2023 NFL Draft: Grading the Jaguars and Other 1st-Round Picks
The 2023 NFL Draft is here. The picks are set to roll in, and the takes are ready to be delivered.
Follow along with us below as we break down every single draft pick, from the Carolina Panthers at No. 1 to the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 24 and the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 31.
No. 1: Carolina Panthers (via Chicago Bears): QB Bryce Young, Alabama
Sending so much draft capital to move up for a quarterback who will be a complete outlier if he hits is bold. I think Bryce Young is the best quarterback in an imperfect class, though, and few franchises needed a facelift at the position more than the Panthers.
Grade: B+
No. 2: Houston Texans: QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
Whewwwww. The Texans land the safest quarterback in the draft, giving themselves a perfect scheme fit as a rhythmic pocket passer. This was the right pick, and the Jaguars have a new foe.
Grade: A
No. 3: Houston Texans (via Arizona Cardinals): EDGE Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
One of the two best players in the draft class, Will Anderson is a pro-ready pass-rusher who has double-digit sack potential as a rookie. Protecting Trevor Lawrence just got that much more important.
Grade: A+
No. 4, Indianapolis Colts: QB Anthony Richardson, Florida
The Colts had to take a swing at the quarterback position. Richardson has his question marks, particularly when it comes to his accuracy, but he is a different tier of passer and processor than Will Levis. This was the right pick.
Grade: A
No. 5: Seattle Seahawks: CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
I love Devon Witherspoon, but taking him over Tyree Wilson and Jalen Carter is hard for me to square. This cornerback class is deep enough that they didn't need to take their cover man here.
Grade: C+
No. 6: Arizona Cardinals (via Detroit Lions): OT Paris Johnson, Jr.
The Cardinals basically got a free first-round pick to not take Will Anderson. That has to be factored into the grade here, even if Paris Johnson is a bit of a mixed bag in terms of pro ready impact.
Grade: B
No. 7: Las Vegas Raiders: EDGE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
Taking a pass-rusher here is a better bet than going with Will Levis or a cornerback. An offensive tackle could have made some sense, but Wilson is a legit freak who compares well to Travon Walker.
Grade: B
No. 8: Atlanta Falcons: RB Bijan Robinson, Texas
Bijan Robinson rules ... but this value is horrible. Jalen Carter has his issues, but what about Lukas Van Ness or a cornerback here?
Grade: D+
No. 9: Philadelphia Eagles (via Chicago Bears): DL Jalen Carter, Georgia
Best talent in the draft. Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis is an absolute bonkers duo.
Grade: A+
No. 10: Chicago Bears (via Philadelphia Eagles): OL Darnell Wright, Tennessee
My favorite offensive lineman in the class, Darnell Wright can play multiple positions along the offensive line. For the Bears, he can walk in and anchor the right tackle spot from Day 1.
Grade: A+
No. 11: Tennessee Titans: OL Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
I am not sure how much he will do to elevate the Titans' general talent issue, but he is a safe prospect who you can try out at tackle before putting him at guard. It is a solid pick.
Grade: B+
No. 12: Detroit Lions: RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
Are the Lions okay?
Grade: F-
No. 13: Green Bay Packers (via New York Jets): EDGE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
This is a great pick for the Packers. Van Ness isn't a finished product but he is a freak athlete who can play inside/outside. Ideal scenario for them.
Grade: A
No. 14: Pittsburgh Steelers (via New England Patriots): OL Broderick Jones, Georgia
The Steelers move up for the only bonafide first-round tackle talent left. He is raw, but he will bring a dynamic skill-set to Pittsburgh's front and ensures that they didn't get sniped for a tackle.
Grade: B
No. 15: New York Jets (via Green Bay Packers): EDGE Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
This is a bold one. I like McDonald's game, but adding him over Nolan Smith and Myles Murphy is a wild pick.
Grade: D+
No. 16: Washington Commanders: CB Emmanuel Forbes, Miss. State
Whoah! Taking Forbes here over Gonzalez is a bold move. Forbes has elite ball skills but he is a true outlier due to his size.
Grade: C+
No. 17: New England Patriots (via Pittsburgh): CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
One of the strangest draft slides ends. He isn't a great tackler, but he is a freak athlete and one of the youngest players in the entire draft.
Grade: A+
No. 18: Detroit Lions: LB Jack Campbell, Iowa
The Lions are VERY unwell right now. What an odd draft on so many levels.
Grade: F
No. 19: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Pittsburgh DL Calijah Kancey
I would like to see what Tampa's plans are for Kancey, but on the surface he doesn't make much sense for Tampa Bay and their scheme. This is an odd pick.
Grade: D-
No. 20: Seattle Seahawks: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
The Seahawks get solid value and land the top wide receiver in the class at the same time. They have set Geno Smith up well to continue his ascend up the quarterback rankings.
Grade: A
No. 21: Los Angeles Chargers: WR Quentin Johnston, TCU
I get the appeal to Johnston, but the Chargers passed on some quality cornerbacks and pass-rushers to make this pick.
Grade: C
No. 22: Baltimore Ravens: WR Zay Flowers, Boston College
The Ravens did the right thing and paid Lamar Jackson. Now, they ensure he will never have another subpar wide receiver group.
Grade: B+
No. 23: Minnesota Vikings: WR Jordan Addison, USC
In terms of fit, this one makes a lot of sense. Jordan Addison is a great skill-set pairing with Justin Jefferson, though the Vikings did pass on several top-notch cornerback prospects.
Grade: B-
No. 24: New York Giants: CB Deonte Banks, Maryland
One of the best athletes in the class, Deonte Banks can step in and be a CB1 early in his career.
Grade: A
No. 25: Buffalo Bills: TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah
I know Buffalo needed a weapon, but they took the third-best tight end, and took one who is an older prospect with a back injury issue. That is a tough pick to justify.
Grade: D-
No. 26: Dallas Cowboys: DL Mazi Smith, Michigan
Mazi Smith is solid, but with so many other impact players on the board, a run-stuffer doesn't make much sense to me here.
Grade: C
No. 27: Jacksonville Jaguars: OT Anton Harrison, Oklahoma
Jaguars had other options at pass-rusher (Nolan Smith, Myles Murphy) and defensive back (Brian Branch, Joey Porter Jr.) but they still land a productive and athletic pass-blocker, which was always a best-case scenario for the first round.
Grade: B+
No. 28: Cincinnati Bengals: EDGE Myles Murphy
One of the last pass-rushers left on the board with first-round traits, Myles Murphy is one of the most reliable defenders in the draft.
Grade: B+
No. 29: New Orleans Saints: DL Bryan Bresee, Clemson
With all of the other cornerbacks and Nolan Smith still on the board, this is a pick that is a big, big reach.
Grade: D
No. 30: Philadelphia Eagles: EDGE Nolan Smith, Georgia
A swiss army knife who can do anything and everything for a defense. I love this fit.
Grade: A
No. 31: Kansas City Chiefs: EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
Taking an athletic pass-rusher is never a bad move at the bottom of the first round.
Grade: B
