The Super Bowl is in the books, and the NFL Combine is still a few weeks away. So there's no time like right now to do another full 2023 first-round mock draft.
This mock draft features two first-round trades featuring teams that want to move up for a quarterback.
First, the Indianapolis Colts trade with the Chicago Bears for the first overall pick, sending the Bears their first (No. 4 overall) and second-round picks (No. 35 overall), plus a 2024 first-round pick.
Next, the Atlanta Falcons jump from No. 8 to No. 3 overall to get their next-gen quarterback, sending the Arizona Cardinals their first and second-round picks in 2023 and 2024.
Let's get this 2023 NFL mock draft started.
1. Indianapolis Colts (via CHI): Bryce Young – Quarterback, Alabama
No shenanigans, no bait-and-switch from Colts’ owner Jim Irsay in this mock. He said he likes the kid from Alabama, so that’s who he goes and gets. Young isn’t the generational prospect Andrew Luck or Trevor Lawrence were, but he’s done enough to be the clear QB1 in the 2023 NFL draft and could be the next big thing under new head coach Shane Steichen.
2. Houston Texans: Will Levis – Quarterback, Kentucky
Levis didn’t have a great final season, but it’s widely acknowledged that a subpar team let him down. Besides a loaded stat sheet, he has all the abilities and attributes of a franchise quarterback. Houston will hope that they can quickly surround him with enough talent to bring out his best game.
3. Atlanta Falcons (via ARI): CJ Stroud – Quarterback, Ohio State
Sitting in arguably the worst division in the NFL, the Falcons make an aggressive move here by ending the Desmond Ridder experiment early and trading up to get arguably the best pocket passer in this draft class. Giving Stroud targets like Kyle Pitts and Drake London would give the Falcons the inside track to winning the NFC South in 2023.
4. Chicago Bears (via IND): Will Anderson Jr. – EDGE, Alabama
The Bears acquire extra picks and still get the top non-quarterback prospect in the draft. Let the champagne flow in Halas Hall’s draft room. Anderson’s dominant pass-rushing capabilities will be a welcome sight in Chicago and could help transform the defense overnight.
5. Seattle Seahawks (via DEN): Jalen Carter – Defensive Tackle, Georgia
Like the Bears, the Seahawks hold a premium pick and don’t necessarily need a quarterback, so they take the best player available. Carter has been a wrecking ball on Georgia’s defensive line and could be integral to resurrecting the Legion of Boom in Seattle.
6. Detroit Lions (via LAR): Anthony Richardson – Quarterback, Florida
The Lions make the first eyebrow-raising pick and swing big for a quarterback. Jared Goff has been fine, but if the Lions want to start winning playoff games, they need a quarterback they can win because of, not win with. Richardson will need some time to get acclimated to the NFL, but if he develops well behind Goff, then Detroit could have one of the most electric quarterbacks in the league.
7. Las Vegas Raiders: Peter Skoronski – Offensive Tackle, Northwestern
The Raiders decide they need to rebuild their offensive line before going all in on a young quarterback, so they select the best offensive linemen in the draft. Skoronski’s arms are too short for some evaluators, but his raw power and refined techniques are unparalleled. He can be a Day 1, plug-and-play starter anywhere on the line.
8. Arizona Cardinals (via ATL): Tyree Wilson – EDGE, Texas Tech
The Cards need to replace JJ Watt, and while they miss out on Will Anderson Jr, they won’t be too upset once Wilson starts racking up the sacks. A freak athlete with long arms, Wilson has a Top 5 value if it wasn’t for a season-ending injury in October.
9. Carolina Panthers: Myles Murphy – EDGE, Clemson
Like the Raiders, I have Carolina staying out of the quarterback class in this draft while they build up the rest of the team. Murphy is an absolute monster on the edge, but the scariest part is he just turned 21 last month. I don’t think we’ve seen his best work yet.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (via NO): Devon Witherspoon – Cornerback, Illinois
The Eagles could lose quite a bit of talent in their secondary after free agency, so they seek to shore up their pass defense with the best corner in the draft. Witherspoon gave quarterbacks nightmares all year, allowing just a 29.8% completion rating and a 1.0 QBR when targeted.
11. Tennessee Titans: Quentin Johnston – Receiver, TCU
The Titans drafted Treylon Burks in the first round last year, but they still need help replacing AJ Brown, and that’s what Johnston can do. He has the prototypical size, speed, and athleticism combination that offensive coordinators drool over. A little coaching on his catch technique could see him become one of the top receivers in the league.
12. Houston Texans (via CLE): Jordan Addison – Receiver, USC
The Texans got their quarterback, now they get him the best route runner in the draft. Addison is a bit undersized, but his footwork is second to none. If Will Levis reaches his full potential in the NFL, this could be a scary duo in the AFC South for the next decade.
13. New York Jets: Paris Johnson Jr. – Offensive Tackle, Ohio State
The Jets need a quarterback, but that may have to wait while they shore up their offensive line. Johnson is a mountain of a man with great anchors and a high football IQ. Add him to their line, and it might not matter so much who’s throwing the ball for Gang Green.
14. New England Patriots: Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Receiver, Ohio State
The Patriots may part ways with Jakobi Meyers, so they’ll need a new WR1. Despite a nagging injury all season, Smith-Njigba had a historic season last year and could provide New England with the kind of receiving threat they haven’t had in years.
15. Green Bay Packers: Brian Branch – Safety, Alabama
The Packers’ secondary massively underperformed expectations, much of which concerned the regression of their safeties. One or both may need to be upgraded, and Branch would be a great start. He’s extremely smart in coverage, making the jobs of everyone around him easier.
16. Washington Commanders: Broderick Jones – Offensive Tackle, Georgia
The Commanders have a solid offensive line, but their starting tackles are north of thirty. They need an infusion of youth at the position, and Jones fits the bill perfectly. He could either back up Charles Leno Jr. at Left Tackle for a bit or just outright take his job.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Christian Gonzalez – Cornerback, Oregon
Gonzalez is a big-bodied corner who had four interceptions, and seven passes defended this year, exactly the kind of dominant presence Pittsburgh is lacking in its secondary.
18. Detroit Lions: Bryan Bresee – Defensive Tackle, Clemson
The Lions are building something special, but their defense needs major reinforcements. Enter Bresee. Lining him up alongside stud Aiden Hutchinson will be a nightmare for offensive lines and quarterbacks everywhere.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Michael Mayer – Tight End, Notre Dame
Despite the retirement of Tom Brady, I don’t expect the Bucs to tear down their roster. Mayer is by far the best tight end in the draft, and the Bucs don’t have a good option at that position, so this makes too much sense to pass on. Adding Mayer to the pass-catching duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin will make life much easier for whoever the quarterback will be.
20. Seattle Seahawks: Lukas Van Ness – Defensive Tackle, Iowa
The Seahawks continue to build up their trenches by taking the versatile and powerful linemen from Iowa. Inside, outside, shooting gaps, or containing on the edge, it doesn’t matter. Van Ness finds ways to win. Pairing him up with Jalen Carter could prove to be a cheat code.
21. Los Angeles Chargers: Zay Flowers – Receiver, Boston College
Despite a smaller frame, Flowers has been rocketing up draft boards in the last month and may have earned himself a first-round grade. He’s twitchy off the line and fast with the ball in his hands, exactly the kind of playmaker Justin Herbert needs.
22. Baltimore Ravens: Bijan Robinson – Running Back, Texas
The Ravens still need a true WR1, but I don’t think they’d pass up Robinson if he’s still available at 22. A true three-down back who can do it all, defensive coordinators would be losing sleep figuring out how to contain a backfield of Lamar Jackson and Bijan Robinson.
23. Minnesota Vikings: Siaki Ika – Defensive Tackle, Baylor
The Vikings' defense was a disaster last year, especially in the run game. They gave up nearly 2,100 rushing yards on 4.5 yards per carry. Now they’ve got the defensive mind of Brian Flores, and for their first pick in this mock, they give him Ika, an absolute giant who can swallow all kinds of double-teams and stuff the run with the best of them.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Joey Porter Jr. – Cornerback, Penn State
The Jaguars have their franchise quarterback and a solid offense, now, their defense needs to catch up. Porter Jr. is a great athlete with good instincts. He doesn’t pull in many interceptions, but he rarely gives up a big play, and that’s what the Jacksonville secondary lacks right now.
25. New York Giants: Dalton Kincaid – Tight End, Utah
The Giants had a nice playoff run despite not featuring much talent on offense. Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley will likely be back, one with an extension and the other on a franchise tag. Now’s the time to add weapons. While listed as a tight end, Kincaid is a super-sized wide receiver with how natural he looks running routes and making catches.
26. Dallas Cowboys: Andre Carter II – OLB/EDGE, Army
Carter is a freakish natural athlete who becomes the first first-round pick from West Point since Tex Coulter in 1947. While his weight and muscle mass are a major concern (being at West Point doesn’t allow for year-round football training), those are easy problems to fix in an NFL weight room with a dedicated trainer.
27. Buffalo Bills: Jahmyr Gibbs – Running Back, Alabama
The Bills are guilty of putting too much weight on Josh Allen’s shoulders. He needs a playmaker in the backfield who can take some of that pressure off, and Gibbs is exactly that kind of playmaker. He can run, he can catch, and he’s got the juice and twitch to turn a stuff at the line of scrimmage into a 40-yard touchdown.
28. Cincinnati Bengals: Anton Harrison – Offensive Tackle, Oklahoma
Despite dumping millions of dollars into their offensive line last offseason, the Bengals still finished in the bottom half for sacks allowed. They need to keep investing there until they have an offensive line that consistently keeps Joe Burrow upright, and Anton Harrison would go a long way toward getting there.
29. New Orleans Saints (via SF): Tanner McKee – Quarterback, Stanford
Strapped for cash and needing a quarterback, the Saints turn to Mckee. He’s big for a quarterback at 6’ 6” and 230 lbs, and he uses that size to dissect defenses from the pocket with quick, accurate strikes. He looks every bit the prototypical passer from twenty years ago, and the Saints will hope that he can be the extra-large heir to Drew Brees.
30. Philadelphia Eagles: John Michael Schmitz – Center, Minnesota
Jason Kelce is a free agent and will be 36 years old next season. The Eagles should probably consider finding his replacement now to keep their offensive line at the top of the NFL, and no one in this draft class has more promise at Center than Schmitz. He’s powerful, insanely smart, and plays mean, exactly the kind of young player you want your quarterback to be paired with.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Luke Musgrave – Tight End, Oregon State
The other Kelce brother is also getting older, and the Chiefs would be wise to draft his heir and coach him up. Musgrave has enjoyed a meteoric rise up draft boards thanks to his rare blend of size and speed: he’s too big for corners to cover but too fast for linebackers. It’s unfair to place this kind of comparison on him, but you can see shades of Travis Kelce in his game, and that’s exactly who would be mentoring him in this mock draft.