2023 NFL Draft: Round 1 Draft Grades
Image credit to NFL.com
With an entertaining first round of the 2023 NFL Draft in the books, here’s how I grade each and every move from Night One….
1. Carolina Panthers - Bryce Young, QB Alabama
Grade: A+
My Take: The Panthers moved up from 9th overall to the top pick to draft their guy. Young has both the physical and mental traits to succeed in the NFL. I’m not gonna knock his size. Carolina is poised to be the favorites in the NFC South after narrowly losing it to Tampa Bay a season ago.
2. Houston Texans - C.J. Stroud, QB Ohio State
Grade: A+
My Take: Stroud was my top QB in the class. He has the build and poise to play the game’s most importanr position. But this “ball placement specialist” can move too if needed, demonstrated in the CFB playoff game against Georgia on New Year’s Eve. New head coach and new quarterback. Houston, we have a solution.
3. Houston Texans (Trade w/Arizona) - Will Anderson Jr., EDGE Alabama
Grade: A+
My Take: The safest player in the draft goes to Houston after all. They grabbed their QB and aggressively moved back up for the productive Bama pass rusher. He’ll fill out the Nick bosa role for DeMeco Ryans.
4. Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Richardson, QB Florida
Grade: A
My Take: Richardson has by far the highest ceiling in this QB class. The Colts put together a pretty good staff for developing QBs, including guys that worked with Cam Newton, Kyler Murray, Justin Herbert, and Jalen Hurts. Richardson landed in one of the few perfect spots.
5. Seattle Seahawks - Devon Witherspoon, CB Illinois
Grade: A
My Take: My top corner in the draft will pair nicely with Tariq Woolen in a bid to channel the Legion of Boom in a new era
6. Arizona Cardinals (Trade w/Detroit) - Paris Johnson Jr., OT Ohio State
Grade: A
My Take: I loved the aggressiveness of moving down then trading back up to get your guy. And Paris Johnson is a great building block for the rebuilding Cardinals.
7. Las Vegas Raiders - Tyree Wilson, EDGE Texas Tech
Grade: A+
My Take: With a player like Wilson slipping to you, this turned into a layup pick. Elite pass rusher traits are hard to find, and Wilson will fit into a nice rotation with Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones.
8. Atlanta Falcons - Bijan Robinson, RB Texas
Grade: B+
My Take: Atlanta had some better avenues to go I think, but Bijan is a special talent. This is just a tad high for a running back on opening night these days, and Atlanta could have used some of these elite prospects on the board elsewhere.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (Trade w/Chicago) - Jalen Carter, DL Georgia
Grade: A+
My Take: The most talented defensive player takes an odd fall down the board, but Philly stops the slide by moving up one spot to draft their 3rd Georgia defender in two seasons. Carter reunites with Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean to help Philly stay atop the NFC
10. Chicago Bears (Trade w/Philadelphia) - Darnell Wright, OT Tennessee
Grade: C-
My Take: Quite a reach for Wright, especially with Peter Skoronski and Broderick Jones still available. A need was still filled, and Wright’s not a bad player to help protect Justin Fields.
11. Tennessee Titans - Peter Skoronski, OL Northwestern
Grade: B+
My Take: Skoronski immediately helps the Titans get back to their winning formula. The only question is: where will Mike Vrabel and company play Skoronski? Will he stay outside at tackle, or slide inside to guard?
12. Detroit Lions (Trade w/Arizona) - Jahmyr Gibbs, RB Alabama
Grade: D-
My Take: What is Detroit cooking? Already employing D’Andre Swift and them signing David Montgomery makes this pick incredibly frustrating. The Lions needed more help all over defense, but instead take a giant reach on the last position they needed to spend a first round pick on. The only way this grade can improve is if a Swift trade is inbound.
Update: RB D’Andre Swift was indeed traded, so I’ll bump this grade up to a B-. Still a bit early to invest in a running back, but my orginal grade had more to do with the pick itself rather than Gibbs himself.
13. Green Bay Packers - Lukas Van Ness, EDGE Iowa
Grade: B
My Take: Van Ness is a good pick, but I had Myles Murphy and Nolan Smith both ranked much higher. Van Ness is a well rounded defender as Green Bay continues to heavily invest in their defense.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (Trade w/New England) - Broderick Jones, OT Georgia
Grade: A
My Take: Pittsburgh NEEDED to address this offensive line. I’ve been banging on this table since the 2021 draft. They finally did it, taking a great prospect in Broderick Jones, who already may one of the Steelers’ top linemen.
15. New York Jets - Will McDonald IV, EDGE Iowa State
Grade: B-
My Take: Do teams know something I dont with Myles Murphy and Nolan Smith? The Jets also reached down a bit farther for McDonald. Im a fan of his, and it fits a need. Robert Saleh gets another chess piece for his defense.
16. Washington Commanders - Emmanuel Forbes, CB Mississippi State
Grade: C+
My Take: Likely the reason I’m an outsider and not an insider. I didnt anticipate Forbes’ name being called until Day 2, maybe sneaking into the end of Round 1. Instead, he goes right in the middle of Round 1 to help out Ron Rivera’s secondary. But over Christian Gonzalez, Joey Porter Jr. and Deonte Banks? We’ll see, I suppose.
17. New England Patriots (Trade w/Pittsburgh) - Christian Gonzalez, CB Orgeon
Grade: A+
My Take: I had Gonzalez pegged to be a later Top-10 pick, specifically Las Vegas or Philadelphia. Detroit made sense as well. Instead, he falls all the way to Bill Belichick at 17. What a steal. Gonzalez will help make a difference for New England in a loaded AFC East.
18. Detroit Lions - Jack Campbell, LB Iowa
Grade: B
My Take: I’m torn on this one. On one hand, Campbell was again a bit of a reach for Detroit. On the other hand, he was one of my favorite prospects, noted in not only my draft preview blog here on this site, but also on both our group mock draft and favorite defensive prospects episodes of the Outsider Sports Football Podcast. This was earlier than I thought Campbell would go, but he’s a pretty complete linebacker and fits a massive need for Detroit.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Calijah Kancey, DL Pittsburgh
Grade: B+
My Take: Kancey can develop into something truly special. I dont know how much he’ll contribute to success down in Tampa Bay for this year, but Tampa does know how to find really good, young defenders. Devin White, Vita Vea, and Antoine Winfield Jr. are just some of the names Kancey hopes to follow in the footsteps of.
20. Seattle Seahawks - Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR Ohio State
Grade: A
My Take: It took longer than I thought for the top receiver to have his name called, but he lands in a GREAT spot in Seattle. He’ll team up nicely with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett as Seattle tries to prove that 2022 wasn’t a fluke. Dont write em off!
21. Los Angeles Chargers - Quinton Johnston, WR TCU
Grade: B-
My Take: Johnston will be the WR3, option #4 in LA this season, but this pick seems like more of a future pick. Ekeler reportedly wants out, and Keenan Allen isnt getting any younger. Johnston can contribute now, but he’ll be developed to take over the lead role in a few seasons.
22. Baltimore Ravens - Zay Flowers, WR Boston College
Grade: A+
My Take: An explosive Ravens offense got some massive jolts by locking up Lamar Jackson for the long-term, and then grabbing Flowers here. This offense may shift to more of a pass-focused approach compared to what we’ve seen. When you have guys like Flowers and newly acquired Odell Beckham, why wouldnt you?
23. Minnesota Vikings - Jordan Addison, WR USC
Grade: A
My Take: Was wide receiver their biggest need? Not really, considering the defense was in shambles much of last year. But Addison will be to Justin Jefferson what peanut butter is to jelly. What Kane was to the Undertaker. They’ll be a fantastic WR duo in the NFL, and will go as far as they can drag Kirk Cousins with them.
24. New York Giants (Trade with Jacksonville) - Deonte Banks, CB Maryland
Grade: A+
My Take: It took Banks a tad longer than anticipated, but he goes to a great fit with the upstart Giants. He’ll be CB1 and fill a hole on the young defense with his disruptive talents.
25. Buffalo Bills (Trade w/Jacksonville) - Dalton Kincaid, TE Utah
Grade: A
My Take: Who let the top tight end get all the way down to Buffalo? Josh Allen is grinning for sure. We’ll see if this is enough to push Buffalo over the hump.
26. Dallas Cowboys - Mazi Smith, DL Michigan
Grade: C
My Take: Dallas definitely had their eyes on Kincaid, but Buffalo leaped them and pulled off the snipe. Dallas pivoted to the defensive line, but again: MYLES MURPHY? NOLAN SMITH?? All due respect to Mazi, but this goes down as another reach pick in my eyes. I think it doubles as a panic pick.
27. Jacksonville Jaguars (Trade w/Buffalo) - Anton Harrison, OT Oklahoma
Grade: B+
My Take: I liked Jacksonville for taking a tackle with the departure of Jawaan Taylor. The need was exacerbated with the recent Cam Robinson developments the day of the draft. Harrison needs to get up to speed quickly. If he can, the Jaguars will have had a great steal here.
28. Cincinnati Bengals - Myles Murphy, EDGE Clemson
Grade: A+
My Take: FINALLY! Bengals get a massive steal in my eyes, snagging Murphy near the end of Round 1. I had him ranked just outside the top 10, and Cincy snags someone to grow quickly into a premier pass rusher to pair with their premier passer.
29. New Orleans Saints - Brian Breese, DL Clemson
Grade: B
My Take: New Orleans needed to bolster their defensive front, and they do just that with Breese. He has some of the best traits you can ask a defensive lineman to have: versatility and explosiveness.
30. Philadelphia Eagles - Nolan Smith, EDGE Georgia
Grade: A++
My Take: The Philadelphia Bulldogs strike again. Smith took a surprising tumble down the draft board. As they say, good things come to those who wait. An absolute steal, Nolan Smith goes to a loaded defensive front where he’ll be able to focus on his strengths while he develops and rounds out the rest of his game.
31. Kansas City Cheifs - Felix Anudike-Uzomah
Grade: B
My Take: Another luxury pick of sorts for the Chiefs following a Super Bowl title. This one goes a much longer way than the Edwards-Helaire pick from a few years ago. Anudike-Uzomah has great bend around the line, and can become an every-down player very early in his career.
Next Best Available For Day 2:
Joey Porter Jr. CB Penn State
Michael Mayer TE Notre Dame
Darnell Washington TE Georgia
Brian Branch DB Alabama
O’Cyrus Torrence OG Florida
Hendon Hooker QB Tennessee