With Super Bowl LVII in the rearview mirror, the focus of the football world now shifts to the 2023 NFL draft. In his latest first-round mock draft for ESPN, Todd McShay has projected two Florida Gators to have their name called on Thursday, April 27.
[autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] is projected to be the No. 9 overall pick and head to the Carolina Panthers as the first draft pick in new head coach Frank Reich’s tenure with the NFC South team. According to McShay, the Gainesville native would be the fourth quarterback taken in the first ten picks, after Bryce Young (No. 1 to the Colts in a projected trade), C.J. Stroud (No. 2 to the Texans), and Will Levis (No. 7 to the Raiders).
Here is part of what McShay says about Richardson going No. 9 overall to the Panthers:
Carolina was brutal under center last season, though Sam Darnold flashed a bit down the stretch. The Panthers might opt to bring him back, but they likely wouldn’t — and shouldn’t — stop there. Richardson will not be ready to start right away after just 13 college starts and with some rawness to his game, but his potential is off the charts. He has the arm. He has the rushing ability. And he has the 6-foot-4, 232-pound frame. Scouts are fascinated by his upside. It’d just come down to whether the Panthers believe they can fix his accuracy woes and develop his game to capitalize on those physical traits. Maybe they fall in love with another QB and try to move up, but if not, don’t be surprised if they’re the ones to reach for Richardson (my No. 36 prospect).
In addition to Richardson, McShay is projecting [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] at No. 16 overall to the Dallas Cowboys. McShay’s mock draft has Torrence as the No 4 offensive tackle taken, but the No. 1 interior offensive lineman taken, with the other three linemen off the board playing tackle. This makes sense, as Torrence was named a consensus All-American last season at offensive guard.
Here is some of what McShay had to say about Torrence heading to the NFC East:
Torrence has allowed just two sacks over 47 career starts and more than 1,400 pass-block snaps. With Connor McGovern’s contract expiring, there is a hole on Dallas’ offensive line, and Torrence is a brick wall against power rushers. He looked great at the Senior Bowl two weeks ago, too.
The Orange and Blue are almost certain to extend their streak of having at least one player taken in every single NFL draft since the AFL-NFL merger — an SEC record. If McShay’s mock draft comes true, it would extend the Gators’ streak of having at least one player taken in the first round to four years. It would also mark ten out of eleven seasons that a Florida Gators player is taken in the first round.
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