NFL Mock Draft 2023, Botch Job: Every team screws up its first-round pick

NFL Mock Draft 2023: Every team screws up its first-round pick

Frankly, I don’t truly hate this pick for the Titans and wouldn’t classify this as a total botch job.

Tennessee’s offensive line is in bad shape after a bevy of missed picks and, ultimately, injuries taking too much of a toll on Taylor Lewan, which led to his release earlier this offseason. So going after a tackle is not a bad option — and Paris Johnson Jr. is rated by many as the top player at the position in this class.

That, however, is not the case for me. I would much prefer taking a player like Peter Skoronski, who is the best offensive lineman overall in the class, but with some concerns about his size to play tackle in the NFL. Moreover, I believe Broderick Jones has the higher ceiling. So it’s a bit nit-picky to call this a misfire for the Titans, but it felt right.

Wide receiver, defensive line, interior offensive line, linebacker, cornerback — all of these would fit the bill for the Texans in this spot, even after they mistakenly took Will Anderson at No. 2. And yet, it feels entirely possible that they could get enamored with the traits of someone like Calijah Kancey and do something ultra silly with the 12th pick in the draft.

Kancey is going to get the Aaron Donald comparisons because he was super productive at Pitt as an ultimately undersized interior defensive lineman with a pass rush specialty. And there is obviously a path for that type of player to succeed in the NFL. One of the biggest keys to assuring that, though, is the situation. As the Texans still search for their quarterback and fill a myriad of roster holes, that’s not the type of situation where Kancey is going to find success.