Just 10 days remain until the 88th annual edition of the 2023 NFL draft, which kicks off on April 27 and runs until April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. With the selection order firmly in place, the sports media has been publishing its respective mock drafts including USA TODAY Sports’ Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, who released his latest mock draft on Monday with less than two weeks remaining.
The first Gator off Middlehurst-Schwartz’s board is quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag], who lands with the Indianapolis Colts with the fourth-overall pick. Here is what he had to offer on the former Gator’s potential near the top of the draft.
Owner Jim Irsay summed up the current moment in the draft process with a seemingly meaningless tweet Sunday, leaving fans to decipher any intention behind how he decided to order the photos of the top four quarterbacks in the draft. Richardson earns this spot not due to Irsay placing him first among those photos, but instead for the remarkable potential he would bring to a franchise burned out on short-term solutions. If this pairing does materialize, it would be a boon to both Richardson and coach Shane Steichen, whose track record suggests he’d do a fine job of making use of the 6-4, 244-pounder’s dazzling deep passing and singular mobility.
The second Florida alumnus selected is offensive lineman [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag], who sneaks into the first round with the Philadelphia Eagles with the No. 30 pick overall. Here is Middlehurst-Schwartz’s take on the big man from the bayou.
Philadelphia seems like a strong candidate to trade out of this slot, but if the team stands pat, Howie Roseman doesn’t need to be sold on adding more talent along the offensive line. The 6-5, 330-pound Torrence would help the Eagles prepare for the looming post-Jason Kelce future by solidifying the right guard spot and allowing Cam Jurgens to eventually take over at center.
The most recent UF alumni taken in the first round of the draft are cornerback [autotag]Kaiir Elam[/autotag] (2022, No. 23), tight end [autotag]Kyle Pitts[/autotag] (2021, No. 4), wide receiver [autotag]Kadarius Toney[/autotag] (2021, No. 20) and cornerback [autotag]CJ Henderson[/autotag] (2020, No. 9).
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