2023 NFL Mock Draft: Levis Steam, Fallers, and The Most Unpredictable Draft In Recent Memory
Most years, by the week of the draft, we have a reasonable consensus of what teams will do at the top of the board. We have had a few surprises in the last few years (Henry Ruggs as the top WR, Justin Fields falling to 11, the Raiders taking Clelin Ferrell, etc.), but at this stage, almost nothing would surprise me. The betting markets have swung wildly on what the Texans will do at No. 2, and NFL insiders are reporting that the Cardinals will likely trade the No. 3 pick. The rest of the first round will change texture depending on what happens there. We now even have steam on Will frickin’ Levis going first overall!
Here is my only mock draft for the 2023 NFL Draft first round!
2023 First-Round NFL Mock Draft
- Bryce Young – QB – Carolina Panthers
This one writes itself. The Texans wanted Bryce Young but could not develop the proper trade package to secure him. Even with late steam on Levis, this pick makes the most sense. The Panthers are 100% taking a QB, and it does not sound like Stroud is their guy.
- CJ Stroud – QB – Houston Texans
This is the pick that has most been clouded in mystery. We have heard reports that the Texans have Levis as their No. 2 QB and that they might take Tyree Wilson or Will Anderson. I am not buying any of it. They can’t have another year of Davis Mills.
- Will Anderson Jr. – EDGE – Arizona Cardinals
This pick is where the fanfic starts to take off with all sorts of teams coming up to get Levis or Anthony Richardson, but again, inertia is a powerful force, and there is a chance that we are over-projecting this QB class.
- Will Levis – QB – Indianapolis Colts
I feel the shakiest about which QB the Colts prefer between Richardson and Levis. I get the sense that Shane Steichen is probably an AR guy, but the front office and Jim Irsay 1000% seem like Levis’s believers. While it is insane to think of all four of these relatively average QB prospects going in the top ten of the 2023 NFL Draft, this is where all the smoke in the betting markets is heading.
- Anthony Richardson – QB – Seattle Seahawks
Sign Geno Smith to a deal that rewards him for his above-average play in 2022, get Richardson in the building to learn how to be an NFL QB for a year, and then change the direction of your franchise. Easy enough. Geno’s contract has an out after one year.
- Tyree Wilson – EDGE – Detroit Lions
The Lions had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season and can use talent at any position across the entire starting 11. Wilson seems like an option for the Cardinals at No. 3 as well.
- Devon Witherspoon – CB – Las Vegas Raiders
Not a super-ideal size for a corner, but largely considered the best CB prospect in the class with Christian Gonzalez. Seems like a coin flip between those two guys here.
- Bijan Robinson – RB – Atlanta Falcons
I don’t know what to tell you if you think Arthur Smith will look a generational RB prospect in the face and not take him. Prepare yourself for the anger because it is happening.
- Paris Johnson Jr. – OT – Chicago Bears
A ready-made starter for the worst offensive line in football, Jalen Carter is a realistic option. Still, the priority should be helping Justin Fields stay off his ass in Year Three.
- Jalen Carter – DT – Philadelphia Eagles
Again, Gonzalez is probably the best talent on the board, but the Eagles have their top two corners and need more help on the defensive line. Carter is a faller for off-the-field reasons.
- Christian Gonzalez – CB – Tennessee Titans
The Titans would love to see a faller between Levis or Richardson, and Peter Skoronski is another option, but the Titans’ defense is so poor that it is hard to see them passing up on a stud corner.
- Nolan Smith – EDGE – Houston Texans
If the Texans do not select Jaxon-Smith Njigba, they will likely go with Nolan Smith to shore up a putrid pass rush. They are good at OT, so it makes sense to pass.
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba – WR – Green Bay Packers
In my fictional world, the Packers will make the first hilarious selection of the 2023 NFL Draft and finally spend a first-round pick on a wide receiver after trading Ayahusaca Aaron to the Jets.
- Peter Skorosnki – OT – New England Patriots
Good luck figuring out what the Patriots will do in the draft. However, their offensive line stinks and the betting markets/mock drafters love Skoronski. He would be a win for the Pats here.
- Darnell Wright – OT – New York Jets
The Jets have to settle for Wright, who most evaluators have projected as a Day One starter at right tackle. This is a small win for Aaron Rodgers and the Jets in Round 1.
- Broderick Jones – OT – Washington Commanders
The Commanders are one of the biggest wildcards in the 2023 NFL Draft. They could take a QB, a WR, or even trade down from this spot, but there is no denying they need offensive line help.
- Joey Porter – CB – Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers miss out on the top four tackles in this draft and have to call an audible to select the cornerback from Penn State. They could theoretically wait until pick 32 to take a CB, but Porter is a good fit for an awful DB room.
- Quentin Johnston – WR – Detroit Lions
Alright, I am going off the board here. The Lions have Amon-Ra St. Brown as their every-down slot WR for the foreseeable future but have serious questions about whether they can rely on Jameson Williams. Dalton Kincaid is another realistic option, but they are starting the season counting on Marvin Jones and Josh Reynolds to play 60% or more of the snaps. I like this fit as Johnston fills in the vacated Chark role.
- Lukas Van Ness – EDGE – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Again, the Bucs will pounce if we see any QB slide between Levis, Stroud, or Richardson. If they stay at 19, Van Ness is the highest-rated prospect left on the board, and the Bucs like to rotate their available EDGE rushers.
- Myles Murphy – EDGE – Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks seem like a team primed for a trade-down, but those permutations are so hard to work out, and their most significant draft need is at EDGE. Joe Tippmann is another possibility.
- Jordan Addison – WR – Los Angeles Chargers
We keep hearing that the NFL is relatively down on this WR class, but I don’t see how the Chargers can pass up the heir to Keenan Allen’s slot role here. Williams and Allen have been banged up so frequently that Addison is also nice insurance.
- Emmanuel Forbes – CB – Baltimore Ravens
If this was a great WR class, you could easily see Zay Flowers or Jalin Hyatt going here, but it seems the NFL doesn’t love the guys the fantasy football nerds do. Deonte Banks is the “top available” CB here but insiders with more information think Forbes is an excellent fit for the Ravens.
- Calijah Kancey – IDL – Minnesota Vikings
A defensive lineman or CB feels like the pick, and Kancey is generally rated higher across boards than Deonte Banks. This is a coin-flip selection.
- Deonte Banks – CB – Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags are looking strong on offense with the incoming addition of Calvin Ridley, and the EDGE players are picked through by now. They would like a long-term starter opposite of Tyson Campbell.
- Joe Tippmann – Center – New York Giants
The Giants have zero natural centers on the roster, so this is pretty much the most natural pick of the draft. Even if first-round interior OL doesn’t happen that often, it fills the Giants’ roster perfectly.
- Michael Mayer – TE – Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are down to second-year TEs Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot at TE. They also hope Michael Gallup can bounce back as their 3rd WR, but there is no denying that TE is a massive hole. All the rumors are that the Cowboys are enamored with the Notre Dame Tight End.
- Drew Sanders – LB – Buffalo Bills
The Bills are the team most consistently mocked to take a WR in the back half of the first round, and Flowers/Downs/Hyatt are all appealing here. However, they need both linebackers and offensive line help. With no clear option at right tackle on the board, the Bills make a slight reach and take a long-term LB starter.
- Darnell Washington – TE – Cincinatti Bengals
If you need a right tackle and a tight end, why not take a guy who is a right tackle at tight end? The Bengals must get Joe Burrow to stop taking sacks and add someone who can develop as Tyler Boyd fades while filling in Hayden Hurst’s 545 snaps from 2022. This is way higher than the consensus for Washington, but it is a perfect fit. Dalton Kincaid is higher rated on boards, but Washington is me calling my shot.
- Will McDonald – EDGE – New Orleans Saints
A wide receiver and interior DL are needed for New Orleans, but EDGE is their most significant. They lost several defensive linemen in free agency, and McDonald is a lucky snag for them at pick 29.
- Brian Branch – Safety – Philadelphia Eagles
It is not a great year to need a safety, and the Eagles could easily take another defensive lineman here (or Jahmyr Gibbs to own the libs). Branch is the best safety in the class and can also play nickel CB.
- Zay Flowers – WR – Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs end Day 1 of the NFL Draft with a bang. They got nothing from Skyy Moore last year, and Kadarius Toney looks like a part-time player. Travis Kelce will be 34 next year, and they cannot rely on Patrick Mahomes to do everything himself for the next five years. Flowers reportedly worked out with Mahomes a few weeks ago. Wheels up!
