I am hard at work grinding more and more tape for the 2023 draft. The QB class looks drastically better at QB this time around. 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. Speaking of these potential draft eligible QB's , 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 safety classes look good too. On the down no WR looks like a top 10 pick to me right now. 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. Also , Miami forfeited their #1 pick because of tampering so there will only be 31 first round picks in this draft. 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.CAROLINA - BRYCE YOUNG - QB - ALABAMA
2.TEXANS - CJ STROUD - QB- OHIO ST.
3.BEARS - WILL ANDERSON - OLB/DE - ALABAMA
4.WASHINGTON - WILL LEVIS - QB - KENTUCKY
5.ATLANTA - HENDON HOOKER - QB - TENNESEE
6.RAIDERS - PARIS JOHNSON - T/G - OHIO ST.
7.LIONS - TANNER MCKEE - QB - STANFORD
8.SEATTLE - JALEN CARTER - DT - GEORGIA
9.STEELERS - BRYAN BRESEE - DT - CLEMSON
10.PATRIOTS - KELEE RINGO - CB - GEORGIA
11.EAGLES- (NO) - TRENTON SIMPSON - LB - CLEMSON
12.TITANS - PETE SKORONSKI - T/G - NORTHWESTERN
13.ARIZONA - MYLES MURPHY - DE/DT - CLEMSON
14.JETS - OLUMUYIWA FASHANU - OT - PENN ST.
15.NY GIANTS - JORDAN ADDISON - WR - USC
16.TEXANS- (clev) - MICHAEL MAYER - TE - N. DAME
17.JAGUARS - BRODERICK JONES - OT - GEORGIA
18.COLTS - ANTHONY RICHARDSON - QB - FLORIDA
19.SEATTLE- (denv) - TYREE WILSON - DE - TEXAS TECH
20.PACKERS - QUENTIN JOHNSTON - WR - TCU
21.LIONS- (rams) - CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ - CB - OREGON
22.RAVENS - ISAIAH FOSKEY - DE - N. DAME
23.MIAMI- (49ers) - NOLAN SMITH - OLB/DE - GEORGIA
24.CHARGERS - NOAH SEWELL - LB - OREGON
25.VIKINGS - JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA - WR - OHIO ST.
26.BENGALS - O'CYRUS TORRANCE - G - FLORIDA
27.TAMPA BAY - DJ UIAGALELEI - QB - CLEMSON
28.DALLAS - SIAKI IKA - DT - BAYLOR
29.CHIEFS - DARNELL WASHINGTON - TE - GEORGIA
30.EAGLES - BIJAN ROBINSON - RB - TEXAS
31.BILLS - DARNELL WRIGHT - OT - TENNESSEE
OTHERS ON MY WATCH LIST
ANDRE CARTER - OLB/DE - ARMY
ROBERT SCOTT - OT - FLORIDA ST.
AKEEM DENT - CB/S - FLORDA ST.
JAMMIE ROBINSON - S- FLORIDA ST.
JARED VERSE - DE/OLB - FLORIDA ST.
MOHAMOUD DIABATE - LB - FLORIDA
RASHAD TORRENCE - S - FLORIDA
GERVON DEXTER - DT - FLORIDA
WALKER PARKS - OT - CLEMSON
JORDAN MCFADDEN - OT - 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
KAYSHON BOUTTE - WR - LSU
SEDRICK VAN PRAN - C - GEORGIA
ARIK GILBERT - TE - GEORGIA
BLAKE FREELAND - OT - BYU
CONNOR GALVIN - OT - BAYLOR
LUKE HAGGARD - OT - INDIANA
TYLER VAN DYKE - QB - MIAMI
CLAYTON TUNE - QB - HOUSTON
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
MAZI SMITH - DT - MICHIGAN
EYABI OKIE - OLB/DE - 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.
JAYLON JONES - CB - TEXAS A&M
LAYDEN ROBINSON - G - TEXAS A&M
ANTONIO JOHNSON - CB/S - 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
BRYAN BRANCH - S/CB - 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
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 - UTAH
TUCKER KRAFT - TE - S. DAKOTA ST.
DERICK 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
CAM SMITH - CB - S. CAROLINA
DILLON GABRIEL - QB - OKLAHOMA
ANTON HARRISON - OT - 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
JOEY PORTER JR. - CB - PENN ST.
TONY GRIMES - CB - UNC
JOSH DOWNS - WR - N. CAROLINA
RASHEE RICE - WR - SMU
PARKER WASHINGTON - WR - PENN ST.
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
