2023 NFL Draft: Post-Combine Mock Draft features early run on QBs

With the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Combine, it’s time for another full first-round mock draft. This time we draft with a few assumptions and trades.

The assumptions: I have Aaron Rodgers staying in Green Bay, Derek Carr signing with the New York Jets, and Jimmy Garropolo heading to the Carolina Panthers.

The trades: The Chicago Bears trade back twice in the first round, first with the Indianapolis Colts and then with the Atlanta Falcons. The Detroit Lions trade up with the No. 3 pick in a swap with the Arizona Cardinals.

Remember, the Miami Dolphins were stripped of their first-round pick this year for tampering allegations, so only 31 selections appear in this mock draft.

With that housekeeping out of the way, let’s get to the draft.

1. Indianapolis Colts (via CHI): CJ Stroud – Quarterback, Ohio State

He’s big, a surgeon in the pocket, and can get creative when the play breaks down. Stroud looks like a prototypical Colts quarterback, and his showing at the Combine solidified him as QB1.

2. Houston Texans: Will Levis – Quarterback, Kentucky

Another big quarterback with a big arm. Levis showed out at the Combine with a couple of big throws, and like Stroud, he’s got some wheels to escape trouble. Plugging him into Houston’s lineup is a good step forward in their rebuild.

3. Detroit Lions (via ARI): Anthony Richardson – Quarterback, Florida

The Lions shock everyone and move up for a project quarterback with sky-high potential. His Combine performance was historic, setting multiple records for a quarterback, and he earned a perfect 10 on his Relative Athletic Score (RAS). If he’s developed properly, Detroit’s 32-year draught without a playoff win could soon end.

4. Atlanta Falcons (via CHI): Bryce Young – Quarterback, Alabama

Bryce Young falls to four, and the Falcons pounce, picking up their quarterback of the future. With pass catchers like Drake London and Kyle Pitts, Atlanta could be the best landing spot for Young.

5. Seattle Seahawks: Will Anderson Jr. – EDGE, Alabama

Seattle holds at fifth overall and still picks arguably the best prospect in this draft. Anderson joins Seattle with one of the best pass-rushing resumes in recent memory, and suddenly it feels like the Legion of Boom may be on its way back.

6. Arizona Cardinals (via DET): Jalen Carter – Defensive Tackle, Georgia

A lot of chaos surrounds Carter’s draft prospects, but for now, let’s assume his legal issues will clear up. Arizona manages to acquire more picks and still gets a blue-chip defensive prospect. A big first step in their rebuild with a new coach.

7. Las Vegas Raiders: Paris Johnson Jr. – Offensive Tackle, Ohio State

This year, the Raiders decide to sit out the quarterback draft frenzy to finally (hopefully) end their offensive line woes. In this mock, they take arguably the best left tackle in his class. Johnson is a mountain of a man with a great anchor and a high football IQ.

8. Chicago Bears (via ATL): Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Receiver, Ohio State

This year’s wide receiver class was already underwhelming, and the Combine did little to change that. Still, Smith-Njigba stands head and shoulders above his peers as the top weapon in the 2023 NFL draft. Justin Fields finally gets a dominant WR1 to target, and the Bears accumulate a wealth of draft picks by trading back twice.

9. Carolina Panthers: Tyree Wilson – EDGE, Texas Tech

Getting Wilson this late in the draft would be a steal. A freak athlete with long arms, Wilson would have a Top 5 value if it wasn’t for a season-ending injury in October.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (via NO): Devon Witherspoon – Cornerback, Illinois

The Eagles could lose quite a bit of talent in their secondary after free agency, so they seek to shore up their pass defense with the best corner in the 2023 NFL draft. Witherspoon gave quarterbacks nightmares all year, allowing just a 29.8% completion rating and a 1.0 QBR when targeted.

11. Tennessee Titans: Quentin Johnston – Receiver, TCU

The Titans drafted Treylon Burks in the first round last year, but they still need help replacing AJ Brown, and that’s what Johnston can do. He has the prototypical size, speed, and athleticism combination that offensive coordinators drool over. A little coaching on his catch technique could see him become one of the top receivers in the league.

12. Houston Texans (via CLV): Jordan Addison – Receiver, USC

The Texans got their quarterback, now they get him the best route runner in the draft. Addison is a bit undersized, and his Combine measurements came in smaller than expected, but his footwork is second to none. If Will Levis reaches his full potential in the NFL, this could be a scary duo in the AFC South for the next decade.

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13. New York Jets: Peter Skoronski – Offensive Tackle, Northwest

Skoronski’s arm length has always been the biggest (perhaps the only) question mark on his NFL resume, and his Combine measurements didn’t help him as he measured in with 32 1/4-inch arms. He will almost certainly be kicked inside to guard, dropping his draft value a little, but he still goes in the top fifteen here because his technique, intelligence, and play strength are peerless.

14. New England Patriots: Lukas Van Ness – EDGE, Iowa

The Patriots could go almost anywhere at this point, so they go with the defensive lineman available. Van Ness had a nice Combine, running a 4.58 40-yard dash despite being six-foot-five and 272 pounds. He’s an athletic freak who scored 9.75 out of 10 in his RAS. He will pair nicely with stud pass rusher Matt Judon.

15. Green Bay Packers: Brian Branch – Safety, Alabama

The Packers’ secondary massively underperformed expectations in 2022, much of which concerned the regression of their safeties. One or both may need to be upgraded, and Branch would be a great start. He’s extremely smart in coverage, and his Combine performance was elite. His 40-yard dash was not quite as fast as many hoped, but his work in the gauntlet drill was textbook for a defensive back.

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16. Washington Commanders: Broderick Jones – Offensive Tackle, Georgia

The Commanders have a solid offensive line, but their starting tackles are north of thirty. They need an infusion of youth at the position, and Jones fits the bill perfectly. He could either back up Charles Leno Jr. at Left Tackle for a bit or outright take his job.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Christian Gonzalez – Cornerback, Oregon

Gonzalez is a big-bodied corner who had four interceptions and seven passes defended this year, exactly the kind of dominant presence Pittsburgh needs in its secondary. His Combine performance, which included a 4.44 40-yard dash, solidifies his spot as one of the draft’s top cornerbacks.

18. Detroit Lions: Joey Porter Jr. – Cornerback, Penn State

The Lions swung on a 1st round cornerback a few years ago and missed, so they try again here, hoping Joey Porter Jr. can help shore up one of last year’s worst secondaries. Porter Jr. is a great athlete with good instincts. He doesn’t pull in many interceptions, but he rarely gives up a big play.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Calijah Kancey – Defensive Tackle, Pittsburgh

An “undersized” defensive tackle from Pittsburgh? Surely that can’t work again, right? He probably won’t be like Aaron Donald, but Kancey appears to have sky-high potential, and his NFL Combine performance only helped his draft stock. The 280-pound Kancey ran a 4.67 40-yard dash, the fastest time for his position group since 2003.

20. Seattle Seahawks: Bryan Bresee – Defensive Tackle, Clemson

Bresee has dealt with injuries and personal hardships while at Clemson, and that hindered him from lighting up the stat sheet, but pairing him up with fellow rookie Will Anderson Jr. should help him unlock his full potential. Running a 4.93 40-yard dash at the Combine helps him from sliding too far in this draft.

21. Los Angeles Chargers: Darnell Washington – Tight End, Georgia

Washington tore the dome off at the Combine, measuring in at six-foot-six and 264 pounds but ran a blistering 4.65 40-yard dash and made a gorgeous one-handed catch during drills. This is exactly the kind of weapon Justin Herbert needs to take the Chargers to the next level.

22. Baltimore Ravens: Bijan Robinson – Running Back, Texas

The Ravens still need a true WR1, but I don’t think they’d pass up Robinson if he’s still available at 22. A true three-down back who can do it all, defensive coordinators would be losing sleep figuring out how to contain a backfield of Lamar Jackson and Bijan Robinson.

23. Minnesota Vikings: Siaki Ika – Nose Tackle, Baylor

The Vikings’ defense was a disaster last year, especially in the run game. They gave up nearly 2,100 rushing yards on 4.5 yards per carry. Now they’ve got the defensive mind of Brian Flores, and for their first pick in this mock, they give him Ika, an absolute giant who can swallow all kinds of double-teams and stuff the run with the best of them.

24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Myles Murphy – EDGE, Clemson

The Jaguars swung on pass rusher Travon Walker with the first overall pick, and his performance left a lot to be desired. In this post-combine mock draft, they hope adding another young, hyper-athletic EDGE will help both players reach their full potential.

25. New York Giants: Michael Mayer – Tight End, Notre Dame

The Giants had a nice playoff run despite not featuring much talent on offense. Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley will likely be back, one with an extension and the other on a franchise tag. Now’s the time to add weapons. Mayer is arguably the best tight end of the draft, depending on what you value in the position. He’s not the pass catcher that Washington is, but he does everything well.

26. Dallas Cowboys: Nolan Smith – EDGE/OLB, Georgia

Pairing Smith with Micah Parsons sounds unfair. Smith had an electric Combine performance, showing off a 41.5′ vertical leap and running a ridiculous 4.39 40-yard dash. A season-ending injury last year is a bit of a concern, but you can talk yourself into athletic potential like this.

27. Buffalo Bills: Jahmyr Gibbs – Running Back, Alabama

The Bills are guilty of putting too much weight on Josh Allen’s shoulders. He needs a playmaker in the backfield who can take some of that pressure off, and Gibbs is exactly that kind of playmaker. He can run and catch, and he’s got the juice and twitch to turn a stuff at the line of scrimmage into a 40-yard touchdown.

28. Cincinnati Bengals: Antonio Johnson – Safety, Texas A&M

Reports say that the Bengals are unlikely to extend star Safety Jessie Bates, so they must find his replacement. Johnson had a good-not-great Combine, but his highlight reel speaks for itself.

29. New Orleans Saints (via SF): Adetomiwa Adebawore- EDGE, Northwestern

The Saints need help everywhere, so here they go with the best player available. Adebawore had a Combine performance good enough to get him into the first round of this post-combine mock draft first, running a 4.49 40-yard dash at 282 pounds. He showed improvement with each new year in college, and there’s no reason to think that won’t continue in the NFL.

30. Philadelphia Eagles: John Michael Schmitz – Center, Minnesota

Jason Kelce is a free agent and will be 36 years old next season. The Eagles should probably consider finding his replacement now to keep their offensive line at the top of the NFL, and no one in this draft class has more promise at Center than Schmitz. He’s powerful, insanely smart, and plays mean, exactly the kind of young player you want your quarterback to be paired with.

31. Kansas City Chiefs: Zay Flowers – Receiver, Boston College

JuJu Smith-Schuster may test free agency, leaving the Chiefs again searching for a top wide receiver. Flowers measures 5-foot-9 and 182 pounds and ran a 4.42 40-yard dash at the Combine. He’s drawing many comparisons to Tyler Lockett, a guy the Chiefs would love to have as they prepare to defend their title.

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