The 2023 NFL Draft has just wrapped up, and it was an entertaining rollercoaster ride that left mock drafters and NFL teams alike stunned. The first pick, Bryce Young, set the tone for a draft full of surprises, with blockbuster trades, dramatic falls, and strategic maneuvers that kept us on the edge of our seats. Thank you, Houston Texans. And as always, some teams demonstrated impressive wizardry in navigating the draft board, coming away with both their top players and future draft capital. In my final draft grades for all 32 teams, you’ll see that it’s not just about the players selected, but also about the value of the pick, the team’s needs, and the opportunity cost of the selection. After all, as the Marvel supervillain Thanos would say, did it really cost everything? Let’s dive in and see which teams emerged as winners and are best positioned to compete for the 2023 Super Bowl.
Pre-draft odds are provided by FanDuel Sportsbook. Teams that saw their odds increase post-draft include PHI, BAL, TEN, IND and HOU. Decrease? Just SF.
- NFL Draft Day 1 Winners & Losers (Day 2 | Day 3)
- Thor’s Draft Grades (AFC | NFC)
- Fitz’s Round 1 NFL Draft Picks: Dynasty Rookie Draft Outlook (Day 2 | Day 3)
- Latest Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft
- Dynasty Rookie Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
Click below to move directly to the draft grades and overview for each individual NFL team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAC | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS
NFL Draft Grades for All 32 NFL Teams
Here are my 2023 NFL Draft recaps, analysis, and grades for all 32 teams.
Arizona Cardinals +18000
- Paris Johnson Jr. (OT – Ohio State) – 6th
- B.J. Ojulari (EDGE – LSU) – 41st
- Garrett Williams (CB – Syracuse) – 72nd
- Michael Wilson (WR – Stanford) – 94th
- Jon Gaines II (IOL – UCLA) – 122nd
- Clayton Tune (QB – Houston) – 139th
- Owen Pappoe (LB – Auburn) – 168th
- Kei’Trel Clark (CB – Louisville) – 180th
- Dante Stills (DT – West Virginia) – 213th
Protect Kyler Murray at all costs. I like the maneuver to snag a franchise tackle that they would have taken third overall anyway. And that’s in addition to the 2024 first-rounder the Cardinals netted in the deal with Texans (swapped 12, 33, and 2024 1st and 2024 3rd for No. 3 and No. 105.) Arizona then traded the 12th, 34th and 168th picks to get back on the board at No. 6 overall (plus the 81st pick from DET).
Great value selection in Round 2 with B.J. Ojulari. The Cardinals need help everywhere, and Ojulari bolsters the hole at the edge. The former LSU Tiger finished the 2022 season tied for 5th in pressures per game (3.9) and first in holding penalties drawn.
With Arizona already looking ahead to 2024, I love the pick of CB Garrett Williams. The Syracuse cornerback likely fell in the draft after he tore his ACL in the middle of the 2022 season. The Cardinals have no reason to rush him, and they can essentially redshirt him Year 1. WR Michael Wilson likely fell for similar injury issues, which is why it was a savvy move for Arizona to scoop him up as well late into the 3rd round with DeAndre Hopkins not long for the Cardinals roster.
Drafting guard Jon Gaines II in Round 4 helps improve the interior run game after he finished the 2022 season generating the highest yards before contact to his gap per attempt (4.1).
After all the trades the Cardinals made during the 2023 Draft, they have multiple picks at their disposal for Rounds 1, 3 and 4 for the 2024 NFL Draft. Hats off to new Cardinals general manager, Monti Ossenfort in his first draft at the helm.
FINAL DRAFT GRADE: A+
Click below to move directly to the draft grades and overview for each individual NFL team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAC | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS
Atlanta Falcons +6000
- Bijan Robinson (RB – Texas) – 8th
- Matthew Bergeron (OT – Syracuse) – 38th
- Zach Harrison (EDGE – Ohio State) – 75th
- Clark Phillips (CB – Utah) – 114th
- DeMarcco Hellams (S – Alabama) – 224th
- Jovaughn Gwyn (IOL – South Carolina) – 225th
Wheels up. If any team can somewhat justify drafting a running back 8th overall, it’s the Atlanta Falcons. At least we can be confident Arthur Smith and Co. will utilize Bijan Robinson to the full extent throughout his rookie deal. The Texas running back is listed at +350 odds to win offensive rookie of the year. Unless a first-year quarterback really shows out in Year 1, B-Rob will be tough to beat for that spot if he stays healthy.
Atlanta went with a tackle in Round 2, which I do think was a wise move. If you are going to be a run-heavy team, invest assets into the OL. Matthew Bergeron enters the NFL with a ton of experience, starting 39 games at Syracuse. He thrived as both a pass and run blocker while playing on both sides of the offensive formation. He can step in immediately at the next level as a swing tackle.
Zach Harrison has 98th percentile arm length and 97th percentile wingspan which makes him closely comparable to Chandler Jones. The Ohio State pass rusher was extremely productive in 2022 finishing with the 11th-highest pressure rate over expectation in his class. And over the past three years as a Buckeye, he has been a top-35 PFF-graded pass rusher each season.
Only Devon Witherspoon posted a lower EPA per target than Clark Phillips III in the 2023 CB draft class. Utah’s primary slot CB couldn’t be touched inside generating the lowest coverage snaps per target/reception. Great value for the Falcons in Round 4 to fortify their secondary inside.
FINAL DRAFT GRADE: A-
Click below to move directly to the draft grades and overview for each individual NFL team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAC | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS
Baltimore Ravens +2000
- Zay Flowers (WR – Boston College) – 22nd
- Trenton Simpson (LB – Clemson) – 86th
- Tavius Robinson (EDGE – Ole Miss) – 124th
- Kyu Blu (CB – Stanford) – 157th
- Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu (OT – Oregon) – 199th
- Andrew Vorhees (IOL – USC) – 229th
Pay Lamar Jackson and get him weapons. Get ready for the fireworks air show in Baltimore this year folks. Flowers, Odell Beckham Jr., Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman (maybe Antonio Brown as well). OC Todd Munken at the helm of this new offense will take Baltimore to new heights. This is the Zay (insert Mandalorian theme song). Don’t expect the +1600 odds for Jackson to win another MVP to become longer anytime soon.
Baltimore went to the defense in Round 3, with Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson. Considering LB was not a pressing need for Baltimore compared to the CB, DL, and IOL positions, I am questioning the selection. Simpson is an intriguing player that possesses 4.43 40-speed at 235 pounds, but I expect more value-hunting from the sharp Ravens front office. Especially considering the reason they did not have a second-round pick was that they traded to the Bears to acquire another linebacker (Roquan Smith) during the 2022 season.
The Ravens’ underwhelming draft continued into Day 3, with edge rusher Tavius Robinson. He posted just a 9% pressure rate last season (39th out of 43 qualifying 2023 draft-eligible edge rushers).
It wasn’t until Round 5 that the Ravens finally selected a cornerback. Kyu Blu allowed the third-highest EPA when targeted last season (second-highest average depth of target). The team is living dangerously with the secondary in its current form.
FINAL DRAFT GRADE: C+
Click below to move directly to the draft grades and overview for each individual NFL team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAC | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS
Buffalo Bills +900
- Dalton Kincaid (TE – Utah) – 25th
- O’Cyrus Torrence (IOL – Florida) – 59th
- Dorian Williams (LB – Tulane) – 91st
- Justin Shorter (WR – Florida) – 150th
- Nick Broeker (IOL – Mississippi) – 230th
- Alex Austin (CB – Oregon State) – 252nd
Josh Allen gets another weapon right off the bat. And the Bills can never have too many weapons in the arms race AFC. With the top WRs off the board, Buffalo invested a first-round pick into Dalton Kincaid (traded up), who projects as a hybrid slot receiver in the Bills offense. Dawson Knox (RIP his fantasy value) led all tight ends last season in passer rating generated (137.5) from the slot last season.
The Bills scooped up more first-round talent in O’Cyrus Torrence, who fell all the way to pick No. 59. He helps plug the interior – that ranked 5th worst in run-blocking per PFF last season — as my highest-ranked guard in the class. Torrence finished 2022 as the highest-graded guard in the nation in his first season as a Gator after transferring from Louisiana-Lafayette. His overall blown block percentage (1%) ranks No. 2 in the 2023 guard class per Sports Info Solutions.
In Round 3, Buffalo bolstered their linebacker room with Dorian Williams. He finished 7th in the nation in tackles, as PFF’s 16th-highest-graded linebacker. Specifically, the undersized defender thrived in coverage with a top-10 coverage grade per PFF. A great addition to combat the loss of Tremaine Edmunds.
FINAL DRAFT GRADE: A-
Click below to move directly to the draft grades and overview for each individual NFL team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAC | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS
Carolina Panthers +5500
- Bryce Young (QB – Alabama) – 1st
- Jonathan Mingo (WR – Ole Miss) – 39th
- D.J. Johnson (Edge – Oregon) – 80th
- Chandler Zavala (IOL – NC State) – 114th
- Jammie Robinson (S – Florida State) – 145th
Carolina gets their quarterback of the future with Bryce Young. Simply put, he’s the best football player in the QB class, and there would be no debate if he wasn’t undersized.
At 39th overall, Carolina selected Jonathan Mingo. The Ole Miss WR can adjust to balls downfield and break tackles, standing at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds with 4.46 wheels to boot. However, there are several other WRs there were available that I would have much preferred the Panthers gravitating toward as Mingo is still somewhat of an unfinished product. Still, his size/speed profile is enticing, and his downfield prowess should gel with his new rookie quarterback. In 2022, 31% of his targets came on throws 20-plus yards downfield, second to only Marvin Mims in the class (38%).
Carolina wrapped up Day 2 with edge rusher D.J. Johnson which addressed the team’s second biggest need on the edge. Johnson finished with a 14% pressure rate in 2022, tied for the 11th-highest in the edge class. His true pressure rate was the same as Will Anderson’s 16% last season. He tested well at the NFL Combine, running a 4.49 at 260 pounds (97th percentile). His two closest comparables per Mockdraftable.com include Kayvon Thibodeaux and Josh Allen.
On Day 3, the Panthers got a steal with Chandler Zavala who was the best available guard left. Zavala led the 2023 guard class with the fewest pass-blown blocks (0.2) per game. He also tested extremely well at NC State’s pro day, running the second-fastest 3-cone drill at 4.53 at 322 pounds. Zavala will reunite with fellow former Wolfpack offensive lineman, Ikem Ekwonu in Carolina.
FINAL DRAFT GRADE: A-
Click below to move directly to the draft grades and overview for each individual NFL team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAC | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS
Chicago Bears +6000
- Darnell Wright (OT – Tennessee) – 10th
- Gervon Dexter (DT – Florida) – 53rd
- Tyrique Stevenson (CB – Miami) – 56th
- Zacch Pickens (DT – South Carolina) – 73rd
- Roschon Johnson (RB – Texas) – 115th
- Tyler Scott (WR – Cincinnati) – 133rd
- Noah Sewell (LB – Oregon) – 148th
- Terrell Smith (CB – Minnesota) – 165th
- Travis Bell (DT – Kennesaw State) – 218th
- Kendall Williamson (DB – Stanford) – 258th
The Bears needed a future tackle and got the second-best guy on their board behind Paris Johnson Jr. Zero complaints from me with Darnell Wright slated to protect Justin Fields. Wright was a four-year starter (42 games) 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. And per Sports Info Solutions, Wright finished with the second-lowest blown block percentage in the class (0.7%). Wright should be a plug-and-play option as the Bears right tackle in Year 1 and for the foreseeable future.
On Day 2, Chicago addressed more needs by doubling down at the defensive tackle spot and by drafting CB Tyrique Stevenson. Gervon Dexter finished 8th in tackles and 10th in total run stops in 2022, as the anchor in the Gators’ defense. He’s a bet on traits projection. Tyrique Stevenson allowed just 1.1 receptions per game as Miami’s boundary cornerback in 2022. With solid size — 6-feet, 198 pounds and a long wingspan — Stevenson fits the mold of a man coverage CB that fits the Matt Eberflus scheme.
Starting on Day 3, the Bears selected Texas running back Roschon Johnson. For a team that wants to build their identity on the ground, it’s a great pick in Round 4. Had Johnson not spent time sitting behind Bijan Robinson, he would have posted much better college numbers. Johnson posted an absurd 49% missed tackle rate in 2022 while also finishing fourth in yards after contact per attempt among the 2023 draft class. He’ll find earning playing time will be much easier to do competing with the likes of Khalil Herbert and D’Onta Foreman.
I also love the addition of WR Tyler Scott on Day 3. It’s another weapon for Justin Fields, and I expect the duo to generate splash plays downfield.
FINAL DRAFT GRADE: B
Click below to move directly to the draft grades and overview for each individual NFL team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAC | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS
Cincinnati Bengals +1000
- Myles Murphy (Edge – Clemson) – 28th
- D.J. Turner (CB – Michigan) – 60th
- Jordan Battle (S – Alabama) – 95th
- Charlie Jones (WR – Purdue) – 131st
- Chase Brown (RB – Illinois) – 163rd
- Andrei Iosivas (WR – Princeton) – 206th
- Brad Robbins (P – Michigan) – 217th
- D.J. Ivey (DB – Miami) – 246th
At points during the pre-draft process, Myles Murphy was viewed as a top-15 projection. Considering the Bengals were able to get him at the end of Round 1, it’s great value for a young player that has room to grow as a pass rusher.
Cornerback D.J. Turner was also thought to be a fringe first-rounder, so the Bengals scooping him up toward the end of Round 2 was another great value selection. He addresses an area of need on the roster after Cincy lost defensive backs in free agency. Turner can fly (4.26 40-yard dash) and operate as a perimeter cornerback. The former Michigan Wolverine aligned at an 82% perimeter rate, forcing the 7th most incompletions in his CB class in 2022. He reunites with fellow former Michigan product Daxton Hill in the Bengals secondary.
Safety Jordan Battle was the best-case scenario for the Bengals to fill the hole they had at coverage safety. They got a starting-caliber one with the 95th pick. Battle was a 4-year starter in Nick Saban’s defense logging over 1500 snaps as a free safety. This past season, he finished as PFF’s 20th-graded coverage safety in the nation.
On Day 3, the Bengals added several skill position players. Most notably, Chase Brown at running back. Brown was crazy productive last season, rushing for 1,632 yards and 10 TDs. His 329 carries ranked second in the nation and his 83 forced missed tackles ranked 3rd. Brown rushed for at least 100 yards in all but one game that he played in 2022. However, Brown benefited substantially from massive volume as his efficiency left more to be desired. His career 2.4 yards per play ranks 3rd-worst among the RBs I sampled from this year’s class. Brown tested extremely well at the NFL scouting combine finishing first in both the first in the vertical jump (40″, 94th percentile) and broad jump (127″, 93rd percentile). He also ran a 4.43 40-yard dash. The final word with Brown is that he is capable of leading a backfield based on his experience. But it’s more likely to end in empty volume than truly improve an NFL offense’s actual efficiency. Sounds a lot like what he saw last season from Joe Mixon.
FINAL DRAFT GRADE: A-
Click below to move directly to the draft grades and overview for each individual NFL team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAC | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS
Cleveland Browns +2800
- Cedric Tillman (WR – Tennessee) – 74th
- Siaki Ika (DT – Baylor) – 98th
- Dawand Jones (OT – Ohio State) – 111th
- Isaiah McGuire (DT – Missouri) – 126th
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson (QB – UCLA) – 140th
- Cameron Mitchell (CB – Northwestern) – 142nd
- Luke Wypler (IOL – Ohio State) – 190th
Cleveland didn’t have a ton of high-end draft capital to work with, but I liked what they did with their limited picks. WR Cedric Tillman (a draft crush of mine) gives Deshaun Watson another big-bodied target on the perimeter. Nose tackle Siaki Ika helps address a major need for the Browns defense that was gashed versus the run last season.
Starting in Round 4, the Browns took the ginormous OT Dawand Jones. The former Buckeye boasts mammoth-sized arms and wingspan in the 98th percentile measuring in at 6-foot-8 and a whopping 374 pounds. Per Sports Info Solutions, Jones tied for first in the class in the lowest blown block percentage (0.8%). He’s a bit of a project, so I like the fit with Cleveland.
DT Isaiah McGuire was another nice find late. The Missouri Tiger edge rusher saved his best for last during his senior year, posting a career-high PFF pash rush grade (82.0). He also finished 4th in Sports Info Solutions’ adjusted tackle depth plus, which showcases his ability to blow up plays in the offensive backfield. McGuire has explosiveness traits with an 82nd percentile broad jump and 83rd percentile vertical jump at 6-foot-4 and 268 pounds.
I’m also a big fan of QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson and love the value of him as a Day 3 pick. He can slide in as Watson’s backup with a ton of experience to offer.
Luke Wypler in Round 6 was another nice addition to the Browns offensive line. The former Buckeye finished as PFF’s 9th-graded guard in 2022 with top-30 grades in both pass/run blocking. Solid depth for the Brownies.
FINAL DRAFT GRADE: A-
Click below to move directly to the draft grades and overview for each individual NFL team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAC | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS