2023 NFL mock draft: Cowboys, Falcons make massive trades up

The biggest waves of 2023 NFL Free Agency have come and gone. It’s officially time to lock our eyes on the 2023 NFL Draft, which will take place from Thursday, April 27-Saturday, April 29. The glorious weekend of NFL Draft festivities will take place in the home of the reigning Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. Fans from all over the league will gather for what is certain to be an exciting Draft, and we’ve already seen some major fireworks at the top, so get ready for some NFL mock draft madness.

Just before the start of 2023 NFL Free Agency, the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers came together on a blockbuster deal that sent the no. 1 overall pick to the Panthers and wide receiver DJ Moore (among other things) to the Chicago Bears.

How many more big trades could we expect, even within the top 10 overall picks? I don’t think it’s out of the question that we could see some major fireworks come late April. Let’s look at a fun 2023 NFL mock draft scenario including a massive trade up the board from the Dallas Cowboys…

2023 NFL mock draft: Cowboys trade up, QBs fly off the board early

1. Carolina Panthers: CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State

No team in the NFL is better equipped in 2023 to break in a young quarterback than the Carolina Panthers. This team’s coaching staff includes a brain trust of:

• HC Frank Reich
• Senior Assistant Jim Caldwell
• QB coach Josh McCown
• Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown
• RB coach/assistant HC Duce Staley
• Pass game coordinator Parks Frazier

This team is absolutely loaded when it comes to QB developers, and that includes the likes of Brown and Staley who are going to help this team forge a strong running game, along with new running back Miles Sanders.

With an improved offensive line and a stout defense, now under the watch of DC Ejiro Evero, the Panthers are poised to take one of the biggest leaps forward of any NFL team in 2023. As aggressive as GM Scott Fitterer has been, it should come as zero surprise that this is the team that made the trade for the no. 1 overall pick when the Bears put it on the market.

It cost them DJ Moore, but CJ Stroud — or any new QB — is going to be coming in with an elite coaching staff, strong running game to back them up, a strong defense, a good offensive line, and at least a couple of new weapons at receiver in Adam Thielen and DJ Chark who will pair up with Terrace Marshall and Laviska Shenault.

Until the rest of the 2023 NFL Draft, at least…

2. Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

Bryce Young will soon be one of the smallest quarterbacks in the NFL, but does that really matter? We’ll see how much it matters to NFL teams when the 2023 NFL Draft rolls around. For the time being, I think if the Carolina Panthers go with CJ Stroud (as many expect them to), then the Texans’ decision becomes a bit easier with this selection. Bryce Young is a more polished player at the position than Anthony Richardson, though Richardson has the physical gifts and tools teams covet.

In an offense like we’re going to see in Houston under new OC Bobby Slowik, I think Young can really excel. The Texans have built a pretty nice foundation under GM Nick Caserio, who comes from the New England front office where Nick Saban players are highly valued and prioritized. I think if Caserio has a shot at Young here, he could look at this as a one-year trial before getting to the 2024 NFL Draft. I know teams maybe aren’t thinking like that, but give yourself a shot to get a real evaluation in a one-year window, see where you’re at in next year’s draft order, and make a decision from there.

The Texans will have had six first-round picks (at least, to begin with) from 2022-2024. They have ultimate flexibility at QB right now.

3. Atlanta Falcons (trade): Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

TRADE

Use your imagination here. The Atlanta Falcons are jumping into the third overall spot in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals. The trade value chart puts the 3rd overall pick as being worth 2200 points while the 8th overall pick is worth 1400 points. NFL teams aren’t sticklers about that chart but I think you can bank on it being pretty accurate in terms of the value going back most of the time. A trade like this would likely cost the Falcons their 2nd-round pick in 2023 as well as a future 2nd or 3rd. Maybe both depending on how badly they want Richardson.

The motivation here to get Richardson and jump the Indianapolis Colts to do so is obvious. Both the Falcons and the Colts have coaches in place — Arthur Smith and Shane Steichen — who have built offenses that Richardson could thrive in early instead of sitting and waiting to play.

I know the message the Falcons have been sending of late is that they are ready for Desmond Ridder season, but I’ll believe that when the NFL Draft is over.

4. Indianapolis Colts: Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama

At this point, after quarterbacks went off the board with the first three picks, maybe the Indianapolis Colts frantically get on the phone with the Baltimore Ravens and try to swing a deal for Lamar Jackson. The Colts are going to have to be aggressive and move up if they want a QB in this class, and certainly the line of communication between Indy and Arizona (3rd overall) will be open given the two teams are now coached by former Eagles coordinators.

If the Colts are sitting here with the option of Will Levis or the field, I really don’t know what they would do. I have a plan, however, that will unfold later in this NFL mock draft scenario, so if you’re a Colts fan, don’t ditch after this pick!

I think given the option here is Will Levis or the field, I’m taking the top non-QB on my board and playing for a QB in 2024 or maybe trying to trade this pick frantically for Lamar Jackson. The Colts are one of the NFL’s worst rosters right now in my opinion but they do have some pieces in place.

Will Anderson would be a cornerstone type of piece off the edge defensively they could really build around.

5. Seattle Seahawks: Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech

There are just some players who fit a particular team’s “brand” better than most in this incoming NFL Draft class, and Tyree Wilson just looks like a Seattle Seahawk. His versatility on the defensive front, his length, his quickness, and his ability to wreak some havoc off the edge can make him the perfect fit to join a defense that was porous but opportunistic in 2022.

https://twitter.com/BrettKollmann/status/1633137601585766400

The Seahawks went out in NFL Free Agency and landed a pretty big fish when they signed Dre’Mont Jones. They brought back Bobby Wagner to lead the unit once again. With some of the young studs they added to the secondary, I would love to see them invest heavily in the trenches and I think Wilson is exactly the type of player they would go after.

6. Detroit Lions: Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia

There have been some rumors that the two teams picking on this page — the Lions and Raiders — have removed Jalen Carter from their draft boards completely. I guess I’ll believe that one when I see it for sure. There have been some off-field concerns popping up of late with Carter that could cause him to fall in the 2023 NFL Draft, but there are many people who believe, strictly speaking on the football side of things, that Carter is the best overall talent in this draft class.

The flashes are not hard to find when you watch the Georgia defense these past couple of years. People have been excited on Carter for a decent amount of time. If you think the Lions aren’t interested in Carter, you would be wrong. Dan Campbell himself said that the background check process has reached the point where they are asking some of Carter’s teammates about what kind of person he is.

The Lions have to feel strongly about their culture. I don’t think they just want to throw anyone into the mix and hope it works out — you’re picking sixth overall and can get a number of game-changing players here. The risk may be worth the reward, though, if you are talking about pairing up Jalen Carter with last year’s top pick Aidan Hutchinson and terrorizing teams in the trenches.

7. Las Vegas Raiders: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois

The Raiders have made wholesale changes in 2023 and you’ve got to give Josh McDaniels credit. For as maddening as his methods can be, at least he’s consistent. He fancies himself a true disciple of Bill Belichick, and he’s putting his stamp on this Raiders roster, come hell or high water.

The major change was obviously the decision to jettison Derek Carr and replace him with Jimmy Garoppolo, who has had a lot of success in his days away from McDaniels and Belichick. Garoppolo helped take the 49ers to three NFC Championship games in the last four years. Although this past year it was Brock Purdy who finished out the season, it was Garoppolo who came in off the bench to stabilize things.

He’ll have a shot to keep his wildly successful NFL career going with some nice pieces around him in the Raiders’ offense, but the Raiders don’t have a top-10 defense like Garoppolo had behind him in San Francisco. They can get closer to having one by adding a player like Devon Witherspoon to the secondary.

Not saying he will be immediately better, but I like Witherspoon’s overall game more than Sauce Gardner coming out a year ago.

8. Arizona Cardinals (trade): Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon

A lot of times, when you have a new head coach come into an organization, you will see that organization prioritize that particular coach’s strength early on in the NFL Draft. Here, the Cardinals live up to that trend by taking cornerback Christian Gonzalez to begin rebuilding Jonathan Gannon’s gutted defense in Arizona.

The Cardinals have the worst roster in the NFL right now. They are one of the teams that has gotten worse in NFL free agency, rumors of a DeAndre Hopkins trade persist, and Kyler Murray is not healthy.

Jonathan Gannon and his very young staff have their work cut out for them, but a player like Gonzalez could really bring a much-needed source of hope to the Arizona secondary along with Budda Baker.

9. Chicago Bears: Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State

The Chicago Bears traded out of the first overall slot in the 2023 NFL Draft and dropped all the way to 9th overall. Clearly, that drop of eight spots was worth it for them to be able to get a playmaker like DJ Moore in the mix for young QB Justin Fields to finally have a true go-to target in the passing game.

Moore has proven himself to be QB-proof over the last handful of years with the Panthers, so we’ll see if that can continue with the Bears as Fields continues to hone his craft as a passer. With the receiver position effectively addressed in Chicago (DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool as the top 3 along with TE Cole Kmet), the Bears will likely fix their gaze on the offensive line, which has been pathetic for the last few years in Chicago.

Paris Johnson Jr. is as good of a tackle as anyone in this year’s class and a tremendous athlete at his position, which is important to Bears GM Ryan Poles.

10. Philadelphia Eagles: Lukas Van Ness, DL/EDGE, Iowa

Eagles GM Howie Roseman has two first-round picks, including a top-10 overall selection, in the NFL Draft following his team representing the NFC in the Super Bowl. That’s how you win as an executive, in case you’re wondering.

Not only that, but Roseman is coming off of a draft in 2022 in which he was able to acquire:

• DL Jordan Davis
• WR AJ Brown
• 2023 first-round pick

This selection comes courtesy of Mickey Loomis and the Saints, and as of right now, I’m sure we can expect the Eagles to do with it what they almost always do — pick someone in the trenches. That’s just how Roseman rolls. It’s how he operates.

Getting Lukas Van Ness a year after getting Jordan Davis? The RAS of that unit is off the charts:

Van Ness still has plenty of room to grow but he’s long, explosive, and versatile. He will fit in with the Eagles and get into their rotation immediately. I could also see them taking Peter Skoronski here.

11. Tennessee Titans: Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern

Speaking of Peter Skoronski…

The Tennessee Titans have an interesting situation on their hands right now. They are a team that was just recently on the cusp of being a true AFC contender and they are now on the cusp of being in a full-fledged rebuild.

Taylor Lewan is gone, Andre Dillard is in. Ben Jones and Nate Davis are both out. This Titans offensive line is going to be replacing a few starters and a player like Skoronski would be a godsend at this point for them.

Skoronski could pencil in at any of a number of available starting spots for Tennessee’s offensive line and would be a nice value here.

12. Houston Texans: Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas

The Houston Texans got themselves a quarterback for the offense early on in this 2023 NFL mock draft scenario and here they get an absolute sniper, a heat-seeking missile at the “linebacker” position for DeMeco Ryans’ defense. Ryans obviously did an amazing job with the 49ers developing the talent they have at the linebacker position whether we’re talking about a superstar like Fred Warner or other players like Dre’ Greenlaw and Azeez Al-Shaair.

Sanders is a former Alabama transfer who is listed at 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, he ran a 4.59 at the Arkansas pro day and posted a tremendous 37-inch vertical jump. Fred Warner isn’t this tall, but he’s almost 6-foot-4 and has similar speed and explosiveness.

From a variety of alignments and positions, Sanders was all over the field in 2022 for the Razorbacks, racking up 103 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and five passes broken up. His range, instincts, and productivity could be exactly what DeMeco Ryans is looking for.

13. New York Jets: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee

If the New York Jets are going to add Aaron Rodgers, Jets fans should get excited that it’s going to likely happen this month. For those who are old enough to remember the Brett Favre saga, it’s simply too rich that Rodgers’ landing spot in his post-Packers playing days is also with the Jets.

Although, at the time, it was clear that Favre was using the Jets as a means to an end. At the time, it was the Vikings that Favre wanted. Rodgers, or all his quirks, at least hasn’t gone to that level.

At any rate, the Jets have some work to be done yet on the offensive line, including adding at the tackle position and at center. Darnell Wright hasn’t received a ton of top 20 love at this point but look, tackles are in short supply, and Wright is an athletic freak at the position.

Someone who is north of 330 pounds is simply not meant to move like that. Wright is a stud, and I think he would be a great pickup for the Jets as they look to continually upgrade and revamp their offense.

14. Dallas Cowboys (trade): Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

TRADE: Cowboys trade up to 14th pick with Patriots

I don’t think people appreciate just how tough it undoubtedly was for Jerry Jones to say goodbye to Ezekiel Elliott. Jones bucked conventional wisdom to keep Elliott around as long as he did in the first place, even as productive as Elliott had been throughout his career.

Jerry Jones understandably takes pride in his high draft picks. When you look at what the Cowboys have done over the last decade (and some beyond), it’s easy to see why it’s so hard for the Cowboys owner to part with his picks, even if it means keeping them beyond when it makes sense to do so.

• 2013: Travis Frederick, C
• 2014: Zack Martin, OG
• 2015: Byron Jones, DB
• 2016: Ezekiel Elliott, RB
• 2017: Taco Charlton, DE
• 2018: Leighton Vander Esch, LB
• 2019: Traded for WR Amari Cooper
• 2020: CeeDee Lamb, WR
• 2021: Micah Parsons, LB
• 2022: Tyler Smith, OT

To say that the Cowboys are good at drafting in round one would be a vast understatement. They might be better at it than any other team. That’s one miss in 10 years (Charlton). But I digress.

The point of this trade is to replace one superstar, crop-top-rocking running back with another. Bijan Robinson is a top five player in this draft class. He falls out of the top 10 picks because he’s a running back. The Cowboys can’t really rely on Tony Pollard being 100 percent at the start of the season and even if he is, he’s playing on the franchise tag.

Getting Bijan Robinson would reset this position for Dallas and — we know this is important to Jerry — might sell more jerseys than any other rookie in the league.

15. Green Bay Packers: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State

Not to overshadow this mock draft selection completely, but obviously, the Bijan Robinson pick was a major part of this post. The Green Bay Packers needed to wait until Aaron Rodgers left before they were willing to use a first-round pick on an offensive skill player not named Jordan Love.

All kidding aside, this pick would be an absolute home run for the Packers. They found a couple of studs in last year’s draft in Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs. They are going to soon say goodbye to Randall Cobb and they already said goodbye to Allen Lazard. Jaxon Smith-Njigba would come in and provide Jordan Love with a sure-handed outlet who runs great routes and can win consistently in the slot.

16. Washington Commanders: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

The Washington Commanders didn’t just bring in Eric Bieniemy to run the offense without a full complement of weapons, did they? Well, they apparently aren’t going to try to trade this pick for Lamar Jackson, but short of that, they are definitely all-in on the offensive personnel they have.

Whether the Commanders plan on putting Jacoby Brissett out there, or whether they are actually giving someone like Sam Howell a shot in 2023, I think he’s going to need another weapon at the tight end position. I’m not sure what you can really count on from Logan Thomas going forward and adding someone like Michael Mayer here would be fantastic.

Nobody’s expecting anyone to be Travis Kelce in this offense, but obviously, Eric Bieniemy has a lot of experience making the quarterback’s life easier with an outstanding tight end. Mayer can be that outlet for whoever is under center for the Commanders.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State

How could there be a more perfect pick in this draft?

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafting Joey Porter’s kid would be poetic. It might even bring some people to tears.

The only downside is that cornerbacks can’t wear no. 55. Oh well.

As much as this pick would appeal to the fan base and be a cool news story, it’s honestly just a really good and logical fit for everyone. There is a bit of an overhaul happening in the Pittsburgh secondary these days and Patrick Peterson is currently the centerpiece at the CB position.

They need to get younger here.

18. Detroit Lions: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

Depending on how risk-averse you are as a Lions fan, this first-round NFL mock draft might end up being the least pleasurable you read all offseason. Jalen Carter and Will Levis? It’s a risky use of two first-round picks, especially if you take Dan Campbell’s words about Jared Goff at face value. Would it mess with this team’s progress to take a QB in round one after the season they just had?

The Lions may have only been 9-8 last season, but their offense took massive leaps forward and Goff was obviously playing the point guard position. Will Levis is a wild card who takes mayonnaise in his coffee and eats bananas with the peel, but he can sling the rock.

The Lions are building something special and if this team doesn’t envision Goff as the long-term QB, why not take a shot on Levis here? His physical talent could be worth this pick alone.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are rebuilding. They knew this day would be coming at some point, meaning the day Tom Brady decided to retire from professional football. It was a good run while it lasted, but it’s time for the Bucs to pay up on the debt they’ve accrued over the last few years.

Replacing Brady in the Bucs’ lineup will be Baker Mayfield, the former first-overall pick in the NFL Draft. Although this Tampa Bay roster is not devoid of talent, it’s certainly taken a hit this offseason. As they approach this coming season, maybe new OC Dave Canales can maximize Mayfield’s abilities and get this offense cooking again.

Regardless, I think this roster needs an infusion in the secondary and Kelee Ringo is someone who looks tailor-made for Todd Bowles’ defense.

20. Seattle Seahawks: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU

What do the Seattle Seahawks really need right here? I think having multiple first-round picks really opens them up to go in different directions at either spot. They could go QB early and they could try to find someone in the trenches here. In this particular NFL mock draft scenario, I really feel like we’re seeing the Seahawks go with a best-player available approach at both of their first-round slots.

Plus, think of the options this coming season with DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Quentin Johnston on the field all at the same time. Talk about room for error for your QB!

As freaky as Johnston is, he’s definitely not quite as freaky as DK Metcalf. Still, we’re splitting some hairs there. Johnston is a long target at almost 6-foot-3 with nearly 34-inch arms. He isn’t as big as Metcalf in terms of their build but he’s still physical after the catch when he wants to be. Concerns about drops push him down the board despite the fact that he might be WR1 for some teams.

21. Los Angeles Chargers: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

The Los Angeles Chargers simply need to add depth at receiver for Justin Herbert. I think they figured someone like Josh Palmer could be just fine in the event that Mike Williams or Keenan Allen had to miss significant time, but as we saw last season, that’s really not the case.

The Chargers have struggled to replace those guys when they need to do so, and they might soon have to replace another star player on their roster.

Running back Austin Ekeler has asked for a trade, and the Chargers have given him the opportunity to explore other opportunities. Although there seems to be a pretty clear line in the sand for NFL teams on where they will or won’t pay running backs, Ekeler is really a unique breed of player and contributes as much in the passing game as some top-flight receivers.

He has 38 total touchdowns over the last two seasons and is getting paid $6.25 million this season.

The arrival of Kellen Moore as the team’s offensive coordinator necessitates the Chargers have appropriate depth at receiver. They will run plenty of 11 personnel and having three ‘starters’ at receiver is a must.

I think you can’t go wrong here whether you’re talking about Zay Flowers or Jordan Addison. The Chargers would probably love to see both sitting on the board when they’re on the clock.

22. Baltimore Ravens: Jordan Addison, WR, USC

Speaking of teams who would be thrilled to see top receivers on the board when they get ready to pick, the Baltimore Ravens find themselves in a brutal, brutal spot. What is going to happen with Lamar Jackson? Could he be traded this month?

Regardless of who is playing quarterback for the Ravens, they are going to need some additional weapons in the passing game. Mark Andrews remains one of the game’s top tight ends, but the jury is very much out on former first-round pick Rashod Bateman. The Ravens’ leading receivers in 2022? Well, let’s just take a look at the list beyond Mark Andrews…

Ravens 2022 receiving leaders (not named Mark Andrews)

• Demarcus Robinson – 458 yards
• Devin Duvernay – 407 yards
• Isaiah Likely (TE). -373 yards

To say the Ravens need an overhaul at this position would be an understatement, and yet they have done nothing in the 2023 offseason. I take that back, they picked up Nelson Agholor.

Jordan Addison would be a tremendous fit for Baltimore at this juncture, to say the least.

23. Minnesota Vikings: Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland

When all is said and done, the Vikings may need to move up the draft board to secure a player like Deonte Banks out of Maryland. Let’s look at the Vikings’ current situation in the secondary before getting into this pick, however.

The Vikings undoubtedly emphasized the secondary in year one of the Kwesi Adofo-Mensah era. Minnesota’s rookie GM prioritized the secondary in his first draft on the job, spending a first-round pick on Georgia safety Lewis Cine and a second-round pick on Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth.

In 2023 NFL Free Agency, the Vikings went out and got Byron Murphy for new DC Brian Flores’ defense. But the departure of Patrick Peterson leaves a bit of a void at the outside cornerback position. Deonte Banks could come in and be a day one starter for this team.

That kind of physicality and attitude is a must for a Brian Flores-coached defense, and I think Banks is the type of playmaker in the secondary that could really take Minnesota’s unit to the next level, giving them some much needed balance on both sides of the ball.

24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia

The Jacksonville Jaguars went from worst to first in 2022 and they were more than just a good story. This team experienced a true resurgence, their young players took huge steps forward under new head coach Doug Pederson and his staff, and the Jaguars came screaming back in the second half of last season not only to win the AFC South, but then win a playoff game at home against the Chargers.

It was truly a sight to behold.

The team ended up getting mixed production out of top overall pick Travon Walker in a year where there really wasn’t a clear no. 1 overall player in the draft. You know who has worked well with Walker in the past? Nolan Smith.

You know who happens to be on the board here? Nolan Smith.

The Jaguars have had some good luck with Georgia guys in recent years, even if it’s a smaller sample. Travon Walker is going to improve. Tyson Campbell at cornerback has taken huge strides.

One loss for this team that cannot be overstated is the loss of Arden Key, who emerged in the second half of the season as a consistent pass rush weapon for the Jaguars defense. Key is now with the Titans. The Jaguars move on from both Key and former first-round pick K’Lavon Chaisson in one fell swoop with this pick.

25. New York Giants: Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina

Here’s the scenario for the New York Giants. Maybe they really love this year’s wide receiver class. Specifically, maybe they really love the depth at the top end of this class. For whatever reason, the Giants have been super connected in rumors regarding Denver Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy, but they apparently won’t part with this pick to get him.

Jeudy has just one year left on his rookie deal and the fifth-year option on top of that, but is it not worth it considering he had his breakout in the second half of last season? Considering he has history with Brian Daboll dating back to their Alabama days?

I don’t know, you tell me if you would trade Josh Downs for Jerry Jeudy. The Giants either apparently wouldn’t, or they think someone else like Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Jordan Addison or Quentin Johnston will be on the board here.

At any rate, that’s not to diminish Downs as a prospect. He’s an exciting playmaker who has elite quickness and burst. He’s not very big, but Downs will be an asset to an NFL offense.

26. New England Patriots (trade): Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia

The New England Patriots traded down into this slot, and perhaps with all of the rumors surrounding them and wide receivers, a trade down the board this far could be a precursor to a wide receiver trade. Not to keep bringing up Jerry Jeudy in this NFL mock draft, but hey — he’s the name that’s been consistently thrown out there.

The Patriots would have the extra capital to make that kind of a trade work here, but if they don’t trade the pick, how about saying goodbye to one former Georgia first-round tackle and hello to another?

Broderick Jones has gotten a decent amount of hype in recent weeks and for good reason. He’s an athletic tackle prospect who looks like he will be a long-term starter in the NFL with the right seasoning.

27. Buffalo Bills: O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida

The Patriots upgrade in the trenches, and so do their division rivals in Buffalo. Actually, all of the AFC East teams in this NFL mock draft situation took themselves offensive linemen.

How about that?

At this stage of NFL Draft preparation, Torrence is the type of player who really needs no further introduction…

The guard position is not the sexiest position to draft in round one. But these are the investments you’re glad you made when a player like Josh Allen has all the time he needs to make plays in the pocket, or when your running game is taking over late in close ballgames.

28. Cincinnati Bengals: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah

The Cincinnati Bengals should feel pretty good about where their offensive weaponry is at right now, at least in the passing game. With that being said, this team has a clear need at the tight end position and someone like Dalton Kincaid being available here late in the first round would send this passing game over the top.

Joe Burrow might get confused with all of the players he has to throw to if you add a weapon like this into the mix.

Okay, he’s not going to be getting confused, but Kincaid is certainly another dynamic element to add to the mix when you already have Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd at receiver. Kincaid has been dealing with some injury issues that could push him down the board come draft night. The Bengals might want to opt for someone here like Darnell Washington (if they go TE) who is ready to go and not coming in with injury concerns.

But there are a lot of people who view Kincaid as the best tight end in this class. The upside might be worth the risk.

29. New Orleans Saints: Calijah Kancey, DL, Pittsburgh

The New Orleans Saints landed this pick in the trade that sent Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos. The Broncos landed the pick from the Miami Dolphins in the Bradley Chubb trade. The Dolphins landed this pick in the Trey Lance trade with the 49ers.

In case there’s ever a trivia about this pick. Maybe the Saints will trade this pick themselves just so it can change hands a record number of times.

If they do stay put, Pitt defensive tackle Calijah Kancey would be a fantastic pickup for a defensive front that certainly lost a number of guys in 2023. Kancey ended up having a fantastic scouting combine, showing off his rare speed and explosiveness for a guy that is over 280 pounds.

The athletic traits here are ridiculous. We’ll see if the Saints, at this juncture of the draft, are willing to take a shot on someone like Kancey after losing David Onyemata, Marcus Davenport, and Shy Tuttle.

30. Philadelphia Eagles: Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina

The Philadelphia Eagles went after a player in the trenches earlier on in this mock draft scenario, and here they add to the secondary which not only lost CJ Gardner-Johnson, but also defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, a defensive backs expert by trade who undoubtedly had his handprints on that unit.

Cam Smith comes in from the South Carolina program and helps give the Eagles added depth in the secondary as well as some much-needed youth with both Darius Slay and James Bradberry approaching or on the wrong side of 30.

There’s something in the water at USC these days and Cam Smith plays with a similar fast and physical brand of football as we saw from Jaycee Horn coming out a few years ago.

31. Indianapolis Colts (trade): Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee

And here it is, the pick Colts fans (hopefully) stuck around for. Obviously, this is a selection made with the future in mind. The Colts signed Gardner Minshew to a modest, short-term deal to reunite him with Shane Steichen. That’s a “W” move because Minshew has been solid in the times he’s been called upon since he was a rookie back in 2019 with the Jaguars.

At this point in time, planning on Hendon Hooker making any contributions in 2023 would be extremely presumptuous, so the Colts would have to do something else on top of this in all likelihood if they aren’t planning on sticking with Nick Foles and Sam Ehlinger. In reality, though, I think this would be a situation where the Colts could go through half of the season with Minshew or one of the other guys previously mentioned, then finish out the 2023 campaign getting a good look at Hendon Hooker similar to what we saw Houston do in 2021 with Davis Mills.

You don’t want to trade up too much to get a player like this late in round one because the Colts could very well be in the market for a QB early in the 2024 class, but this is a decent risk worth taking since you hired Steichen to develop QBs.