2023 NFL Mock Draft: Cornerbacks Take Over the First Round
With the 2022 NFL Draft in the books, it is worth thinking about who might end up in the first round in 2023. On balance, next year’s class is probably more talented than this year’s group. One of the main differences is at quarterback, where players like C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young boast No. 1 overall potential in a way that this year’s passers did not. But the 2023 class also features some star defenders, exciting wide receivers, and other great players. This mock draft attempts to capture roughly where the class stands going into the summer of 2022.
1. Houston Texans – QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
After just one year, C.J. Stroud is considered among the best players the 2023 draft class has to offer.
Stroud heads into the 2022 season as QB1. As a redshirt freshman, he lit the college football world on fire to the tune of a 71.9% (317 of 441) completion percentage, 4,435 yards, and a 44:6 TD/INT ratio. He has the right frame, tremendous accuracy, and the wherewithal to keep his eyes down the field when he scrambles. The Texans would be thrilled to bring in Stroud, who is the best of a few quarterbacks in this class that have the potential to turn a franchise around.
2. Detroit Lions – QB Bryce Young, Alabama
Jared Goff’s performance in Detroit has been somewhat uninspiring, albeit for only one season, and if the Lions are picking at No. 2 in 2023, it probably means the team will be in the market for a quarterback. I’m not 100% on board the Young hype-train just yet, but he is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and deserves to be taken seriously as a top-tier quarterback prospect. The Alabama quarterback has impressive awareness and solid ball placement skills.
3. Atlanta Falcons – EDGE Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
If the Texans went best-player-available at No. 1, Anderson would be the pick. He is one of the most complete linebackers to come out of college in a few years, and for this Georgia native, the pick would be a homecoming. Anderson would fit right into Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees’ 3-4 defense; he’s quick and savvy enough on the edge to terrorize opposing quarterbacks in the passing game, but strong enough to shut down gaps against the run.
4. New York Jets – WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
After the Garrett Wilson pick this year, selecting Smith-Njigba here would be the second straight year that the Jets use a top-10 pick on an Ohio State wide receiver. Despite playing alongside two eventual first-round picks (Wilson and Chris Olave), Smith-Njigba was the best wide receiver on the Buckeyes last year. He is poised to do some more damage this season as C.J. Stroud’s No. 1 target. If Smith-Njigba’s performance in the Rose Bowl (15 catches for 347 yards and 3 TDs) is any indication of how he’ll fare in 2022, he’ll be off the board quickly.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars – WR Kayshon Boutte, LSU
LSU's Kayshon Boutte can be an excellent weapon to complement Trevor Lawrence in his second year.
The Jaguars owe it to Trevor Lawrence to bring in top-flight wide receivers, and Boutte easily fits the bill. He is a smooth route-runner who knows how to find the open spots in the coverage. Boutte could be the No. 1 receiver that the Jaguars have been looking for, and given the amount of investment the team has poured into Lawrence, it needs to get him a Boutte-caliber wideout sooner than later.
6. Carolina Panthers – DL Jalen Carter, Georgia
The consensus among talent evaluators is that Carter was the best defensive lineman on Georgia last year. This is despite the fact that three Bulldogs defensive linemen heard their name called in the first round this year, including No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker. Although the Panthers have a few solid defenders up front, they would be hard-pressed to pass on a player of Carter’s ability at this point in the selection process.
7. Seattle Seahawks – CB Clark Phillips III, Utah
Georgia’s Kelee Ringo and Alabama’s Eli Ricks have been going 1-2 at the cornerback position in a lot of early mock drafts, but this pick is exactly the sort of outside-the-box thing the Seahawks would do. Phillips is a Pac-12 standout originally from California, and the Seahawks have been moving away from the classic Legion-of-Boom mold for cornerbacks (bigger frame, above-average physicality). Phillips would slot right into the starting lineup for Seattle.
8. New York Giants – QB Tyler Van Dyke, Miami
I went back and forth between Van Dyke and Will Levis here, but ultimately decided to send Miami’s signal-caller to East Rutherford. Both are from the Northeast, both have big frames, and both put up solid numbers last season. In the end, Van Dyke seems to be more of the traditional, pocket-passing quarterback the Giants like to draft. And given that Van Dyke is younger, he has a bit more room to grow into his talent.
9. Chicago Bears – WR Jordan Addison, USC
The Bears have an urgent need at wide receiver, and drafting Velus Jones in the third round of the 2022 draft was not enough to address it. Addison was a shining star for Pittsburgh last year, and is now transferring to USC. He will be one of the most talented receivers in next year’s class. Similar to the rationale behind the Jaguars’ pick earlier, this selection would eliminate all excuses for Justin Fields.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers – OT Paris Johnson, Ohio State
Although he played guard to start his Buckeyes career, Paris Johnson is in the running for OT1 in 2023.
Kenny Pickett is in for a rough year with what the Steelers currently have on the offensive line. Adding Johnson, who is arguably the best tackle in the 2023 class, would be a big step toward keeping Pickett safe. After this year’s draft, the Steelers have an investment to protect, and the current Pittsburgh offensive line just isn’t going to cut it. Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski would also be a fine selection here.
11. Washington Commanders – CB Eli Ricks, Alabama
This is another potential landing spot for Will Levis, who falls out of the top 10 in this mock draft. Ricks, however, represents a refreshing infusion of youth into an aging Washington secondary. Between Ricks and Kelee Ringo, it is too early to tell which of the two (if either one of them) will emerge as the best draft-eligible cornerback in the SEC next year, but Ricks is admittedly quite solid.
12. Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans) – LB Noah Sewell, Oregon
The Eagles will have two selections in the first round next year, thanks to a trade they made with the Saints ahead of the 2022 draft. The team will look to address its aging linebacking corps and defensive backfield with these selections, and Sewell gets that process started off nicely. Sewell, who is the brother of Lions tackle Penei Sewell, might be the best player in the Pac-12 coming into this season.
13. Minnesota Vikings – EDGE B.J. Ojulari, LSU
Outside of the Ed Ingram pick in the second round, the Vikings’ strategy in the 2022 draft was clear: Rejuvenate the defense. Minnesota brought in three defensive backs and a linebacker in the first four rounds, but did not have enough draft capital to seriously address its aging defensive front. Ojulari is a versatile player whose exact position at the next level is not fully clear. Nevertheless, he would be a difference-maker on the defensive line, which is exactly what Minnesota needs.
14. Las Vegas Raiders – LB Henry To'o To'o, Alabama
Alabama has a few players on its roster that will be first-round picks in 2023. Aside from Will Anderson, To’o To’o is about as close to a lock as any of them. In selecting To’o To’o, the Raiders get a Day-1 starter whose explosiveness and short-range burst is lethal. He is not the best athlete in the class, but he is exactly what you might expect out of an Alabama linebacker: a disciplined defender who will beat blockers to the ball and make plays.
15. New England Patriots – CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia
Kelee Ringo stood out as a redshirt freshman in a sea of future NFL talent on Georgia's 2021 defense.
Although the Patriots would have loved To’o To’o with this pick, they would be excited to get Ringo here. A young cornerback who will only be a redshirt sophomore this year, Ringo made it to the coaches’ freshman All-SEC Team in 2021. He is best remembered for his National Championship-clinching pick-6 against Alabama at the end of the season, and he will need to follow up his successful redshirt freshman campaign with another big year. As it stands today, he is poised to be a first-rounder in 2023 if he comes out early.
16. Philadelphia Eagles – CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
Steelers legend Joey Porter’s son will probably be a first-round pick next year, and the Eagles look like a perfect fit. After picking up Noah Sewell with their first selection, the Eagles land the best player on Penn State’s roster—someone who also happens to fill a big need for the team. Porter is a tall, lanky corner with terrific range, and he has demonstrated the ability necessary to justify selection in the first round.
17. Miami Dolphins – QB Will Levis, Kentucky
With Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in town, the Dolphins need either to make the playoffs this year or start looking for a big-armed gunslinger to replace Tua Tagovailoa under center. Levis has as much arm talent as anyone in this class, and the current makeup of Miami’s roster would be a perfect fit for his skill set. Going to the Dolphins would be fantastic for Levis’s early career prospects.
18. Tennessee Titans – OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
Nothing lasts forever—not even Taylor Lewan’s time with the Titans. Tennessee is likely going to be in a position to start thinking about replacing their legendary left tackle with a cheaper, younger player going into the 2023 season, and Skoronski makes sense as that replacement. The Northwestern standout is a bit smaller than the ideal left tackle, but he has excelled on the field, and holds the unique distinction of being Northwestern’s first-ever five-star recruit out of high school.
19. Arizona Cardinals – EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson
Murphy has checked just about every box anyone could want an NFL draft prospect to check. He was a top-rated recruit coming out of high school. He has posted tremendous numbers at Clemson. And he has the size, speed, and athletic ability to be a difference-maker at the next level. If he falls to No. 19, he could be the steal of the first round.
20. Indianapolis Colts – CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU
Though he is undersized, Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson has been a star cover corner while at TCU.
In a quiet way, Hodges-Tomlinson has been among the best cornerbacks in the nation over the last couple of years. He earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2020 and 2021, and he has regularly graded out as elite in coverage. Like his uncle LaDainian Tomlinson, Hodges-Tomlinson has made his mark at TCU. He should hear his name called in the first round of the 2023 draft if he has another great season.
21. Baltimore Ravens – WR Dontay Demus Jr., Maryland
Lamar Jackson was not pleased when the Ravens traded away wideout Marquise Brown during the 2022 draft. This pick, however, would make Jackson happy. Demus is a hometown guy: he grew up in Washington, D.C. and is now a star at the University of Maryland. While he will need to rebound from a knee injury that sidelined him for most of the 2021 season, Demus is a 6-foot-4, 215-pound big-play threat who has first-round potential.
22. Cincinnati Bengals – TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
The Bengals will try to make things work with Hayden Hurst and Drew Sample at tight end this year, but players with Mayer’s skill set are few and far between at this position. Imagine arming Joe Burrow with Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and Mayer. The Bengals may as well take the best player available here, especially when their young quarterback is already on the cusp of superstardom.
23. Houston Texans (via Cleveland) – EDGE Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
With their franchise quarterback in tow, the Texans can move on to some other needs. McDonald is a player who is not getting nearly enough attention at this early juncture. He was the Big 12’s Co-Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2021 after breaking his own school record from 2020 for sacks in a single season. This Cyclone is first-round-bound.
24. Dallas Cowboys – S Jordan Battle, Alabama
Battle appears to be the best safety in the class. He was lights-out as a core member of Alabama’s vaunted defense last year, and his consistently solid play indicates that he should be able to keep his draft stock high in 2022. The addition of Battle could not come soon enough for Dallas, whose makeshift secondary might preclude them from a deep playoff run in the upcoming season.
25. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver) – C Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan
Olusegun Oluwatimi, a recent transfer from Virginia to Michigan, is poised for a big 2022 campaign.
If any center is going to sneak into the first round, it is likely Oluwatimi, who recently transferred from Virginia to Michigan for his final season. Oluwatimi has exactly the sort of size you would want to see at the center position, and his run-blocking ability would be helpful for a Seahawks team that may need to emphasize its ground game for a few seasons.
26. Los Angeles Chargers – WR Marvin Mims, Oklahoma
The Chargers should be doing everything in their power to maximize quarterback Justin Herbert’s potential. The team’s receiving corps needs depth, and Mims would add a No. 1-caliber wideout to the mix. He tracks the ball well and can do some harm as a ball-carrier. The Bills added Stefon Diggs for Josh Allen and the Bengals added Ja’Marr Chase for Joe Burrow—the Chargers should show a similar level of investment in their franchise quarterback.
27. Miami Dolphins (via San Francisco) – EDGE Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame
At the back end of the first round, Miami will have a few edge rushers from which to choose. Georgia’s Nolan Smith, Auburn’s Derick Hall, and Foskey come to mind, but Kansas State’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Pittsburgh’s Habakkuk Baldonado are also sleepers who could sneak into Day 1. Foskey has put up the numbers and boasts great size for the EDGE position. By the time he leaves Notre Dame, he’ll have been a three-year starter for the Irish worthy of a first-round look.
28. Detroit Lions (via LAR) – CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
Teams can never have too many cornerbacks, but the Lions are especially a team that may need to add depth at this position in next year’s draft. Smith is a physical, instinctive defensive back who blankets receivers and does a nice job with body positioning when the ball is in the air. Pro Football Focus ranked Smith as the second-best returning cornerback in college football for 2022 (behind Eli Ricks); he should open some eyes this year.
29. Green Bay Packers – G Emil Ekiyor, Alabama
Although the Packers could go in a number of directions with this pick, adding some interior offensive line help is a safe bet. Ekiyor looks like the top guard in the nation right now and could be playing on one of the best offenses in the country in 2022. He has started a bunch of games for the Crimson Tide and projects as a plug-and-play guard who can start in the NFL as a rookie.
30. Kansas City Chiefs – OT Zion Nelson, Miami
Between Nelson and Van Dyke, Miami’s offense could boast multiple first-rounders in 2023. Nelson has been a solid left tackle for the Hurricanes for a few years now, but he really turned it on in the second half of 2021 as a pass protector. Priority No. 1 for Kansas City is protecting quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and Nelson has demonstrated that he is capable of stonewalling the edge.
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – DL Bryan Bresee, Clemson
After selecting 3-4 defensive end Logan Hall in the second round of this year’s draft, the Buccaneers go back to the well and take another 3-4 defensive end to pair with Hall and Vita Vea. Bresee is as talented as any player in this class; he was the No. 1 overall recruit in his class coming out of high school and earned ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2020. He will need to rebound from an injury-plagued 2021 campaign to merit first-round consideration, but his ceiling is high.
32. Buffalo Bills – S Brandon Joseph, Notre Dame
After a strong career at Northwestern, Brandon Joseph should be a standout at Notre Dame in 2022.
Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde have formed one of the best safety tandems in the NFL over the last decade, but both may be nearing the end of their time in Buffalo. Given the structure of Poyer’s contract, he might not even be with the Bills by the time the 2023 draft rolls around. Joseph is a recent transfer from Northwestern and will look to follow in Kyle Hamilton’s footsteps as a first-round safety out of Notre Dame.
