2023 NFL Draft: Grading the Packers, Lions, Vikings, and Bears 1st-round picks

The first round of the 2023 NFL Draft is over. It featured trades galore, excitement, and some shocking prospects who have fallen to Round 2, most notably Kentucky quarterback Will Levis.

How did the NFC North do with their first-rounders? Let’s give some instant grades.

Detroit Lions

Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama (12th overall)
Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa (18th overall)

The Lions had a puzzling night. First, they traded back from No. 6 overall when Christian Gonzalez, a top-tier player at a position of need, was still available. Then they drafted a running back many believed would be a second-round pick. Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs joins a running back room led by D’Andre Swift and recent free-agent acquisition David Montgomery.

Gibbs is a good player, but this feels like a wasted pick.

Their second pick was much better, and while it is once again a non-premium position, the fact remains that Detroit needed a linebacker, and they got the clear LB1 of this draft class. Iowa’s Jack Campbell does everything well and can be a captain on that defense for the next ten years.

Still, the Lions’ bizarre decision with their first first-rounder gives them a barely passable grade.

Grade: D

Minnesota Vikings

Jordan Addison, WR, USC (23rd overall)

This was a pick I expected to happen. It makes too much sense for the Vikings with the departure of Adam Thielen. Justin Jefferson needs a complementary receiver to take pressure off him, and USC’s Jordan Addison needed a team where he wouldn’t be expected to be the main target. Addison will be a fantastic WR2.

I expect the Vikings to focus on defense on Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Grade: B+

Green Bay Packers

Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa (13th overall)

There were a lot of NFL Draft analysts who were convinced Green Bay would draft Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba here, but in true Packers form, they passed on the electric playmaker in favor of a guy who should be pretty good in two to three years.

I never liked the idea of drafting Van Ness this high, and I think this pick would have been better spent on a playmaker for young quarterback Jordan Love. Days 2 and 3 of the draft are when you should swing big on potential, not in the first round.

Grade: C-

Chicago Bears

Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee (10th overall)

We finally know how much interest Ryan Poles had in defensive tackle Jalen Carter, and it was precisely zero. The Chicago Bears moved back one spot, netting just a 4th-round pick in 2024 in a trade with the Eagles, who then took Carter.

I always said I’d trust Poles regarding the most polarizing player in this draft. If he took Carter, I’d have to believe that his interviews went well, and there were no doubts about his character and maturity. The Bears passed on him, so even after two private interviews, those doubts lingered in a big way. Good for Poles for trusting his instincts.

The Chicago Bears’ selection of Tennessee OT Darnell Wright fills arguably the biggest hole on the roster. Wright was one of the best offensive tackles in this draft, and some even had him as the best. He should immediately start at right tackle next to proven veteran Nate Davis. The rest of the offensive line consists of Teven Jenkins, Cody Whitehair, and Braxton Jones.

Grade: A