MIAMI, Feb. 22 (UPI) — Jalen Carter, Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr. lead my first mock draft of the 2023 off-season. The 2023 NFL Draft will be held from April 27 to 29 in Kansas City, Mo.
Hundreds of elite prospects will be in Indianapolis next week for the annual scouting combine. NFL scouts, coaches and other decision makers will evaluate the players who attend, and further analyze each prospect for some time after.
My first mock draft does not feature any trades, despite rampant rumors that multiple teams are willing to part with their first-round picks for the right price.
Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud and Clemson edge rusher Myles Murphy are among the other Top 5 selections in this mock draft.
Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon, Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson, Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson and Texas running back Bijan Robinson are among the players I expect to be Top 10 selections.
This year, the first round will feature just 31 selections, instead of the standard 32, because the Miami Dolphins forfeited their first-round pick. The NFL stripped that pick in August when it found the Dolphins violated league policies.
2023 Mock Draft 1.0
1. Chicago Bears
Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
2. Houston Texans
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
3. Arizona Cardinals
Will Anderson Jr., Edge, AlabamaGeorgia stars Jalen Carter (88) and Kelee Ringo (5) are among the Bulldogs’ players selected in the first round of my first 2023 NFL mock draft. File Photo by Jon SooHoo/UPI
4. Indianapolis Colts
C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
5. Seattle Seahawks
Myles Murphy, Edge, Clemson
6. Detroit Lions
Devon Witherspoon, DB, IllinoisAlabama’s Bryce Young (9) is one of the best quarterback prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft class. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI
7. Las Vegas Raiders
Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
8. Atlanta Falcons
Tyree Wilson, Edge, Texas Tech
9. Carolina Panthers
Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
10. Philadelphia Eagles
Bijan Robinson, RB, TexasOhio State quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) is a Top 10 pick in most mock drafts. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI
11. Tennessee Titans
Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
12. Houston Texans
Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
13. New York Jets
Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
14. New England Patriots
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
15. Green Bay Packers
Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
16. Washington Commanders
Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
17. Pittsburgh Steelers
Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
18. Detroit Lions
Brian Branch, CB, AlabamaTexas star Bijan Robinson is widely considered the top running back in the 2023 draft class. Photo courtesy of Texas Athletics
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida
20. Seattle Seahawks
Lukas Van Ness, Edge, Iowa
21. Los Angeles Chargers
Jordan Addison, WR, USC
22. Baltimore Ravens
Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
23. Minnesota Vikings
Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
25. New York Giants
Cody Mauch, OG, North Dakota State
26. Dallas Cowboys
Calijah Kancey, DT, PittsburghOhio State star Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) is the first wide receiver selected in my mock draft. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI
27. Buffalo Bills
Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
28. Cincinnati Bengals
Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
29. New Orleans Saints
Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma
30. Philadelphia Eagles
Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M
31. Kansas City Chiefs
Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia