NFC North Mock Draft: 3-round mock draft for Bears, Packers, Vikings and Lions

With the 2023 NFL Draft officially one month away, it’s time to run another NFC North mock draft.

This NFL mock draft will be three rounds. Since the Aaron Rodgers trade drama remains unresolved, I’ve simulated the New York Jets and Green Bay Packers trade. New York sends Green a second-round pick plus a conditional 2024 first-round pick for Rodgers.

I also have the Chicago Bears trading up in the second round to grab a player who makes way too much sense (see below). The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings don’t make any moves in this mock draft.

Let’s get to the picks.

Detroit Lions

First Round: Jalen Carter – Defensive Tackle, Georgia

With his legal issues cleared up, Carter falls into the Lions’ lap. He seems like the perfect Dan Campbell type of guy and would be an absolute nightmare on the line when paired with star pass rusher Aiden Hutchinson.

First Round: Michael Mayer – Tight End, Notre Dame

While Darnell Washington lit up the NFL Combine, Mayer is still TE1 of this class. He moves well, runs crisp routes, has great hands, and is a willing and capable blocker. After trading TJ Hockenson, the Lions draft his replacement.

Second Round: Trenton Simpson – Linebacker, Clemson

Back to defense for the Lions, where they need the most help. Slipping a bit from his earlier draft projections, Simpson is still a quality addition in the second round. He was all over the field for Clemson, showcasing his versatility and athleticism. While he has tremendous value in the passing game, but his work defending the run will need considerable refinement.

Third Round: Hendon Hooker – Quarterback, Tennessee

A season-ending injury has dropped his draft stock, but at one point in 2022, Hooker was the betting favorite to win the Heisman. A riskier prospect than the top quarterbacks of this draft, he could nevertheless become a franchise talent for Detroit and possibly the last piece of the puzzle to help them win a playoff game for the first time in 30 years.

Minnesota Vikings

First Round: Zay Flowers – Wide Receiver, Boston College

After losing Adam Thielen in free agency, the Vikings need another wide receiver behind Justin Jefferson. Flowers is an electric route runner with game-breaking speed. The big knock against him is his size, standing just 5-foot-9 and 182 pounds. He’ll have trouble with the physicality in the NFL, which limits his ceiling.

Third Round: Noah Sewell – Linebacker, Oregon

Once again, the Vikings draft a replacement for a lost talent. This time for Eric Kendricks. Sewell is the brother of Penei Sewell, and he’s every bit the competitor his brother is. He’s big and strong enough to deconstruct blocks and stuff gaps in the run game, and is also a respectable pass rusher when lined up on the edge. Watching brother against brother in the NFC North would be a treat.

Green Bay Packers

First Round: Brian Branch – Safety, Alabama

Head and shoulders above the other safeties in this draft, Branch is incredibly versatile in his alignments. He recognizes plays quickly and has tremendous speed bursts to close on the ball carrier. The Packers desperately need help in the secondary, and here they get a Day 1 starter.

Second Round: Luke Musgrave – Tight End, Oregon State

Watch Musgrave’s film, and you’ll think he’s just a super-sized wide receiver. He’s incredibly fast for a guy his size, forcing defenders to respect his field-stretching capabilities. He’ll need some work developing a route-running tree and on his blocking technique, but a good coaching staff should easily be able to mold him into a true starting tight end.

Second Round: Felix Anudike-Uzomah – EDGE, Northwestern

What Anudike-Uzomah lacks in starting experience, he makes up for with his intensity and physicality. He’s got a motor that can’t stop running, and his ability to bend around tackles seems to defy science. His work in the run game needs refinement, but he brings terrifying pass-rushing potential.

Third Round: Karl Brooks – Defensive Tackle, Bowling Green

An NFL Combine snub, Brooks exploded into the draft scene at the Senior Bowl last month. He has the size and athleticism to play all along the line, though many project him as a 3-tech. He comes with a ton of starting experience as well as being a team captain in college, and his pass-rushing stats all improved dramatically each of the last three years.

Chicago Bears

First Round: Broderick Jones – Offensive Tackle, Georgia

Out of all the tackles in this year’s class, I think I like Jones the best. He’s extremely athletic for a man his size, moving around the field like a tight end. While he has less starting experience than Paris Johnson Jr., watching him effortlessly anchor Georgia’s line this year was impressive, and he was great in the playoffs. Jones to the Bears is gaining popularity in NFL mock drafts.

Second Round: Adetomiwa Adabawore – Defensive Tackle, Northwestern

Bears fans, meet your new 3-tech. Adabawore has been shooting up draft boards, and for this mock, the Bears have to trade up to get him, but he’s well worth the investment. Fast and powerful, he put up numbers at the NFL Combine that we’ve never seen from a 280-pound guy before. If the 3-tech is the engine that makes Matt Eberflus’ defense run, you couldn’t ask for a better motor than Adabawore.

Third Round: Tuli Tuipulotu – EDGE, USC

Tuipulotu is another fast riser as we approach the NFL Draft. The reigning PAC-12 Defensive Player of the Year, he’s been improving every year and took a particularly big leap this past year, racking up 13.5 sacks, 14 quarterback hits, and 17 tackles for loss. He’d bring some badly needed sack production to a Bears defensive front that was arguably the worst we’ve seen in Chicago in a long time.