KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 27 (UPI) — Bryce Young led a run of three quarterbacks selected within the first four picks of the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday in Kansas City, Mo. Four trades also were completed through the first 14 selections.
Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, was the first player in Alabama history to be taken first in an NFL Draft. He joined the Carolina Panthers, who acquired the top pick in March through a trade with the Chicago Bears.
“I’m still trying to process it in real-time, it’s surreal,” Young said at a news conference inside the Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. “Hearing my name called is a huge blessing.”
The Texans used the No. 2 overall pick to snag quarterback C.J. Stroud out of Ohio State. They then completed the first of two early trades.
They sent four draft picks to the Arizona Cardinals as part of a deal to move up from No. 12 to secure the No. 3 pick, which they used to select former Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson Jr.
“The rebuild, in my opinion, is on it’s way,” Stroud said, when asked about joining Anderson on the Texans.
The Indianapolis Colts picked up former Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, a star of the scouting combine, at No. 4.
“I’m ready to be a quarterback and not just the athlete everybody sees me as,” Richardson said. “I’m ready to be the quarterback and to lead a team.”
The Seattle Seahawks selected cornerback Devon Witherspoon of Illinois at No. 5.
The Cardinals were involved in another trade minutes later. They sent a cluster of picks, including the No. 12 selection they acquired in their earlier swap, to the Detroit Lions in a trade for the Nos. 6 and 81 overall selections.
They used the No. 6 pick to land former Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. The Las Vegas Raiders selected former Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson at No. 7.
Former Texas star Bijan Robinson became the first running back selected when he went to the Atlanta Falcons at No. 8.
The Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears then completed the third trade of the night. The Eagles sent the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and a fourth-round pick in 2024 to the Bears in exchange for the No. 9 pick.
They used the selection to take former Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter. The Bears used the No. 10 pick to add 333-pound former Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright.
The Tennessee Titans took another tackle with the next pick, selecting Peter Skoronski of Northwestern.
The Lions used the No. 12 pick, traded twice earlier in the draft, to take running back Jahmyr Gibbs. The Green Bay Packers picked former Iowa pass rusher Lukas Van Ness with the next pick.
The New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers followed with the fourth trade of the night. The Steelers used the No. 14 pick acquired from that deal to select offensive tackle Broderick Jones out of Georgia.
The New York Jets picked former Iowa State edge Will McDonald IV at No. 15.
First-round coverage will continue through Thursday night on ESPN, ABC and NFL Network. Second- and third-round coverage will start at 7 p.m. Friday. Third-day coverage, featuring the final four rounds, will start at noon Saturday.
.@nflcommish’s first Draft was a tad smaller than tonight’s
Roger Goodell takes a walk with @RichEisen ahead of the 2023 #NFLDraft
: 2023 #NFLDraft — 8pm ET on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/Jhr1z2HOEL— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) April 27, 2023
2023 NFL Draft
1. Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
2. Houston Texans
C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
3. Houston Texans (trade from Arizona Cardinals)
Will Anderson Jr., Edge, Alabama
4. Indianapolis Colts
Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
5. Seattle Seahawks
Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
6. Arizona Cardinals (traded from Detroit Lions)
Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
7. Las Vegas Raiders
Tyree Wilson, Edge, Texas Tech
8. Atlanta Falcons
Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
9. Philadelphia Eagles (trade from Chicago Bears)
Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
10. Chicago Bears (trade from Philadelphia Eagles)
Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
11. Tennessee Titans
Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
12. Detroit Lions (traded from Cardinals and Texans)
Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
13. Green Bay Packers
Lukas Van Ness, Edge, Iowa
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (trade from New England Patriots)
Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
15. New York Jets
Will McDonald IV, Edge, Iowa State
16. Washington Commanders
17. New England Patriots (trade from Pittsburgh Steelers)
18. Detroit Lions
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20. Seattle Seahawks
21. Los Angeles Chargers
22. Baltimore Ravens
23. Minnesota Vikings
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
25. New York Giants
26. Dallas Cowboys
27. Buffalo Bills
28. Cincinnati Bengals
29. New Orleans Saints
30. Philadelphia Eagles
31. Kansas City Chiefs
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