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5 first round picks we did not expect in the 2023 NFL Draft

By Sayre Bedinger

2023 NFL Draft: Jahmyr Gibbs #1 of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks to the sidelines during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on October 1, 2022 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Crimson Tide defeated the Razorbacks 49-26. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
2023 NFL Draft: Jahmyr Gibbs #1 of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks to the sidelines during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on October 1, 2022 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Crimson Tide defeated the Razorbacks 49-26. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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The 2023 NFL Draft was expected to be a bit chaotic, but I’m not sure anyone really had an idea of just how awesome and fun the first round would be overall. Starting near the top of the draft with the Houston Texans shocking everyone by taking CJ Stroud second overall and then moving up to take Will Anderson Jr. right behind him the first round was loaded with shocking picks.

But even the most experienced mock draft artists out there couldn’t have predicted some of this chaos. What picks were the most unexpected of round one? Let’s take a look at the top five.

5 most unexpected first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft

2023 NFL Draft
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – APRIL 27: (L-R) C.J. Stroud poses NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected second overall by the Houston Texans during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station on April 27, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) /

1. CJ Stroud, QB, Houston Texans (2nd overall)

QB. Ohio State. CJ Stroud. Scouting Report. 2. player. 10. Pick Analysis

Well, that was a shocker, wasn’t it? The theatrics of this selection were pretty amazing, quite frankly. Everyone knew that Bryce Young was going to go first overall to the Carolina Panthers, but no one really knew what Houston was going to do. Most mock drafts had pivoted in recent weeks off of CJ Stroud and onto Will Anderson Jr. of Alabama, or even Tyree Wilson of Texas Tech.

The Texans clearly pulled the wool over all our eyes (well, not everyone, of course) and managed to not only land Will Anderson Jr. in a trade up right after the second overall pick, but they landed a bona fide franchise QB in CJ Stroud. At this point, nobody cares about the “S2” scores or whatever they’re calling this new Wonderlic thing. It’s all about football and we know CJ Stroud is good at it.

He gets to join the DeMeco Ryans operation in Houston with offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, running back Dameon Pierce, and a very interesting group of receivers/tight ends led by the likes of Robert Woods, Nico Collins, John Metchie, and Dalton Schultz.

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