2023 NFL Draft: Full two-round mock after Super Bowl LVII
By Brad Weiss
53. . Wide Receiver. Cleveland Browns. Josh Downs. 42. player
The Cleveland Browns did not hold a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, so their first selection comes at No. 42 overall. Cleveland is riding with Deshaun Watson at quarterback for the foreseeable future, so they might as well try to stack a bunch of talented weapons around him.
One name that comes up as a possible first-round pick, or early second, is Josh Downs, who has been outstanding during his career at North Carolina. Even with Sam Howell going to the NFL last offseason, Downs did not lack in production and is one of the more NFL-ready wideouts in this class.
30. . Offensive Lineman. New York Jets. Cody Mauch. 43. player
Sure, the New York Jets selected an offensive tackle in the first round, and sure, there are more needs on this roster, but Cody Mauch may be too good an offensive line prospect to pass up here. Mauch played tackle with North Dakota State but is one of those versatile offensive linemen who could play at all three positions at the next level.
The truth is, New York has a nice group of young wide receivers, a young stud at running back, and could possibly be bringing in Aaron Rodgers or Derek Carr this offseason. That makes the offensive line a tremendous priority, and it won’t be adding the only player who gets that unit pointed in the right direction this offseason.