The 2023 draft is probably on a lot of minds now that we are heading into the meat of the college schedule. I have been watching tape again for a long time now, and searching for names to add to my watch list. I'm sure many of you, especially the ones who didn't like their teams draft this year, or who think that their team is likely to be picking high in 2023 are already curious about next year. I still haven't done a ton of work on these guys, except for the few players who I jumped the gun on because I expected them to enter the 2022 draft. Instead those guys opted to stay in school so at least I had a head start with them. While I have watched most of these players actually play many times , that is not the same as breaking down the film on them, and I have only currently broken down the film on one game for 171 players. There are also 4 more players that went back to school ,and I have done 3 games or more games on 95 of them as of today. Throw in the guys who are draft eligible sophomores that I don't expect to even contemplate going Pro so early, or that haven't played much yet and aren't on my radar right now, and you get the picture. Then chime in with the fact we have little idea what teams will need at that time because of injuries, free agency, the cap, and who knows what else could happen ? Plus the transfer portal has drastically changed the face of college football , and I have never before had more than 14 QB'S on my watchlist this early , but I have 19 right now. So the potential QB class looks drastically better , and it is helped not only by the transfer portal, but surprisingly Covid as well. Too often these days QB's are rushing into the league with only a year or 2 of starting experience, but because of the extra year of eligibility granted due to Covid a lot of guys are staying and getting a chance to polish & develop. Kenny Pickett wouldn't have been a 1rst rounder in 2022 without that extra year. At the very least it will help us to sort through their potential, and make the guys who end up making it in the NFL as backups more polished. Right now I see this as a draft that is strong along the defensive line, both inside & off the edge. In fact the 2 highest graded players that I have seen on tape so far are edge rusher Will Anderson of Alabama & interior D-lineman Jalen Carter of Georgia. The depth of the QB , off the ball LB , and safetie classes look good too. Like always it is preferable to NFL teams that have the #1 pick that a QB goes at the top of the draft , even if the team that currently has the pick doesn't need a QB. As usual I think there is a good chance that a QB will go #1 overall this year , whether they deserve it or not, and even if it's another team trading up for their guy. Despite all that don't lose your minds if your team is picking high. I could be wrong, but this is my opinion about where the teams are at this moment , and major injuries have already affected my draft order at the beginning of this season. The second wave of free agency that takes place after the draft, and without compensatory pick compensation is pretty much over now , but there are still a few good veteran guys holding out for the right situation. Plus, sadly major injuries will keep happening every year , and those injuries will cause many draft order variations before it's set. Also, Lamar Jackson could still be a trade candidate if they can't work out a contract, but I don't include trades in my mocks until draft season. The picks are all mine, and if you don't like them you are free to comment and let me know why. They are mostly players I couldn't help noticing while watching last years tape, or guys I expected to enter last years draft that stayed in school. So a lot of trades will probably happen, but again , I DON'T put trades in mocks until it's draft season again. Without further ado here it is. Agreeing or disagreeing is welcome, but please do it intelligently & respectfully or I just won't post it. so here it is. Enjoy.
1.BEARS - WILL ANDERSON - OLB/DE - ALABAMA
2.ATLANTA - BRYCE YOUNG - QB - ALABAMA
3.CAROLINA - WILL LEVIS - QB - KENTUCKY
4.TEXANS - JALEN CARTER - DT - GEORGIA
5.SEATTLE - CJ STROUD - QB- OHIO ST.
6.JAGUARS - PARIS JOHNSON - T/G - OHIO ST.
7.JETS - PETE SKORONSKI - T/G - NORTHWESTERN
8.NY GIANTS - KAYSHON BOUTTE - WR - LSU
9.TEXANS- (clev) - MYLES MURPHY - DE/DT - CLEMSON
10.PATRIOTS - KELEE RINGO - CB - GEORGIA
11.STEELERS - BRODERICK JONES - OT - GEORGIA
12.TITANS - ANTON HARRISON - OT - OKLAHOMA
13.COLTS - ANTHONY RICHARDSON - QB - FLORIDA
14.DALLAS - JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA - WR - OHIO ST.
15.WASHINGTON - BRYAN BRESEE - DT - CLEMSON
16.RAIDERS - TRENTON SIMPSON - LB - CLEMSON
17.LIONS -TYLER VAN DYKE - QB - MIAMI
18.ARIZONA - CAM SMITH - CB - S. CAROLINA
19.MIAMI - ANDRE CARTER - OLB/DE - ARMY
20.VIKINGS - JORDAN ADDISON - WR - USC
21.EAGLES- (NO) - ANTONIO JOHNSON - CB/S - TEXAS A&M
22.RAVENS - ISAIAH FOSKEY - DE - N. DAME
23.PACKERS - QUENTIN JOHNSTON - WR - TCU
24.MIAMI- (49ers) - NOLAN SMITH - OLB/DE - GEORGIA
25.SEATTLE- (denv) - MAZI SMITH - DT - MICHIGAN
26.BENGALS - GERVON DEXTER - DT - FLORIDA
27.EAGLES - BIJAN ROBINSON - RB - TEXAS
28.CHIEFS - MICHAEL MAYER - TE - N. DAME
29.LIONS- (rams) - NOAH SEWELL - LB - OREGON
30.CHARGERS - SIAKI IKA - DT - BAYLOR
31.TAMPA BAY - TANNER MCKEE - QB - STANFORD
32.BILLS - OLUMUYIWA FASHANU - OT - PENN ST.
OTHERS ON MY WATCH LIST
ROBERT SCOTT - OT - FLORIDA ST.
AKEEM DENT - CB/S - FLORDA ST.
JAMMIE ROBINSON - S- FLORIDA ST.
MOHAMOUD DIABATE - LB - FLORIDA
O'CYRUS TORRANCE - G - FLORIDA
RASHAD TORRENCE - S - FLORIDA
WALKER PARKS - OT - CLEMSON
JORDAN MCFADDEN - OT - CLEMSON
DJ UIAGALELEI - QB - CLEMSON
NICK ANDERSEN - S - WAKE FOREST
KRIS ABRAMS-DRAINE - CB- MISSOURI
ZACH CHARBONNET - RB - UCLA
DEVON ACHAME - RB - TEXAS A&M
AUSTIN KEYS - LB - OLE MISS
ZACH EVANS - RB - OLE MISS
MICHAEL TRIGG - TE - OLE MISS
JONATHAN MINGO - WR - OLE MISS
KHARI COLEMAN- DE - OLE MISS
CAMERON BROWN - CB - OHIO ST.
DEUCE VAUGHN - RB - KANSAS ST.
BJ OJULARI - OLB/DE - LSU
JAQUELIN ROY - DT - LSU
JAYDEN DANIELS - QB - LSU
SEDRICK VAN PRAN - C - GEORGIA
ARIK GILBERT - TE - GEORGIA
BLAKE FREELAND - OT - BYU
CONNOR GALVIN - OT - BAYLOR
LUKE HAGGARD - OT - INDIANA
ZION NELSON - OT - MIAMI
JAXSON KIRKLAND - T/G - WASHINGTON
ZION TUPUOLA-FETUI - OLB/DE - WASHINGTON
CAMERON WARD - QB - WASHINGTON ST.
COOPER BEEBE - G - KANSAS ST.
RONNIE BELL - WR - MICHIGAN
CORNELIUS JOHNSON - WR - MICHIGAN
OLUSEGUN OLUWATIMI - C - MICHIGAN
BLAKE CORRUM - RB - MICHIGAN
RYAN HAYES - OT - MICHIGAN
CONNOR GALVIN - OT - BAYLOR
JUSTIN FLOWE - LB - OREGON
KEDON SLOVIS - QB - PITTSBURGH
CALIJAY KANCE - DT - PITTSBURGH
HABAKKUK BALDANADO - DE - PITTSBURGH
DONTAY DEMUS - WR - MARYLAND
RAKIM JARRETT - WR - MARYLAND
JAELYN DUNCAN - OT - MARLAND
XAVIER HUTCHINSON - WR - IOWA ST.
JOEY PORTER JR. - CB - PENN ST.
JAYLON JONES - CB - TEXAS A&M
LAYDEN ROBINSON - G - TEXAS A&M
MARVIN MIMS - WR - OKLAHOMA
JARRETT PATTERSON - C/G - N. DAME
CLARK PHILLIPS - CB - UTAH
ELI RICKS - CB - ALABAMA
JORDAN BATTLE - S - ALABAMA
BYRON YOUNG - DT - ALABAMA
MALACHI MOORE - S/CB - ALABAMA
CAMERON LATU - TE - ALABAMA
JERMAINE BURTON - WR- ALABAMA
SAM LAPORTA - TE - IOWA
JAVION COHEN - G - ALABAMA
EMIL EKIYOR - G - ALABAMA
JAHMYR GIBBS - RB - ALABAMA
HENRY TO'O TO'O - LB - ALABAMA
BRANDON JOSEPH - S - N. DAME
HENDON HOOKER - QB - TENNESEE
LATHAN RANSOM - S- OHIO ST.
DAWAND JONES - OT- OHIO ST.
MATTHEW JONES - G - OHIO ST.
ZACH HARRISON - DE OHIO ST.
JAHLEEL BILLINGSLEY - TE - TEXAS
DEMARVION OVERSHOWN - LB - TEXAS
JAHEIM BELL - TE - S. CAROLINA
DALTON KINCAID - TE - UTAHDERICK HALL - DE - AUBURN
AVERY YOUNG - OT - AUBURN
TANK BIGSBY - RB -AUBURN
COLBY WOODEN - DE - AUBURN
OWEN PAPPOE - LB - AUBURN
JAVON FOSTER - OT - MISSOURI
BRENNAN ARMSTRONG - QB - VIRGINIA
JAKE HAENER - QB - FRESNO ST.
DEVIN LEARY - QB - KANSAS ST.
SPENCER RATTLER - QB - S. CAROLINA
DILLON GABRIEL - QB - OKLAHOMA
SAM HARTMAN - QB - WAKE FOREST
CLAYTON TUNE - QB - HOUSTON
JAREN HALL - QB - BYU
PHIL JURKOVEC - QB - BOSTON COLLEGE
KEENAN PILI - LB - BYU
DALLIN HOLKER - TE - BYU
JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ - C - MINNESOTA
LUKE WYPLER - C - OHIO ST.
TYLER DAVIS - DT - CLEMSON
ZACCH PICKENS - DT - S. CAROLINA
SAM SMITH - CB - S. CAROLINA
JOSH DOWNS - WR - N. CAROLINA
PARKER WASHINGTON - WR - PENN ST.
TONY GRIMES - CB - UNC
KEYTAON THOMPSON - WR - VIRGINIA
GARRETT WILLIAMS - CB - SYRACUSE
SEAN TUCKER - RB - SYRACUSE
BRENTON COX JR. - DE/OLB - FLORIDA
RICKY STROMBERG - C - ARKANSAS
JALEN CATALON - S - ARKANSAS
ANAIS SMITH - WR - TEXAS A&M
ZAY FLOWERS - WR - BOSTON COLLEGE
KEEANU BENTON - DT - WISCONSIN
WILL MCDONALD - DE - IOWA ST.
XAVIER HUTCHINSON - WR - IOWA ST.
NOAH DANIELS - CB - TCU
ZION TUPUOLA-FETUI - ** - OLB/DE - WASHINGTON
