The 2023 NFL draft is upon us and is set to kick off in a week. The three-day event will run from Thursday, Apr. 27 through Saturday, Apr. 29. Not long after the completion of the draft, there will be the mad rush to sign undrafted free agents and begin the team’s rookie minicamps.
The quarterbacks will command most of the headlines with Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson, and Will Levis all jockeying for position at the top of round one.
The wildcard will be Hendon Hooker, who is coming off an ACL tear after posting Heisman-worthy numbers through 11 games. He completed 69.6% of his passes with 27 touchdowns to just 2 interceptions. The former Virginia Tech Hokie and Tennessee Vols passer is also older than most prospects, but if he can throw the ball then teams should be interested in locking him up for five seasons with a first-round pick.
The other major players to watch on day one include Jalen Carter, who has plenty of questions regarding the off the field stuff and his weight. Bijan Robinson is a premium talent at an under-valued position. Which team believes that they need to buck the trend and make him the highest-drafted runner since Saquon Barkley in 2017.
There are also plenty of edge rushers to monitor among the top 10 picks with Will Anderson Jr and Tyree Wilson leading the way in most mock drafts. Don’t forget about the cornerbacks, Devon Witherspoon and Christian Gonzalez should be heavily coveted to play on the backend of most NFL defenses.
As we march towards the NFL draft in Kansas City, College Sports Wire has one final mock draft before the festivities began. Check out who I project to be drafted with every selection over the first three rounds.