2023 NFL Mock Draft: Atlanta Falcons land C.J. Stroud

In another way-too-early 2023 NFL Mock Draft, the Atlanta Falcons kick things off by adding Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud at No. 1 overall

The NFL Draft brings hope — and if we are being honest, some teams are already looking forward to the hope of the upcoming draft.

There are several teams in the mix for a championship this coming season but arguably just as many are worried about how they can fix their roster going forward. This piece is geared more toward them — although fanbases of contenders could also enjoy seeing who else is in the mix for their respective clubs.

Here, we try and keep the contenders in their spot and help the rest improve their talent in this way-too-early 2023 NFL Mock Draft.

2023 NFL mock draft, 1st overall pick

Atlanta Falcons: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State

Anyone trying to sell Marcus Mariota as the face of the Atlanta Falcons is fooling themselves. Mariota was the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft but never proved to be the guy for the Tennessee Titans. He then spent the past couple of seasons as a reserve for the Las Vegas Raiders before Atlanta brought him in after trading away Matt Ryan.

With all the dust settled, it’s easy to see what Mariota is for the Falcons — the guy filling in until they find their guy. Here, they find that guy in C.J. Stroud from Ohio State.

Seen as the No. 1 quarterback in this class, Stroud could be the player to turn things back around for the Dirty Birds.

2023 NFL mock draft, 2nd overall pick

Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

The Houston Texans are another team with a lame-duck under center in Davis Mills. Expecting him to do more than getting them through the season would be a mistake — but he could at least help them get into place for a potential franchise quarterback.

That’s what happens here as they land Bryce Young from Alabama. There are those who aren’t sold on Young but it’s easy to see him as an upgrade over Mills and he could help the Texans get back on the map.

2023 NFL mock draft, 3rd overall pick

Detroit Lions: Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama

The Detroit Lions are another team that can use a quarterback but they instead go with Will Anderson at No. 3. It might not make a ton of sense at first for them to add an edge rusher this early after taking Aidan Hutchinson early in 2022, but the fact remains that Dan Campbell seems dead-set on taking the best players available.

With both Stroud and Young off the board, that best player ends up being Anderson. Last season, Anderson broke out with 101 tackles and 17.5 sacks for the Crimson Tide. He might not have ideal size at 6-foot-4 and 235-pounds but his ability to get after the quarterback is too good for the Lions to pass on at this point.

2023 NFL mock draft, 4th overall pick

Seattle Seahawks: Jaquelin Roy, DT, LSU

At No. 4 overall, the Seattle Seahawks end up grabbing LSU defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy. Last season, Roy had 30 tackles with six going for a loss. He also had 1.5 sacks and while none of that’s enough for him to go this high, there are expectations that his raw talent and physical gifts will put him on the map this year.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 297-pounds, Roy is a big-bodied defensive tackle expected to help the Tigers defensive line continue to assert its dominance in 2022. As long as he does that, he could be a surprise top-10 pick.

2023 NFL mock draft, 5th overall pick

New York Jets: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

This past offseason, the NFL Draft was loaded with defensive players from the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs won the NCAA Championship thanks to their elite defense and then had one player after another land in Round 1 — starting with Travon Walker who went first overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In this 2023 NFL Mock Draft, Georgia again sees their players start to come off the board early, starting with Jalen Carter at No. 5 to the New York Jets.

Carter, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound defensive tackle had 37 tackles with 8.5 going for a loss as a sophomore. Now with more snaps coming to him in 2022, he should be able to crack the top 10 and lands with the Jets here at No. 5.

2023 NFL mock draft, 6th overall pick

Jacksonville Jaguars: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

The Jacksonville Jaguars continue to build around Trevor Lawrence, their No. 1 overall pick from 2021 as they add Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer. In his second season with the Irish, Mayer hauled in 71 passes for 840 yards with seven touchdowns.

Another big season from him could be enough to push him into the top-10 and in this mock, he joins Doug Pederson’s team — giving him a new version of Zach Ertz from his days with the Eagles.

2023 NFL mock draft, 7th overall pick

Carolina Panthers: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State

The Carolina Panthers have a certified star in D.J. Moore at wide receiver. He’s topped the 1,100-yard mark in each of the past three seasons — and could probably be even better should the Panthers land a new quarterback.

There’s a chance they could go after one at No. 7 but unless another signal-caller proves they’re worth a top-10 pick, the Panthers might be better off going with Matt Corral — or maybe Baker Mayfield — for 2023.

If so, they could add another stud across from Moore such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba, giving them an insanely potent passing attack. Smith-Njigba was arguably the best wideout on the field at times even with Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave playing for OSU, which is why he’s the logical choice to be WR1 this coming draft.

2023 NFL mock draft, 8th overall pick

Chicago Bears: Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU

The Chicago Bears have a Round 1 pick again after sitting out in 2022 due to the Justin Fields trade the year prior. This past offseason, Chicago failed that quarterback miserably as they did nothing to improve their passing corps.

They begin to rectify this issue here by taking Kayshon Boutte from LSU. After a strong six-game stretch in 2021, Boutte is a player on the verge of breaking out and could be exactly what the Bears need in order to help Fields take the next step.

2023 NFL mock draft, 9th overall pick

New York Giants: Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami

It was said earlier that there might not be any other quarterbacks worthy of a top-10 pick but there will always be a team willing to reach slightly for the position. One of those teams is the New York Giants who took Daniel Jones about a round too early in 2019.

Now, they again reach — but this time only slightly — as they move on from Jones in favor of Tyler Van Dyke. The Miami signal-caller pushed himself into the Round 1 conversation with a great second half.

Should he do that for another season, it will be hard to see him not coming off the board in the opening round. Whether or not he proves to be worth this high of a selection could depend on how well Brian Daboll does as his head coach.

Daboll did have a ton of success with Josh Allen, which should give hope to the fans in New York.

2023 NFL mock draft, 10th overall pick

Washington Commanders: Eli Ricks, CB, Alabama

A former LSU defender, Eli Ricks heads to Alabama where he will try and prove he’s a top candidate at the cornerback position. He has excellent length and ball skills as he stands in at 6-foot-2 and 191-pounds and has five picks in 14 career games.

The Washington Commanders hope to have their quarterback situation resolved in Carson Wentz — unlikely, but he’s good enough to fol them for another season ‚— which allows them to bolster their secondary.

2023 NFL mock draft, 11th overall pick

Pittsburgh Steelers: Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson

On one side of the line, the Pittsburgh Steelers have T.J. Watt who is one of the best pass rushers in the business. Across from him is Alex Highsmith who had six sacks in his first full season as a starter. The only problem is, it might be hard to retain Highsmith should he continue to develop as he has.

With 2023 being the final year of his rookie deal, Pittsburgh protects themselves by bringing in Myles Murphy from Clemson. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 275-pounds, Murphy can also play on Pittsburgh’s three-man line, making him a versatile weapon for them.

The Steelers defense is the reason they were able to win while Ben Roethlisberger developed early in his career and the focus on getting even better at frustrating the opposing quarterbacks will do the same for Kenny Pickett.

2023 NFL mock draft, 12th overall pick

Minnesota Vikings: Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State

The Minnesota Vikings made yet another commitment to Kirk Cousins, giving him a $35 million extension that keeps him under contract through the 2023 season. In an effort to get all they can from him, Minnesota adds a stud offensive lineman in Peter Skoronski from Northwestern.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 294-pounds, Skoronski is an All-Big Ten First-Team selection that could parlay a great junior campaign into becoming an early pick in the upcoming draft.

2023 NFL mock draft, 13th overall pick

Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans Saints): Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia

In the 2022 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles ended up with two key members of the Georgia Bulldogs National Championship team when they landed Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean. In this mock, they go back to the well as they bring in another UGA defender, Kelee Ringo.

As a redshirt freshman, Ringo played well for the Bulldogs in 2021, recording 26 tackles, an interception, and breaking up eight passes. The Eagles play in a division with elite wideouts such as Terry McLaurin and CeeDee Lamb, which is why they stockpile talent in the secondary.

2023 NFL mock draft, 14th overall pick

Las Vegas Raiders: Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina

The South Carolina Gamecocks have been doing a good job building up defensive talent, which has been headlined by Jaycee Horn who went to the Panthers in the top 10 of the 2020 NFL Draft. They also had Israel Mukuamu in that same secondary, although he landed in Round 6 and the Cowboys converted him to safety.

Here, another secondary player from Carolina goes in Round 1 as the Las Vegas Raiders bring in Cam Smith. Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 187-pounds, Smith has the ideal size to play the position and another solid campaign from him could be enough to convince scouts he’s worth a day one pick.

2023 NFL mock draft, 15th overall pick

Miami Dolphins: Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson

The Miami Dolphins are building a rather strong roster — especially after adding Tyreek Hill to an offense that already had Jaylen Waddle. Here, they do take a similar approach as they add another talented player to a unit that’s strong.

At No. 15, Miami takes Bryan Bresee out of Clemson, giving them a 6-foot-5, 300-pounder to join Christian Wilkins, Raekwon Davis, and Emmanuel Ogbah. They won’t all be on the line at the same time but it does allow them to rotate players to stay fresh — and could protect them should they be unable to retain Wilkins who will be looking for a new contract after 2023.

2023 NFL mock draft, 16th overall pick

New England Patriots: Jermaine Burton, WR, Alabama

After bringing in DaVante Parker, the New England Patriots are better at wide receiver but Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor are unlikely to be around much longer. Adding Jermaine Burton here keeps them deep at the position, allowing them to continue to shuffle in several players to keep defenses guessing.

After recording 53 receptions for 901 yards and eight touchdowns for Georgia, Burton transferred to Alabama where he hopes to find success similar to that of Jermaine Williams — who left the stable of receivers at Ohio State and became the No. 1 guy in Tuscaloosa.

2023 NFL mock draft, 17th overall pick

Tennessee Titans: Arik Gilbert, TE, Georgia

With A.J. Brown and Julio Jones out, the Tennessee Titans passing attack will look much different in 2022. The key to their success — or failure — will fall on the shoulders of rookie Treylon Burks. Of course, even if he has success, the Titans will need more help in the passing game, which leads to the selection of Arik Gilbert from Georgia.

Gilbert lined up at both tight end and wide receiver for the LSU Tigers but now heads to the Georgia Bulldogs for his redshirt sophomore season. His ability to line up as a tight end but also go out wide helps him tremendously in the passing game and the Titans can surely use a 6-foot-5 248-pounder who can catch the ball with ease.

2023 NFL mock draft, 18th overall pick

Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns): Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia

There’s a reason Georgia won it all in 2021 and is a favorite again this year — they’re insanely talented. Even after sending a slew of defensive players to the NFL in Round 1, they send more than one again in this draft.

Here, it’s Nolan Smith getting the call as the Houston Texans make their second selection in this mock. Smith is a little on the thin side at 6-foot-3 and 235-pounds but recorded 4.5 sacks in a rotational role as a junior. As long as he can add a little muscle and continue to develop, he should be an early pick this coming season.

2023 NFL mock draft, 19th overall pick

19. Philadelphia Eagles: B.J. Ojulari, EDGE, LSU

The Eagles added Kelee Ringo with their first pick in this round — which they got in a trade with the New Orleans Saints. Now back on the clock with their own pick, they add B.J. Ojulari out of LSU.

Ojulari is the younger brother of current New York Giants pass rusher Azeez Ojluari. Now, they go from representing rival schools in the SEC to rivals in the NFC East. As for the talent of the younger Ojulari, he recorded 54 pressures last season, putting himself in the LSU record books.

Philly has done a solid job rebuilding their defense but they could use more help on the edge. Derek Barnett is back on a short-term deal and Brandon Graham is nearing the end of his career.

Adding Ojulari across from Josh Sweat could be enough to keep them competitive on the line for the next few seasons.

2023 NFL mock draft, 20th overall pick

Baltimore Ravens: Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State

The Baltimore Ravens have had issues with the offensive line as of late and they hope the recent signing of Morgan Moses and selection of Daniel Faalele will help them stay strong. But with Moses being over 30 and Stanley struggling to stay healthy, it might be wise to grab another bookend for the offensive line.

That’s where Paris Johnson from Ohio State comes in. Baltimore is strong all over their roster and can’t afford to let the line be their Achilles heel again.

2023 NFL mock draft, 21st overall pick

Arizona Cardinals: Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame

After losing Chandler Jones this offseason, the Arizona Cardinals are without an elite presence on the edge. They’re hoping players such as Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders can develop but for now, they’re leaning heavily on veterans such as J.J. Watt and Markus Golden.

That’s why pass rush is No. 1 on their list in this draft, and they pick up an ascending talent here to fill that need in Isaiah Foskey from Notre Dame. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 257-pounds, Foskey racked up 10 sacks this past season.

2023 NFL mock draft, 22nd overall pick

Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos): Jordan Addison, WR, Pitt

The Seattle Seahawks used their first pick on Jaquelin Roy from LSU to bolster their D-line. Now, they turn their attention to the offensive side of the ball, where they add Jordan Addison from Pitt.

It might not seem like a major need at the moment with D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett on the roster but there have been several rumors that Seattle could be open to making a deal to send at least one of these wideouts to another team.

Addison had a huge season in 2021 working with Kenny Pickett. He pulled in 100 receptions for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns. Seattle will still have to figure out their quarterback situation but they’ll at least stay strong out wide.

2023 NFL mock draft, 23rd overall pick

Los Angeles Chargers: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

The Los Angeles Chargers added Isaiah Spiller in the fourth round of this past draft and still have Austin Ekeler, but it would be hard to pass on Bijan Robinson at this point. They’re built for contending now with Justin Herbert emerging as a star in the league.

They also have great receiving options in Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Also on defense, they added Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson this offseason. Adding Robinson gives them a back capable of carrying the load by himself — while also keeping some of the high-powered offenses in their division off the field.

Robinson went for 1,127 yards last season on the ground and had another 295 through the air — finishing with 15 total touchdowns.

2023 NFL mock draft, 24th overall pick

Miami Dolphins (via San Francisco 49ers): Clark Phillips, CB, Utah

Xavien Howard re-established himself as the top cornerback on the Dolphins roster, whereas Byron Jones is still trying to prove he was worth the enormous contract he was given. Here, they bring in a player who can push him in Clark Phillips from Utah.

Although he’s just 5-10 and 191-pounds, he’s proven he can get it done thanks to his instincts, speed, and ball skills.

25. Indianapolis Colts: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU

The Indianapolis Colts added Matt Ryan in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons and his arrival should instantly improve their passing game — and will be a major plus for young wideout Michael Pittman. They also brought in Alec Pierce, but if they really want to make the most out of Ryan’s final seasons in the league, they should load up on receivers.

They do this by bringing in Quentin Johnson from TCU. He’s a 6-foot-4, 193-pounder who averages 20.4 yards per reception. That kind of speed can really open up an offense.

26. Dallas Cowboys: Zach Harrison, EDGE, Ohio State

Randy Gregory left the Dallas Cowboys when they botched negotiations with him, but in the end, this could be a good thing for them. Gregory is a good pass rusher but is far from consistent and has never had more than six sacks in a season. On top of that, he hasn’t been super durable, so it might be for the best they didn’t pay him top dollar.

That doesn’t mean they have the answer on the edge. DeMarcus Lawrence is still doing his job on the left side but is getting up there in age. Sam Williams could be a developmental player on the right and now they add Zach Harrison as someone who can spell Lawrence and eventually be his replacement.

Harrison is still developing as a pass rusher but is already solid against the run, something Lawrence does a good job with as well.

27. Cincinnati Bengals: Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon

In the end, the Cincinnati Bengals land Sewell after all — just not the one we predicted.

Back in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Bengals were being linked to Penei Sewell who was expected to be the one to fix their offensive line. Instead, they took Ja’Marr Chase who revamped their entire passing attack and won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

They made the right call passing on Sewell, but in this 2023 NFL Mock Draft, they take his younger brother, Noah Sewell.

A 250-pound linebacker, Sewell racked up 114 tackles and four sacks for the Ducks in 2021.

28. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams): Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

With their second pick in this mock, the Detroit Lions finally bring in a quarterback. Will Levis from Kentucky took a major step forward in 2021 after transferring from Penn State to Kentucky. He threw for 2,826 yards with 24 touchdowns and 13 picks.

The 6-foot-3, 222-pound senior still needs to show more to prove he’s a franchise quarterback in the NFL, but he’s on the right path and the Lions could use someone to take over for Jared Goff — who is just good enough to make you think you might almost be just good enough.

29. Green Bay Packers: Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina

After trading away Davante Adams, the Green Bay Packers put all their hope in Christian Watson as the No. 1 wide receiver. The North Dakota State product has the size, speed, and skill to hold the job down but he has yet to play against the best competition on a regular basis.

Even if he does prove to be a good replacement, the Packers need more receivers — and they should stop waiting until Round 2 or later. That’s why they finally address the spot with their first pick, bringing in Josh Downs from North Carolina State.

Downs might be just 5-10 and 180-pounds but he catches absolutely everything that comes his way. He’s also a monster in the slot as he caught 95 of his 101 passes from there according to PFF.

30. Kansas City Chiefs: Joey Porter, Jr., CB, Penn State

The secondary for the Kansas City Chiefs has improved over recent years but they still play in the toughest passing division in the NFL with the Chargers, Broncos, and Raiders joining them in the AFC West. That’s why they go for another cornerback here, bringing in Joey Porter, Jr. from Penn State.

At 6-foot-2 and 195-pounds, he has the size to play on the outside. He has just one career interception but he also doesn’t get challenged much due to his ability to stay with his man.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jarrett Patterson, IOL, Notre Dame

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost a lot of their offensive linemen to free agency which is why they start to reload by taking Jarrett Patterson from Notre Dame. Patterson won’t blow anyone away with his athletic profile and likely won’t test out as a stud.

Having said that, he’s an incredibly intelligent and gritty player who can fill in at all three interior positions. Tampa Bay can bring him in and find out where he fits best, and move their line around accordingly.

32. Buffalo Bills: Zacch Pickens, DT, South Carolina

A former five-star prospect, Zacch Pickens hasn’t developed the way many hoped he would — or at least, he hasn’t yet. As the 2021 campaign went on, he started to show a lot of signs that the light bulb was coming on as the 6-foot-3, 300-pounder finished with 38 tackles and four sacks for the Gamecocks.

Expectations are again on the rise for Pickens and a good offseason for Carolina could help the entire team improve.

In this mock, he rounds out day one as he’s selected by the Buffalo Bills. There, he will join a defensive line that already has Von Miller, Gregory Rousseau, and Ed Oliver.