Doing mock drafts for the following offseason is an exercise in pure speculation. Mark Schofield of Touchdown Wire knows that and makes it clear in his too-early 2023 NFL mock draft that it’s an “inaccurate exercise at best”.
But it’s still a fun exercise to see what teams might look to add after the next season, and also to get an idea of what players might be of interest when the Detroit Lions are on the clock in 2023.
The Lions have two first-round choices once again, their own and the Los Angeles Rams’ pick. Based on current Super Bowl odds, those picks wind up at No. 3 and No. 30 overall.
With the No. 3 pick, Schofield slots Alabama QB Bryce Young to Detroit. Correctly noting that “if they are picking third-overall next year, quarterback is going to be a priority”, Schofield tabs the very impressive but very undersized Young to Detroit.
There will be questions about his size and his frame, but his production, ball placement and ability to work from the pocket were strengths during the 2021 season, and could even improve in the year ahead.
At No. 30, the projection goes to the defensive side of the ball with Utah CB Clark Phillips. A ballhawk who also happens to be a great open-field tackler, Phillips is an early hedge against Jeff Okudah not being able to live up to No. 3 overall expectations from his high selection in 2020.
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