The opening phase of the 2023 NFL Draft featured three quarterbacks with the first four selections, which was not a surprise. The quarterback who fell across the field and made an impression.
Carolina chose Bryce Young with the No. 1 selection Then Houston was followed by Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud with the number. 2 pick. Indianapolis was then able to grab the Florida’s Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 pick.
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This led to a gruelling day which was particularly uncomfortable for the Kentucky’s Will Levis, who was not drafted in the initial round. Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker, who was predicted to be a first-round selection and will also be waiting until Day 2.
The quarterbacks weren’t the only thing to be discussed in the first round, which included a variety of draft-night trades. The Packers or the Jets made a selection of pass-catchers following Aaron Rodgers’ trade. Running backs were in high demand while receivers and tight ends fell off the list.
Who had the most enjoyable evening on the first day of 1? Did you have a few questions?
Winners: Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are 11-38-1 since 2020, the worst mark of the NFL. Give credit to General director Nick Caserio and new coach DeMeco Ryans for delivering the most memorable statement of the opening round and for avoiding over-thinking it.
Stroud offers the Texans the franchise quarterback with the 69.3 percent completion rate in the past two seasons. There were a lot of smokescreens for Stroud’s selection in the draft but Houston was adamant about to the tape of games and his strong NFL Combine performance instead. This is a foundation for the offense and sets the Deshaun Watson period to rest for all.
The Texans later traded with Arizona to take the number. 3 selection and picked the most productive defensive player on the list. Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson totaled 34.5 sacks and 58.5 tackles for loss over the previous two seasons. He was the most secure defensive player on the board.
It was a game-changing decision which brought two of the college football’s most talented players both on both sides of the ball. It cost Houston the first-round swap of a pick and three additional picks, including a 2023 second round pick and a 2024 first-round selection. The cost is worth it.
Loser: Will Levis
Levis was predicted to go up to No. 2 in the opening round However, Levis was the Kentucky player was also the one who had a rough night in the backstage waiting room.
Levis was plagued by shoulder, finger and toe problems in 2022 however, he did not appear to be able to answer questions about his injuries during the NFL Scouting Combine. Young Stroud, Young and Richardson were among the early picks and there was no clear place for Levis following his early game.
Levis was averaging Levis threw 43 TD passes, and 24 interceptions over the last two seasons for the Wildcats after his transfer to the Wildcats from Penn State, but the slide was akin that of Liberty’s Malik Willis last year.
The question now is whether Levis will be picked before Hooker on Day 2.
The winners: Cardinals, Bears protect their quarterbacks
Kyler Murray is recovering from a torn left ACL however, the Cardinals have taken steps to protect their quarterback by selecting Ohio State tackle Paris Johnson Jr. with the no. 6 pick. Johnson is 6 feet, 313-pound tackle who had just two sacks in his last season.
Murray has had an average of 33 sacks in the last four seasons. The sacks should be reduced.
Justin Fields has taken 91 of sacks over two seasons. Chicago picked Tennessee player Darnell Wright, who is a 6’5 and 333-pound player – who was unable to allow a sack in 507 snaps of pass-blocking for the Volunteers during the season last year according to Pro Football Focus.
This was a one of the highlights of a great day for tackles. Tennessee grabbed Northwestern tackle Peter Skoronski at No. 11 and Pittsburgh was able to grab Georgia tackle Broderick Jones at No. 13. Jacksonville also drew Ol’ Oklahoma’s Anton Harrison at No. 27.
The losers Falcons, Lions reach for RBs
Bijan Robinson as well as Jahmyr gibbs are skilled running backs. No one is attempting to disrupt that.
Do both the Falcons and Lions look for the running backs in the initial round? This is where the debate gets underway.
Alabama selected Robinson with the no. 8 pick. Robinson was the 5th running back chosen with a top 10 pick in the past 10 years. This list which comprises Ezekiel Elliott Leonard Fournette, Saquon Barkley, and Christian McCaffrey. Barkley was the only one who remains with the team he was drafted by.
Robinson was a runner who ran for 1,280 yards, and scored 18 TDs in his junior season with the Longhorns. He is an excellent pass catcher from the backfield. This is the third consecutive draft in which Atlanta picked a position player of skill during the initial round, a group which includes tight end Kyle Pitts and Drake London. Atlanta already boasted a 1,000-yard rusher in the second year of Tyler Allgeier.
Detroit then drafted Alabama quarterback Jahmyr Gibbs, who was drafted with the number. 12 pick. Do you think Gibbs be a back with three downs or a member of the committee with David Montgomery and D’Andre Swift? It’s a question that the Lions possess two first-round selections and there’s a luxurious feel to it. However, Gibbs is a reach for the Lions who also picked Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell with the No. 18 pick.
The winner: Ravens give Lamar Jackson a WR
It appears that the Lamar Jackson contract talk is ended. Baltimore has signed Jackson for a 5-year $260 million extension that includes $185 million of guaranteed funds. This keeps him as the franchise quarterback of the Ravens.
Baltimore also added a bonus selection by selecting Boston College receiver Zay Flowers with the no. 21 selection, which was what made Jackson extremely happy.
Flowers was a top performer at the NFL Combine who had 78 receiving yards for 1,077 yards as well as twelve TDs for 2023. Flowers (5-9, 182) may emerge as an effective target for big plays with Jackson and the new offensive coach Todd Monken. Baltimore has also added Odell Beckham Jr. in free agency. The addition of Beckham will boost a receiver room which didn’t have a player that rushed for 500 yards in the last season.
Winner: Green Bay doesn’t give Jordan Love a WR
The Packers traded Aaron Rodgers and were projected to pick either a tight end or receiver with the 13th pick. 13 pick. The team instead, Green Bay went with Iowa defensive tackle Lukas Van Ness.
Van Ness tested well at the NFL Combine and should be a top Edge rusher in Green Bay. It’s a good choice given Van Ness could be a player who is a threat to Rashan Gary.
This was the continuation of a pattern that resulted in the Rodgers deal at the beginning.
The Packers haven’t taken a pick for any offensive players in the initial round since 2011. it was not a pleasant surprise when Green Bay passed on a tight end similar to Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer or a receiver like Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He was drafted the number. 20 to Seattle. NFC North rival Minnesota also beat U.S.C.’s Jordan Addison at No. 23.
Finalist: Eagles go back to Georgia (twice)
A defensive lineman Jalen Carter was considered to be a top-five selection when he was detained for dangerous driving, on January. 15. Carter was found not guilty of the charge on 16 March.
Carter fell off the board and landed in the correct place. Philadelphia director of football Howie Roseman pulled off a smart trade when he moved towards the top to catch Carter who will be paired with teammate from college Jordan Davis on the Eagles defensive line’s interior.
The Eagles increased their pressure on Bulldogs by drafting Nolan Smith with the No. 30 pick. Smith’s last season ended abruptly due to an injury to his pectoral muscle, but Smith was a star during the NFL Scouting Combine.
Philadelphia was the league’s top team with 70sacks by 2022. Carter Smith and Smith will help to increase the depth of rotation.
Loser: Michael Mayer
Mayer The Notre Dame tight end – was anticipated to be first tight-end selected during the selection process. This was a surprise the Utah’s Dalton Kincaid, who was picked as the pick of Buffalo with the number. 25 pick. Dallas and Cincinnati were also not interested in Mayer and Cincinnati, which was a surprise.
Mayer recorded 67 catch on 101 targets in the last season. His blocking and pass-catching skills as an in-line tightend are throwback sets that could have been worthy of a first-round selection. Then, he’s on Day 2 alongside Georgia’s Darnell Washington and Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave.
Winner: SEC and Big Ten
The SEC was the league with the highest number of first-round selections in the NFL Draft each of the past seven years, and 11 of the 12 drafts in the past.
The Big Ten tied the SEC with nine first-round selections. Ohio State tied Alabama and Georgia with the most first-round picks, with three each. This was another night of showcases for the two college football’s revenue-generating beasts.
Every first-round pick match is played by an Power 5 conference. The Big 12 included six first-round picks. It was following by ACC with four, and Pac-12 which had three. This is another indication of the effect of NIL and the transfer portals to the NCAA football scene. The top players – more than ever before – are coming from major conferences.
