In its totality — my final mock draft of the 2023 NFL Draft cycle. It’s been a ton of fun researching prospects and matching them up to NFL teams. After this, we can sit back, relax, and take in the wonder of the NFL Draft. Until we meet again, enjoy!
Kent Weyrauch has been a top-30 most accurate NFL Mock Drafter for each of the last two years.
Check out our 2023 Draft Guide here and also dive into these other outstanding mock drafts from our staff below:
- Thor Nystrom’s 2023 NFL Draft Big Board: Top 500
- Final Mock Drafts: Freedman | Jones | Erickson | Nystrom
- NFL Draft Needs for Every Team
- Historical Draft Picks of All 32 Teams
- NFL Draft Prop Bet Cards: Freedman | Weyrauch | Erickson
- 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles
Join us LIVE for the First Round of the 2023 NFL Draft! 
2023 NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
1. Carolina Panthers: Bryce Young (QB – Alabama)
Locked in. Currently -2000 on DraftKings and -3500 on FanDuel for Bryce Young to be the first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
2. Houston Texans: Will Anderson Jr. (EDGE – Alabama)
I am stepping off C.J. Stroud here after having him in the 2nd slot for a long time. I am buying into the idea that the Texans need to build out a roster with BPA. However, I am not buying into the Tyree Wilson smoke and still see Will Anderson Jr. as the premier edger rusher of this class.
Why exactly is Will Anderson’s “upside” not as high as Tyree Wilson’s?
Far more elite edge rushers are built like Anderson than like Wilson
— Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) April 26, 2023
3. Arizona Cardinals: Tyree Wilson (EDGE – Texas Tech)
I don’t predict trades in my final predictive mocks due to their chaotic nature, but I still think the Cardinals trade down here (more on that in a second). And while Anderson was a popular mock choice for the Cardinals, in this scenario they don’t have that option. Instead, they get the lengthy traits guy in Tyree Wilson.
4. Indianapolis Colts: Will Levis (QB – Kentucky)
The Will Levis Reddit post storyline was interesting, to say the least. And while I don’t put stock into that particular story, there does seem to be some smoke about execs across the league buying into the player that was stuck in an awful situation.
5. Seattle Seahawks: Jalen Carter (DL – Georgia)
There is a split narrative at this pick. He is the odds-on favorite to be selected 5th overall at -250 DK and the Seahawks are -400 to draft a DL/EDGE with their first selection. However, Todd McShay released an article detailing that the Seahawks were out on Carter completely. I’m choosing to go with Vegas on this one.
Spent the last three days working the phones with GM’s , high-ranking personnel executives and others in the know. Here’s my annual Draft Week Buzz piece with all of my most interesting takeaways from those conversations. https://t.co/w6MmpTzQKP
— Todd McShay (@McShay13) April 24, 2023
6. Detroit Lions: C.J. Stroud (QB – Ohio State)
Hah, time to get spicy. While I don’t think the Lions are hard-pressed to land a quarterback in this draft, this situation plays out nicely for them. First, C.J. Stroud tumbles based on recent concerns and his history of struggling against pressure. And second, Jalen Carter is no longer on the board. Alternatively, if they really do like Stroud, a trade up to land him could be in the cards as well with their stockpile of draft capital.
7. Las Vegas Raiders: Devon Witherspoon (CB – Illinois)
It seems that Devon Witherspoon has distanced himself a bit from Christian Gonzalez as the first cornerback off the board. The Vegas odds have backed that up for the last week or so.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Bijan Robinson (RB – Texas)
I said in my last mock that Bijan Robinson likely lands in the teens, but there is a lot of talk about Robinson’s prowess being worth a top-10 selection. Given the Falcons are the favorites to land him, he lands there.
Btw I also think teams are outsmarting themselves on Bijan Robinson. He’s top 5 on many boards but they also have the “you don’t take a RB high bc you can get value later on” take. If he’s top 5, trust your board.
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) April 25, 2023
9. Chicago Bears: Paris Johnson Jr. (OL – Ohio State)
10. Philadelphia Eagles: Nolan Smith (DE – Georgia)
The odds for the Eagles to draft DL/EDGE with their first selection have dropped to -105, passing offensive line. The Eagles could find creative ways to manufacture looks for Nolan Smith and showcase his immense athleticism.
11. Tennessee Titans: Peter Skoronski (OT – Northwestern)
Peter Skoronski honestly fits the Titans perfectly. He has an opportunity to earn his natural position of left tackle but could move inside on an offensive line that desperately needs talent everywhere.
12. Houston Texans: Anthony Richardson (QB – Florida)
This choice is going against the odds a bit, as Will Levis is still the favorite to land on the Colts in this slot. Anthony Richardson just represents such a unique profile that overpowers any marginal day-one advantage that Levis might hold. Even Jim Irsay had something to say on the matter!
13. Green Bay Packers: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR – Ohio State)
It is finally in the cards for the Packers to draft a wide receiver in the first round… after Aaron Rodgers finally leaves, of course. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the top receiver in this class and should provide reliable receiving value immediately.
.@OhioStateFB WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught 95 passes for 1,606 yards in 2021 – both single-season school records – & nine TDs before playing in just three games last year due to injury.@Invisalign | Prospect Primer ⏬ https://t.co/R6kO35VGHV
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 22, 2023
14. New England Patriots: Christian Gonzalez (CB – Oregon)
This would be a decent “fall” for Gonzalez, but with the Lions and the Eagles both dipping into defensive line selections, this is certainly feasible. I know the Patriots would be ecstatic.
15. New York Jets: Broderick Jones (OT – Georgia)
Tackle has been a big need for the Jets this entire NFL Draft cycle. Broderick Jones is a beefy left tackle that ran a sub-five-second forty at the NFL Combine.
16. Washington Commanders: Deonte Banks (CB – Maryland)
After having Joey Porter Jr. here for the longest time, I am swapping to Deonte Banks. Banks fits the Commander’s scheme better as a great zone talent.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Darnell Wright (OT – Tennessee)
The Steelers need help at tackle. Darnell Wright has been a riser throughout this draft cycle and even got mentioned as a potential option at 9th overall. But ultimately, in the middle of the first round is where he belongs in my opinion.
18. Detroit Lions: Joey Porter Jr. (CB – Penn State)
Thanks to the Commanders taking Banks, Joey Porter Jr. slides to 18th, which is closer to his current line of 19.5 on DraftKings. Getting this value on the 13th-highest aggregate big board player would be a great follow-up to landing Stroud.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Lukas Van Ness (EDGE – Iowa)
Lukas Van Ness is a versatile pass-rusher that can move around the line. The Bucs need some defensive line help, and there’s reason to believe that he could be a top-10 selection on traits alone. However, his lack of production drops him to the back half of the first round.
Lukas Van Ness is a DE prospect in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 9.39 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 101 out of 1629 DE from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/yA0EDhyLii pic.twitter.com/MgRiMgkc5P
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 22, 2023
20. Seattle Seahawks: Zay Flowers (WR – Boston College)
There has been some smoke on Zay Flowers being the second receiver off the board this year. Everyone after JSN has at least a couple of red flags, so any receiver in that second tier is fair game. His line is currently 22.5 juiced to the under. Flowers working underneath Metcalf and Lockett would be a dream for Geno Smith.
Miami Dolphins forfeited their pick.
21. Los Angeles Chargers: Jordan Addison (WR – USC)
The hype on Jordan Addison is building again, and Peter Schrager is leading that charge.
EVEN more Pre Draft Nuggets…
— Jets won’t reach at 15 for an OT if one of their preferred guys doesn’t fall to them
— Addison has lots of fans around the league. May go earlier than he’s been listed in any mock drafts
— DEs Murphy , Van Ness, Nolan Smith all should go 10-25— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) April 27, 2023
22. Baltimore Ravens: Myles Murphy (DE – Clemson)
Despite the vapid commentary of the “Clemson curse”, Myles Murphy is a highly-sought after edge defender. His pro-day numbers were elite. Not to mention, the tape shows a First-Team All-ACC monster with speed, power, and a pass-rushing toolkit.
23. Minnesota Vikings: Emmanuel Forbes (CB – Boston College)
Another late riser. Draftniks avoided mocking Emmanuel Forbes much higher than the 2nd round due to his size/weight, but apparently, NFL teams are fans of his. The Vikings still need secondary help, and this fits perfectly.
NFL Draft Profile
24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Calijah Kancey (DT – Pittsburgh)
Despite reportedly not having any top 30 visits, I still think that Calijah Kancey goes somewhere at the end of the first round as a penetrating 3-technique with elite athleticism. The Jaguars tried something similar with Taven Bryan a few years ago, but Kancey has more polish to his game at this stage than Bryan ever had.
25. New York Giants: Quentin Johnston (WR – TCU)
On the opposite end of the spectrum for receivers, Quentin Johnston has seemingly been falling — some think he might even slip out of the first round. Not sure I’m bought in on that though. The Giants could certainly use an X receiver, and Johnston is one of the few large-bodied receivers in this class.
26. Dallas Cowboys: Michael Mayer (TE – Notre Dame)
I mean, the connection is obvious. Many say that Michael Mayer is a modern-day version of Jason Witten. Does everything very well with very few weak attributes. The betting markets strongly believe that he will be a Cowboy after the Mayer-to-Cowboys odds jumped to +350 a few days ago.
27. Buffalo Bills: Bryan Bresee (DT – Clemson)
The Bills have a need at the 1-technique DT position, a role that Bryan Bresee has filled in the past just not in a full-time capacity. At 6’5″ he certainly could beef up to 320+ and slid inside more often to support Ed Oliver very nicely while still being moved around the line in certain looks.
28. Cincinnati Bengals: Dalton Kincaid (TE – Utah)
He’s been up and down throughout the draft process, but Dalton Kincaid is someone that could sneak into the back of the first round. He’s still ninth on Daniel Jeremiah’s top 50 prospects list as of April 9th. In a class with a lot of good tight ends, Kincaid still stands out as the premier pass-catcher of the bunch.
29. New Orleans Saints: Will McDonald IV (EDGE – Iowa State)
Similar to Forbes, Will McDonald IV didn’t find his way onto many first-round mock drafts until recently because he is lighter than most edges in this class. However, he plays a premium position and possesses the frame to develop in the long run.
30. Philadelphia Eagles: Brian Branch (S – Alabama)
Branch had some top-15 buzz early in the NFL Draft cycle that dried up after a lackluster combine showing, but his game was never predicated on it. I think the Eagles would get a good value here to shore up their secondary and potentially log some slot corner snaps.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Anton Harrison (OT – Oklahoma)
This would be a scenario where the Chiefs put Jawaan Taylor at right tackle, then have Anton Harrison step in as the day-one starting left tackle. Harrison allowed just four sacks on 1,002 pass-blocking snaps, per PFF.
More Mock NFL Drafts
- Thor Nystrom’s Mock Drafts (1.0 | 2.0)
- Matthew Freedman’s Mock Drafts (1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 12.0 | 13.0)
- Kent Weyrauch’s Mock Drafts (1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 10.0)
- Matthew Jones’s Mock Drafts (1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 9.0)
- Andrew Erickson’s Mock Drafts (1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 7.0)
- Mike Fanelli’s Mock Drafts w/ Trades (1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0)
- John Supowitz’s Mock Drafts (1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0)
- Russell Brown (1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0)
- Ken Zalis (1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0)
- PJ Moran (1.0 | 2.0)
Check out all of our 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles
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