfect spot for A-Rich to sit behind Geno Smith for 1-2 seasons and learn the ropes.

13. Green Bay Packers

Jaxon Smith-Njigba - WR, Ohio State

This might be the most passive-aggressive diss in all of human history. After never taking a wide receiver in Round 1 during Aaron Rodgers entire career the Packers do so here. JSN is the best wide receiver in the draft and will help to give them an added piece to work the middle of the field while they see what they have in Jordan Love. Christian Watson is a burner on the outside and Romeo Doubs is also a bigger WR who excels at out-routes and contested catches. Green Bay still needs a tight end, but they should be able to get one in Round 2 in a very deep class.

14. Dallas Cowboys *TRADE*

Bijan Robinson - RB, Texas

The Cowboys aren't too many pieces away from a championship and the buzz is that Owner Jerry Jones is enthralled by Bijan. Dallas gives up 26 and 58 to move up 12 spots with the Patriots who are always happy to move back and acquire additional picks. Tony Pollard is still recovering from a serious foot injury suffered at the end of the season and Bijan makes Dallas an incredibly potent offense. This is a perfect fit.

15. New York Jets

Broderick Jones - T, Georgia

Mekhi Becton has largely been a bust in his time in New York. He has struggled to keep his weight down and has been injured, only playing in 1 game for the past two seasons. Duane Brown isn't getting any younger and Aaron Rodgers will need to stay upright for the Jets to make a splash in 2023. This is a solid tackle class and Jones fills a deep need here.

16. Washington Commanders

Joey Porter Jr. - CB, Penn State

The Commanders need some pieces in their secondary, especially when they play in a division with Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts, and Daniel Jones (don't laugh). Danny Dimes largely improved last season and Brian Daboll is one of the best offensive minds in the NFL. The son of the former Steelers linebacker, Porter Jr. is a lengthy corner who isn't afraid to press opposing wide receivers.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers

Darnell Wright - T, Tennessee

Arguably the best tackle in the entire draft, Wright shined in a high-octane offense in Tennessee in 2022. He is an absolute mauler on film who fits a deep need for the Steelers and will be an integral part of their culture. Most scouts say he is better suited to stay on the right side, but we've seen how important good right tackles have become in recent years.

18. Detroit Lions

Lukas Van Ness - DE/Edge, Iowa

This might seem a tad low for Van Ness, but he is still young and learning the position. He tested well at the combine and should be a good fit for the Lions as a rotational edge rusher with Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston. The Lions could address the best player available on Day 2 after getting out of Round 1 with a CB and Edge.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Miles Murphy - DE/Edge, Clemson

Tampa had explored potentially moving up for a quarterback, but they don't have any additional draft capital and the price was too steep. With Shaquille Barrett getting up there in age, Jason Licht knows he could use another edge rusher. This will be an interesting year for Tampa in 2023 without Tom Brady, but they still have plenty of solid pieces on their roster.

20. Houston Texans *TRADE*

Michael Mayer - TE, Notre Dame

He isn't a burner by any stretch but Mayer is a natural pass catcher on top of being a great run blocker. Mayer measured in at 6-foot-4 1/2 and 249 lbs. at the NFL Combine while running a 4.7 forty-yard dash on top of a 1.66 10-yard split. Mayer has soft hands for being such a large tight end and with his football IQ just feels like a perfect fit for the Texans They need a tight end who can block in their scheme. Dalton Schultz was only signed to a 1-year deal so the Texans aren't committed.

Miami Dolphins

Forfeited - TAMPERING 

This pick technically doesn't count on the official NFL Draft Board. The Dolphins didn't end up with Tom Brady or Sean Payton and instead got a lawsuit from Brian Flores. They also lost their 2024 third-round pick. This would have been the perfect spot for Bijan Robinson.

Picks No. 22-32: Where Will the WRs Go?

21. Los Angeles Chargers

Dalton Kincaid - TE, Utah

The Chargers' offense desperately needs some high-end speed after not being able to get vertical at all on offense in 2022. Someone said that the Dolphins were running their offense in 2022 like it had Justin Herbert's arm and the Chargers were running their offense like it had Tua Tagovailoa's arm. Keenan Allen is getting up there in age, Mike Williams hasn't been able to stay healthy, and Josh Palmer hasn't stepped up as the team had hoped. Kincaid might be a tight end but he could absolutely stretch the middle of the field down the seam for this offense.

22. Baltimore Ravens

Emmanuel Forbes - CB, Mississippi State

Arguably the most enjoyable prospect in the 2023 draft class to watch on film, Forbes is a playmaker in every sense of the word. He finished his three-year college career are Miss State with 14 interceptions and 6 pick-sixes! According to Dane Brugler, Forbes had 16 interceptions during his last three years of high school, which puts him at a total of 30 INTs over 6 seasons. Sheesh. This just feels like a classic Ravens pick. With talks of them potentially trading for De'Andre Hopkins we don't have them going wide receiver here.

23. Buffalo Bills *TRADE*

Zay Flowers - WR, Boston College

This might be out of character for Bills General Manager Brandon Beane, but Buffalo hasn't drafted as well in recent years and they need to make some moves to take some pressure off of Stefon Diggs. Flowers is a playmaker in every sense and could work the middle of the field while Diggs stays on the outside.

24. Jacksonville Jaguars

Brian Branch - S, Alabama

The best safety in the 2023 class and the only one with a Round 1 grade on many boards, Branch lands in Jacksonville where they continue to revamp the defense after drafting Edge Travon Walker and LB Devin Lloyd in Round 1 last year. This is a nice get for the Jaguars.

25. New York Giants

Quentin Johnston - WR, TCU

There are a lot of mixed reviews on Johnson and Big 12 wide receivers in general. Some say he's too much of a body catcher and plays much smaller than a WR who is 6-3 and 208 lbs. Johnston didn't run at the NFL Combine, but he did post a 40.5-inch vertical on top of an 11'2" broad jump. Even after trading for Darren Waller, the Giants' offense needs a true X-receiver to go along with Isaiah Hodgins, Sterling Shepard, and Wan'Dale Robinson. Johnston fits that mold as Brian Daboll continues to add more playmakers to this side of the ball for his team.

26. New England Patriots *TRADE*

Deonte Banks - CB, Maryland

Banks takes a little bit of a tumble on draft night due to the depth of the CB class as well as the scheme fit. His slide ends here and the Patriots can never have enough cornerbacks in Bill Belichick's complex scheme. They get an extra 2023 second to move back, which feels like a thing the Patriots would do.

27. Minnesota Vikings *TRADE*

Jordan Addison - WR, USC

Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah comes from the Andrew Berry tree who comes from the Howie Roseman tree. One thing the Browns front office does well is they seem to get a 150 cents back on the dollar of every trade they do. Adofo-Mensah has the same mentality and the Vikings slide back a few spots to pick up an extra 2023 fourth, which is huge for them given their current lack of draft capital. They think about Hendon Hooker here, but adding Addison to this offense with Justin Jefferson and TJ Hockenson is too good to pass up.

28. Cincinnati Bengals

Jahmyr Gibbs, RB - Alabama

There was plenty of word out this week, especially from the NFL Network's Peter Schrager to expect two running backs to go in Round 1. Gibbs is an absolute dynamic pass catcher who would be a huge boost to the Bengals offense as they look to move on from Joe Mixon. The thought of Gibbs running routes into the flat against linebackers while Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are sent deep feels like something from a Madden game.

29. New Orleans Saints

Calijah Kancey, DT - Pitt

While slightly undersized and only having 30 5'8" arms, Kancey falls a little bit on draft night but the Saints scoop him up here. After signing Derek Carr, the Saints need to keep their solid defense in tact and Kancey features as an all three down type of defensive lineman who can also get after the quarterback.

30. Philadelphia Eagles

Anton Harrison, T - Oklahoma

Howie Roseman knows that he needs to continue building the trenches. RT Lane Johnson will turn 33 soon and while he hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, the Eagles always love to have their succession plans in place on their offensive and defensive lines.

31. Kansas City Chiefs

Mazi Smith, DT - Michigan

This might not be the sexiest pick for the Chiefs, but it's pretty clear that their team-building philosophy changed after that brutal Super Bowl loss to the Tampa Bay Bucs where they couldn't block anyone. After trading away Tyreek Hill last year, the vibe around Kansas City is that they don't need elite skill players to win Super Bowls. Their thought is to continue to build up their defense and protect Patrick Mahomes at all costs so he can work his magic. It's not a bad philosophy honestly.

I hope you enjoy NFL Draft weekend and thanks for reading! Rounds 2 and 3 will be listed in a chart below, but there won't be an analysis for each pick. Feel free to use the chart as a guide for how Rounds 2-3 might go and feel free to follow me on Twitter for around-the-clock NFL Draft coverage during draft weekend.

Full Round 2 Results

Full Round 3 Results

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