Carolina traded 9, a 2024 first round pick, a 2023 second round pick from San Francisco, a 2025 second round pick, and wide receiver D.J. Moore to move up to the first pick. Now Carolina can draft their franchise quarterback with the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Honestly, there are only two quarterbacks I can see Carolina drafting here to pair with Andy Dalton and Matt Corral in thier quarterbak room. Those signal callers are Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud and Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.
I have a 93/99 potential grade on Bryce Young and a 92/99 potential grade on C.J. Stroud. I like Young more than Stroud and it seems like Carolina came to the same conclusion as I did. Joseph Potter, Oren Shiri, Tony Mario, and Jason Bantle all had Stroud at 1 before I flipped this pick from Young to Stroud, but with Young now the betting favorite once again I'm sticking with my top quarterback Bryce Young at 1. Jason now has Bryce Young going first overall too, but believes Will Levis the Kentucky quarterback is also potentially in play.
The 5-10 204 lb Bryce Young won the 2021 Heisman Trophy. He's also still the best quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft on an Alabama offense that finished the year 11-2 with a Sugar Bowl win against Kansas State. Alabama's two losses came against LSU and Tennessee where Alabama scored 31 points in both contests. Bryce Young can play in a balanced run first offense, a vertical offense where he utilizes the deep passing game, a west coast offense, and a shotgun spread offense. Having a playcaller like former Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien also helped him accelerate in his development since Young can make up to all six progressions in the pocket before taking off and running.
Bryce Young got to sit behind Mac Jones as a true freshman when Alabama went 15-0 in 2020 going 13/22 with 1 passing touchdown and no interceptions in very limited action. Bryce Young had 4,872 passing yards, 47 passing touchdowns, 3 rushing touchdowns, 50 total touchdowns, a 66.9 completion percentage, and 7 interceptions during his Heisman Winning Campaign in 2021. Bryce young had 3,328 passing yards, 32 passing touchdowns, 4 rushing touchdowns, 36 total touchdowns, a 64.5 completion percentage, and 5 interceptions in 2022.
Bryce Young lost his blue chip left tackle as well as his starting running back and top two receivers after Alabama lost a lot of talent on their 15-0 team that won the 2021 Championship over Ohio State during the 2020-2021 Season. Alabama won the SEC Championship again, but lost the 2022 National Title to Kirby Smart and Georgia after a 12-1 season in 2021. Bryce Young lost Evan Neal and Jameson Williams to the 2022 NFL Draft and still cut back on his interceptions. Bryce Young went 44/50 displaying the best accuracy of the top 3 quarterbacks at Alabama's 2023 Pro Day.
Bryce Young went 44/50 at Alabama's Pro Day and C.J. Stroud went 44/51 at Ohio State's Pro Day. Carolina would have Bryce Young, Andy Dalton, and Matt Corral in their quarterback room. Bryce Young defeated Matt Corral in a head-to-head game prior to the 2022 NFL Draft.
I think Bryce Young beats out Andy Dalton and Matt Corral for the starting quarterback job. Young would play right away as the week 1 starter.
Carolina has everyone back on their offensive line with Ikem Ekwonu at left tackle, Brady Christensen at left guard, Bradley Bozeman at center, Austin Corbett at right guard, and Taylor Lewan at right tackle. Carolina added running back Miles Sanders, wide receiver Adam Theilen, and tight end Hayden Hurst to ease things for Bryce Young. Terrace Marshall Jr. is still Carolina's number two wide receiver. I'm not ruling out Carolina drafting a wide receiver at 39 to compete with D.J. Chark for the slot receiver job.
Carolina Panthers GM Scott Fitterer said Andy Dalton would enter training camp as the starting quarterback getting first team reps. Bryce Young would enter training camp as the backup quarterback, but I just see those words as motivation to motivate Bryce Young to win Carolina's starting quarterback job, which I believe he ultimately will end up doing.
I posted a film cut of Alabama quarterback Bryce Young VS Texas. You can watch that film cut in the clip below.
The Houston Texans hired San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, a player drafted by the Houston Texans in the 2006 NFL Draft as their new head coach. That was also the same draft where Houston took Mario Williams first overall over Reggie Bush. There is some uncertainty about who Houston would take at 2 with Bryce Young off the board, but ultimately I believe that C.J. Stroud would be the second overall pick if Bryce Young ended up going first overall.
Adam Schefter is saying Houston will take Will Anderson Jr. second overall and pass on a quarterback. Ian Rappaport believed a quarterback was still in play earlier this week. I have Houston taking Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud at 2 depsite all the tracton that Will Anderson Jr. has gained over the weeks. Peter Schrager said Houston narrowed this pick down to three players. Those three players are Tyree Wilson the Texas Tech defenisve end, Will Anderson Jr. Alabama's edge rusher, and Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud. I'm leaning towards Houston picking Stroud, and if the Texans pass on a quarterback it will be Will Anderson Jr.
The 6-3 214 lb C.J. Stroud redshirted in 2020 when Justin Fields was draft eligible and did have a 48 yard rushing touchdown that year. Like Bryce Young he got to watch his team in the National Championship from the sideline. C.J. Stroud had 4,435 passing yards, 44 passing touchdowns, 6 interceptions, and a 71.9 completion percentage as a freshman redshirt in 2021. C.J. Stroud had 3,688 passing yards, 41 passing touchdowns, 6 interceptions, and a 66.3 completion percentage as a sophomore redshirt in 2022. He gave Georgia problems in a College Football Playoff Semifinal game that Georgia barely won 42-41 right after New Years Day in 2023 as that game was played on New Years Eve in 2022.
C.J. Stroud can play in a balanced run first offense, a vertical offense where he utilizes the deep passing game, a west coast offense, and a shotgun spread offense. I've seen C.J. Stroud make up to all six progressions and he had the highest quarterback rating of any quarterback in College Football last year even edging out Heisman Trophy Winner Bryce Young in 2021. C.J. Stroud is a difference maker and he gives the Houston Texans a franchise quarterback. C.J. Stroud did well throwing at the 2023 NFL Combine and went 44/51 when passing at Ohio State's 2023 Pro Day.
C.J. Stroud should win the starting quarterback job and start in week 1. Houston signed Case Keenum to compete with Davis Mills for the backup quarterback. C.J. Stroud is the only guy outside of Bryce Young that I can guarantee will beat out Case Keenum and Davis Mills for the Houston Texans quarterback job.
Drafting C.J. Stroud means Houston has a quarterback to take pressure off of second year running back Dameon Pierce. Houston replaced Rex Burkhead with Devin Singletary. Houston also signed tight end Dalton Schultz to a one year deal to pair with Teagan Quitoriano and Brevin Jordan giving Houston three quality tight ends and one of the NFL's better starting tight ends in Dalton Schultz. Houston has their starting offensive tackles and guards on this roster for next season. Finding a number one receiver and a center with draft picks in the 2023 NFL Draft is paramount, but the Houston Texans are heading in the right direction by drafting C.J. Stroud.
I posted a film cut of Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud VS Notre Dame. You can watch that film cut in the clip below.
Houston now has Will Anderson Jr. at 4-3 right end, Jerry Hughes at 4-3 left end, Chase Winovich as a backup 4-3 right end, and Jonathan Greenard as the backup 4-3 left end.
The 6-3 253 lb Will Anderson Jr. is a JACK linebacker in Alabama's defense, but he makes any left tackle quiver in fear regardless of whether you use him as a 4-3 right end, 4-3 left end, 3-4 right outside linebacker, or 3-4 left outside linebacker. He's just that damn good as a plug-in-play guy off the edge. He outperformed Heisman Runner Up Aidan Hutchinson in his sophomore season and was arguably the biggest snub among the Heisman finalists.
Will Anderson Jr. had 57 solo tackles, 44 assisted tackles, 101 total tackles, 33.5 tackles for a loss, 17.5 sacks, and 9 quarterback hurries in 2021. Aidan Hutchinson had 62 total tackles, 36 solo tackles, 26 assisted tackles, 16.5 tackles for a loss, 14 sacks, and 12 quarterback hurries in 2021. Hutchinson was the best player in the 2022 NFL Draft just based on production, but an argument can be made that Will Anderson Jr. was more deserving of being a Heisman finalist.
Both Hutchinson and Will Anderson Jr. were deserving of being Heisman finalists, but Aidan Hutchinson's 3 sacks against Ohio State in Michigan's toughest game of the year stood out more than Will Anderson Jr. because Will Anderson Jr. didn't play an opponent in the top 10 until Georgia and Alabama met in the 2021 SEC Championship game while Ohio State was ranked 6th when Hutchinson sacked C.J. Stroud three times in Ann Arbor which was ultimately the difference between Hutchison and Anderson Jr. according to the Heisman selection committee.
Will Anderson Jr. had 24 solo tackles, 27 assisted tackles, 51 total tackles, 64 quarterback pressures, 17 tackles for a loss, and 10 sacks in 2022. Houston drafts Will Anderson Jr. to be their 4-3 right end.
I posted a film cut of Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. VS Texas. You can watch that film cut in the clip below.
Indianapolis currently has Gardner Minshew II, Anthony Richardson, and Sam Ehlinger in their quarterback room as Indianapolis cut Nick Foles. None of those guys have huge upside as long-term starters. There is one quarterback in this draft that does have that upside still available at 4 with Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson.
I believe Indianapolis is locked in on a quarterback at 4 regardless of whether that quarterback ends up being Anthony Richardson the top quarterback on the board or Kentucky quarterback Will Levis if a team like the Raiders or Titans trades up for a quarterback with the Arizona Cardinals at 3.
Indianapolis gets a raw quarterback with huge upside. When I say Anthony Richardson has huge upside I mean he may have the most throwing power and velocity of any quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft. In fact, the only quarterbacks from the 2017 NFL Draft to now who have more arm strength than Richardson are Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Kyler Murray.
I think Richardson is the only quarterback in College or the NFL outside of these three and maybe Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers or Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson that can throw a 70 yard completion without his receiver bailing him out. Joe Burrow threw some 70 yard touchdowns, but those were 50 yard completions where Ja'Marr Chase gained 20 yards on a big play touchdown where Chase finished what Burrow started. I'd give Richardson the arm strength advantage over Burrow, but Burrow would have his number in every other category that you use to evaluate quarterbacks.
He also went through all 6 progressions at quarterback when starting against Georgia last year despite going 12/20 with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in his first College start against the number one defense in the country last year. Anthony Richardson's decision making improved during Florida's Spring Game earlier this year after Richardson threw 2 touchdowns and no interceptions for Florida's Blue Team in their Spring Game. I honestly believe this guy can throw a football further than Sam Darnold and he's calmer under pressure too from just a sample size of what he did in 2021.
Richardson has a better understanding of reading progressions at this point in his development than Josh Allen did in his draft year at Wyoming since he was staring at six different receivers going through all his reads before completing passes against the eventual 2021 National Champion Georgia Bulldogs. The problem is Richardson only played five games last year starting two of those games, so people need to see what Richardson can do as a full-time starter in 2022. Josh Allen was able to improve his progressions over the course of the 2018 NFL Draft after his rough game against Iowa in 2017 with a strong bowl game before improving his progressions again at the 2018 Senior Bowl. Now Allen is the face of the Buffalo Bills franchise, so the bottom line is progressions are a skill that can be learned and mastered over time.
The 6-4 244 lb Anthony Richardson has the traits you want from a future NFL quarterback despite only playing in 5 games where he had 635 passing yards, 6 passing touchdowns, and 5 interceptions in 2021. Anthony Richardson had 2,549 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns, 654 rushing yards, 9 rushing touchdowns, 3,203 total yards, 26 total touchdowns, and 9 interceptions in 2022. He was inconsistent despite winning against Utah, awful in a heads up game against Kentucky quarterback Will Levis at home, and dominated in a road loss against Tennessee with the Florida Gators in what many consider to be Florida's biggest game of the year in terms of media coverage. He was the number one rushing quarterback in the SEC.
Anthony Richardson can play in a balanced run first offense, a west coast offense, a shotgun spread offense, or a vertical offense where he's able to throw lots of deep passes. Anthony Richardson may not be ready to start week 1, but the Colts have the luxury of waiting to develop Richardson if this is the case with three other quarterbacks in their quarterback room. Anthony Richardson went 52/62 at Florida's 2023 Pro Day after dominating the 2023 NFL Combine with a historic performance in Indianapolis.
The Indianapolis Colts scouts described Anthony Richardson as a generational talent. It's entirely possible that Richardson was first overall on the Indianapolis Colts draft board with all four quarterbacks Anthony Richardson, Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Will Levis ranked in the 1-4 spots.
I posted a film cut of Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson VS Tennessee. You can watch that film cut in the clip below.
Seattle now has Devon Witherspoon, Tariq Woolen, and Coby Bryant in their secondary at cornerback. It's going to be really tough to throw on Seattle now. Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs will both be healthy at strong safety and free safety. Devon Witherspoon had a 92.5 coverage grade on Pro Football Focus which was best among cornerbacks in 2022.
There are five cornebacks that have a case to be the first cornerback off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft. Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo is the best man coverage cornerback. South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith is the best zone coverage cornerback. Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez is the best press coverage cornerback. Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is the best run stuffing cornerback. Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon is the hardest hitting cornerback. Kelee Ringo entered the 2022 College Football Season as the most consistent cornerback in the 2023 NFL Draft, but Devon Witherspoon is probably the best scheme fit for the Seattle Seahawks among these five cornerbacks which is why Witherspoon ended up being the first cornerback off my board after carefully considering every possibility.
The 6-0 180 lb Devon Witherspoon stepped up as a sophomore redshirt cementing himself as Illinois's number one field cornerback. Witherspoon had 42 solo tackles, 10 assisted tackles, 52 total tackles, 9 deflections from pass breakups, 8 tackles for a loss, and 1 sack in 2021. I gave Devon Witherspoon a B grade in man coverage, a B grade in zone coverage, and an A grade in press coverage following his 2021 season.
Devon Witherspoon had 32 solo tackles, 9 assisted tackles, 41 total tackles, 14 deflections from pass breakups, 3 interceptions, and 2. tackles for a loss in 2022. I gave Devon Witherspoon an A grade in man coverage, an A- grade in zone coverage, an A grade in press coverage, an A+ in run stuffing, an A+ in hard hitting, and an A+ in tackling. He's great at blitzing and stopping the run as he is this drafts hardest hitting cornerback and the second best run stuffing cornerback behind Joey Porter Jr. Witherspoon may not be as good Derek Stingley Jr. or Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner was in the 2022 NFL Draft, but he is clearly the best cornerback prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Devon Witherspoon has the man coverage, zone coverage, and press coverage you want a cornerback to have. He can play cover 0, cover 1, cover 2, cover 3, or cover 4 in the NFL.
Arizona traded 12 and 34 for 6. Arizona gets a bookend to Arizona Cardinals left tackle D.J. Humphries at right tackle with Paris Johnson Jr. Josh Jones is the backup left tackle and Kelvin Beachum is the backup right tackle to Paris Johnson Jr.
The 6-6 313 lb Paris Johnson Jr. is making the transition from right guard to left tackle. Paris Johnson Jr. played right guard in relief of Wyatt Davis when Ohio State played Alabama in hte National Championship. When Nicholas Petit-Friere won the left tackle job from Thayer Munford, Munford moved inside to left guard. Now, Paris Johnson Jr. is going back to left tackle which was his natural position in High School where he was once the number one ranked player in the state of Ohio coming out of High School.
Paris Johnson Jr. has the pass blocking, run blocking, and zone blocking you want in a starting offensive lineman. He's got the wingspan and foot speed of an NFL left tackle. He also speaks three languages English, Chinese, and Portugese. He's learning Manderin too and was part of a Student Volunteer program.
Paris Johnson Jr. may not be a blue chip prospect, but he's the top offensive tackle on the board. He is an upgrade over Kelvin Beachum at right tackle.
br>
Paris Johnson Jr. only allowed 3 sacks on 882 career pass blocking snaps. He played left tackle, left guard, and right guard in 2022.
Paris Johnson Jr. has long arms, he drinks cucumber water, and has been training with former Cincinnati Bengals right tackle Willie Anderson. Joe Thomas praised Paris Johnson Jr. during the 2023 NFL Combine. Paris Johnson Jr. cemented himself as the number one offensive tackle in the 2023 NFL Draft with his performance at the 2023 NFL Combine.
I posted a film cut of Ohio State's offensive line VS Notre Dame. Left tackle Paris Johnson Jr., center Luke Wypler, and right tackle Dawand Jones are the three offensive linemen to keep an eye on in this film cut. You can watch that film cut in the clip below.
Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson is a good addition to pair with Maxx Crosby. Chandler Jones will have to compete with Wilson for the starting job. The 6-6 275 lb Tyree Wilson can play 4-3 right end, 4-3 left end, 3-4 right outside linebacker, and 3-4 left outside linebacker with his versatility.
Tyree Wilson had 36 solo tackles, 25 assisted tackles, 61 total tackles, 50 quarterback pressures, 14 tackles for a loss, 8 quarterback hurries, and 7 sacks in 2022. Tyree Wilson has ascended into the top 10 because he has plays where he wows you on his highlight reel with his athleticism. He doesn't wow you on game film he is a highlight reel guy.
Tyree Wilson is a first round prospect, however I feel both Will Anderson Jr. and Myles Murphy have more of dominant presence in terms of pass rushing. Tyree Wilson could be the best value pick since Khalil Mack was drafted fifth overall by the Raiders out of Buffalo in the 2014 NFL Draft. He could also be the worst value pick for the Seattle Seahawks since they drafted Aaron Curry back in 2009.
Tyree Wilson can rush the quarterback, stop the run, and drop back into coverage. He is not a guy who dominantes in any category, yet he is a safe prospect if you are willing to just look at the game film while looking past his injury which kept him out of the 2023 NFL Combine as well as the 2023 Texas Tech Pro Day.
The Atlanta Falcons now have Bijan Robinson, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Tyler Allgeier is Atlanta's trio of running backs. Atlanta has now drafted three star players on offense in the last three drafts with Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts. Atlanta has the Doak Walker Award and had 122 missed tackles when making defenders miss.
The 5-11 215 lb Bijan Robinson had 195 carries, 1,127 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns, 26 receptions, 295 receiving yards, 4 receiving touchdowns, 221 touches, 1,422 total yards, and 15 total touchdowns with Texas in 2021. Bijan Robinson had 258 carries, 1,580 rushing yards, 104 missed tackles on rushing plays, 18 rushing touchdowns, 19 receptions, 314 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, 277 touches, 1,894 total yards, and 20 total touchdowns with two five star offensive tackles starting as freshmen in 2022.
I posted a film cut of Texas running back Bijan Robinson VS Alabama. You can watch that film cut in the clip below.
Philadelphia has Fletcher Cox and Jordan Davis as their starting defensive tackles. Jalen Carter was teammates with Jordan Davis and now he joins the Philadelphia Eagles.
The 6-3 310 lb Jalen Carter had 17 solo tackles, 20 assisted tackles, 37 total tackles, 33 quarterback hurries including 8 in one game against Kentucky, 8.5 tackles for a loss, and 3 sacks in 2021. Jalen Carter had 16 solo tackles, 16 assisted tackles, 32 total tackles, 34 quarterback hurries, 7 tackles for a loss, and 3 sacks in 2022. Jalen Carter led Georgia to back-to-back National Championships at Georgia.
Jalen Carter is considered the consensus best defensive lineman in the 2023 NFL Draft as well as the top overall defensive prospect outside of Will Anderson Jr. Most agree Carter is a top 3 lock assuming no trades happen.
Jalen Carter has the versatility to play 4-3 defensive tackle, 3-4 right end, 3-4 nose tackle, and 3-4 left end. Jalen Carter can play the 0-technique, 1-technique, 2-technique, 3-technique, 4-technique, or 5-techinque when lining up on the defensive line giving you a rare blue chip prospect in the middle of your defense. He's just that damn versatile. He's also got the athleticism, block shedding, rip moves, and swim moves to be an anchor on Georgia's defensive line in 2022. This is a four down player that checks off every single box you want a defensive tackle to check off.
There's only a handful of defensive tackles that checked off every box since I began watching the NFL Draft on a yearly basis back in 2007. Those players include Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy, Marcel Dareus, Michael Brockers, Fletcher Cox, Aaron Donald, and Quinnen Williams. Out of those seven guys the only guy that you can argue should be graded ahead of Carter heading into their draft is Ndamukong Suh.
Jalen Carter got a warrant before the 2023 NFL Combine. He also looked sluggish at Georgia's 2023 Pro Day. Philadelphia has Josh Sweat at 4-3 right end, Fletcher Cox at 4-3 defensive tackle, Jordan Davis at 4-3 defensive tackle, Brandon Graham at 4-3 left end, and Jalen Carter to rotate with their other defensive tackles.
Chicago Bears: Darnell Wright, RT, TennesseeC+ Grade
Chicago gets a bookend right tackle to Braxton Miller. I had Darnell Wright as the eighteenth best player on my board and the third best offensive tackle on the board despite right tackle being a need.
The 6-5 342 lb Darnell Wright was a former five star recruit. He's got experience at both left tackle and right tackle. He was Tennessee's right tackle in his first two years. He moved over to left tackle in 2021 and established himself as Hendon Hooker's blindside left tackle before moving back to right tackle after Tennessee made Kingston Harris the starting left tackle in 2022. Darnell Wright didn't give up a sack on 461 snaps, but he did lose a one-on-one to Will McDonald IV in Mobile despite dominating against everyone else at the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl. He might be able to limit how many sacks Fields ends up taking.
Darnell Wright held Will Anderson in check and kept Anderson from sacking Hendon Hooker in Tennessee's 52-49 upset win over Alabama at Neyland Stadium. He also crushed it at the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl and honestly the only thing that may keep Wright out of the first round is that his hands are small. His hand weigh in was 8 1/2 inch hands at the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl, but that didn't keep him from neutralizing the best edge rusher in the 2023 NFL Draft. All 32 teams interviewed Darnell Wright at the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl and 12 of those 32 teams gave Wright a follow up interview at the 2023 NFL Combine. Darnell Wright ran a 5.01 40 time while also doing 25 reps on the bench press. He's gained enough traction to solidify a spot in the top 20.
Chicago's offensive line now has Braxton Miller at left tackle, Teven Jenkins at left guard, Cody Whitehair at center, Nate Davis at right guard, and Darnell Wright at right tackle. That's an improvement for quarterback Justin Fields if everyone stays healthy, but Chicago's depth on this offensive line in terms of quality backups is very bad unless you have confidence in swing tackle Larry Borom or former first round pick Alex Leatherwood.
I posted a film cut of Tennessee's offensive line VS Florida. Left guard Jerome Carvin and right tackle Darnell Wright are the two offensive linemen to keep an eye on in this film cut. You can watch that film cut in the clip below.
The 6-4 313 lb Peter Skoronski has started at left tackle since he was a true freshman in 2020. Skoronski was thrusted into the left tackle job right away after Los Angeles Chargers 2021 first round pick Rashawn Slater opted out of the 2020 College Football Season to avoid getting Covid-19. Slater's 2019 tape was good enough to get him picked thirteenth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Peter Skoronski was good enough to get Northwestern to the Big 10 Championship as a true freshman in 2020. He's a first round prospect like his predecessor Rashawn Slater, but he's got questions about his arm length much like Slater did. Peter Skoronski has the pass blocking, run blocking, and zone blocking you want as Northwestern allowed the third fewest sacks in the Big 10 when they made the 2020 Big 10 Championship Game.
Peter Skoronski opened up the 2022 College Football Season on a high note helping Northwestern get an upset win over Nebraska in Dublin Ireland. Skoronski kept his first round status in tact. He also finished the 2022 season with the highest pass blocking grade in the country among offensive tackles on Pro Football Focus. He has to stop hugging defenders on running plays as his technique as a run blocker could use some work.
Tennessee gets their blindside. Peter Skoronski gives the Tennessee Titans a blindside here.
I remember one of my good friends Dion Reed, telling me about Northwestern left tackle Peter Skoronski in the Summer of 2021 about three or four months after his predecessor Rashawn Slater got drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft following his amazing freshman campaign in 2020 and I put Skoronski on my radar despite Nebraska offensive tackle Turner Corchoran gaining traction as the OT1 for the 2023 NFL Draft at the time. One year later Corchoran is no longer Nebraska's left tackle, while Peter Skoronski enters the 2023 NFL Draft as the first or second offensive tackle on draft boards depending on whether you have Peter Skoronski or Paris Johnson Jr. as your top ranked offensive tackle.
Tennesse will have Peter Skoronski and Andre Dillard compete for the starting left tackle job with the loser moving inside to left guard. Right now, I'm giving Skoronski the nod over Andre Dillard, but some expect Dillard to start at left tackle while Skoronski kicks inside to left guard. Aaron Brewer last years replacement for Rodger Saffold at left guard is moving to center. Daniel Brunskull is starting at right guard after being San Francisco's starting right guard in 2021 before losing that job to Spencer Burford in 2022. Nicholas Petit-Friere is Tennessee's one returning starter right tackle. That's what the Titans offensive line is projected to look like in 2023 entering training camp.
I mocked a running back to Detroit. Jahmyr Gibbs was my top running back on the board with Bijan Robinson. David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Craig Reynolds are the Lions top three running backs in 2023.
The 5-9 199 lb Jahmyr Gibbs had 151 carries, 926 rushing yards, 7 rushing touchdowns, 44 receptions, 444 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns, 195 touches, 1,370 total yards, and 10 total touchdowns with Alabama in 2022. Jahmyr Gibbs has the speed, pass catching, ball carrier vision, and pass blocking to be a future starting running back.
I posted a film cut of Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs VS Texas. You can watch that film cut in the clip below.
Green Bay needs a pass rusher. Lukas Van Ness was my twenty eighth overall on my big board. With Green Bay having the ability to cut Preston Smith and Rashan Gary in a contract year, drafting Lukas Van Ness.
The 6-5 272 lb Lukas Van Ness had 17 solo tackles, 16 assisted tackles, 33 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss, 7 sacks, and 3 quarterback hurries in 2021. Lukas Van Ness had 18 solo tackles, 18 assisted tackles, 36 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for a loss, 6 sacks, and 4 quarterback hurries in 2022.
Lukas Van Ness knocked Northwestern left tackle Peter Skoronski on his ass. He also won one-on-ones against both of Ohio State's starting offensive tackles doing well against Paris Johnson Jr. at left tackle and Dawand Jones at right tackle. Lukas Van Ness may need to show more explosion, but he's got a great first step, the rip moves, and swim moves you want to see from a starting 4-3 left end in the NFL. He's not the sack artist that A.J. Epenesa was at Iowa, but you can argue his tape is better than Epenesa with how he played against Skoronski and Ohio State's offensive tackles played in 2022.
Lukas Van Ness was a former hockey player too. He didn't start any games at Iowa, but his presence was known if you watch his film. Lukas Van Ness played in a 4-3 defense at Iowa and I'm not sure if this is a good scheme fit for him. I didn't like the Gary pick initially for the same reasons, but Gary put everything together in year three.
The 6-5 311 lb Broderick Jones entered the 2022 season with limited experience as a starter, but his potential is through the roof since he's the first Georgia offensive lineman off the board in this 2023 NFL Mock Draft. He'll get to pass block for Stetson Bennett. Broderick Jones will also get to run block for Georgia's new running back tandem Kenny McIntosh and Kendall Milton. Georgia's third and fourth string running backs from their National Championship team still saw 58 and 58 carries in 2021. That's even with both Zamir White and James Cook anchoring this backfield which is crazy. Broderick Jones did not give up a single sack in 2022 as Georgia repeated as National Champions.
Broderick Jones could improve his zone blocking, but it is not a weakness in his game. This isn't a deal breaker. I'd be more concerned with him gaining experience as a starter while hoping his wingspan turns out okay. Georgia broke 2004 Ohio State and 2020 LSU as the team with the most draft picks with 15 players from the 2021 Championship Team drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft. Broderick Jones is one of the guys that will step up despite the loss of Salyer at left tackle.
Broderick Jones improved as a zone blocker in 2022. He also led Georgia to a second consecutive National Champiionship after taking over for Jamaree Salyer at left tackle. Broderick Jones ran the fastest 40 yard dash of any offensive tackle at the 2023 NFL Combine making this a slam dunk pick for Pittsburgh. Broderick Jones had no holding penalties and one false start penalty. This was a superb pick for Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh now has Broderick Jones at left tackle, Isaac Seumalo at left guard, Mason Cole at center, James Daniels at right guard, and Chukwuma Okorafor at rigth tackle. Broderick Jones protects Kenny Pickett's blindside and will run block at a high level for Najee Harris.
New York Jets: Will McDonald IV, LE, Iowa StateC Grade
If the Jets wanted a defensive end they should have taken Myles Murphy. Northwestern's defensive end Adetomiwa Adebawore would have been a better pick. Isaiah Foskey and B.J. Ojulari were ahead of Will McDonald IV on my board. I like McDonald enough not to give the Jets an F grade, but I had Iowa State's defensive end going in round three very early in round three, so this is a reach by th New York Jets. Will McDonald IV was a reach, but still less of a reach than Cole Strange. I had McDonald IV off the board early in round 3.
New York now has Carl Lawson at 4-3 right end, John Franklin-Myers at 4-3 left end, Jermaine Johnson II as the backup 4-3 right end, and Will McDonald IV as the backup 4-3 left end.
The 6-3 241 lb Will McDonald IV lined up at 4-3 right end, 4-3 left end, 3-4 right end, 3-4 left end, 3-4 right outside linebacker, and 3-4 left outside linebacker for Iowa State on film. Will McDonald IV also displayed the rip and swim moves you want to see from a pass rusher. He also does a nice job stopping the run and dropping back into coverage too.
Will McDonald IV had 19 solo tackles, 14 assisted tackles, 33 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for a loss, 10.5 sacks, 3 quarterback hurries, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 deflection from pass breakups. Will McDonald IV had 24 solo tackles, 12 assisted tackles, 36 total tackles, 14 tackles for a loss, 11.5 sacks, 7 quarterback hurries, and 3 deflections from pass breakups in 2021. Will McDonald IV had 23 solo tackles, 13 assisted tackles, 7.5 tackles for a loss, 7 quarterback hurries, 5 sacks, 4 deflections from pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. Some NFL teams projected him into a 4-3 left outside linebacker role like Haason Reddick, but he played defensive end on both sides in defensive coordinator Jon Heacock's 3-3-5 defense at Iowa State.
Heading into 2022, he was second in College Football in sacks behind only Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. Iowa State's pass rusher dominated the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl winning a one-on-one against tenth overall, yet he feels like a reach at 15.
Initally, I gave this a D grade, but I bumped this grade up to a C grade for two reasons. One, Robert Saleh said Will McDonald IV is gonna play more in the wide nine. Two, I didn't know Will McDonald IV had two seasons with double digit sacks in 2020 and 2021. That influenced me to bump this grade up to a degreev
Washington selects a number one cornerback here. Emmanuel Forbes is amazing in man coverage and zone coverage. He struggles in press coverage.
I gave Emmanuel Forbes an A+ grade in man coverage, a C grade in zone coverage, and a C grade in press coverage after watching his 2021 tape. Emmanuel Forbes improved his zone coverage to the point where it is on par with his man coverage after rewatching his 2022 tape as I'd give Forbes an A grade in zone coverage now after giving his zone coverage a C grade in 2021. However Forbes press coverage did not improve. Emmanuel Forbes struggled against the run for most of the season despite tackling effectively against Alabama on both passing and running plays in 2022. Forbes also struggled to keep his back straight when changing his angles and direction in coverage so that's something a cornerbacks coach will have to fix in the NFL despite his stellar improvement in zone coverage.
Emmanuel Forbes frustrated the hell out of Kentucky quarterback Will Levis in 2021. Bryce Young threw the ball away from 13 on Mississippi State which is Forbes number when Alabama played Mississippi State in 2022.
Many will argue that Emmanuel Forbes is a first round corner based off his production in 2022 since he doubled his deflections and interceptions after Martin Emerson left Mississppi State and Forbes led Mississippi State in picks and deflections prior to 2022. However Forbes still hasn't improved in press coverage, his run stuffing is a weakness in his game, and he doesn't keep his back straight while changing angles in coverage which is why I have a second round grade on Forbes. I agree with these fans of Forbes like my friend Markus Cross that he's a day 1 starter in the NFL, however he's a second round prospect rather than a first round prospect because this is an insanely deep cornerback class and Forbes hasn't fixed all of his weaknesses yet.
Emmanuel Forbes is an upgrade over Kendall Fuller. However, he's still a reach at 16 because if he struggles with press coverage how is he going to stop guys like A.J. Brown and CeeDee Lamb.