Tag: 2023 mock draft

Cowboys return to LB well deep in first round in latest ESPN 2023 mock draft

In their most recent mock, ESPN has the Cowboys loading up on linebacker at a late pick that suggest a deep playoff run for Dallas in 2022. | From @CDBurnett7

Two months removed from the 2022 NFL draft, eyes of scouts and analysts are now honed in on the 2023 class. Dallas evenly reinforced both sides of the ball with their 2022 haul, but one position still looms large as a developmental group.

There’s no doubt that Micah Parsons will continue to be a superstar for years to come. That’s the good news. The bad news is the rest of the linebacker group has question marks surrounding them. Leighton Vander Esch returned on a one-year prove-it deal to offer some continuity, but his injury history is one where a team would be foolish to count on another full healthy campaign. Jabril Cox looked as if he would take over the spot next to Parsons when Jaylon Smith was released, but he suffered a season-ending ACL injury. The Cowboys selected LSU linebacker Damone Clark with the No. 176 pick but he’s on a long road back from spinal fusion surgery and it’s safe to say Dallas will take their time with him.

The Cowboys may be waiting to see the solution at linebacker and ESPN’s Matt Miller attacks this discrepancy in his recent 2023 mock.

30. Dallas Cowboys

Noah Sewell, ILB, Oregon*

Sewell’s play at Oregon has been amazing to watch as he developed into a true three-down defender. The 6-foot-3, 251-pounder has elite size to go along with great quickness and processing speed. And we can’t forget to mention his versatility. As is becoming so important, he’s as good rushing the quarterback as he is playing in coverage.

Fitting with the big need, Miller has Dallas taking the standout from Oregon. Sewell is entering his third year as a Duck after earning Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2020 and First-team All-Pac-12 in 2021. The younger brother of Lions offensive lineman Penei, Sewell finished with 114 total tackles and four sacks last season.

Beyond the selection itself, ESPN’s FPI has the Cowboys selecting at No. 30, just a pick behind the Super Bowl matchup. If that prediction is right, Dallas would be playing in their First NFC championship game in 26 years. That being the case, Sewell would be a nice consolation prize after their best playoff run of the millennium.

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ESPN 2023 mock draft has Dolphins selecting a RB and an Army defender

No Army player has been selected in the first round since 1947.

We’re in the middle of the dog days of the NFL offseason, as teams have finished up their OTAs and minicamps, and training camps are still a few weeks away.

Many are taking this opportunity to look toward the future and predict what will happen beyond this season. ESPN’s Matt Miller is following a number of his peers, as he’s released a very early 2023 mock draft. The Miami Dolphins have two selections next year, and with those picks, Miller has them drafting Texas running back Bijan Robinson and Army defensive end Andre Carter II.

This is not the first time Robinson has been mocked to Miami, as Draft Wire also had him the Longhorn back going to the Dolphins in their early mock draft.

Here’s what Miller wrote about Robinson:

“Yes, Mel Kiper, I’m putting a running back in the top 15, but this one deserves it. Robinson is a game-changer with fantastic contact balance, power and speed, and he can even make plays in the passing game. He had 1,422 yards from scrimmage and 15 total touchdowns last season. He is a throwback to a player such as Curtis Martin or a souped-up Matt Forte. For a Dolphins team that wants to be a contender in the AFC East, Robinson represents a clear-cut answer to a problem that has existed for far too long.”

Carter II, who shares no relation to former NFL defensive end Andre Carter, was extremely impressive in 2021 for Army. He recorded 44 tackles (17 for a loss), 15.5 sacks and four forced fumbles.

Here’s what Miller wrote about Carter II:

“It has been a long time since we’ve talked about a service-academy player in the draft, but Carter is a three-down menace to offenses. With a 6-foot-7 frame, he’s long, powerful and savvy in space. Don’t be shocked if he becomes the first Army player selected in the first round since 1947, two years after World War II ended. With 15.5 sacks last season to go with length and power, he has lived up to the hype so far.”

Adding both of these players could significantly help the Dolphins on both sides of the ball, but we have a full season to play before they decide which direction they’ll go in the 2023 draft.

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2023 NFL mock draft: Could 5 QBs land in the top 10?

This early first-round projection for the 2023 NFL draft is loaded with quarterbacks at the top

It’s never too early to project the first round of next year’s draft, and the latest 2023 NFL mock draft to hit the digital shelves comes from Matt Miller at ESPN, a forecast with tons of top passers coming off the board early.

Miller may have loaded up on quarterbacks in the top 10, but the first one doesn’t come off the board until the No. 5 pick, where the Atlanta Falcons land Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. The next one comes at No. 7 overall, where the Carolina Panthers opt for Alabama’s Bryce Young.

These picks are intriguing, considering the fact that both the Falcons and Panthers just spent third-round picks in this year’s draft on quarterbacks (Desmond Ridder, Matt Corral). It’s hard to imagine either team seeing enough from those rookies this season to be willing to make an adequate assessment of their abilities as potential franchise passers. That said, it might be equally challenging for those teams to pass up top talent like Stroud and Young, should they fall into their lap.

At No. 8 overall, Miller sends Kentucky’s Will Levis to the Detroit Lions, while BYU’s Jaren Hall lands with the Seattle Seahawks at the very next spot. The fifth quarterback in the top 10 of this mock is Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke, who heads to the New York Giants at No. 10 overall.

The sixth and final quarterback to come off the board in Miller’s projection is Florida’s Anthony Richardson, who ends up with the Indianapolis Colts at the No. 27 overall pick.

Next year’s quarterback class is clearly loaded with talent and potential, but if this past draft cycle proved anything, it’s how quickly a prospect’s stock can change drastically throughout the college football season and predraft process. It’ll be intriguing to see which of these top passers live up to the hype, and which ones end up disappointing.

To check out Miller’s full first-round projection at ESPN, click here.

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2023 NFL mock draft: How will next year’s QB class stack up?

How many top quarterback prospects will land in the early rounds of the 2023 NFL draft?

The 2020 NFL draft was loaded with top quarterback talent, with five passers among the top 15 picks. The opposite scenario played out in the 2021 draft, with No. 20 overall pick Kenny Pickett as the only quarterback to land in the first round.

How will next year’s quarterback class stack up to the most recent groups?

If the latest 2023 NFL mock draft from Pro Football Network is any indication, we’re in for another draft class that’s top-heavy at the game’s most important position.

This projection kicks off with Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud at No. 1 overall to the Houston Texans, followed by Alabama’s Bryce Young at No. 3 overall to the Detroit Lions. Florida’s Anthony Richardson lands with the New York Giants at No. 7 overall, while Kentucky’s Will Levis also cracks the top 10, heading to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 9 overall.

One more quarterback sleeper sneaks into the first round of this mock, with BYU’s Jaren Hall going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 31 overall.

This projection goes two rounds, but only features one more quarterback in the second round, as Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke goes to the Indianapolis Colts at No. 50 overall. That leaves other top quarterback prospects like Washington State’s Cam Ward, North Carolina State’s Devin Leary, Boston College’s Phil Jurkovec and others waiting until the third round to hear their names called.

To check out the full two round projection at Pro Football Network, click here.

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2023 NFL mock draft: The number of Alabama players continues to drop

Alabama is expected to have multiple players drafted in the first round, but how many exactly?

The 2022 college football season is still a few months away from kicking off, but most analysts assume they know who will be taken early in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.

Former Alabama players are regulars when it comes to the annual three-day event, especially in the first round.

In the 2022 draft, only two Crimson Tide players were selected. While having one player drafted in the first round would be cause for celebration, two is a relatively low number for Alabama.

Looking ahead to 2023, some draft experts and analysts predict Alabama to tie or break the record of six players selected in the first round. The record was set by Miami in 2004 and tied by Alabama in 2021.

The latest mock draft done by Luke Easterling of the Draft Wire has dropped the number of former Crimson Tide layers to four in Round 1.

Here’s who they are and where they land.

2023 NFL mock draft: Top QBs dominate early 1st-round projections

See how many top quarterback prospects find their way into this early first-round projection for the 2023 NFL draft

The 2023 NFL draft is still a long way off, but that’s never going to stop us from looking into the future and trying to project how the first round of next year’s draft could shake out.

After a draft that saw just one quarterback selected in the first round in 2022, the 2023 class appears to have no shortage of promising passers who could end up warranting a top-32 selection.

How will the game’s most important position stack up to the other groups in next year’s draft class? Will the top overall prospect take a back seat at the No. 1 overall pick to the best quarterback on the board?

Here are our updated first-round projections for the 2023 NFL draft:

2023 NFL mock draft: A surprise at No. 2, Will Anderson tumbles?

It’s still early, but there are still some shocking developments in this 2023 NFL mock draft

Sure, it’s a bit early to start labeling mock draft picks as “surprises” for the 2023 NFL draft, but at this point, there are some projections that indeed raise the eyebrows.

Such is the case with the latest 2023 NFL mock draft from Pro Football Network, which has a shocker at the No. 2 overall pick.

This mock has the Atlanta Falcons taking Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr., leaving Alabama edge defender Will Anderson still on the board. In fact, Anderson doesn’t even land in the top five, falling all the way to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 9 overall.

Here’s what Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings had to say about the Johnson pick:

The Falcons could absolutely be in the mix for a quarterback here. But they signed Marcus Mariota, who has pre-existing experience with Arthur Smith, and drafted Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Neither is a lock to be the long-term answer. But if either shows promise, the Falcons have the flexibility to keep investing in talent elsewhere in 2023.

One area of concern in Atlanta, with an eye on the future, is the offensive line. The interior remains unsettled outside of Chris Lindstrom, and after declining Kaleb McGary’s fifth-year option, Atlanta is almost sure to seek his replacement in the near future. In a tackle class without much blue-chip talent, the Falcons may need to pounce quickly on the top option. Paris Johnson Jr. is a safe bet to be that player. Set to start at left tackle after playing guard in 2021, Johnson has the size, length, athleticism, and power to be a blue-chip bookend.

Johnson certainly has all the tools to be a franchise left tackle at the next level, so seeing him as a potential No. 2 overall pick isn’t too much of a stretch. But seeing him go over Anderson, who was the most dominant player in college football last season and the consensus top prospect in the entire draft class at this point, doesn’t make much sense.

Here’s Cummings’ explanation for Anderson’s fall:

I know what you’re thinking. I’m thinking it too. Will Anderson Jr. should not have fallen this far. But if the draft order plays out as the current odds project, many teams picking early might not need an edge rusher or may give the QB position greater precedence. Detroit picked Aidan Hutchinson. The Giants picked Kayvon Thibodeaux. The Jets picked Jermaine Johnson II. Jacksonville picked Travon Walker. Even the Falcons got Arnold Ebiketie in Round 2.

EDGE isn’t a top need for many teams picking early on. But the Seahawks do have room to add to their rotation. And at this point, the value with Anderson is too good to pass up. Anderson gives the Seahawks a potentially dominant edge defender with high-end explosiveness, lateral agility, power capacity, and a plasma-hot motor in pursuit. Anderson is arguably the top prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft. This is as far as he feasibly falls.

Five quarterbacks land in the first round of this projection, four of them in the top 10: Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud (No. 1 overall, Houston Texans), Alabama’s Bryce Young (No. 3 overall, Detroit Lions), Florida’s Anthony Richardson (No. 6 overall, Carolina Panthers), Kentucky’s Will Levis (No. 7 overall, New York Giants) and Washington State’s Cam Ward (No. 26 overall, Seattle Seahawks).

To check out the full two-round mock draft at Pro Football Network, click here.

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2023 NFL mock draft: Will QBs dominate next year’s 1st round?

See how many quarterbacks land in this early first-round projection for the 2023 NFL draft

The 2022 NFL draft was lacking in elite quarterback talent, managing just one first-round pick at the game’s most important position, and that didn’t even happen until the No. 20 overall pick.

Next year’s quarterback class appears to have much more promise, as evidenced by the latest 2023 NFL mock draft from Pro Football Focus.

This early projection kicks off with Alabama’s Bryce Young going No. 1 overall to the Houston Texans, followed by Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud at No. 4 overall to the Detroit Lions. Stanford’s Tanner McKee lands with the Carolina Panthers at No. 6 overall, while Kentucky’s Will Levis makes it four quarterbacks in the top 10 when he heads to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 8 overall.

PFF’s Mike Renner explains why Young, last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, could end up in the top spot next April:

We’ll have a full year to debate Young’s size, but there’s no debating how the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner plays the quarterback position. Last season, the sophomore not only earned a 92.2 overall grade in his first season as a starter, but he also earned by far the highest grade of anyone against Georgia’s loaded defense — 89.0 in the SEC Championship.

The only other quarterback to crash this first-round mock comes at No. 31 overall, where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers grab North Carolina State’s Devin Leary.

To check out the full first-round projection at Pro Football Focus, click here.

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2023 NFL mock draft: How many QBs could crash the 1st round?

The 2023 NFL draft class appears to have a deep and talented quarterback group, but how many could land in the first round?

The 2023 NFL draft class appears to have a much stronger quarterback class than the one we just saw. This year’s draft didn’t see a passer selected until No. 20 overall, and the next one didn’t come off the board until the third round.

That shouldn’t be the case next year, as there are multiple top prospects who could battle for the No. 1 overall selection, and a handful of others who could make their way into the first-round conversation with a strong 2022 season.

Who could land in that top spot, and how many total quarterbacks could we see on Day 1 once next April rolls around?

Here’s an updated look at how the first round of next year’s draft could turn out:

2023 NFL mock draft: Will the best overall player go No. 1?

Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson looks like next year’s consensus top prospect, but will he end up going No. 1 overall?

In many cases, the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft is a quarterback, regardless of whether or not that player is the best overall prospect in the class.

Will that trend continue next year, when Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson is expected to be the clear-cut top prospect?

That’s what happens in the latest 2023 NFL mock draft from Touchdown Wire, which has Anderson coming off the board at No. 2 overall to the Atlanta Falcons, sandwiched between a pair of talented passers.

In this projection, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud takes the top spot, landing with the Houston Texans. Alabama’s Bryce Young is the next quarterback off the board, heading to the Detroit Lions with the No. 3 overall pick.

Kentucky’s Will Levis makes it three quarterbacks in the top 10 of this mock, going to the New York Giants at No. 7 overall. The next passer comes off the board at No. 22 overall, where the Indianapolis Colts opt for Phil Jurkovec from Boston College, while Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke ends up with the Seattle Seahawks at No. 25 overall.

That would give us five quarterbacks in the first round next year, which would be a stark contrast to the 2022 class that produced just one first-rounder in Kenny Pickett, who went to the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 20 overall.

To check out the full first-round projection at Touchdown Wire, click here.

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