2023 NFL Mock Draft: Elite QBs dominate top of Round 1

Round 2

Pittsburgh adds a tremendous athlete with some mouth-watering physical traits in Bresee here. While he never dominated at the collegiate level, his speed/power combo suggests that he could be a much better professional player with great coaching from someone like Mike Tomlin.

There are some concerns about Hyatt due to his frame, collegiate offense, and lone season of solid production. Even with those concerns, he is an absolute burner that Houston would do well to add as a perfect downfield speedster for whoever is the starter at quarterback.

Ringo is quite a high-variance prospect that can lock down a star one game and get toasted the next, but his physical tools and performance in both national championship wins will be enough to convince the Cardinals to bring him to Arizona and make him a bedrock member of their new-look defense.

No matter what happens at the quarterback spot, the Colts need to make some offensive line additions to beef up their depth chart. With rumors surrounding Ryan Kelly, trading him and getting a Day 1 starter with some dominant film in Schmitz might be a worthwhile pursuit.

The Rams need anyone and everyone that can help them construct a genuine NFL defense around Aaron Donald, and Campbell putting up one of the most insane RAS scores we’ve ever seen for a linebacker should vault him into consideration here. Los Angeles would add a premier run-stuffer and leader with this pick.

He’s 25, comes from a gimmick offense, and has an ACL injury, but Hooker’s tremendous deep accuracy makes him someone that Seattle can develop into their quarterback of the future. Geno Smith is more than capable of winning now, but Hooker could land in the best developmental spot for him with the Seahawks.

2023 NFL Mock Draft: Hendon Hooker could become a star

Draft prospects don’t come much bigger than this, as Jones is an absolute mountain on the right side who looks like a spitting image of Trent Brown at his best. Las Vegas could check off the right side of the offensive line from their priority list for the next half-decade if he can handle NFL-level speed.

McDonald may not have the power to keep his hand in the dirt all the time, but he has such impressive voltage off the edge. The Panthers’ secondary has a few difference-makers, meaning that McDonald lining up on the other side of Brian Burns could help this already solid unit take another step forward.

Kancey is a very small defensive tackle that isn’t going to be an amazing run defender, but the Saints would love to add a premier pass rusher with refined technique and a nonstop motor to their new-look line. Kancey might become a long-term starter in New Orleans if he packs on about 10 pounds of muscle.

Downs won’t win Mr. Olympia anytime soon due to his skinny frame, but his downfield playmaking may be as impressive as any receiver in this class. Downs plays much bigger than his size would indicate, which is what the Titans need opposite last year’s first-rounder in Treylon Burks.

In the pick Green Bay acquired in the Aaron Rodgers deal, their defensive line can get a 285-pound dynamo with versatility and a vast reservoir of talent the Yellow Jackets never tapped into. Given how much Rashan Gary has improved in the last few seasons, White could follow a similar developmental path.

Adebawore never quite took off production-wise in college, but his athletic numbers at the combine are, without hyperbole, as impressive as any defensive tackle in history. A moldable lump of clay, joining a Jets team that rotates linemen quite frequently will help him get up to speed in the pros and figure out how to use his gifts.

The Falcons could use one more big name in the secondary to pair with AJ Terrell and Jeff Okudah. A bigger corner with physicality at the line of scrimmage and more than enough speed, Stevenson is straight out of central casting for an outside cornerback in a Dennis Allen-adjacent scheme.

The Packers would do well to beef up the back end of their secondary, and few players in this class can check that starting safety box quite like a giant safety that hits like a hammer. Johnson can lock down the middle of the field, provided Green Bay irons out his kinks.

Smith’s slide ends at New England, as Bill Belichick will get another defensive back with multiple proven seasons of high-end SEC production and a solid gold pre-draft process. Smith, Marcus Jones, and Jack Jones could form a very interesting combination of corners for the next few seasons.

Mauch, who gained notoriety in the pre-draft process for his lack of front teeth, might need to convert to the interior of the line to maximize his success at the next level. If that is the direction Washington chooses to go, they will get a complete bulldozer that can demolish linemen as a run-blocker.

Musgrave will likely be the TJ Hockenson replacement in Detroit. While much easier said than done, Musgrave should have no trouble replicating his production as a pass catcher thanks to some excellent hands and terrific explosion off the line of scrimmage.

Brents’ is a freak of nature who would completely wash receivers out of plays at the collegiate level. The Steelers have Minkah Fitzpatrick in town, but the loss of Cam Sutton has prompted the need to add one more cornerback with the man coverage skills needed to stick around long-term.

Turner is as fast as any prospect in this class, and he can put the clamps on opposing defenders with just as much regularity. A big reason why Michigan has had such a stingy defense in the last few seasons, Turner in Tampa Bay would reinforce a Buccaneers secondary that has lost some key names over the years.

The Dolphins have been mixing and matching running backs over the last few seasons, so why not solidify this position with one of the draft’s most consistent runners? Charbonnet could be a good fit for Mike McDaniel’s scheme in Miami, as his slippery running is paired with workman-like toughness between the tackles.

Ika is starting to slide down draft boards due to some nasty workout numbers, but his tape shows evidence of him being a quality space-eater that almost always required multiple blockers to subdue. Pete Carroll is obsessed with stopping the run, making Ika the type of player who usually gets a ton of attention from Seattle.

Another Wildcat going in the second round, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year plays with such intensity that it could power the city of Chicago by itself. Even after snatching away Tremaine Edmunds and TJ Edwards to solidifiy the linebacking corps, Matt Eberflus likely wants to use a premium pick on a defensive piece.

The ongoing quest to get Herbert some pass catchers has brought the Chargers to Knoxville. While Hyatt was the big play guy who got most of the glory, Tillman might have a more polished overall game. Tillam could seize the WR3 job and eventually take over for Keenan Allen.

While Tuipulotu operated as more of a traditional defensive end in college, his pass rushing production is elite and he could be an absolute terror on the inside. With four top-64 picks on that new-look defensive line, the Lions may have one of the league’s best pass rushes for the next half-decade.

The Jaguars might need to look for a slot cornerback after Darious Williams became a standout on the outside. Phillips’ lack of size and crazy speed is more than made up for by a ridiculous ability to make plays at the line of scrimmage and generate turnovers. Jacksonville’s defense needs a player like him.

Protecting Daniel Jones is not going to be a bad idea for the Joe Schoen regime, making a center like Tippman extremely desirable at this stage of the draft. A bigger center with solid functional strength, both Jones and Saquon Barkley will benefit from Tippman’s presence inside.

Smith is not going to set the world on fire as a pass rusher, but he can be a running back’s worst nightmare if he can consistently get his technique right. While his motor. runs hot and cold, Dallas’ run-stuffing front seven would get a serious talent infusion in the brawny, burly Smith.

Simpson falling this low would be a godsend for Buffalo, who are still looking for a way to effectively replace Tremaine Edmunds next to Matt Milano. While he isn’t the best at sifting through blockers for run stuffs, he might be the best coverage linebacker in this class.

The Bengals need to replace Hayden Hurst, which could prompt Duke Tobin and Mike Brown to look at one of the most consistently excellent programs in college football when it comes to producing NFL players at this position. A tough blocker and powerful YAC threat for his size, LaPorta will thrive next to Joe Burrow.

While Rice’s numbers against top competition wasn’t too impressive, he can separate downfield and make some impressive plays in contested catch scenarios. Chicago’s new-look wide receiver foursome of Rice, DJ Moore, Chase Claypool, and Darnell Mooney would be more than enough for Justin Fields to work with.

Ojulari is never going to be a tremendous defensive end at stuffing the run, but he is an absolute lightning bolt of a pass rusher that will not have an issue getting sacks at the NFL level. The Eagles have names like Brandon Graham in town, but Ojulari will go a long way towards developing a solid post-Ojulari lineup.

Foskey may not excel at any one particular aspect of pass rushing, but he does so many things well that Kansas City will have an interest in him. The Chiefs would have two edge rushers with double-digit sack potential in Foskey and George Karlaftis on the other side.