2023 NFL Mock Draft: Andrew Erickson (3.0)

NFL Free Agency may never actually come to an end. Breaking news coming about players being moved/signed in trades happens seemingly every single day, but we must trudge forward with the release of my latest NFL Mock Draft 3.0 with the initial free agency frenzy in the rearview.

NFL team needs have changed drastically with all of the transactions during free agency, which impacts how they approach the draft. Some teams that looked to be in the market for certain positions among the 2023 NFL rookie class may be going in a totally different direction than a few weeks back.

Hence why I’ve gone and created the 2023 NFL Draft Needs For All 32 NFL Teams Post-Free Agency — as my guide to align this latest mock draft with what NFL teams will do when they are on the clock.

Let’s dive in.

More NFL Mock Drafts

Andrew Erickson’s Mock Drafts (1.0 | 2.0)
Matthew Freedman’s Mock Drafts (1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0)
Kent Weyrauch’s Mock Drafts (1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 6.0)
Matthew Jones’s Mock Drafts (1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 6.0)
Mike Fanelli’s Mock Drafts w/ Trades (1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0)
John Supowitz’s Mock Drafts (1.0 | 2.0)
Russell Brown (1.0)

More NFL Draft Content

2023 NFL Mock Draft: Andrew Erickson (3.0)

Check out our latest dynasty trade values

*Note this mock draft is based on what I think will happen, not necessarily what I would do in each team’s position.

1. Carolina Panthers: C.J. Stroud (QB – Ohio State)

The Panthers traded up to get their young franchise quarterback. C.J. Stroud is just 21 years old and finished the 2022 college football season second in both passing TDs (41) and yards per attempt (9.4). In two years as a starter at Ohio State, Stroud totaled 85 passing TDs and just 12 interceptions. The former Buckeye showcased his precision and accurate arm during the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, putting him firmly in the QB1 conversation. He boasts prototypical size at 6-foot-3 and 214 pounds as the best pocket passer in the class. Per PFF, Stroud’s 26.7% of perfectly-placed passes leads all FBS QBs since 2021. Stroud checks all the boxes that new Panthers head coach Frank Reich values the most.

2. Houston Texans: Bryce Young (QB – Alabama)

The Houston Texans showed us last draft season the kind of players they want to target. Among their first six selections in the first four rounds, five came from the SEC, including two players from Alabama. It’s clear the front office has done their homework on the Crimson Tide, pushing me toward Bryce Young as their future franchise QB. They obviously liked what they saw from John Metchie III (selecting him in the second round of last year’s draft) when he caught passes from Young during his tenure with Alabama from 2020-2021. Young followed up his 2021 Heisman Trophy campaign as PFF’s highest-graded passer in the nation (91.3) in 2022. His 94.2 PFF passing grade at the intermediate level (10-19 yards downfield) also ranked first.

Young didn’t throw at the NFL Combine but measured in at 5-foot-10 and 204 pounds. Getting over the 200-pound threshold was huge for Young, whose biggest flaw is clearly his small stature. But his accuracy — 12th in the nation in adjusted completion percentage — will gel perfectly under new Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.

Slowik spent the past two seasons as the 49ers’ passing game coordinator/specialist. The offense ranked inside the top 10 in completion rate and fifth in yards after the catch.

3. Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson Jr. (DE – Alabama)

On defense, pass rushers and cornerbacks are top needs for Arizona. The Cardinals were a bottom-10 pass defense in most metrics (second-highest passer rating faced), allowing the league’s most yards after the catch as the second-heaviest blitzing unit.

The Cardinals also lost J.J. Watt to retirement, and defensive end Zach Allen signed with Denver after a career year as an interior rusher. Watt and Allen combined for two of Arizona’s top three spots in pass-rush productivity in 2022. The team also released pass rusher Markus Golden. The only DL addition they made was former UDFA Kevin Strong from the Titans.

They keep their strategy simple and draft the best pass rusher in the class with Will Anderson Jr. Anderson finished fourth overall in total pressures in 2022 while lining up primarily outside the tackle.

4. Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Richardson (QB – Florida)

The Colts need to face the reality that they can’t run back another retread at quarterback. They need a young franchise quarterback in 2023. And having a top-five pick allows them to acquire one. Insert Anthony Richardson at No. 4 overall.

The former Florida Gator offers rushing ability — nearly 1,200 rushing yards in two seasons, 60 rushing yards per game — and can drop it in the bucket downfield. Nine of his 17 TDs came on 20-plus air-yard throws. His average depth of target (11.5) ranked fifth highest in his draft class in 2022.

Measuring in at 6-foot-4 and 244 pounds, Richardson has all the intangibles to become the league’s next fantasy football cheat code at the quarterback position. He is the most athletically-gifted quarterback we have ever seen at the NFL Combine — 4.43 40 speed (98th percentile) and the new record holder in the vertical/broad jump — and I can only imagine that new head coach Shane Steichen is licking his chops to get this guy in the building.

The closest comp anybody can make to Richardson is Cam Newton, and we saw Steichen play an integral role in the development of current Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Richardson is far from a finished product with glaring accuracy woes with a 58% completion rate (third worst in the nation) on throws between 0-9 yards downfield. But his completion rate throwing at the intermediate level (61%) ranked in the top 25 in the nation last season. That’s better than Stroud (56%).

With Gardner Minshew entrenched as the bridge quarterback, Richardson needs to be the quarterback for Indy. The two have already been seen training together this offseason.

5. Seattle Seahawks: Tyree Wilson (DE – Texas Tech)

The Seattle Seahawks’ offense looks set on paper, with Geno Smith reprising his role as the team’s starting quarterback. Though the defense needs help. They need to inject more youth into their defensive front.

Tyree Wilson from Texas Tech makes sense for Seattle in the draft. The edge rusher finished eighth in pass-rush win rate on true pass sets among his 2023 draft class. The 6-foot-6, 271-pound edge rusher did not test at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine but will test on March 29 at Texas Tech’s pro day. The expectation is that he will test off the charts, so the time is now to buy on Wilson’s odds to be the first defensive player drafted (+600).

6. Detroit Lions: Devon Witherspoon (CB – Illinois)

Detroit was slaughtered in their secondary even though former first-rounder Jeffery Okudah had his best season to date. They need to shore up their secondary, and they started that process with the addition of CB Cam Sutton in free agency. It’s possible he puts them out of the cornerback market at the top of the draft. They also signed Emmanuel Moseley to a one-year deal after he tore his ACL. Before his injury, the four-year pro ranked top 10 in forced incompletion rate and passer rating generated when targeted (63.5).

Still, they could select a cornerback high in the draft, like Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon. Detroit hit on drafting safety Kerby Joseph from the same college program in the third round of last year’s draft, as Joseph was named First-Team All-Rookie by a number of publications.

Per PFF, Witherspoon forced the second-most incompletions and played the second-most man coverage snaps last season. Detroit finished third in man coverage snaps under defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn last season.

7. Las Vegas Raiders: Christian Gonzalez (CB – Oregon)

With Jimmy Garoppolo settled in at quarterback, Las Vegas should shift their draft focus to their defense, which ranked 31st in pass defense DVOA in 2022. They have multiple cornerbacks on expired contracts — Anthony Averett, Rock Ya-Sin, Sidney Jones — and need to add to the position. It was smart for them to bring back Brandon Facyson on a two-year deal and sign safety Marcus Epps from the Eagles. But it’s not enough.

Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez could be a great option in the draft. He can tackle — he earned the 12th-lowest missed-tackle rate in class at 4.9% — and make plays on the ball. And Gonzalez has hardly hit his peak since a 2022 breakout campaign; he still has yet to turn 21 years old.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Lukas Van Ness (EDGE – Iowa)

Death, taxes, and the Falcons’ sheer lack of a pass rush. Atlanta finished last in pressure rate (14.6%) in 2022. They need to spark the pass rush with a draft prospect. They added Kaden Elliss from the Saints in FA, who finished fifth in pressures among linebackers. But they need pressure off the edge — and that comes in the form of Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness.

LVN’s 37 pressures on true pass sets ranked fourth in the FBS in 2022. He also impressed all 32 teams during the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Per PlayerProfiler.com, Van Ness tested in the 92nd percentile in the 40-yard dash, achieving a 96th-percentile speed score at 6-foot-5 and 272 pounds. He’s got Travon Walker (last year’s No. 1 overall pick) freakiness with shades of current New Orleans Saints pass rusher Cameron Jordan to his disruptive game.

It would make sense for the Falcons to target a Jordan-esque player, considering their new defensive coordinator, Ryan Nielsen, spent the last six years coaching the Saints’ defensive line.

9. Chicago Bears: Paris Johnson Jr. (OT – Ohio State)

Getting Justin Fields an offensive line is essential. Right tackle Riley Reiff was signed by the Patriots and the Bears don’t have any reliable in-house options between Larry Borom and Alex Leatherwood as plug-in starters. Nate Davis can play guard, but tackle is still a question mark. Hence, the selection of Paris Johnson Jr. who was Fields’ teammate at Ohio State in 2020. In Johnson’s first season as a left tackle in 2022, the 6-foot-6, 313-pound OT finished as a consensus All-American.

10. Philadelphia Eagles: Jalen Carter (DT – Georgia)

The rich get richer. Jalen Carter falls to No. 10 overall amid his ongoing legal situation and lackluster testing. The former Bulldog graded out as PFF’s third-highest-graded defensive tackle in 2023. His run-stop percentage ranked second best in the nation. He is the best player available and also fills a need along an Eagles defensive line that looks different in 2023 due to losses in free agency.

11. Tennessee Titans: Joey Porter Jr. (CB – Penn State)

Most of the Titans’ starters are returning from their secondary, but it’s a unit that played horribly in 2022. The Titans ranked last in passing yards allowed per game (275). If they feel okay with their offensive line coming out of FA, then cornerback will be the position they go for in Round 1. They definitely will go after a perimeter CB after inking inside cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting to a one-year deal.

Joey Porter Jr. comes with length and was a pass-breakup machine in 2022, posting college football’s second-highest forced incompletion rate (41%). His frame and build — 96th-percentile height, 98th-percentile wingspan, 98th-percentile arm length — fit the archetype that was heavily coveted during general manager Ran Carthon’s tenure with the San Franciso 49ers.

We’ve already seen them add a cornerback this offseason (Murphy-Bunting) who measures in at 6 feet with above-average arm length to boot.

12. Houston Texans: Quentin Johnston (WR – TCU)

Houston got their quarterback of the future with the second overall pick. And now they double down on offense to build around their young signal-caller with the selection of Quentin Johnston. The 6-foot-3, 208-pound behemoth totaled 1,067 receiving yards, finishing fifth in his draft class with an elite 3.05 yards per route run. Johnston was a menace with the ball in his hands, finishing seventh in his draft class in yards after the catch per reception (8.9, 19 forced missed tackles). As a true freshman at 19 years old, Johnston broke out with a 21% dominator rating in 2020 as the team’s leading receiver, averaging 22.1 yards per reception — fifth best in the FBS. He will make life much easier for Young as an explosive playmaker. Both his jumps at the NFL Scouting Combine were in the 93rd percentile or better.

New Texans OC Bobby Slowik stems from a 49ers coaching tree that thrives off of creating YAC opportunities for its offensive personnel. Johnston is a perfect fit in an offense that has virtually no YAC generators. No TE or WR currently rostered finished inside the top 84 in yards after the catch per reception in 2022.

13. New York Jets: Peter Skoronski (OT – Northwestern)

The Jets will “hopefully” upgrade their quarterback in free agency (paging Aaron Rodgers, hello darkness, my old friend), making this selection easy with offensive tackle being an area of need due to some expiring contracts and underwhelming incumbents. The team also finished as PFF’s third-worst-graded pass-blocking unit in 2022.

Northwestern’s left tackle Peter Skoronski finished as PFF’s No. 1-graded pass blocker in 2022.

14. New England Patriots: Darnell Wright (OT – Tennessee)

Addressing the offensive line is likely what the Patriots will do at some point in the draft, even as the team back-filled right tackle snaps between Isaiah Wynn and Marcus Cannon. Yodny Cajuste was re-signed. New England signed 11-year veteran tackle Riley Reiff and former Denver Bronco Calvin Anderson in free agency. But with Reiff’s age and Trent Brown entering a contract year, they could really use a staple future franchise tackle.

Darnell Wright was a four-year starter at Tennessee and performed extremely well during his senior year. He finished fourth in his class in PFF pass-blocking efficiency and performed admirably versus a fierce Alabama pass-rush unit led by Will Anderson. Wright should be a plug-and-play option as the team’s right tackle in Year 1 and for the foreseeable future.

15. Green Bay Packers: Michael Mayer (TE – Notre Dame)

There’s still a lot to unpack with the current Rodgers trade that will undoubtedly influence this pick. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, the adults working the draft room in Green Bay are looking to bolster their roster. The move they can make to improve this offense comes in the form of Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer. Weapons need to be added regardless, with Randall Cobb and Allen Lazard not returning.

They only have one tight end under contract entering the season (Josiah Deguara), and Mayer might be the best player available on the board at this time. He graded out as PFF’s highest-graded tight end in the country, leading the FBS in receiving TDs and yards per route run (2.44). Mayer was also PFF’s fifth-highest-graded run-blocking tight end. The Fighting Irish tight end finished his college career with 180 receptions for 2,099 receiving yards and 18 receiving touchdowns.

16. Washington Commanders: Deonte Banks (CB – Maryland)

Washington’s defensive line is loaded. And it’s because the front office has flooded that area of the field with first-rounders. But that has hurt the secondary, which has been the weakest part of the defense over the last two seasons. Washington injects their pass defense with cornerback Deonte Banks. Banks’ versatility, sure tackling, and strong measurables — 92nd-percentile 40-yard dash, 97th-percentile vertical jump, and 98th-percentile broad jump — will provide an instant impact.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Broderick Jones (OT – Georgia)

The Steelers desperately needed help along the offensive line entering the 2022 season and did nothing in last year’s draft to address the roster hole. As a result, neither of the Steelers’ two starting tackles — Dan Moore Jr. and Chukwuma Okorafor — finished inside PFF’s top-60 graded tackles. Hence, the need for offensive linemen.

RG Nate Herbig and the Steelers agreed to a two-year, $8 million contract. Guard Isaac Seumalo also signed a three-year deal with Pittsburgh, which does help improve the interior OL. Tackle still needs work. Hence, the selection of Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones.

Jones allowed zero sacks last season at left tackle as PFF’s sixth-highest-graded pass blocker in the 2023 draft class. The 6-foot-5, 311-pound lineman also ran the fastest 40-yard dash among tackles at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine (4.97, 93rd percentile).

18. Detroit Lions: Calijah Kancey (DT – Pittsburgh)

The Detroit Lions addressed their secondary with the No. 6 pick, but their defense still needs improvement. More ankle-biters up front to wreak havoc on opposing offenses can help. Pittsburgh’s Calijah Kancey fits the bill. He posted the nation’s highest pass-rush grade among interior defenders in 2022 (92.4) with 47 total pressures (seventh), eight sacks (tied for second), and ranked first in PFF’s PRP rate that combines sacks, hits, and hurries relative to how many times they rush the passer.

Kancey earned the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year award for his efforts. It was the first time since Aaron Donald won the award in 2013 that it was awarded to a Pittsburgh Panther. The former Panther is undersized at 6-foot-1, 281 pounds (similar to Donald, who was scouted by current Lions general manager Brad Holmes), but he more than makes up for it with elite athletism. He ran the 40 in 4.67 seconds (99th percentile). Per FantasyPros’ own Bo McBrayer, that was the fastest 40 time for any player over 280 pounds since 2003.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Nolan Smith (DE – Georgia)

Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Akiem Hicks, and William Gholston on the Tampa Bay defensive line require new contracts. The Buccaneers will look drastically different on defense in 2023, with so much overhaul needed to last year’s roster. They start rebuilding with NFL Combine workout warrior and edge defender Nolan Smith.

Smith tested in the 99th percentile in the 40-yard dash and 10-yard split, running a blazing 4.39 at 238 pounds. He also jumped 41.5 inches in the vertical (98th percentile) and jumped 128 inches in the broad (95th percentile). Before his injury in 2022 (Weeks 1-7), Smith led the Bulldogs in pressures, hurries, and PFF defensive grade.

20. Seattle Seahawks: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR – Ohio State)

Geno Smith was one of the better QBs passing from 11 personnel in 2022, ranking 10th in yards per attempt (7.2), seventh in TD-INT ratio, and sixth in passer rating. But they ran it at the seventh-lowest rate without any worthwhile third receiving option. That changes with the addition of Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Smith-Njigba led the nation in yards per route run (4.01) at just 19 years old in 2021 despite playing alongside two future first-round picks in Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. The Ohio State Buckeye also finished third in the FBS in receiving yards (1,595) and ranked first in PFF receiving grade (91.9) in 2021.

At the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, Smith-Njigba measured in at 6-foot-1, 196 pounds. He did not run the 40-yard dash or perform well in the jumps, but he flashed his short-area quickness with the best time in the 3-cone drill at 6.57 seconds (96th percentile) and 3.93 in the short shuttle (97th percentile).

Just imagine the offense Chef Geno will be able to cook up with DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett (who has an out in his contract in 2024), and JSN. Madness.

21. Los Angles Chargers: Jordan Addison (WR – USC)

Even if Keenan Allen isn’t traded/cut, the Chargers need another weapon for Justin Herbert.

They add WR Jordan Addison out of Southern California to the mix to become Herbert’s big-play wideout. Addison transferred to USC for his junior year after winning the Biletnikoff Award at Pittsburgh in 2021. He led the Trojans with 59 catches for 875 yards and eight receiving TDs (79 targets). But more importantly, the 6-foot, 175-pound wide receiver proved that he could play more outside after spending most of his time in the slot at Pittsburgh.

22. Baltimore Ravens: Myles Murphy (DE – Clemson)

The 6-foot-5, 268-pound pass rusher didn’t test at the NFL Combine — opting to wait for the private workout in April — but he possesses above-average athleticism.

Myles Murphy should be able to provide a spark to Baltimore’s pass rush. The defensive end spot is one of the Ravens’ glaring needs, as they ranked as a bottom-10 pressure unit.

Justin Houston led the team with 12 sacks and is going to be a free agent at age 34. Jason Pierre-Paul is also a free agent and is 34 years old. JPP played the second-most snaps as a pass rusher and most as a run defender among the Ravens’ defensive ends. Calais Campbell was also released.

#Clemson EDGE @BigMurphy_25 says he met with the #Steelers, #Patriots, and #Ravens last night.

Murphy had conversations with the #Giants defensive line coach today during Pro Day. He will visit the #Saints on April 14. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/ZX28EDM4lp

— Luke Winstel (@lukewinstel) March 14, 2023

23. Minnesota Vikings: Will Levis (QB – Kentucky)

At 6-foot-4, 229 pounds, Kentucky’s Will Levis offers an Andrew Luck/Dak Prescott-type build paired with mobility/rushing to extend drives. When a healthy Levis played in an NFL-style offense under former Rams offensive coordinator Liam Coen in 2021, the Kentucky product finished as PFF’s 10th-highest-graded QB in the Power Five. Levis also rushed for nearly 40 yards per game, which is close to the rushing marks set by Joe Burrow and Josh Allen during their respective college tenures. Levis is a name that fantasy managers should be keen on in Superflex formats.

The reason he makes sense landing in Minnesota is twofold. Kirk Cousins‘ guaranteed money will be gone after this season. And Levis’ experience and success in Coen’s offensive system would be a great fit in Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell‘s offense — considering both of their resumes tie back to the Los Angeles Rams/Sean McVay.

24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Branch (S – Alabama)

The Jaguars have a nice starting cornerback with Tyson Campbell but question marks at the other defensive positions. Shaquill Griffin was released and Darious Williams struggled from the slot in his first year in Jacksonville. Bringing back slot CB Tre Herndon was a smart business decision because it allows the team to kick Williams back to the perimeter where he played much better last season.

The worst issue might actually be starting safety Rayshawn Jenkins. He posted the sixth-worst PFF coverage grade among safeties and whiffed on 28 tackles (18.3%) — the second most in 2022. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Jenkins loses playing time to Andrew Wingard off his new three-year extension.

Therefore, the Jaguars need to improve their 30th-ranked DVOA pass defense and backend by bolstering their secondary. Alabama safety Brian Branch is a potential option from the draft. Branch has experience playing the nickel/slot — second-most slot snaps among college safeties in 2022 — and is a fierce tackler. Per PFF, Branch has missed just four tackles on 170 attempts (2.3%) against the stiffest competition the SEC has to offer.

25. New York Giants: Zay Flowers (WR – Boston College)

Entering the offseason, the Giants simply lacked the juice at the wide receiver position to take them over the top in the NFC. They needed to feature more weapons around quarterback Daniel Jones for him to continue improving.

The team re-signed both Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton while acquiring Darren Waller/Parris Campbell in trades/free agency. So far, they have done well putting weapons around Jones. But they don’t stop there. They add Boston College’s Zay Flowers to the mix to become Big Blue’s newest No. 1 wide receiver.

Flowers’ senior year was truly special, as the 5-foot-11, 175-pound wideout racked up 78 receptions for 1,077 yards and 12 receiving TDs. The senior standout turned heads at the East-West Shrine Bowl, cementing himself into the first-round conversation come April. He’s got explosiveness and burst that looks so similar to that of Antonio Brown. Not surprising for him to have “Brown-like tendencies”, as he studied Brown exclusively as he developed his receiver skills. He also got the chance to work out with Brown during his offseason training.

26. Dallas Cowboys: Bijan Robinson (RB – Texas)

Don’t sleep on Dallas as a dark horse to select Bijan Robinson in the first round. The generational running back talent has obvious ties to Dallas as a Texas Longhorn, and his college head coach, Steve Sarkisian, coached under the Cowboys’ current defensive coordinator, Dan Quinn, for two years in Atlanta. Even with Tony Pollard under the franchise tag, that’s just a one-year deal. Ezekiel Elliott is gone and Ronald Jones doesn’t move the needle.

The future of the Dallas ground game — that Mike McCarthy wants to establish at all costs — will/can be an elite pairing between Robinson and Pollard in 2023.

B-Rob finished the 2022 college season as PFF’s second-highest-graded rusher in the FBS, tallying 18 rushing TDs and 1,575 rushing yards en route to a 37% dominator rating in his final year as a Longhorn. He forced 104 missed tackles (40% broken tackle rate) — a metric that has shown to be super predictive of success rushing at the NFL level.

27. Buffalo Bills: Will McDonald IV (EDGE – Iowa State)

The Bills’ pressure rate fell dramatically after the team lost Von Miller due to injury. They generated just a 5.1% pressure rate — a mark that would have ranked 31st compared to season-long standings. To bolster the pass rush, Buffalo adds Will McDonald off the edge.

The super explosive pass rusher boasts 90th-percentile arm length and a 98th-percentile broad jump (132 inches). His body type helped him tremendously as a pure edge rusher, earning him accolades as PFF’s third-highest-graded pass rusher on true pass sets in 2022.

28. Cincinnati Bengals: Dalton Kincaid (TE – Utah)

Hayden Hurst signed with the Panthers in free agency, making tight end a prime position the Bengals will be forced to address. No. 2 blocking tight ends Drew Sample and Mitchell Wilcox are also free agents. Look for them to draft one in a talent-rich class. And if they choose to go the tight end route in Round 1, they will land a stud like Dalton Kincaid.

Kincaid spent his first two seasons at San Diego playing a limited role. But he made the most of every touch he got, averaging nearly 19 yards per reception. His 21.0 yards per reception in 2019 ranked second among all TEs in both the FCS and FBS. After the impressive showing, Kincaid transferred to Utah in 2020 but missed the majority of the season due to COVID implications. It wasn’t until 2021 that Kincaid truly got his shot, and he absolutely dominated. Kincaid posted a 25% dominator rating as the 11th-highest-graded tight end in the nation per PFF. Kincaid followed up his impressive 2021 campaign nicely in 2022 with another eight-touchdown season. His dominator rating jumped to 26% as he led the nation in PFF receiving grade and finished third in yards per route run. Kincaid led Utah with 70 receptions, the most by any tight end in the nation. At 246 pounds, Kincaid is on the smaller side, making it likely he takes on the role of a move tight end at the next level. He ran 55% of his routes from the slot in 2022. It’s a dream landing spot for fantasy football.

29. New Orleans Saints: Mazi Smith (DT – Michigan)

The defensive line — particularly the pass rush — needs to be bolstered for New Orleans. They finished with the fourth-worst pressure rate in 2022. And they have a boatload of defensive linemen that aren’t under contract anymore, headlined by David Onyemata (Falcons), Shy Tuttle (Panthers), Kentavius Street (FA), and Marcus Davenport (Vikings). The only true additions along the defensive line were Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders.

They get a major interior disruptor with Michigan’s Mazi Smith. The 323-pound mammoth of a man finished top 10 in the nation in run stops and tackles among interior defensive linemen.

30. Philadelphia Eagles: O’Cyrus Torrence (OG – Florida)

On the offensive line, guard Isaac Seumalo is now in Pittsburgh. Seumalo inked a three-year deal with the Steelers. His former backup, Andre Dillard, signed a starter-level deal with the Titans. Cam Jurgens could be a candidate to fill the void at guard with Jason Kelce coming back at center.

But either way, the Eagles could use more depth along their interior with Kelce a candidate to retire at the end of the season and Jack Driscoll set to be a free agent as well.

The Eagles get rich (again) and draft Florida’s O’Cyrus Torrence as the No. 1 guard in the 2023 draft class. He finished 2022 as the highest-graded guard in the nation in his first season as a Gator after transferring from Louisiana-Lafayette.

31. Kansas City Chiefs: Anton Harrison (OT – Oklahoma)

Kansas City was wise to reinvest into the tackle position with their top two starting tackles — Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wiley — signing with new teams. Wiley signed with the Washington Commanders, re-joining Eric Bieniemy. Meanwhile, the Bengals signed Brown to a monster four-year, $84 million contract to bolster their OL.

The Chiefs addressed the need in free agency by inking former Jaguars tackle Jawaan Taylor to a four-year, $80 million deal. The plan is to play Taylor at left tackle, even though he has not played there at the NFL or college level. Therefore, I wouldn’t completely rule out the Chiefs taking another stab at a left tackle if the right guy falls to them in the draft like Oklahoma’s Anton Harrison.

Harrison has played left tackle for the Sooners for three straight seasons, capped off by a great 2022 campaign where he allowed zero QB hits on 447 pass-blocking snaps, per PFF.

Just missed the cut

Check out all of our 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles

Mock Drafts Mock Drafts NFL NFL Draft C.J. Stroud Bryce Young John Metchie III Will Anderson Jr. Zach Allen Markus Golden Kevin Strong Anthony Richardson Cam Newton Jalen Hurts Gardner Minshew Tyree Wilson Geno Smith Devon Witherspoon Cam Sutton Emmanuel Moseley Kerby Joseph Christian Gonzalez Jimmy Garoppolo Anthony Averett Rock Ya-Sin Sidney Jones Brandon Facyson Marcus Epps Lukas Van Ness Kaden Elliss Travon Walker Cameron Jordan Paris Johnson Jr. Justin Fields Riley Reiff Larry Borom Alex Leatherwood Nate Davis Jalen Carter Joey Porter Jr. Sean Murphy-Bunting Quentin Johnston Peter Skoronski Aaron Rodgers Darnell Wright Isaiah Wynn Marcus Cannon Yodny Cajuste Calvin Anderson Trent Brown Michael Mayer Randall Cobb Allen Lazard Josiah Deguara Deonte Banks Broderick Jones Dan Moore Jr. Chukwuma Okorafor Nate Herbig Isaac Seumalo Calijah Kancey Aaron Donald Nolan Smith Rakeem Nunez-Roches Akiem Hicks William Gholston Jaxon Smith-Njigba Chris Olave Garrett Wilson DK Metcalf Tyler Lockett Jordan Addison Keenan Allen Justin Herbert Myles Murphy Justin Houston Jason Pierre-Paul Calais Campbell Will Levis Dak Prescott Joe Burrow Josh Allen Kirk Cousins Kevin O’Connell Brian Branch Tyson Campbell Shaquill Griffin Darious Williams Tre Herndon Rayshawn Jenkins Andrew Wingard Zay Flowers Daniel Jones Sterling Shepard Darius Slayton Darren Waller Parris Campbell Antonio Brown Bijan Robinson Tony Pollard Ezekiel Elliott Ronald Jones Will McDonald IV Von Miller Dalton Kincaid Hayden Hurst Drew Sample Mitchell Wilcox Mazi Smith David Onyemata Shy Tuttle Kentavius Street Marcus Davenport Nathan Shepherd Khalen Saunders O’Cyrus Torrence Andre Dillard Cam Jurgens Jason Kelce Jack Driscoll Anton Harrison Orlando Brown Jr. Jawaan Taylor Bryan Bresee Cam Smith Darnell Washington Drew Sanders Jack Campbell Keion White Dawand Jones Emmanuel Forbes Jahmyr Gibbs Hendon Hooker Kelee Ringo Antonio Johnson Jalin Hyatt Isaiah Foskey Adetomiwa Adebawore