Yet another shakeup occured in the 2023 NFL draft and it was a big one, the Carolina Panthers shot all the way up to the number one position and swapping with the Chicago Bears by giving up pro-bowl wide receiver DJ Moore and a handful of other picks.
Let’s take a look to see how that trade shakes up the rest of the draft now, as teams scramble to adjust their boards and perhaps make their own moves in the near future.
1. Carolina Panthers (From CHI)* | Alabama QB Bryce Young
Carolina has jumped to the top of the draft and one would think they would be so inclined to take the best quarterback available, and that is Bryce Young. Despite his size concerns, there is little doubt that Young can be a franchise signal caller for the franchise, and has proven to be the best quarterback in college football over the last two seasons, it should translate just fine to the next level with his incredible playmaking ability.
2. Houston Texans | Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud
The Houston Texans do not overthink this pick and make the most of it right away with a franchise quarterback to sit under center for the next decade or so. Stroud is a pro caliber quarterback who does everything well and truly showed off his movement skills against the national champion Georgia team.
3. Indianapolis Colts (From ARI) | Florida QB Anthony Richardson
The Colts take zero chances in anyone leap frogging them for a quarterback and move up one spot with the Cardinals to secure their next franchise quarterback. New head coach Shane Steichen has experience with getting the most out of athletic quarterbacks and he gets his hands on the most athletic quarterback we have seen come out since Cam Newton. It will be on him to design the offense around and develop the young dynamo quarterback from Florida.
4. Arizona Cardinals (From IND) | Alabama EDGE Will Anderson
The Cardinals sit back, add some draft capital, and still nab perhaps the best player in the entire class in Will Anderson. The talented edge rusher was one of the most productive edge rusher in college over the last two season and he will have little problem starting right away for a Cardinals team desperate for defensive help.
5. Seattle Seahawks (From DEN) | Texas Tech EDGE Tyree Wilson
Seattle is not stressing about this draft given their stacked position, knowing they need to come out of the draft with at least one edge defender, they come away with one of the top ones of the class in Tyree Wilson. He could easily be considered one of the best players in the class and his ceiling in the NFL is enormously high, he could be the next Michael Bennett for a Seahawks team desperate for edge presence.
6. Detroit Lions (From LAR) | Georgia DL Jalen Carter
Detroit nabs one of the most talented defensive players in the class, who falls a bit do to some off the field concerns. Detroit has shown they are willing to bring players in and built them into their program, so they likely see the off the field issues as worth taking a risk on for yet another stud defensive lineman in Carter.
7. Las Vegas Raiders | Northwestern OT Peter Skoronski
Josh McDaniels and the Raiders recently locked up Jimmy Garoppolo to be their likely starter for the 2023 season, and they need to make sure they can protect him by taking the best offensive tackle in the class in Skoronski. There will be temptations for Will Levis here, but the offensive line is a major need for this team.
8. Atlanta Falcons | Iowa EDGE Lukas Van Ness
The Falcons have a couple of holes on the defensive side of the football and can secure a ultra talented defensive player who can play on the line or as a stand up rusher in their defense. Van Ness is an ultra athletic and versatile athlete whos measurables will help him explode into a very productive pass rusher at the next level.
9. Chicago Bears (From CAR) | Georgia OT Broderick Jones
The Bears made the move to drop from one to nine and received a weapon for Justin Fields in DJ Moore. It becomes imperative that Chicago protects their franchise quarterback now, and they do that here with Jones who was an ultra productive tackle for the national champion Bulldogs. He will help in both the running attack and potentially develop into one of the better pass blockers in the league with time.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (From NO) | Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr.
The Eagles do not have a ton of needs coming off a Super Bowl run, but more depth at the cornerback position can never hurt. They get a legacy player in Porter who is long and athletic and could easily be the long term cornerback one for the next decade for this stacked Eagles defense.
11. Washington Commanders (From TEN) | Kentucky QB Will Levis
The Commanders see an opening to find their next franchise quarterback and leap frog up the board to number eleven to nab the ultra talented passer from Kentucky in Will Levis. Ron Rivera can ill afford to have a massive question mark at this position going into the 2023 season and he will hypothetically solve it with Levis, who presents all the talent in the world to play the position, but has some rough edges that need to be smoothed over.
12. Houston Texans (From CLE) | Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon
The Texans would like to get a new weapon for their quarterback at some point, but the value of pairing Witherspoon with their first round pick from last year in Derek Stingley proves too tempting to pass up. Witherspoon is an aggressive and polished corner who will help give wide receivers fits as the Texans come away with two book end corners.
13. New York Jets | Ohio State OT Paris Johnson Jr.
The Jets desperately need help at the tackle spot for whoever plays quarterback for them in 2023. They nab an immediate starter in Paris Johnson Jr. who was very productive in protecting CJ Stroud’s blind side last year, and has a ton of room still for growth, he could come away as the best tackle from this class when all is said and done.
14. New England Patriots | Alabama DB Brian Branch
If there was any player in this class that feels like a Bill Belichick player, is is Branch, who was used in a variety of ways in the Nick Saban defense last year. He can fill in as nickelback, slide out to safety, or be used closer to the line if needed. He is an avid playmaker who will instantly improve an already elite defense.
15. Green Bay Packers | Clemson EDGE Myles Murphy
As the Packers likely move forward into the Jordan Love era they need to ensure they have a defense that can keep them in games and keep the pressure off their soon to be first year starter. Murphy is a prototypical edge player that can play standing up or on the line, he does just about everything well and will be an instant starter in Green Bay.
16. Tennessee Titans (From WAS) | Texas RB Bijan Robinson
The Titans have built their identity on running the football over the last few years around Derick Henry, however he is getting up there in age and has dealt with injuries as of late, so they decide to secure the future of that position with yet another superstar in Bijan Robinson. A tackle would be very tempting here, but nabbing a player who is one of the best five players in this class is too tempting, especially to replace a franchise cornerstone in the coming years. The Titans one two punch on the ground is going to be very dangerous.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers | Florida G O'Cyrus Torrence
The Steelers desperately need to improve their offensive line, which was a massive detriment to both their young stars in Kenny Pickett and Najee Harris. Tackle is the bigger need but Torrence is one of the best players on the board and will be an immediate starter in the trenches for a team desperate to run the rock.
18. Detroit Lions | Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez
The Lions get more help on defense after taking Jalen Carter earlier in the draft. Gonzalez is an ultra talented boundary corner who could easily use his elite athleticism to develop into one of the top corners in the league and should have little issue starting right away.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Arkansas LB Drew Sanders
With an aging Shaq Barrett coming off an ACL injury and the loss of two free agents at the position, the Buccaneers need to address their edge rusher position, and they can do that here with Drew Sanders. While Sanders was not truly a full time edge rusher at Arkansas, he showed a ton of flash and potential to get to the quarterback and can play there full time in the NFL. If he fails to gain ground at that position, he can always kick inside and be ultra productive there.
20. Seattle Seahawks | Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt
The Geno Smith experiment in Seattle yielded smashing results and he earned himself an extension with the team. Now is the time to build upon that success by adding yet another weapon to an already dangerous Seattle offense. Putting a true burner like Jalin Hyatt alongside DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett will make it near impossible for teams to play up against the line and will optimize the running game for the Seahawks as well as make their deep passing game among the best in the league.
21. Los Angeles Chargers | Utah TE Dalton Kincaid
The Chargers got good results from Gerald Everett last year at the tight end position, but they could decide to move on from him and his large cap hit by nabbing the most electric tight end of this years ultra talented group. Kincaid is a fluid and explosive athlete who will make the middle of the field a nightmare to defend against, and will give Justin Herbert a much needed security blanket to throw to in the future.
22. Baltimore Ravens | Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
The Ravens need to find more ways to help Lamar Jackson and they find that here with a dominant receiver in Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Although he was injured for most of last year, the previous season who absolutely dominated college football and showed he can be a consistent threat from just about anywhere. While he will primarily function from the slot, there is little doubt he can be used as a gadget player or make plays on the outside as well when needed.
23. Minnesota Vikings | USC WR Jordan Addison
With the recent cut of Adam Thielen, the Vikings find themselves a hole on their roster that would fit like a glove for Jordan Addison, who is a smooth route runner with added explosion after the catch. He can work in the slot or outside for Minnesota, and will be an excellent compliment to Justin Jefferson moving forward.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars | South Carolina CB Cam Smith
Jacksonville needs to get another long term starter on the boundaries of their defense and they find one here in Cam Smith who has been ultra productive for the Gamecocks over the last two years. He has a thinner frame and will need to add on some weight, but his tape and production prove him worth of a first round selection.
25. New York Giants | TCU WR Quentin Johnston
The Giants paid Daniel Jones a ton of money to come back and be their guy as well as adding a talented tight end in Darren Waller from the Raiders, now they must ensure they get an outside receiver for Jones to throw to. Quentin Johnson fills the role they need, and can likely give what they were looking for when they signed Kenny Golladay to a massive contract a few seasons ago, a big and fast receiver who can compete for 50-50 balls, and make big splash plays.
26. Dallas Cowboys | Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes
The cornerback situation in Dallas last year was far from ideal with injuries and far from consistent play from the group. The Cowboys decide to help sure that area up here with Emmanuel Forbes who is a long and rangey corner, who put up a lot of production at Mississippi State.
27. Buffalo Bills | Pitt DL Calijah Kancey
The last time the Bills were on the field it became very clear they needed a lot of help getting to the quarterback, especially in the interior portion of their defensive line. Calijah Kancey should immediately help with that, and while he is a bit undersized he will be extremely useful on passing downs on getting his hands on the quarterback and disrupting the play. He could be a 10+ sack guy right away in the league.
28. Cincinnati Bengals | Georgia CB Kelee Ringo
The Bengals need some help on the back end of the field with the likely departure of starting CB Eli Apple, plus they could use improved play at that position in general. Kelee Ringo is a proven starter for one of the top defenses in college football and will be able to help with any speed merchants on the outside. Ringo still needs to develop some, but shouldn’t have much trouble transitioning at the next level.
29. New Orleans Saints | Iowa State EDGE Will McDonald
The Saints lost Marcus Davenport to free agency and Cameron Jordan is getting up there in years, it would be wise to try and add some depth to that position in a deep EDGE class. McDonald is a proven pass rusher with a wide and varied pass rushing tool box which should translate to immediate production on the field as a rookie.
30. Philadelphia Eagles | Georgia Tech EDGE Keion White
The Eagles add yet more depth to their loaded defensive line with the addition of Keion White, who can play on the edge or in the interior of the line. He is an experienced pass rusher with immense physical gifts that could develop into an extremely productive pass rusher with time. He will make an impact in both run defense and pass rush right away.
31. Kansas City Chiefs | Boston College WR Zay Flowers
There are not a ton of holes along the Super Bowl Champ’s roster, which could allow for a bit of a luxury pick here. With the departure of Mecole Hardman, and none of the receivers from last years group really stepping up as the number one guy, Zay Flowers could step in and be that for the Chiefs. He was an explosive and ultra productive threat for Boston College, and could continue to be as much for the Chiefs. He should be able to play just about anywhere the Chiefs ask him to.
