2023 NFL Mock Draft: Cowboys bolster defense, CJ Stroud finds new home

The Dallas Cowboys add more firepower to their defense and a new team sits at No. 1 to take CJ Stroud in our latest 2023 NFL Mock Draft

We’re getting into the second half of the season and the college football year is winding down as well. That means more focus is being shifted to the collegiate players who will be entering the pros next season.

Here, we look ahead as well with our latest 2023 NFL Mock Draft. This time, we have a new home for C.J. Stroud while the Dallas Cowboys make sure to keep their suddenly strong defense playing well.

As is always the case, until the order begins to be solidified, we use our latest 2022 NFL Power Rankings to determine the draft order. With that being the case, the Houston Texans are on the clock.

2023 NFL Mock Draft

1. Houston Texans: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State

The Detroit Lions have had the inside track on the No. 1 overall pick for most of the season but their win over the Green Bay Packers means that the Houston Texans move into that spot. As frustrating as it can be to sit through the stretch of seasons they’ve had the past two years, things can improve drastically with the addition of C.J. Stroud from Ohio State.

Stroud is the No. 1 quarterback in this class due to his pro-ready size, arm strength, and ability to read coverages. The problem will be what he inherits in Houston. They had two first-round picks last year and reached for both players, meaning their roster still needs a lot of work.

The receiving corps is suspect and can get worse if Brandin Cooks forces his way out. The defense is also a problem, but they do at least have something in running back Dameon Pearce. So that’s a start.

2. Carolina Panthers: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

As mentioned earlier, the order in these mocks is determined by our latest NFL Power Rankings, so the Carolina Panthers come in at No. 2. They’ll likely move up thanks to their win over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football, but they’re still destined for a top-five selection.

Here, with the second pick, they bring in Bryce Young from Alabama. They know the three options they have now aren’t long-term solutions so they’ll let Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold walk in free agency while bringing Young in from Alabama.

After this move, they then need to make the black helmets they wore in the win over Atlanta permanent because they were sick. And looking good leads to playing good football. It’s science.

3. Detroit Lions: Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee

Hendon Hooker might have lost some of his shine this past weekend when the Tennessee Titans were throttled by Georgia, but he shouldn’t. The Bulldogs are just an elite defense and while the Vols moved into the No. 1 spot, they probably shouldn’t have been there yet.

Even so, they’re a great story this season and should be proud of everything they accomplished thus far. Much of that is due to the poise and leadership of Hendon Hooker, who ends up with the Detroit Lions as the No. 3 pick in this mock.

Hooker stands 6-foot-4 and roughly 240-pounds and has an insane 52-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio since transferring to Tennessee. He’s a bit older than most picks will be but quarterback is the one position where that won’t be much of a concern, unless you’re nearly 30 like Brandon Weeden was.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

The Pittsburgh Steelers were the only team to draft a quarterback in Round 1 last season as they took Kenny Pickett. A product of Pitt, Pickett has struggled some but he’s also shown enough to earn a full season as the starter in 2023.

Pittsburgh does have some young talent around him on offense, and while any team can always use more, they decide to focus on defense because of that. With the fourth pick here, they bring in Jalen Carter from Georgia to strengthen their defensive line.

With T.J. Watt injured, the Steelers’ pass rush hasn’t been dominant. While Carter might not rack up the stats in this department, he’s a disruptive force that will command a lot of attention, which frees up players such as Watt to get after the quarterback with more ease.

5. Las Vegas Raiders: Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern

After Johnathan Abram was waived, it became even more apparent just how bad of a job Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock did running the Las Vegas Raiders. They’ve released several of their first-round picks with Clelin Ferrell and Josh Jacobs likely gone in the offseason.

One of the few picks they did hit on was Kolton Miller, who has been a solid left tackle. However, they need someone on the right side which is why they add Peter Skoronski from Northwestern here. This class isn’t elite along the O-line but Skoronski is the top player and is talented enough to play on either side.

6. Indianapolis Colts: Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama

It would be interesting to see Will Anderson, Jr. fall this far since he’s arguably the top talent in this class but with greater needs for the top-five teams in this mock, that’s how it falls. The Indianapolis Colts benefit from this as they land the Alabama pass rusher to build their defense around.

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The question will be who ends up coaching them because it seems as though this Jeff Saturday experiment can only go one way — wrong. Jim Irsay continues to be one of the most confusing owners in the NFL, and that’s saying something considering Jerry Jones and Dan Snyder still own teams and Mark Davis still combs his hair the way he does.

7. Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns): Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson

After landing their new quarterback, the Texans are back on the clock with the second of three picks earned in the Deshaun Watson trade. The Cleveland Browns hope to get this selection out of the top 10 but for now, the 3-5 club could be gifting Houston a great selection.

Their choice here is Myles Murphy from Clemson. The massive defensive end can become their new bookend on the line, something they’ve needed since J.J. Watt left for Arizona.

8. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams): Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State

Detroit is another team with more than one pick in this opening round and they also land in the top 10. It’s more surprising for them, however, since the pick they own originally belonged to the Los Angeles Rams who won the Super Bowl a year ago.

This year, they’ve been in a free fall and the Lions benefit in a huge way. Their selection at No. 8 is Jared Verse as they have him join Aidan Hutchinson on what’s suddenly a very impressive defensive line. Verse is a player who transferred from Albany and showed out with Florida State, earning a spot in Round 1 in the process.

9. Arizona Cardinals: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia

One line or the other will make sense for the Arizona Cardinals when they’re on the clock. They need to find someone to replace J.J. Watt, who will be a free agent and 34 next season at defensive end. The same goes for offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum, who will also hit the open market while approaching his mid-30s.

With the top edge rushers off the board, Arizona elects to grab Broderick Jones from Georgia to give themselves a capable starter at OT for the next decade or longer.

10. Chicago Bears: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU

Adding Chase Claypool was a wise move for the Chicago Bears since Justin Fields finally has a legit wideout to work with. They shouldn’t stop there, however, as Claypool is more of a No. 2 receiver — and Darnell Mooney is better suited as the third option.

That’s why they use this selection on Quentin Johnston from TCU. A 6-foot-4 wideout, Johnston’s presence across from Claypool would give the Bears a massive set of starting wideouts. They would also be able to get deep as Claypool has decent speed but Johnston can blow past defenders with his long strides.

Eventually, the Bears could have a good offense — which seemed impossible not too long ago.

11. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jordan Addison, WR, USC

The Jacksonville Jaguars invested heavily in wideouts this offseason signing Christian Kirk and Zay Jones. Kirk has been solid and Jones is better than expected but far from a legit No. 2 option. In fact, Kirk is better outside of the No. 1 role as well, which is why they bring in Jordan Addison with their first pick.

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Addison was a star at Pitt before heading to USC this year. He’s continued to trend upward and now lands with a young team that’s trying to put all the pieces they can around Trevor Lawrence.

12. Green Bay Packers: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

This has been a weird season as the Green Bay Packers have struggled mightily. They enter Week 10 at just 3-6 after a surprising loss to the Detroit Lions. They clearly miss Davante Adams and while it will be tempting to take a wideout here, they also showed interest in Darren Waller this offseason and at the trade deadline.

Their desire for a top-tier tight end could lead to them taking the best in this class as they land Michael Mayer from Notre Dame. Mayer isn’t flashy but he does everything well and fits the Green Bay style of play perfectly.

Only time will tell if that’s enough to fix this offense because it has looked bad in 2022.

13. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos): Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson

No one expected the Seattle Seahawks to be as good as they have been, but here we are. Geno Smith has been fantastic and what’s even better for them is knowing they still have draft pick compensation coming from Denver due to the Russell Wilson trade.

With this selection, courtesy of the Broncos, Seattle lands Trenton Simpson from Clemson. Over the past couple of seasons, they’ve seen Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright leave and now Jordyn Brooks has stepped in to be the leader of the linebacking corps. Simpson joins him as more of a hybrid linebacker capable of shutting down the pass as well as the run.

14. Washington Commanders: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

Most of the quarterbacks that feel like they’ll be successes have come off the board and now it’s time to take a risk. The Washington Commanders do this with Will Levis, who has plenty of fans, but hasn’t put up great numbers. Instead, he feels like a player who has the measurables and some team will talk themselves into him — like when Blaine Gabbert was taken by the Jags.

Here, that’s what happens as the Washington Commanders move on from Carson Wentz after just one season — it’s officially a trend now. Levis might be an upgrade over Wentz but he could be very similar to Taylor Heinicke. Either way, this team does have to keep trying to get better under center or they’ll continue to be average at best.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans Saints): Kelee Ring, CB, Georgia

Despite being the No. 1 team in our Power Rankings, the Philadelphia Eagles still own a top-15 pick in this mock thanks to their trade last season with the New Orleans Saints. With that selection, they add a cornerback in Kelee Ringo who finds himself in a great situation where he can pick the brain of Darius Slay, Jr. as he learns the speed of the NFL game.

Philly has been drafting incredibly well and the fact that they again have two picks in Round 1 feels like a crime. Should they continue to hit, they’ll be knocking on the door of another long stretch of dominance in the NFC East.

16. Atlanta Falcons: Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame

The Atlanta Falcons have been better than expected this season but that’s not saying much. They’re clearly in need of a massive overhaul and that could lead to them trading off even more players this coming offseason in order to fill the holes on their roster.

One hole that needs to be addressed is on the edge, where they’ve been in need of a pass rusher for quite a while. They add that with Isaiah Foskey from Notre Dame.

The 6-foot-4, 257-pound Foskey has 22.5 sacks over the past three seasons and 107 tackles in that same span.

17. New England Patriots: Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson

The AFC East is suddenly the toughest division in football as the New England Patriots are in last place despite having a 5-4 record. The key to them earning a plus-500 mark after nine games has been their defense.

Offensively, they’ve been up and down as Mac Jones took a step in the wrong direction. It even looked as though he would be done with Bailey Zappe outplaying him for a spell.

However, Jones is back in the driver’s seat but even if Zappe takes over again, they’ll need to continue to keep scores low for them to win. That’s why they go after Bryan Bresee from Clemson at this point, bolstering the interior of their line with the 300-pound defensive tackle.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina

Thanks to the AFC South being a dumpster fire, the 4-5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still in first place. This means, even when Tom Brady finally starts to lose, he still ends up being right where he needs to be to win a title.

The majority of the issues they’ve had this season are on offense and it could get even worse if Brady leaves in 2023, which could happen since his contract is up following this season. Even if he does exit, the Bucs might not feel it necessary to go for a new quarterback, since they do have Kyle Trask.

Instead, they add more talent in their secondary with Cam Smith from South Carolina. They’re not bad at corner but in a pass-happy league, you can never have too many good defensive backs.

19. Denver Broncos: (via San Francisco 49ers through Miami Dolphins): O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida

There will probably be a lot of change again this offseason for the Denver Broncos. They became sellers at the deadline, sending Bradley Chubb to Miami in exchange for this pick — which the Dolphins got in a trade with San Francisco. They also were listening to offers for Jerry Jeudy but didn’t get the offer they wanted.

Of course, the biggest change could be at head coach since Nathaniel Hackett doesn’t seem as though he can hack it. Whether or not that happens, they can use a better offensive line and they improve the interior of theirs with O’Cyrus Torrence, a mauler from Florida.

20. Los Angeles Chargers: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State

Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the hottest name at wide receiver heading into the season but has dealt with injuries all year. That could lead to him electing to return for another run with Ohio State but he doesn’t need to.

Smith-Njigba out-gained both Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave in 2021 which is no easy feat. As long as he gets healthy and can work out during the offseason, he should find a home in the NFL in Round 1.

In this mock, he lands with the Los Angeles Chargers who need some depth at wideout with Mike Williams and Keenan Allen each struggling to stay healthy.

21. Tennessee Titans: Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State

Back-to-back Ohio State products come off the board as the Tennessee Titans bring in Paris Johnson with the 21st pick. Tennessee showed plenty of flaws in their last game as the offense was unable to get anything going in the second half against the Chiefs.

Adding another bookend on the offensive line won’t fix everything but it will help give whoever is under center more time to throw the ball. They just have to hope that if that player is Malik Willis, he does start to throw the ball.

22. Cincinnati Bengals: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon

Chidobe Awuzie has been a solid addition to the Cincinnati Bengals since he landed there following four seasons in Dallas but Eli Apple hasn’t been nearly as dependable. That’s why they decide to get younger at the position, taking Christian Gonzalez from Oregon at No. 22.

Gonzalez entered this season considered a work in progress that needed to work on his ball skills. He’s now recorded three interceptions whole breaking up seven passes during his first season with the Ducks — following a transfer from Colorado.

His 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame allows him to frustrate opposing wideouts and as long as he continues to develop, he could become a true shutdown corner.

23. Seattle Seahawks: Antonio Johnson, DB, Texas A&M

They took Trenton Simpson from Clemson with the pick they got from the New Orleans Saints and now the Seattle Seahawks are back on the clock with their own selection in Round 1. They again focus on the defensive side of the ball, bringing in Antonio Johnson from Texas A&M.

Johnson has played both cornerback and safety but will likely be a safety at the next level. He’s listed at 6-foot-3 and 200-pounds, giving him the length that Pete Carroll loves to use in the secondary. He needs to improve when it comes to getting after the ball while it’s in the air but has the makings of a long-term starter at the next level.

24. Baltimore Ravens: Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia

Justin Houston has been great for the Baltimore Ravens but will be 34 next season. That’s why the Baltimore Ravens need to get younger at the position. They do this with the addition of Nolan Smith from Georgia.

A gifted athlete, Smith has great burst off the edge and is an excellent fit in the Ravens’ 3-4 defense. Even if Houston returns, he can work as a rotational player before eventually becoming a full-time starter.

25. New York Giants: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

This might not feel like a huge change from Daniel Jones since both are athletic quarterbacks that need to work on their passing game. The difference is, Jones is entering year five and has yet to prove he will be the guy whereas Anthony Richardson is an elite talent. In fact, Ian Cummings says despite not breaking out in 2022, he’s still arguably the most talented overall in this class.

"“Nevertheless, needing more work hasn’t often scared NFL teams away from talents like Richardson in the past. And there may not be a QB more talented than Richardson. He’s a truly elite athlete at 6’4″ and 231 pounds, with rare foot speed, explosiveness, twitch, and agility for his size.” — Cummings, Pro Football Network"

This is why the New York Giants roll the dice as they plan for Richardson to replace Jones — even if it means they have to get a bridge quarterback such as a Jacoby Brissett for a year or two as he develops.

26. New York Jets: Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland

It’s still hard to tell what Zach Wilson can be for the New York Jets. They’re winning with him but it’s not as if he’s lighting it up. In fact, he has just four touchdowns and five picks while completing a mere 57.5 percent of his throws in six starts. Even with those numbers, New York is 5-1 when he’s under center and 6-3 overall.

Before deciding they need to upgrade the position in order to take their next step, the Jets have to do all they can to help Wilson succeed. That’s why they add Jaelyn Duncan from Maryland as they continue to strengthen their offensive line, which has been a point of concern this year.

27. Buffalo Bills: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

Devin Singletary, James Cook, and Nyheim Hines are all fine running backs but none of them have been powerhouse players that can take over a game on their own. Bijan Robinson has been that for the Texas Longhorns as he has over 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns in each of the last two seasons. He’s even considered by some to be one of the best collegiate running backs in recent memory.

On top of his talent with the ball on the ground, Robinson’s a solid receiver out of the backfield, which is a huge plus for the Buffalo Bills who love to throw it to their backs. Robinson is added with their first-round pick and while some are against taking a running back in Round 1, it can make sense this late as they can keep him under contract for five seasons.

28. Dallas Cowboys: Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon

This season, the attention for the Dallas Cowboys has been centered around their offense. One reason for this is the terrible decision to trade Amari Cooper to Cleveland. With him out, they’ve had a hard time moving the ball through the air consistently. They might be able to land Odell Beckham, Jr. which would be a huge help but that might not happen for another couple of weeks as he continues rehabbing his repaired ACL.

Another reason the offensive woes are being highlighted is that no one is worried about the defense. Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs are leading one of the best units in the game. Even so, the Cowboys add even more firepower to that side of the ball as they select Noah Sewell from Oregon at No. 28.

Sewell is the best traditional linebacker in this class — Trenton Simpson is the best hybrid linebacker — and would be the starting MIKE should they let Leighton Vander Esch walk. His presence would allow Parsons to continue to do his thing and get after the quarterback, which is part of what makes this defense so nasty.

29. Minnesota Vikings: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State

Felix Anudike-Uzomah has 19.5 sacks and 24.5 tackles for a loss over the past two seasons for Kansas State and appears to be an NFL-ready prospect. The Minnesota Vikings are in need of a little more explosion — and youth — on the edge, making this a perfect match.

30. Kansas City Chiefs: Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee

As good as Hendon Hooker has been, he’s not the only Tennessee player worthy of going in Round 1 this season. Wide receiver Jalin Hyatt has come out of nowhere and is now one of the top players in the class. He entered this season with just 41 career receptions and four touchdowns but now has 51 catches for 970 yards (19.0 yards per reception) and 14 touchdowns.

He joins an already explosive offense with the Kansas City Chiefs who have a committee at wide receiver but surely wouldn’t mind adding one more. There have been a few times this season when they needed someone other than Travis Kelce to step up and while JuJu Smith-Schuster has answered the call most times, he can’t continue to do it alone.

31. Philadelphia Eagles: Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida

The No. 1 team in our NFL Power Rankings finishes off the 2023 NFL Mock draft at pick No. 31 — thanks to the Miami Dolphins being stripped of their selection, there’s an odd number in Round 1. Philly already brought more talent to the defensive secondary, now they add another big man to play on the defensive line in Gervon Dexter from Florida.

Last year, they added Jordan Davis from Georgia, giving them a 6-foot-6, 340-pound defensive tackle to play alongside Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave. Now they add a 6-foo-6, 303-pounder in Dexter that can help transition from the veterans. Again, this team can be incredible if they hit on their picks.