2023 NFL Mock Draft: Chiefs add playmaker on offense, Eagles beef up D-line

The Kansas City Chiefs add an explosive playmaker on offense while the Philadelphia Eagles bolster their D-line in our latest 2023 NFL Mock Draft

With the regular season now over for the NCAA, players are beginning to make their intentions known for next year. Several big-name players have already declared for the 20223 NFL Draft and we continue to look forward to the event.

Here, we dive into our latest 2023 NFL Mock Draft which sees the Kansas City Chiefs add some explosion to their offense while the Philadelphia Eagles beef up their defensive line. As usual, our latest 2023 NFL Power Rankings are used to determine the order (until official slots are locked in) and that has the Houston Texans on the clock at No. 1.

2023 NFL Mock Draft

1. Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

It’s pretty clear by now that the Houston Texans need a new quarterback. They currently have Davis Mills, who was replaced briefly by Kyle Allen. Neither is terrible, but they’re both better as backups.

That’s why Houston has to bring in a new signal-caller with the No. 1 pick. The only question is whether it will be Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud that gets the call. While both should be safe picks, Young seems to be getting more love as the one who can change a franchise for the better.

He’s very decisive and can read a defense better than most quarterbacks his age. He checks off every box and that’s why the Texans elect to bring him in. Of course, they need much more help around him but this is a solid start.

2. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos): C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State

Geno Smith has been very good this season and deserves a lot of praise for his work as the starter for the Seattle Seahawks. After 12 games, he’s completed 72.7 percent of his attempts for 3,169 yards with 22 touchdowns. All of those statistics are career-highs for Smith and he has just six picks.

That could make it tempting for Seattle to skip on a quarterback this season but that doesn’t mean they should. As good as Smith has been in 2022, this is the anomaly in his career. On top of that, he’s going to be 33 next season, so passing on C.J. Stroud for another couple of years of Geno Smith could wind up being a colossal mistake.

With all that being said, Stroud makes his way to the Seahawks in this mock draft. He might not start over Smith right away, assuming Smith re-signs, but he will be the franchise quarterback for the next decade-plus.

3. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams): Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama

Aidan Hutchinson has been a good addition to the Detroit Lions defense. The Michigan product has 33 tackles and six sacks and has helped them turn things around in recent weeks.

Now, he ends up with a great pass-rushing partner as Will Anderson, Jr. from Alabama is the pick in this mock. Anderson is arguably the No. 1 player in this class and would give Detroit a pair of bookends that could each record 10-plus sacks every season.

4. Chicago Bears: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

The needs for the Chicago Bears are as follows: Everything.

Of course, the one position they won’t draft in Round 1 this season is quarterback. Justin Fields might not have proven he’s the guy they need but he’s shown enough in two seasons to deserve more time. And it would help if they added talent around him. At any position.

At No. 4 in this mock, they elect to bring in Jalen Carter to help re-load a defense that’s been dismantled this year. Chicago traded Khalil Mack, Roquan Smith, and Robert Quinn this season. Adding Carter doesn’t fix everything, but it helps.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU

In year two, Trevor Lawrence has made some huge strides as a quarterback. That can be seen in how he’s elevated the play of both Christian Kirk and Zay Jones this season — both have had career years.

As good as they have been, the Jaguars still need a true boundary wideout which is what they get with Quentin Johnston. Unlike Kirk and Jones, Johnston gives them plenty of height at 6-foot-4 and 193-pounds.

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Jacksonville plays in one of the weaker divisions in the NFL, so they could find themselves going after the AFC South title if Lawrence takes another step. Adding Johnston helps him do exactly that.

6. Carolina Panthers: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

The Carolina Panthers took a flier on former first-round picks in each of the past two seasons. First, it was Sam Darnold who started out hot but then fizzled. Next, it was Baker Mayfield who was drafted just ahead of Darnold in 2018 and then beat him out in camp this season.

Mayfield also faded quickly and requested his release when he was demoted to third string. That led to him going to the Rams and winning a game despite not even knowing his way around the stadium yet.

This suggests the staff in Carolina has something to do with the fact that Carolina has been dumping quarterbacks faster than Pete Davidson goes through celebrity girlfriends. Clearly, Matt Rhule was a problem and now they will start fresh. They can also start fresh under center with Will Levis from Kentucky.

He has some disgusting eating habits and should never be allowed around coffee but he has the size and arm strength scouts love, so they’ll overlook the fact that he might not be human.

7. Arizona Cardinals: Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson

There could be a coaching change for the Arizona Cardinals as well with Kliff Kingsbury on thin ice. No matter what happens there, this team needs more talent on defense in order to succeed.

That begins with the selection of Myles Murphy from Clemson who can replace J.J. Watt on the defensive line.

8. Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans Saints): Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech

At 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds, Tyree Wilson is a powerful defensive end that had his final season cut short due to a foot injury. He still showed enough with Texas Tech to land in Round 1 and the Philadelphia Eagles bring him in with their first of two selections in this mock.

The Eagles have a very good defensive line but Brandon Graham is already 34 years of age so they need to get younger on the edge. Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat have been good on the edge but adding Wilson gives them someone who can play defensive end when they’re in their three-man line and can also slide inside in the nickel if needed.

9. Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

Jeff Saturday hasn’t done a good job at all with the Indianapolis Colts. One decision that clearly didn’t work out was putting Matt Ryan back in the lineup, but then again, it’s not as if Sam Elhinger would have been much better.

In the end, they need a new coach — probably an owner as well, but that won’t happen — and a new quarterback. They land that signal-caller here in Anthony Richardson from Florida, who might be the most athletically gifted quarterback in this class.

The problem is that he’s still very raw. That means the Colts will likely need a bridge quarterback for 2023. A few names will be available like perhaps Jacoby Brissett, Daniel Jones, and maybe even Cooper Rush. Just as long as it’s not Matt Ryan who starts while they groom Richardson.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers: Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern

The numbers for Kenny Pickett have been pretty rough during his rookie season but he’s been showing improvement as of late. He’s also led the Pittsburgh Steelers to three wins in their past four games.

In order for him to take his next step, the Steelers need to make sure he’s comfortable in the pocket and the best way to do this is by bringing in a young and talented offensive tackle. That’s what they get here in Peter Skoronski from Northwestern, who is considered the top prospect at his position by many draft pundits.

Pittsburgh’s O-line hasn’t been great for a while and Ben Roethlisberger masked a lot of that with his quick release. Pickett isn’t at the point where he can get the ball out within a couple of seconds, so making sure he has enough time is imperative.

11. Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns): Jordan Addison, WR, USC

With their first pick, the Texans added Bryce Young to be their new quarterback. Now back on the clock with the Browns first-round pick (which they obtained by trading their former franchise quarterback) they add a No. 1 wideout in Jordan Addison.

After two seasons at Pitt, Addison transferred to USC and finished with 875 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s a threat to score from anywhere and would be the best wideout on the field for Houston from day one — provided they’re not able to get Brandin Cooks happy and back on the active roster.

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

This year hasn’t gone the way the Green Bay Packers hoped and that could lead to an interesting offseason. Aaron Rodgers loves to blame everyone but himself for the team’s failures when they don’t win it all and he’s surely going to be in rare form when they miss the playoffs —‚unless he drinks some psychedelic tea that makes him love everyone again.

Whatever happens there, they’re going to need more pass catchers. A wide receiver would be a good option here but they might not feel it’s a huge need with Christian Watson turning a corner as the season has progressed.

Instead, they go with Michael Mayer from Notre Dame. The top tight end in this class, Mayer has very few holes in his game and will add another element to this offense.

13. Atlanta Falcons: Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson

One of the teams that were surprising early on this year was the Atlanta Falcons. They’ve come back down to earth as of late but they showed a lot of fight, which is a positive sign for head coach Arthur Smith.

Now, they just need to add more talent and they get one of the more versatile players in this class at No. 13, Trenton Simpson. Currently a linebacker for Clemson, Simpson is capable of playing safety due to his coverage skills. He’s not on the same level as Micah Parsons but he can add a similar weapon for the Dirty Birds.

14. Las Vegas Raiders: Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia

Perhaps if the Las Vegas Raiders had a better secondary, they wouldn’t have been carved up by Baker Mayfield and Van Jefferson on Thursday Night Football.

While they can’t go back and erase that loss, they can try and avoid any further meltdowns in the secondary by adding a new No. 1 cornerback, which is what they land with Kelee Ringo from Georgia.

Called an explosive athlete that excels in press coverage by Damian Parson of The Draft Network, Ringo is a lengthy 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds. He has everything you need in a corner and comes from one of the better collegiate defenses in recent memory.

15. Detroit Lions: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

Back on the clock with their own selection in this draft, the Detroit Lions decide to add some offensive firepower as the second Georgia player in a row comes off the board. Darnell Washington is built like a tank at 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds.

Eben with that huge size, he’s still very athletic and can be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. Linebackers won’t be able to run with him and he’s going to have 50-pounds or more on nearly every safety that tries to cover him.

Washington’s numbers aren’t eye-popping but he could wind up being a better pro than a collegiate player as the Lions are able to replace T.J. Hockenson, which is no easy task.

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida

With Alex Cappa leaving for Cincinnati, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive line wasn’t the same this season. In an effort to get them back on track, they bring in O’Cyrus Torrence who started his career at Louisianna but really took off once he got to Florida.

The 6-foot-5, 347-pound guard is the top prospect at his position and comes in as a plug-and-play starter.

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

Justin Herbert has continued to put up good numbers but he’s had to do so with a lot of reserves. Both Mike Williams and Keenan Allen have struggled with health, so it’s time for the Los Angeles Chargers to think about getting some young talent.

That leads to the selection of Jaxon Smith-Njigba from Ohio State. Of course, there might be some risk since he too has injury concerns — he’s hardly played this season — but he’s potentially the best receiver in this class when healthy.

Those who have studied his film note that while he doesn’t have elite speed, everything Smith-Njigba does is incredibly precise. Joe Marino of The Draft Network praises his focus, decisiveness, and how smooth he is overall.

"“He’s an extremely intelligent player with exceptional spatial awareness. He does well to continue working in scramble situations and he’s always competing to get open. Smith-Njigba has exceptional hands, ball skills, and focus at the catch point. He is decisive after the catch with excellent field vision. Everything Smith-Njigba does on the field is smooth, focused, and technically refined.” — Marino, The Draft Network"

With Smith-Njigba, the Chargers could be unstoppable when fully healthy. But they can also remain very dangerous even if they do lose one of their top wideouts going forward.

18. New England Patriots: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia

Five offensive linemen are set for free agency in 2023 for the New England Patriots including Isaiah Wynn who has been their starting right tackle. Trent Brown, who is better on the right side but has been playing on the left, is set for free agency in 2024.

That’s why it would make sense for the Pats to bring in a new left tackle, which they do here with Broderick Jones. At 6-foot-4 and 315-pounds, Jones is built for the position but he’s still working on his technique. He does have great athleticism, evident by the fact that he’s also a good basketball player. He should be able to handle the speed rush because of this and will only get better with NFL coaching.

19. Tennessee Titans: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State

Following a strong career at Albany, Jared Verse transferred to Florida State and proved he can get it done against elite talent. As of this writing, he hasn’t officially declared but if he does, there’s no reason to think he won’t be a Round 1 pick.

The Tennessee Titans wind up bringing him in as they need some consistency on the edge. So far, Bud Dupree hasn’t lived up to his contract and it might be time to consider moving on. Verse allows them to have that conversation.

20. New York Jets: Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State

It’s too early to give up on Zach Wilson completely but it’s tempting. In two seasons, Wilson has dealt with durability concerns and ineffectiveness. He’s completed exactly 55.6 percent of his passes in each of his first two seasons and has just 13 touchdowns and 16 picks.

Despite all of that, the Jets might not be ready to move on completely — unless Mike White continues to impress. Instead, they focus on fixing the offensive line, which has been an issue this season. They take Paris Johnson at No. 20 and he would slide in at right tackle but could also play on the left side if Mekhi Becton were to get injured again in the future.

21. New York Giants: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon

The New York Giants could be in the market for a new quarterback since they didn’t pick up the fifth-year option for Daniel Jones. The only problem is that they’ve been too good to get one of the top players in the class, so they would either have to roll the dice with a player that has a lot of questions, or trade up. If they’re not thrilled with those options, they can try and either re-sign Jones or look for another veteran option in the offseason.

As for this mock, they go with Christian Gonzalez from Oregon who would be a day-one starter at cornerback. He’s a transfer from Colorado that took his game to the next level with the Ducks and solidified his spot as a day one pick.

22. Washington Commanders: Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson

With Taylor Heinicke under center this season, the Washington Commanders are 5-1-1 and have come back into the playoff race. Over the past two years, he’s now 12-9-1 as the starter for Washington and unless they make a move into the top five, their best bet will be to roll with him once again in 2023.

One player they might not have next year, however, is Daron Payne. The big defensive tackle is due for a new contract and it doesn’t seem likely he’s getting that in D.C. Payne was rumored to be available in a trade and if there’s truth to that, then they could end up looking for a more affordable replacement.

Enter Bryan Bresee from Clemson. A very gifted athlete, Bresee could excel with Washington where he would find himself surrounded by other talented defensive linemen.

23. Seattle Seahawks: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State

At No. 2 overall, Seattle grabbed C.J. Stroud who should be the new face of the franchise in the Pacific Northwest. Now back on the clock at 23, they bring in a talented edge rusher in Felix Anudike-Uzomah from Kansas State.

While Stroud will improve the offense, Pete Carroll has had his most success when his defense is elite. Anudike-Uzomah won’t put them in that category but he’s shown over the past two seasons that he can be a disruptive force with 20.5 sacks and 26.5 tackles for a loss.

24. Baltimore Ravens: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

There are several very talented running backs on the Baltimore Ravens roster including Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. However, they’ve also had major injury concerns. This season, each has appeared in just four games as Kenyan Drake has been turned to as the primary back for much of the season.

That’s why they add another back with their first pick, bringing in Bijan Robinson from Texas. Robinson racked up 3,410 yards and 33 touchdowns on the ground and another 805 yards and eight touchdowns through the air. He’s a playmaker that can take over a game and would be a welcome addition to an offense that loves to run the ball early and often.

25. Denver Broncos: (via San Francisco 49ers through Miami Dolphins): Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame

It’s hard to find anyone that made a worse trade this offseason than the Denver Broncos did for Russell Wilson. His addition hasn’t helped the offense whatsoever as they’re sitting at 3-9 entering Week 14 and they’re dead last in the league in scoring with just 166 points on the year — for an average of 13.8 points per game.

With their struggles, they decided to sell at the trade deadline and sent Bradley Chubb to the Miami Dolphins, so at least they got a first-round pick this year. Unfortunately, all they end up doing is replacing Chubb as they add Isaiah Foskey from Notre Dame.

As for their offense, they’re going to have to hope Tim Patrick returning to full health will be enough to turn things around, otherwise, Russ won’t be cooking in the Mile High City for very long.

26. Cincinnati Bengals: Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina

The South Carolina Gamecocks have had some impressive defensive backs come through their program and they ended up sending another to the NFL via the first round in Cam Smith. The Cincinnati Bengals have been re-tooling their secondary for a couple of years and adding Smith to start across from Chidobe Awuzie could round things out for them.

27. Kansas City Chiefs: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama

When the Kansas City Chiefs took Clyde Edwards-Helaire, they were hoping to add another element to their already explosive offense. In three seasons, he has yet to really provide that and has just 302 yards through 10 games in 2022.

The idea was still solid, which is why they try again with Jahmyr Gibbs, and this time it should work. Gibbs spent two seasons at Georgia Tech before heading to Alabama this season and has 1,228 yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns. He’s an explosive player and as Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network says, he’s also a high-energy player with elite twitch.

"“On top of his explosiveness, Gibbs possesses phenomenal, effortless short-area athleticism, which he can use to tug defenders off-balance. Gibbs is a high-energy mover with elite twitch who quickly recollects his feet after cuts. His twitch affords him awe-inspiring potential energy on each play.” — Cummings, Pro Football Network"

It almost feels unfair to add him to an offense that already has Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, but it makes a lot of sense for them.

28. Minnesota Vikings: Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M

There was a time when the Minnesota Vikings had one of the best starting safety duos in the NFL with Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris. Now, they need to reload the position with Harris gone and Smith approaching his mid-30s.

That leads to the selection of Antonio Johnson who is a very versatile defensive back. He’s lined up in zone coverage as well as in the slot while even spending time as a linebacker. He’s a chess piece that can open up options a lot for this defense.

29. Dallas Cowboys: Joey Porter, Jr., Penn State

This season, the Dallas Cowboys defense has been very strong and they had one of their best games of the year when they forced five turnovers against the Indianapolis Colts. They also lost Anthony Brown to a torn Achilles.

Even before the injury, it wasn’t a guarantee Brown would be back in 2023. He’s set for free agency and hasn’t been as good this season as he was in 2021. Kelvin Joseph will get a shot now but he hasn’t proven to be the answer. So unless he turns things around, this is likely where Dallas will look when they’re on the clock.

Their selection in this mock draft is Joey Porter, Jr. from Penn State. The son of a former linebacker, Porter excels in man coverage. That’s one thing Dan Quinn would love but the main thing that would attract the Dallas defensive coordinator is the incredible length the 6-foot-2 Porter possesses. Quinn likes his defensive backs to be able to use their long arms to harras the opposing receivers and pairing Porter with Trevon Diggs seems like a perfect fit for him.

30. Buffalo Bills: Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State

One of the favorites in the AFC, the Buffalo Bills are loaded nearly everywhere on their roster. The one exception is their offensive line.

Buffalo has a couple of starters to feel good about with Mitch Morse and Dion Dawkins but could look for an upgrade everywhere else. That leads to the selection of Dawand Jones from Ohio State.

Jones is a mammoth at 6-foot-8 and 359-pounds that could start at right tackle for the Bills. Spencer Brown hasn’t developed the way they hoped, and Jones would prove to be an upgrade.

31. Philadelphia Eagles: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois

The Philadelphia Eagles have the best record in the NFL and thanks to a trade with the New Orleans Saints last season, they already made one pick in this mock. That came at No. 8, which is where they added Tyree Wilson to beef up their defensive line. Now, they add some talent to the secondary in Devon Witherspoon from Illinois.

Witherspoon has 23 pass defenses over the past two seasons and picked off three passes in 2022. He’s an aggressive player and despite being listed at just 180 pounds, he’s been a very physical player.

In Philly, he would have a veteran mentor in Darius Slay and he still wouldn’t prevent them from keeping James Bradberry around for another season or more.