Post Free Agency Two-Round Mock Draft: Top QB Prospect Falls
It's been a minute since our last 2023 NFL Draft mock and quite a bit has happened since then. Between trades, Free Agency Frenzy, pro days, rumors, and more the landscape of the NFL is drastically different. To celebrate, I have a fresh two-round 2023 NFL Draft mock for you.
The Carolina Panthers have officially traded away a fortune to obtain the rights to the first overall selection. While there could still be some movement for quarterbacks, I am unsure just how much change will be made between now and draft day. Hence, I only have one trade in this mock.
I won't spoil too much for you all, so let's take a look at my 2023 NFL Draft mock 4.0!
1. Carolina Panthers: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
The Panthers have mortgaged quite a bit to move up from the ninth pick to number one and take the quarterback of their preference. While they have stated they like all the quarterbacks in this class, many believe that Stroud is their guy. Between his natural arm talent and athleticism, Stroud is an easy prospect to fall for here.
2. Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
Young will remain a polarizing prospect due to his size and some injury concerns, but there is not a more talented quarterback prospect in this class than him. The Texans need a signal caller more than anything else and Young fits the bill. So long as he stays healthy, Young could become a Pro Bowl quarterback.
3. Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama
I debated trading this pick, but I decided for this mock to keep the Cardinals at the third pick and take the best player in the 2023 NFL Draft class. Anderson feels like a near-perfect prospect and new head coach and defensive mind Jonathan Gannon has to be drooling over the thought of adding him to his defense.
4. Indianapolis Colts: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
The Colts could decide to move up one spot with the Cardinals to secure their guy and make sure a team like the Falcons, the Raiders, or even the Titans doesn't try to jump them. But in this mock, they stay put and take Levis. Levis isn't everyone's cup of tea, but his combination of traits makes him one of the highest upside prospects across any position.
5. Seattle Seahawks: Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
Wilson was built in a lab and the Seahawks will love every detail about this athletic specimen. The Seahawks got decent production from their pass rush in 2023 in spite of their talent, but adding Wilson gives them a Bonafide ace pass rusher and a cornerstone on the defensive front-seven.
6. Detroit Lions: Jalen Carter, IDL, Georgia
Pound for pound (no pun intended), Carter is as talented as Will Anderson in this draft class, but his off-field is having many questioning his future. I stand firm that until something drastic happens that he will still be taken high in the 2023 NFL Draft and the Lions will have no problem having him slide into their laps. Placing him on the same defensive line as last year's second-overall pick Aidan Hutchinson is how you turn a unit into a strength.
7. Las Vegas Raiders: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
The Raiders could be in on a quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft and while Anthony Richardson is available, I believe the team will roll with Jimmy Garoppolo for this season and try to build the rest of the roster around him. The defensive side of the football needs playmakers and Gonzalez fits that bill as a large, shut-down cornerback with some ball-hawking ability.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Richardson is the definition of a boom-or-bust prospect and his upside could have him wind up being the top overall selection. The Falcons could consider moving up for his services, but in this mock, they lucked into him slipping a bit down the board here. Adding him to Arthur Smith's offense featuring Kyle Pitts and Drake London sounds like a great future.
9. Chicago Bears: Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
Thanks to a haul of trading down, including acquiring wide receiver D.J. Moore, the Bears find themselves in a situation where they can go with the best player available. A defender is enticing, but why not keep adding to Justin Fields's development by giving him some more protection? Johnson can play just about anywhere on the line and gives Fields the bodyguard he desperately needs.
10. Philadelphia Eagles: Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
Speaking of best player available, how about the Eagles taking an offensive lineman here? The offensive line was one of the biggest proponents of strength for the Eagles in 2022, but the loss of Isaac Seumalo will be much larger than many anticipate. Skoronski played tackle in college but projects as a high-level guard at the next level. Replacing Seumalo with Skoronski is about as seamless as it could be and will keep this offense firing hot.
11. Tennessee Titans: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
The Titans appear to be sellers for the 2023 season, so they need to focus on getting foundational pieces for the team moving forward. There's no better place to start doing that than the offensive line, and Jones is a guy who looks and feels like a Titan thanks to his ferocity in the run game.
12. Houston Texans: Myles Murphy, EGDE, Clemson
The Texans got their franchise quarterback with their first pick. With their next, DeMeco Ryans will surely be looking for his cornerstone on defense and Murphy fits that profile. The Texans lack a dynamic pass rusher currently and Murphy gives them just that.
13. Green Bay Packers: Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa
Trade
New York receives Aaron Rodgers
Green Bay receives picks 13 and 43
It is seemingly inevitable that Aaron Rodgers will be a Jet, so I don't see any reason to continue making mock drafts where he isn't a Jet and the Packers don't get the 13th pick (and maybe more) in return for him. The Packers need more pass rushers and Van Ness is a high-motor nightmare with his best football ahead of him.
14. New England Patriots: Brian Branch, S, Alabama
The Patriots have perhaps the worst wide receiver core in the league, but I anticipate the team to address the position outside of the first round. The retirement of Devin McCourty opens up a massive hole in the secondary, so why not draft his clone in Branch?
15. Green Bay Packers: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
Who TE1 in the 2023 NFL Draft class is up to debate, but Kincaid has been steadily climbing up boards for a while now. The sure-handed, highly-productive prospect feels like a safe bet at the position, and the Jordan Love era of Packers football would be wise to add him to the cast of pass catchers.
16. Washington Commanders: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
Witherspoon is a slighter cornerback at 181lbs., but he's a feisty cover man who few targeted in 2022. The Commanders haven't had a top cornerback in a long time, and Witherspoon can be just what the doctor ordered for this defense.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
And we're back to mocking this player to this team at this pick. It's simply poetry to place Porter Jr. on the team that his dad forged a legacy with and after losing Cameron Sutton in Free Agency, the need for a cornerback is bigger than it already was. This simply makes too much sense.
18. Detroit Lions: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
No one loves drafting tight ends in the first round more than the Lions, and Mayer fits the mold of the athletic big man with a high pass-catching upside that they love to draft. This offense was dynamic last season even after trading T.J. Hockenson away midseason, but getting another dynamic tight end into the folds feels appropriate.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
The Buccaneers have just two running backs on the roster currently and neither has the upside that Robinson possesses. Back when the league didn't devalue the position, Robinson would've been a top-five pick, or maybe even higher. Without certainty at quarterback, having a player to give the ball to 300+ times is a necessity and Robinson can be that bell cow.
20. Seattle Seahawks: O'Cyrus Torrence, IOL, Florida
The Seahawks' offensive line has been an Achilles heel for the team for years, but they got bookend tackles in last year's draft with Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas. Here, they continue to make that unit a point of strength by adding Torrence to plug-and-play at one of the guard spots.
21. Los Angeles Chargers: Calijah Kancey, IDL, Pittsburgh
I love me some Kancey and I am interested to see where the league loves him as an undersized but dominant interior defensive lineman. Pairing him on the same defensive line as Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack are what nightmares are made of for opposing offenses.
22. Baltimore Ravens: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
I don't care who is throwing the football for the Ravens in 2023 if the wide receiver room remains the way it is now. Smith-Njigba isn't the consensus WR1 in this year's class, but his refined route-running savviness will make him an early-impact player wherever he goes. JSN would step into the Ravens' receiving core and be the top guy across from Rashod Bateman.
23. Minnesota Vikings: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
Adam Thielen is gone and a running mate across from Justin Jefferson is of top priority right now. Johnston has the size, speed, and play-making ability to break defenses, and having one-on-one matchups across from Jefferson will make him a game-changer very early on.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
Trevor Lawrence has all the weapons he could ask for, but his protection could stand for more improvement. Wright is a popular name in draft circles right now and he would be a plug-and-play starter at right tackle for the team to keep Lawrence upright and this offense clicking.
25. New York Giants: Jordan Addison, WR, USC
Adding Darren Waller doesn't fix the wide receiver position for the Giants, but Addison would go a long way in shoring up the position. The 2021 Fred Biletnikoff Award winner is a deadly receiver after the catch who can help open up this offense and take it to the next level under Brian Daboll.
26. Dallas Cowboys: Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
The Cowboys boasted one of the league's most ferocious pass rushes in 2022 headlined by Micah Parsons. After trading for Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks, the Cowboys can continue to add depth and talent to the pass rush with the athletic marvel that is Smith. He and Parsons may play similarly, but you won't complain when they are dominating the sack numbers.
27. Buffalo Bills: Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas
Tremaine Edmunds is officially out of Buffalo and the Bills need to get his heir apparent. Sanders turned in a marvelous 2022 season and could be an instant and near-seamless replacement for Edmunds on this defense next to Matt Milano.
28. Cincinnati Bengals: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
Devin Asiasi is the tight end on the Bengals roster right now and it's highly likely the team will want to add a premier talent at the position. Washington is built like a power forward and has the receiving prowess that would make him a matchup nightmare at the next level.
29. New Orleans Saints: Bryan Bresee, IDL, Clemson
It's difficult to nail Bresee's draft value, but putting him on a defensive line with Cameron Jordan would be hard to pass up. The Saints have needed a running mate for Jordan for a while and Bresee is one of the highest-upside talents the team has available here.
30. Philadelphia Eagles: Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
Banks' draft stock is soaring currently and the Eagles will gladly snatch him up at the end of the first round. While the team did successfully bring back James Bradbury and Darius Slay, depth and more importantly youth are needed at the position. Developing Banks behind two All-Pro cornerbacks is too tantalizing to pass up.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
Jones is a massive human being and will remind many of former Chief Orlando Brown Jr. Unlike Brown, Jones won't have any issues playing a right tackle across from Jawaan Taylor to give the Chiefs two massive, athletic bookend tackles for this offense.
