2023 2 Round NFL Mock Draft (3/1/2023)

2023 2-Round NFL Mock Draft

Pick #1 (Traded to IND)- Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

This mock is not going to have any other trades (although more will occur in future ones), however it just seems inevitable that Chicago moves out of the pick for a QB-needy team, such as the Colts. Young’s size will be the consistent talking point surrounding his draft stock, but there is no denying his escapability and his ability to create out of structure. Having Bryce Young is going to allow new HC Shane Steichen to run an offense similar to how he ran it in Philadelphia with Jalen Hurts.

Pick #2- CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State

Compared to the other top QB’s in the class, CJ Stroud feels like the safest of the bunch. He is a great pocket passer with good mechanics and pinpoint accuracy. However, there were plenty of questions about how he dealt with pressure as a Buckeye. But that all changed after his performance against Georgia in the CFP Semifinals, where he played like a completely different player. If the Texans get that version of Stroud, they could very well have a franchise guy on their hands.

Pick #3- Will Anderson Jr, EDGE, Alabama

The Cardinals need to upgrade at nearly every position, but maybe none more than the edge. With JJ Watt retiring, they are left with only a few developmental players in Myjai Sanders and Cameron Thomas. Will Anderson Jr. can be a very strong building block for years to come thanks to his bendiness and relentlessness as a pass rusher.

Pick #4 (Traded to CHI)- Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

This may be the most obvious pick of the draft, and I do not think the Bears would be very upset if they had to stick at 1st overall and select Carter. HC Matt Eberflus’ defense in Indianapolis thrived with the dominant 3–technique play of DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart. Jalen Carter can come right in and fill that role for what was a dismal Bears interior defensive line. Athletically gifted defensive tackles are very hard to come by, and Jalen Carter has the potential to immediately become a top DT in the league from Day One.

Pick #5- Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech

- GM John Schneider and HC Pete Caroll are notorious for valuing size and athletic traits over other aspects during the draft process, and considering their need and desire to improve the defensive line, no player fits this mold more than Tyree Wilson. The former Red Raider has long arms and is extremely twitched up. Wilson can rely on his athleticism to win too often though, and is very reminiscent of last year’s 1st overall pick, Travon Walker.

Pick #6- Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois

- The Lions desperately need to improve their defense, specifically their secondary. Safety Kerby Joseph was a breakout star, so why not bring in his former college teammate, Devon Witherspoon. He was one of the biggest risers once people started watching his tape. Despite him being an older player, and not as tall and long as some of the other CBs in the class, Witherspoon was dominant in every scenario for the Illini. The most common player comp for him is Jaire Alexander, and the Lions would sure love to have that type of player to patch up their secondary.

Pick #7- Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

Funnily enough, this would not be the first time HC Josh McDaniels took a chance on an athletic QB out of Florida who wore #15. The difference though, is that Anthony Richardson has all of the traits of a superstar QB in the NFL. He has a cannon attached to his shoulder and is a problem to tackle in the open field. If anybody should be compared to Josh Allen in this class, it's Richardson. However, much like Allen was, he is still raw as a passer and does have accuracy concerns. He is very inexperienced, but if he can harness his talent Richardson easily has the highest ceiling of any QB in the class.

Pick #8- Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia

This was a tough selection to make, as the Falcons need help at mostly every position. In this universe, they protect Desmond Ridder by keeping former Georgia lineman Broderick Jones in state to replace either Jake Matthews at LT or Kaleb McGary at RT. Cornerback was almost the choice here, but they have enough depth that they may choose to hold off until the later rounds.

Pick #9- Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

The Panthers feel very lucky that one of the top QBs fall to them at #9. While Levis has some clear concerns on tape, mainly his accuracy and pocket presence, he has NFL arm strength and size that has kept him ranked highly despite the issues shown on tape. There are plenty of rumors out there that Panthers owner David Tepper loves Levis, and the former Wildcat may find himself the day one starter in Charlotte.

Pick #10- Christian Gonzales, CB, Oregon

Thanks to the Saints desperation, the Eagles find themselves with a top 10 pick even after reaching the Super Bowl. They have some key free agent decisions to make, especially regarding their secondary. With Darius Slay approaching his mid-30s, and James Bradberry hitting free agency potentially, the time is now to add a young stud at CB. Gonzales has the length and speed to be a dominant boundary corner, and replace either Bradberry or Slay when the time comes.

Pick #11- Paris Johnson Jr, OT, Ohio State

With Taylor Lewan getting cut, and the rest of the offensive line struggling mightily last season, improving the offensive line for Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry is paramount. Paris Johnson Jr. comes in as a plug and play LT who should help out massively in the run game while he develops as a pass blocker.

Pick #12- Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson

- Once they address QB, the Texans could really go in any direction with the rest of their draft picks. In this scenario, the Texans add to their pass rush group with Myles Murphy, a high floor player with room to improve. Though his ceiling may not be as high as some of the other rushers in the class, Murphy should find a role right away on the Texans.

Pick #13- Peter Skoronski, OT/OG, Northwestern

- The Jets biggest need is improving the offensive line, but on paper they have a lot of young talent across the board there. Unfortunately, injuries have kept former 1st round pick Mekhi Becton out for the past 2 seasons, and their other 1st Round Pick, Alijah Vera-Tucker, is coming off a torn tricep that ended his season early as well. Skoronski can come in and play as a tackle, but also has guard flexibility and can move around the line depending on injuries/play concerns with the other players on the team.

Pick #14- Jordan Addison, WR, USC

While I ultimately believe the Patriots trade down out of this pick, it is obvious that Mac Jones needs more help if he wants to reach his full potential. They have multiple solid receivers, but are missing that superstar level talent, which is something that USC's Jordan Addison could potentially turn into. Addison has the route running ability and solid hands to win all over the field, and has the explosiveness that is sorely lacking in Foxboro right now.

Pick #15- Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

Whether Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love is the QB here next season, the Packers desperately need more weapons on offense. Robert Tonyan is a free agent, and likely to leave, so the Packers bring in his replacement in Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer. What he lacks in athleticism, he makes up for in his phenomenal hands, blocking ability and work ethic.

Pick #16- Joey Porter Jr, CB, Penn State

- With the Commanders missing out on the top QB prospects, their other biggest need to fill is at cornerback. Joey Porter Jr, son of the former NFL linebacker, is a long, lanky corner who thrives in man coverage. He can be a little too physical at times, but has the talent to become a top CB in the league if he can clean that up.

Pick #17- Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson

- Despite longtime veteran Cam Heyward announcing that he is returning for another season, the Steelers still need to add to their interior defensive line, as Tyson Alualu, Chris Wormley and Larry Ogunjobi are all pending free agents. Bresee is a fascinating player to watch regarding his draft stock. A former 5-star recruit, Bresee was once seen as a lock for the top 10, but a very mediocre and tough 2022 season has dropped him down many mock drafts. However, the ceiling is still sky-high for Bresee, and having Cam Heyward as a potential mentor sounds like a good way to unlock that potential.

Pick #18- Brian Branch, S/SLCB, Alabama

- After already improving their secondary with Devon Witherspoon at #6, the Lions add another versatile chess piece in Alabama’s Brian Branch. Though he has experience playing safety, Branch likely fits in best as a very athletic slot CB. He has phenomenal coverage ability, high football IQ and is a very secure tackler. If former 3rd overall pick Jeff Okudah can stay healthy and continue to make strides as he did last season, this Lions secondary could become a top unit in the league very quickly.

Pick #19- Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia

- The retirement of Tom Brady has left this Bucs team in a very strange place, especially with none of the top QBs lasting enough for a potential trade up with a team in the ‘teens. In this scenario, the Bucs get into the veteran QB market and focus on trying to replace the members of their secondary that are pending free agents. Ringo is a top prospect who showed some lapses in coverage this season, but has all the athletic tools to become one of the top CBs in the league if he can get coached up.

Pick #20- Jaxson Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State

- Despite how good the Seahawks offense operated last season, it feels like they are missing a trustworthy 3rd receiver. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are great on the outside, but the rotation of D’Wayne Eskridge and Marquise Goodwin never truly solidified that other WR spot. JSN can "slot" in and immediately give Geno Smith (probably?) a dependable target from the slot and over the middle of the field.

Pick #22- Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh

Despite adding multiple free agents to their interior defensive line last season, injuries still decimated the Chargers and they once again struggled to stop the run. While taking a very undersized DT prospect seems counterintuitive, Kancey is an ultra-talented option on the inside. Don’t forget, HC Brandon Staley used to be the DC for the Rams and worked with another undersized DT from Pitt. Though Kancey still has a long way to go to get to that level, there are some comparisons to be made to each other as prospects.

Pick #23- Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

- Depending on what happens to Lamar Jackson, the firing of OC Greg Roman should indicate the Ravens potentially switching to a more balanced approach to their offense. It has been clear for years now that Baltimore needs another receiver, especially with Rashod Bateman struggling to stay healthy. Enter Zay Flowers, an undersized but explosive route runner who has immediately drawn comparisons to Antonio Brown (for his play only, thankfully!).

Pick #24- Lukas Van Ness, EDGE/DE, Iowa

- Despite EDGE not being the biggest need for the Vikings, Van Ness may be too talented to pass up on. He is a freak athlete who dominates as a power rusher, despite being underutilized at Iowa. With his inexperience, he should benefit from initially sitting behind Danielle Hunter and ZaDarius Smith in his rookie season and becoming a more well-rounded player.

Pick #25- Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland

- The Jaguars come into the draft without having too many needs to fill. Free agent signing Shaquill Griffin only has 1 year left on his contract, so stashing his potential replacement seems like a smart move here. Banks is a tall and lanky corner from Maryland, whose size should allow him to become a good boundary cornerback to pair with Tyson Campbell.

Pick #26- Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU

- As long as the Giants are able to bring back QB Daniel Jones and RB Saquon Barkley, the Giants should focus on improving their WR core for next season. Quentin Johnston is one of the few tall boundary receivers in this class, and has great athletic upside to pair with it. If all goes right, he should become an immediate starting outside receiver for the G-Men next season.

Pick #27- Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

The Cowboys’ decision at RB has become one of the most anticipated decisions of the offseason. Tony Pollard was finally given more opportunities and dominated, while Ezekiel Elliott continued to struggle being much more than a short yardage back. However, Pollard is a free agent and will command quite a hefty sum on the market. Do they bring both back? Do they cut Zeke? Or, do they let go of both and bring in some homegrown talent in Texas’ own Bijan Robinson? He has all the traits and athletic talent to become the next great RB for the Cowboys, and we know how Jerry Jones loves his star talent.

Pick #28- O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida

- The Bills have a very interesting offseason ahead of them, and one of their biggest needs is to improve their offensive line, which far too often forced a hurt Josh Allen to take off and run. They could look to upgrade over Spencer Brown at RT, but they also need to replace Rodger Saffold, who is a pending free agent. That’s where O’Cyrus Torrence comes in, the top interior offensive lineman in the 2023 class. He should be a plug and play starter from day one.

Pick #29-Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

- Cincinnati can attempt to improve both their offensive line and replace pending free agent Hayden Hurst with this pick. Washington is one of the best blocking tight ends the Draft has seen in a long time, thanks in part to his massive 6 '7 frame. But he is also a really good athlete, and has upside as a strong and dependable possession receiver. He could become a very versatile and important player for the Bengals offense.

Pick #30- BJ Ojulari, EDGE, LSU

- Thanks to perpetually being in cap hell, the Saints have a plethora of needs to fill in the NFL Draft. One of the bigger holes is on the edge, as Marcus Davenport is likely gone in free agency. So, the Saints opt to keep the highly talented BJ Ojulari in-state. BJ Ojulari, brother of Giants pass rusher Azeez Ojulari, is a formidable speed rusher with great bend and flexibility. Despite some lack of consistency at times, Ojulari should settle in very nicely behind the aging Cam Jordan next season.

Pick #31- Keion White, EDGE, Georgia Tech

- Despite how dominant the Eagles pass rush was this season, the majority of the players involved are getting up there in age, so bringing in another edge player should be a priority for GM Howie Roseman. White is an older prospect, but is still fairly new to the pass rushing position after beginning his career as a TE at Old Dominion. He has a really nice get off, and has inside and outside versatility, which should make him a moldable option for the Eagles to strategically deploy when needed.

Pick #32- Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee

- With Orlando Brown Jr. 's contract status up in the air, the defending Super Bowl champs could potentially look to replace him with some of the tackles projected in the late 1st/early 2nd round. One of those is Tennessee’s Darnell Wright, who is one of the more interesting stories of the college football season. Starting his career at LT, Wright was downright horrific at times for the Vols, before switching over the RT this season. Clearly, the switch did something for him, as he immediately became one of the top tackles in all of CFB, including putting out some dominant performances against Will Anderson Jr and the other top edge rushers of the SEC.

Round 2

(Steelers) #33- Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma

(Texans) #34- Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State

(Cardinals) #35- Steve Avila, OG/C, TCU

(Bears from IND) #36- Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame

(Rams) #37- Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa State

(Seahawks) #38- Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami

(Raiders) #39- Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State