2023 NFL Mock Draft: Cowboys make surprise pick in Round 1
By Randy Gurzi
The Dallas Cowboys replace Tony Pollard, and possibly Ezekiel Elliott, with their selection in Round 1 of our latest 2023 NFL Mock Draft
With Super Bowl LVII now officially in the rearview, all 32 NFL teams are in offseason mode. The World Champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles were the last to join the party because we’ve been digging into the offseason for a while now — as have 30 other franchises.
We’ve also got one eye on what’s coming up as we offer you our latest 2023 NFL Mock Draft — which again starts with a trade.
2023 NFL Mock Draft
Ohio State. C.J. Stroud. 1. player. Scouting Report. QB. 46. Pick Analysis
1. Indianapolis Colts (via Chicago Bears): C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
Right now, the Chicago Bears are in a great situation. They have the No. 1 overall pick in a draft where there are a couple of good options at quarterback — and they don’t need one. There are also several teams that need an upgrade at the position, so they can use that to their advantage.
That’s what happens here as they get the Indianapolis Colts to surrender two first-round picks and a very early second-rounder in order to move from No. 4 to No. 1. Chicago will still have a great player to choose from and the Colts get their man.
For the past three seasons, Indianapolis has cycled through veteran quarterbacks. They went from Philip Rivers to Carson Wentz to Matt Ryan. Before that, they had Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck from 1998 through 2019. Clearly, the No. 1 overall pick has been the better move for them.
That’s why they sell out for C.J. Stroud, who edges out Bryce Young. There continues to be hype around Young but his stature is apparently a concern. That’s not the case for Stroud who also went off against Georgia, showing he can get it done on the biggest of stages.