Early first-round projections for the 2023 NFL draft are already flooding in, and there appears to already be a consensus when it comes to the top two quarterback prospects in next year’s class.
But while Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young are the names most often seen competing for the No. 1 overall pick in those early forecasts, the latest 2023 NFL mock draft from CBS Sports goes in a different direction at the top.
In this projection, it’s Kentucky’s Will Levis that lands in the No. 1 spot, going to the Houston Texans.
Here’s what CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso had to say about the pick:
Levis feels like a quarterback who can eventually be the No. 1 overall pick. He’s big, chiseled, has a rocket for an arm and can scramble. The Texans will probably be in the quarterback market in a big way next offseason.
Stroud comes off the board at No. 3 overall to the Detroit Lions, while Young goes at No. 5 overall to the New York Giants. A fourth quarterback also cracks the top 10 in this projection, with Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke heading to the Carolina Panthers at No. 7 overall.
North Carolina State’s Devin Leary ends up with the Miami Dolphins at No. 17 overall, while Louisville’s Malik Cunningham (No. 26 overall, Seattle Seahawks) and Florida’s Anthony Richardson (No. 29 overall, Green Bay Packers) make it a whopping seven quarterbacks off the board in the top 32 picks.
To check out the full first-round projection at CBS Sports, click here.
[listicle id=637605]