RADIO
After one season, did NFL teams make the correct selections in the 2023 NFL Draft? Andrew Ball re-drafts the entire first round.
Knowledge is power. We hear that mantra repeated quite often, but it rings true across every aspect of society.
General managers and team personnel across the NFL would be thrilled with one year of professional tape on players before they make their draft day selections. Of course, it doesn't work that way in the real world.
But in hypothetical land, we get to play the game. Below, I redraft the entire first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Would franchises make the same selections or jump at the chance to snag a different prospect?
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Picks 1-10
1. Carolina Panthers - C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
Original Pick: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
The Carolina Panthers reportedly debated Stroud and Young throughout the pre-draft process (to the point that there may have been some disagreement about who to select). While Young was the initial choice, Stroud proved in year one that he was the better quarterback. He's the heavy favorite to win Rookie of the Year and led the Texans to a playoff victory. Would he have had the same success in Charlotte, where there's a shocking lack of solid receivers? We'll never know.
2. Houston Texans - Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Original Pick: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
With their prized rookie off the board, the Texans still have an eye on the quarterback position. There was no chance that they were going to let first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans start his tenure with Davis Mills under center. Anthony Richardson only played in four games in his debut campaign but shined more than Young did in 16.
3. Houston Texans - Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama
Original Pick: Anderson
With their quarterback in tow, the Texans stick to their original plan of trading up with the Arizona Cardinals to select edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. The rookie tallied seven sacks during the regular season (and another in the playoffs) and finished with the second-best odds to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. With his athleticism, he'll only continue to blossom as one of the league's elite pass rushers.
4. Indianapolis Colts - Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
Original Pick: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Bryce Young was a massive disappointment in year one with Carolina. Would a change of scenery help his stock? For starters, he'd have an elite wide receiver option (Michael Pittman Jr.) to target, plus Jonathan Taylor to relieve some of the offensive pressure. The Colts viewed quarterback as their biggest need heading into this draft and they grabbed one of the top three options on paper.
5. Seattle Seahawks - Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
Original Pick: Witherspoon
The Seahawks love their lengthy, physical cornerbacks. Witherspoon was everything they hoped for when they spent a top-five pick on the Illinois product back in April. With 56 tackles, 16 passes defended, and one Pro Bowl selection, they aren't regretting their choice.
6. Arizona Cardinals - Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
Original Pick: Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State
Remember how easy it was for teams to run on Arizona in 2023? The team allowed a league-worst 143.2 yards per game on the ground. Plugging run-stuffing defensive tackle Jalen Carter into the center of their scheme would help immensely. Carter was phenomenal in Philadelphia in his rookie season and sits as the favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. He only slipped in the draft last April due to character concerns.
7. Las Vegas Raiders - Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
Original Pick: Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
Would the Raiders have preferred starting fourth-round rookie Aidan O'Connell for the majority of the season or Will Levis? The answer is probably the latter. O'Connell showed promise as a potential backup in the league. Levis flashed as a starting quarterback. Is he the seventh-best prospect in the draft? Absolutely not, and there's a chance he may not even pan out. But teams are desperate to find their next franchise quarterback.
8. Atlanta Falcons - Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
Original Pick: Robinson
When used correctly, Bijan Robinson proved that he can help the team win games. His prowess in the passing game makes him more of a weapon than the typical run-of-the-mill running back who's selected way too high. With Arthur Smith out of town, Robinson will be deployed correctly and prove to be worth this selection.
9. Philadelphia Eagles - Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
Original Pick: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
The Eagles are desperate for help in the secondary. They didn't have an answer for opposing passing games throughout the regular season (and sole playoff game). Adding Christian Gonzalez, who looked like an elite cornerback before his season-ending injury, would help mitigate some of the issues for the Eagles. Both starting cornerbacks, Darius Slay and James Bradberry, are in their 30s.
10. Chicago Bears - Darnell Wright, OL, Tennessee
Original Pick: Wright
In what appears to be a mediocre draft for offensive linemen, Darnell Wright ends up being the first beef boy up front to be selected. The Bears traded out of the top pick to add future draft capital and picked Wright to protect Justin Fields. He's been mostly solid and should be a staple of the Chicago offensive line for years to come.
Picks 11-20
11. Tennessee Titans - Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State
Original Pick: Peter Skoronski, OG, Northwestern
Paris Johnson, the original top offensive lineman selected, drops down into the double digits. The Titans need a desperate upgrade to protect the edges of the line. Johnson can play either tackle spot. Signs point to him being a longtime starter in the NFL, despite an up-and-down debut season.
12. Detroit Lions - Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
Original Pick: Gibbs
The Lions were enamored with Gibbs and were ready to draft the Crimson Tide product in the top six, ahead of Bijan Robinson. He is, and always was, their guy. General Manager Brad Holmes wanted a running back that complemented the running style of incoming veteran David Montgomery. Team brass would make this selection over and over again.
13. Green Bay Packers - Puka Nacua, WR, BYU
Original Pick: Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa
Lukas Van Ness had a quiet rookie season, although he was selected as more of a project. Then again, there weren't many expectations for Puka Nacua in year one either. Instead, the fifth-round pick broke the major rookie receiving records. Pairing Nacua with Jordan Love and bolstering the young wide receiver room would shoot the Green Bay offense to an elite level.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers - Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
Original Pick: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
The Steelers ended up getting Joey Porter Jr. with the first selection of the second round but he won't make it that far in this redraft. The son of Pittsburgh great Joey Porter allowed a reception on 46 percent of the passes thrown in his direction. The Steelers have to pay a higher price to continue the Porter legacy.
15. New York Jets - Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
Original Pick: Will McDonald, EDGE, Iowa State
The Jets were rated as one of the worst pass-blocking units in the league. Mekhi Becton has not proved to be a franchise cornerstone at the tackle position. 38-year-old Duane Brown was the other starting tackle on opening night. There isn't a bigger need for this team. Their original pick, Will McDonald, logged just three sacks and nine tackles in 15 games.
16. Washington Commanders - Tuli Tuipulotu, EDGE, USC
Original Pick: Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
Emmanuel Forbes was consistently a liability in the Washington secondary, so he's off the board now. The Commanders fielded the worst defense in the NFL, allowing 388.9 yards and 30.5 points per game. Tuipulotu was one of the bright spots for a struggling Chargers defense, logging 4.5 sacks and 37 tackles off of the edge.
17. New England Patriots - Jordan Addison, WR, USC
Original Pick: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas. That is a wide receiver room that lacks star power. Jordan Addison, in the shadow of Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson (for at least half of the season), topped 900 yards in his first year. That was with the carousel of Jaren Hall, Joshua Dobbs, and Nick Mullens under center. Even Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones would have been able to connect with Addison, allowing him to make plays downfield.
18. Detroit Lions - Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
Original Pick: Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
In this redraft, the Lions land one of their rookies again. This time, however, they'll have to pay up to claim Sam LaPorta. He neared 900 yards and quickly established himself as the second option, behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, in the Detroit passing game. With that kind of utilization and production, the Lions will gladly spend a first-round selection on their immediately elite tight end.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Peter Skoronski, OG, Northwestern
Original Pick: Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh
The Buccaneers protected their quarterback better in 2023, but run-blocking remained an issue. Skoronski started his rookie season strong, surrendering just one sack through 13 weeks. The end of the year was a bit more bumpy, but he proved that he's capable of being a plug-and-play guard on any offensive line.
20. Seattle Seahawks - Steve Avila, OG, TCU
Original Pick: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
Steve Avila turned into Iron Man in his first year in the league. The guard played every snap on the Rams offensive line, allowing just two sacks. He also contributed to the unit being graded as one of the five best run-blocking offensive lines, according to PFF. Taking a need here, instead of a luxury in Smith-Njigba, makes a lot more sense.
Picks 21-31
21. Los Angeles Chargers - Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
Original Pick: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
Los Angeles participated in a run on receivers in the real draft (and they're starting a mini-run in this version) but selected the wrong candidate. Johnston floundered in year one, even when given ample playing time after injuries to Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Zay Flowers immediately established himself as the top wide receiver threat in Baltimore. He'd flourish with Justin Herbert targeting him.
22. Baltimore Ravens - Tank Dell, WR, Houston
Original Pick: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
With Flowers gone, the Ravens turn to another diminutive wideout. Tank Dell burst onto the scene in 2023 with Houston and was on pace for a 1,000-yard campaign before suffering a season-ending leg injury in Week 13. The real-life third-round pick would play the role of Flowers to perfection.
23. Minnesota Vikings - Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
Original Pick: Jordan Addison, WR, USC
There's no denying Smith-Njigba's potential. He was not able to put up similar numbers as the wide receivers being selected ahead of him in this redraft because he's stuck behind two great wideouts (D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett) on a run-heavy team. In Minnesota, where passing comes with ease on Sundays, JSN would shine.
24. New York Giants - Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
Original Pick: Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
There wasn't a worse offensive line in football than the one in blue in New York. Injuries played a part but Evan Neal struggled (when healthy) at tackle. The selection of Jones would allow Neal to scoot inside and line up as a guard (which he did his freshman year at Alabama). Making this selection also allows New York to focus on skill position players later in the draft.
25. Buffalo Bills - Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
Original Pick: Kincaid
There's little reason to deviate here. Dalton Kincaid is a solid weapon for Josh Allen and tight ends almost always improve from their rookie season. The former Ute finished second on the team in receptions (73) and third in yards (673). He'll continue to be unlocked as the weapons around Allen change.
26. Dallas Cowboys - Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh
Original Pick: Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan
Defensive tackle was probably the correct need to address in the draft, but Mazi Smith did not make a difference in his rookie year. Kancey came on strong to end his debut campaign with 1.5 sacks and four tackles in two playoff games. Smith, meanwhile, was a part-time player and logged one sack in 18 games.
27. Jacksonville Jaguars - Brian Branch, S, Alabama
Original Pick: Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma
The Lions nailed their top picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. Gibbs and LaPorta have been discussed. Their other first-round pick, linebacker Jack Campbell, barely missed the cut for this article. Their second selection in round two was safety Brian Branch. He played the majority of his snaps as a roaming safety, often ending up in slot coverage. He's the type of player that would glue the Jaguars' porous defense together.
28. Cincinnati Bengals - O'Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida
Original Pick: Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson
O'Cyrus Torrence stepped right into being a starter for Buffalo as a second-round pick. Playing every offensive snap in every game, the ex-Florida Gator allowed two sacks. Guard was a weakness for the Bengals throughout the season. Torrence would also be a day-one starter there, protecting Joe Burrow instead of Josh Allen.
29. New Orleans Saints - Rashee Rice, WR, SMU
Original Pick: Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
Michael Thomas has proven time and time again that he can't stay healthy. That puts all of the onus on Chris Olave, with the occasional Rashid Shaheed deep shot worked in. Adding another polished route runner in Rashee Rice would help Derek Carr and the offense stay on the field on third downs and convert their red zone opportunities.
30. Philadelphia Eagles - Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
Original Pick: Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
One cornerback isn't enough. Deonte Banks started the first 15 games for the NFC East rival New York Giants in 2023. While not elite, their pass defense was markedly better than Philadelphia's. Banks snagged two interceptions, broke up six passes, and logged 53 tackles in year one. Pairing him with Christian Gonzalez would usher in a new era in Philly's secondary.
31. Kansas City Chiefs - De'Von Achane, RB, Texas A&M
Original Pick: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State
De'Von Achane may be on the offense that best fits his skill set in real life. A close second would be Kansas City. Andy Reid can scheme up some brilliant play designs to get the ball into the hands of the speedy running back. There wouldn't be any pressure on giving Achane more than he can handle with Isiah Pacheco still carrying the load. Achane can add some explosiveness to the offense that has been missing since Tyreek Hill left.
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