2023 NFL Mock Draft: Baker Mayfield replaced by Carolina Panthers
By Randy Gurzi
2. player. 10. Scouting Report. QB. Ohio State. C.J. Stroud. Pick Analysis
2. Houston Texans: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
Davis Mills continues to be better than expected but that doesn’t mean he’s the answer for the Houston Texans. They loaded up on draft picks in the Deshaun Watson trade and the only way to come out of that looking like a winner is to actually replace him with a franchise quarterback.
Here, they don’t use the pick they got from Cleveland to do this, but instead, use their own to add C.J. Stroud from Ohio State. Stroud was a beast in 2021 with 44 touchdowns against just six picks and is off to another hot start in 2022.
In four games, he has a 16-to-1 touchdown-to-interception mark and has thrown for 1,222 yards. He’s the best prospect in this class and will likely go No. 1 overall unless the real draft falls the way this mock did and a team with an established veteran is picking first.
Georgia. Jalen Carter. 3. DT. 30. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. player
3. New York Jets: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
With Sheldon Rankins hitting free agency, the New York Jets will want another starter next to Quinnen Williams. That’s why they add Jalen Carter from Georgia who is a 6-foot-3, 310-pounder from the defensive powerhouse that littered the first round in 2021.
Even with several stars on the line last year, Carter stood out as a powerful lineman and Robert Saleh will be thrilled to continue building one of the more impressive D-lines in the league with this addition.