Scar's Final 2023 Mock.

[scar988]

Published this at the website I blog for, but I can't post a link or reveal my name here:

1) Carolina Panthers: QB Bryce Young, Alabama

The Panthers need a true franchise quarterback, and Bryce Young is their guy. Young is the best quarterback in the draft this year based on his college play, so the Panthers get exactly who fits their team, scheme, and need with this pick.

2) Houston Texans: QB Will Levis, Kentucky

NFL teams overdraft a quarterback every year. Much like the pick of Zach Wilson for the Jets in 2021, Levis is a guy who is being overrated by both NFL teams and media due to his size, strength, and live arm. The Texans do need a franchise quarterback, but they likely still haven't found it.

3) Arizona Cardinals: DL/EDGE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech

This match is being made because there's some sort of expectation for the Cardinals to trade down, and in this situation, the Raiders would be the team to trade up. The Cardinals slotting down to seven should still net them a top prospect like Tyree Wilson to help their defense out.

4) Indianapolis Colts: QB Anthony Richardson, Florida

The Colts are looking for that franchise quarterback, and without Frank Reich in there to screw things up for their quarterback situation again, they finally grab their long-term franchise guy. Gardner Minshew should start for them at the beginning of the year, but Anthony Richardson is more pro-ready than most would expect him to be.

5) Seattle Seahawks: DL Jalen Carter, Georgia

Jalen Carter has had a lot of questions about him off the field. The one team that never cares about any of those questions is the Seattle Seahawks. Carter would fit in exceptionally well for them and is the first non-quarterback to get taken off the board.

6) Detroit Lions: EDGE Will Anderson, Alabama

The Lions get to go with a true best-player scenario here with Will Anderson. While John Cominsky and Aiden Hutchinson were a good combination for them in 2022, adding another pass rusher that will allow either Hutchinson or Cominsky to slide inside on passing downs should help the Lions' defense.

7) Las Vegas Raiders: QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State

The Raiders need a franchise quarterback. They haven't taken one in the first round since 2007 and haven't taken a quarterback since 2016. This is projecting a trade-up with the Cardinals so that they can get him. Stroud would be a long-term franchise quarterback for the Raiders.

😎 Atlanta Falcons: EDGE Nolan Smith, Georgia

In this situation, the Falcons' top few choices are all off the board. Because of that, the best player available to them in their view would either be a cornerback like Devon Witherspoon or Christian Gonzalez, or one of Nolan Smith or Bijan Robinson. In this situation, Smith just feels like the right selection for this coaching staff. They are huge proponents of off-field character, and the team needs a defensive leader in the mid-level of the defense.

Smith's biggest strength is off the field with his leadership. But on top of that, he's an insanely good athlete who compares well with Vic Beasley at the position. However, he's as if Beasley had an indomitable love for the game. The Falcons would be able to rotate in Smith as a pass rusher early in his career, and long-term could see a vision for him that's reminiscent of what the Cowboys do with Micah Parsons down in Dallas.

9) Chicago Bears: OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee

The Bears had one of the worst offensive lines in 2022 and needed to upgrade at least three starters to build their line for the 2023 season. They decided to keep Braxton Jones and Cody Whitehair who were solid in 2022, but they went out and signed Nate Davis and have Teven Jenkins to use at guard. The Bears decide here to bring in Darnell Wright to play right tackle so that they can re-shuffle their line to have Whitehair back at his natural center position, Davis at left guard, and Jenkins and Jones filling the other two spots.

10) Philadelphia Eagles: RB Bijan Robinson, Texas

The Eagles have two first-round picks after their trade with the Saints last season, and because of that, they can take a risky pick on a blue-chip prospect like Bijan Robinson. One of the absolute best players at the running back position in the past few years to add to a young quarterback as a matchup nightmare would be the perfect move for the defending NFC champions to make.

11) Tennessee Titans: OL Peter Skoronski, Northwestern

If the Titans miss out on their quarterback, they need to spend a pick trying to keep Ryan Tannehill as healthy as possible. Peter Skoronski can play any of the five spots on the offensive line and should be brought in at this pick to drastically upgrade their offensive front. Skoronski played left tackle in college but projects better to left guard if the Titans take him.

12) Houston Texans: CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon

After the Texans get their quarterback, adding another lock-down cornerback to their defense makes a ton of sense. Gonzalez has the potential to be that guy for the Texans, and with Derek Stingley on the other side of the field, new head coach DeMeco Ryans will have some fun pieces to play with.

13) New York Jets: OT Paris Johnson, Ohio State

The Jets do have Mekhi Becton and Duane Brown under contract, but with both of them coming back from injury and Brown being older, the Jets should look into getting a franchise left tackle at 13. With this pick, Becton could end up moving either inside or to the right side and really give the Jets a talented offensive line that fits what they are trying to accomplish on offense.

14) New England Patriots: OT Broderick Jones, Georgia

If the Patriots don't have five true starters on the offensive line, they will gladly take the best lineman they can off the board. In this situation, it's Broderick Jones to be a franchise left tackle for them for the long term. Jones has all the tools to be a beast in the NFL, and in New England, he'll get the coaching to maximize him.

15) Green Bay Packers: EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson

The Packers go best player available here with the selection of Myles Murphy. Murphy would add to their pass rush options in 2023 and could be the long-term solution across from Rashan Gary on the defense. The Packers love to take raw talents and develop them the way they did with Gary.

16) Washington Commanders: CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois

Devon Witherspoon falls a little bit and could be the unexpected faller in the draft. However, there just wasn't an ideal fit for him before this. The Commanders could use a dominant lock-down cornerback in their defense that could also play their nickel, and Witherspoon fits right in for the concepts Ron Rivera likes to run.

17) Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Joey Porter, Penn State

The Steelers need as much defensive talent as they can get. Joey Porter is just as good as Witherspoon for the Steelers' defensive need. Porter is also a local-ish prospect, and his dad was a leader and dominant player for the franchise.

18) Detroit Lions: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State

After adding to the defense in the first round with the selection of Will Anderson, the Lions decide to add to the offense. The Lions go with Jaxon Smith-Njigba to continue building out their wide receiver corps for Jared Goff to have options. With Jameson Williams suspended the first six games of the year, they'll need someone who can beat a team in the intermediate and deep levels and Smith-Njigba showed that he can do that at the college level against the best of the best.

19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: OT Anton Harrison, Oklahoma

The Buccaneers are moving Tristan Wirfs over to left tackle, and rightfully so, but they decide to bring in Anton Harrison here to play right tackle and give them a pair of bookends to ideally keep Baker Mayfield upright. If Mayfield can get protection, he has the weapons to do damage with in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Russell Gage, and Rachaad White.

20) Seattle Seahawks: DL Bryan Bresee, Clemson

With Seattle moving to more of a 3-4 defense in 2023, they'll need to have a talented rotation of defensive linemen. By bringing in Jalen Carter in the top five and adding Bresee here, they'll add two extremely talented linemen to a corps that already includes the recent signing of Dre'Mont Jones and long-time Seahawk Jarran Reed.

21) Los Angeles Chargers: CB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State

Cornerback is arguably the weakest group on the Chargers at this time. With not much difference in the different cornerbacks at this point in the draft, Emmanuel Forbes looks like the schematic fit that the Chargers would want in Brandon Staley's defense.

22) Baltimore Ravens: WR Quentin Johnston, Texas Christian

The Ravens need to continue to add talented players around Lamar Jackson if they want to get him to stay in Baltimore. They already signed Odell Beckham, Jr., and have guys like Mark Andrews and J.K. Dobbins on the roster. Quentin Johnston would be a great fit for their need at the position and could give them a perfect No. 2 option in 2023 for Jackson with the potential to eventually be a No. 1.

23) Minnesota Vikings: WR Jordan Addison, Southern California

The Vikings are almost the exact opposite situation of the Ravens. They have a quarterback who wants to be there and is arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL today. However, they let Adam Thielen go in the offseason and need his replacement. Jordan Addison would be a perfect fit and could play the same role while adding more athleticism to the position.

24) Jacksonville Jaguars: TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame

The Jacksonville Jaguars franchised Evan Engram in the offseason after a great year playing with Trevor Lawrence, but if they wind up not signing him long-term, a tight end is a big need. Michael Mayer would be a great addition even if they do sign Engram to a long-term deal because of the two-tight end sets that they could run with both guys.

25) New York Giants: EDGE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa

Could the Giants use more talent at other positions than the defensive line? Sure. But Lukas Van Ness is just way too good to pass up for them here. New York likes to run heavy rotations on their defensive line, and Van Ness would be a great fit for their rotational piece on their line both inside and at edge.

26) Dallas Cowboys: TE Darnell Washington, Georgia

The Dallas Cowboys let Dalton Schultz walk in the offseason, and need to replace his starting role on offense. Dallas also believes in using matchup nightmares to help them create more offensive production. Darnell Washington is the epitome of a matchup nightmare and adding him to an arsenal that already has Brandin Cooks, Ceedee Lamb, and Michael Gallup should help Dak Prescott revert back to his nearly All-Pro form.

27) Buffalo Bills: LB Trenton Simpson, Clemson

The Bills lost Pro Bowl linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to the Bears in the offseason. To replace him, they go back to the first round here with Trenton Simpson who has all the same kinds of tools that Edmunds had coming out of college. He also is a bit raw the way Edmunds was so that they can mold him into the linebacker they really want.

28) Cincinnati Bengals: OL O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida

The Bengals need another starter on the offensive line. They went out and signed Orlando Brown to play left tackle and are planning on using Jonah Williams at right tackle. With La'El Collins still injured and just Cordell Volson as a competent interior offensive lineman, adding O'Cyrus Torrence to start at right guard makes a ton of sense here. A tight end was also considered, but it's a very deep draft for tight ends, and they should be able to get their guy in the second round.

29) New Orleans Saints: EDGE B.J. Ojulari, Louisiana State

The Saints love to take defensive linemen a round too early based on either injury concerns or talent reasons. B.J. Ojulari isn't one of those situations, though. Ojulari is easily a first-round talent and should be going higher in the draft. However, his testing wasn't very good due to the injuries he was dealing with, and going at the end of the first makes sense for him.

30) Philadelphia Eagles: LB/EDGE Drew Sanders, Arkansas

Drew Sanders has too much buzz to not go in the first round. The Eagles love to add versatile front-seven prospects to their roster and by adding Sanders, they get someone who could end up starting at linebacker for them while also trying to copy what the Cowboys do with Micah Parsons.

31) Kansas City Chiefs: S Brian Branch, Alabama

The Chiefs get the benefit of drafting the best player available at 31. Brian Branch should go higher based on his film, but his athleticism is what limits him from being picked this late. Branch could compete for a starting role in Kansas City as a rookie and potentially even be their nickel defender in those packages as well.

[INbengalfan]

Don't like it for the Bengals.  We have Alex cappa starting at RG for two more seasons.  If Torrence can transition, then I'd consider it.  But we will take a CB instead.

[The Gnat]

I don't love Addison. I like his route running, but his size and speed combination makes me wonder how well he'll do in the slot and if he can be anything but a slot. Still, WR is a need and Johnston is gone. I'd consider Flowers as well for more speed but again small size.

[TankWilliams]

I like Darnell Wright for the Bears, though hopefully its after a trade down to the teens.

[blkwdw13]

42 minutes ago, TankWilliams said:

I like Darnell Wright for the Bears, though hopefully its after a trade down to the teens.

I wouldn't hate if Wright was the pick at 9, if it works out then it doesn't matter. Just to add to @scar988 write up Davis is staying at RG and Jenkins is moving to a different OL spot most likely LG.

[DABEARSLCF04]

Whitehair national position is not center. Hes played there but not the best shotgun snapper. He was put there last second before the season started the year he first played center.

[FalconFan13]

I don't hate it for the Falcons but you know me i personally prefer either of the CB's 1st before Smith.  Who i have around the 15th to 20th player in this draft.  Where as i have both CB's top 10 in this draft so value wise it's a bit high for my liking but i do like the position.    For me if we take Bijan or Nolan i 100% think it needs to be in a trade down for me to be fully happy.   I can tolerate and like the player even if we take them at 8 since they are talented i just will feel we left a bit on the table.

Also i know your real name I GOT YOU ON LOCK SONNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[vshank8182]

would love van ness to the g men, great pick!

[Mr.UFO]

We matched on nine picks (including the duh pick with Carolina). We both had Anton Harrison to TB, but I had him at pick 50. First round is quite a reach for him.

Is it really necessary for Seattle to take two 3/5-technique D-lineman? If they take two DTs, one should be a NT. There aren't any in Round 1 (and I realize this is only a Round 1 mock), but the Seahawks might be looking at Mazi Smith (Mch) or Siaki Ika (Bay) in Round 2.

[scar988]

2 hours ago, Mr.UFO said:

We matched on nine picks (including the duh pick with Carolina). We both had Anton Harrison to TB, but I had him at pick 50. First round is quite a reach for him.

Is it really necessary for Seattle to take two 3/5-technique D-lineman? If they take two DTs, one should be a NT. There aren't any in Round 1 (and I realize this is only a Round 1 mock), but the Seahawks might be looking at Mazi Smith (Mch) or Siaki Ika (Bay) in Round 2.

Seattle's defensive scheme is a 1-gap scheme. Bresee would be fine as a 1T and so would Carter. By having both guys and Jarran Reed as three men to rotate for them, they can mix and match. It's really not that tough for them to do. They did it all the time back when they had Mebane and McDaniel as their primary guys. Why wouldn't they do the same thign with Carter and Bresee?

[FalconFan13]

1 hour ago, scar988 said:

Seattle's defensive scheme is a 1-gap scheme. Bresee would be fine as a 1T and so would Carter. By having both guys and Jarran Reed as three men to rotate for them, they can mix and match. It's really not that tough for them to do. They did it all the time back when they had Mebane and McDaniel as their primary guys. Why wouldn't they do the same thign with Carter and Bresee?

Im actually intrigued with this Commanders rumor ppl keep bringing up.   Would Nolan Smith  be better value for the Falcons at 8 or would Young + Spoon at 16  be better value for us.  I already have Spoon as better value in general than Nolan Smith myself.  Young i honestly believe when healthy would be a better Edge Rusher than Smith as well if both came out in the same draft.   Would you hate that trade in the real draft if it were to happen and we got those 2 players specifically like we would in a draft like this.   or would you prefer to just take Nolan at 8 and call it a day?

[DreamKid]

Deonte Banks?

[scar988]

14 minutes ago, FalconFan13 said:

Im actually intrigued with this Commanders rumor ppl keep bringing up.   Would Nolan Smith  be better value for the Falcons at 8 or would Young + Spoon at 16  be better value for us.  I already have Spoon as better value in general than Nolan Smith myself.  Young i honestly believe when healthy would be a better Edge Rusher than Smith as well if both came out in the same draft.   Would you hate that trade in the real draft if it were to happen and we got those 2 players specifically like we would in a draft like this.   or would you prefer to just take Nolan at 8 and call it a day?

I'd be cool with Young + a guy at 16.

[onejayhawk]

9 hours ago, scar988 said:

31) Kansas City Chiefs: S Brian Branch, Alabama

The Chiefs get the benefit of drafting the best player available at 31. Brian Branch should go higher based on his film, but his athleticism is what limits him from being picked this late. Branch could compete for a starting role in Kansas City as a rookie and potentially even be their nickel defender in those packages as well.

Definitely not. The Chiefs invest a second-round pick in 2022 in Bryan Cook and signed Mike Hughes from TB. Maybe on day #3.

With this board, they would trade up for Calijah Kancey. Not having him in the top20 is understandable but not omitting him entirely.

[FalconFan13]

29 minutes ago, scar988 said:

I'd be cool with Young + a guy at 16.

Screw it they mess with me and we will take Young and Nolan Smith if he falls to 16 lol.   They think im joking around about fixing this front 7 i'll take all the elite front 7 players bwhahahaha.    Honestly Nolan has enough skills you could put him at LB and young at edge and they wouldn't overlap.  So it would be a real possiblity.