What to Know About the First 10 Picks of the 2023 NFL Draft
The 2023 NFL Draft got underway on Thursday evening with Round 1 action that hardly played out the way that anyone drew up.
Some of the selections -- especially the first two -- went according to the vast majority of the projections but it didn't take long for the trades to start and for some surprises to happen.
Here's a look into how the first 10 picks of the 2023 NFL Draft played out and what to know about each player:
1. Carolina Panthers: QB Bryce Young, Alabama.
For the first pick of the first round, the Carolina Panthers picked University of Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. For a lot of people, this was no shock. Young has been a buzz around conversations since the start of his senior year.
Since the Panthers ended the 2022 season with a 7-10 record, it makes complete sense for them to take a quarterback to enhance their offense. Pre-season practice will be sure to set the stage for who will start in the fall.
Since the hype around Bryce Young and his fresh talent is so high, there is a possibility for Baker Mayfield's position to be swiped by a rookie.
2. Houston Texans: QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State.
The second pick went to the Houston Texans with quarterback CJ Stroud from Ohio State University. While it is unusual for the first two picks of the draft to be quarterbacks, a plethora of colleges have graduating seniors in the draft portal who are guaranteed to add new talent to NFL offense.
As an excited new addition to the Texans, Stroud proudly told the reporter how he felt about his next career steps.
"Everything I've been through has prepared me for this moment."
After posting a 3-13 record at the end of the 2022 season, there could be a possibility of the NFL rookie taking the place of current starting quarterback Davis Mills for the Texans. Stroud's future is looking very bright.
3. Houston Texans (via Arizona Cardinals): LB Will Anderson Jr., Alabama.
Pick number three had an unexpected turn when the Arizona Cardinals decided to trade the third pick to the Texans. Having a consecutive pick early on, the Texans decided to continue to strengthen their defense by taking linebacker Will Anderson Jr. from Alabama.
For Alabama, having two out of the first three picks shows how much talent is coming from the school year in and year out (something that's been a trend for several years) and is definitely something to be highlighted from this draft.
4. Indianapolis Colts: QB Anthony Richardson, Florida.
Another pick, another quarterback. Finishing out with a 4-12-1 final record last season, the Colts are among a few teams in the NFL who may need to reconsider a new structure in their offense in order to secure more wins next season.
Without consistency at the position in Indianapolis, it would not be unsurprising to see Richardson slide into the starting role early, though his tape reflects that there is still plenty of room for improvement.
With teams like the Colts who were willing to take a quarterback, that does leave question about the other quarterbacks that are still on the table such as Hendon Hooker, Will Levis, and Tanner McKee.
5. Seattle Seahawks: CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois.
Witherspoon becomes the first defensive player to come off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft with this one, landing with a team that went 9-8 overall last season with the secondary up high on the list of areas for improvement.
Witherspoon finished out the 2022 season with 42 combined tackles (33 solo) and three interceptions.
6. Arizona Cardinals (via Detroit Lions): OL Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State.
There are a lot of theories as to why the Cardinals chose to give up such an early pick for another early pick, but either way, they picked up who they needed to give their quarterback some added protection.
And there's a bit of a personal connection.
"My dad played for the Cardinals," said Johnson in reaction to his pick. "I told my mom I wanted to be bigger and better." How the younger Johnson progresses will be something to watch.
7. Las Vegas Raiders: DE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech.
The seventh pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, made by the Las Vegas Raiders, was a Texas Tech product on the defensive side of the ball. Although the Raiders didn't have an amazing 2022 season with lots of room for improvement, they should see an instant upgrade to the defensive line with the addition of Wilson.
Wilson finished the 2022 season with 61 total tackles (36 solo), seven sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
8. Atlanta Falcons: RB Bijan Robinson, Texas.
Robinson was heralded as potentially one of the best prospects for the 2022 NFL Draft regardless of position, but an injury kept him out of the action. His stock remained just as high with one more season though as he found a place in the top 10 as the first rusher off the board.
Robinson finished out the 2022 season with 1,580 rushing yards and 18 scores on the ground on 258 carries.
9. Philadelphia Eagles: DT Jalen Carter, Georgia.
Last year, Georgia players were taken a lot earlier after they won the national championship and had a few seniors open to be drafted. This year, they were picked early, but a little bit later then lat year.
For Carter, being picked this early is an incredible honor and his is nothing less than excited to be a new addition to the Eagles.
"I told them they got the best player on the job" was his response when being asked about his his personal preference of potentially being an Eagle when in communication with them earlier this year.
10. Chicago Bears: OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee.
All things in offensive success begin and end with the offensive line -- precisely the unit the Bears decided to address first in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Bears were 3-14 last season, so adding some protection to their quarterback is a good strategy in improving for the following season.
With many more picks to be had in the next six rounds of the event, there is still a plethora of talent available at multiple positions, including SEC quarterbacks Will Levis (Kentucky) and Hendon Hooker (Tennessee), who are expected to find their NFL homes on Day 2.
