2023 first round NFL mock draft sees a couple of early trades
By Brian Miller
The meat of any NFL Mock Draft begins after the first pick is in the books. What happens with number one, has a domino effect for the next nine selections.
This year, the biggest question isn’t who gets drafted first but who makes the selection. The Texans could move up but I see them sitting still at number two. Why? Because they will have their choice of QBs who don’t go number one and the margins between them are not very wide.
QB. Houston Texans. Will Levis. 2. player. 10.
Will Levis could be exactly the type of QB that the Texans need, but we have seen them draft talent and waste it. For as good as Deshaun Watson was, he never led the team deep into the postseason and that was with a stellar defense.
DT. Arizona Cardinals. Jalen Carter. 3. player. 32.
Will this pick be Carter or Will Anderson, Jr.? Both are possibilities. The Cardinals have a new GM and will have a new HC when they take the field. The offense isn’t very good with or without Kyler Murray and the defense isn’t much better. The Cardinals did lose J.J. Watt who announced his retirement so the edge would make sense but for this mock, they start on the interior defensive line and start building the roster outward.
4. player. 57. . DE. Chicago Bears. Will Anderson, Jr.
The Bears really want Jalen Carter and if he gets by the Cardinals, they will be thrilled that they moved to four and still got the guy they wanted, along with extra draft picks.
Seattle Seahawks. Tyree Wilson. 5. player. 36. . DE
The Seahawks could go in a few directions here but their pass rush defense wasn’t very good in 2022. Wilson should change that. Hard to believe that the blockbuster trade of Russell Wilson netted them a 5th overall pick. Poor Denver.
Devon Witherspoon. 6. player. 50. . CB. Detroit Lions
The Lions might just have made the playoffs last year if not for their defensive secondary. That needs to change and free agency could provide an option that allows the Lions to look elsewhere early in the draft. For now, the top priority has to be the secondary after going DE/LB in round one last year with the top overall pick. The Lions have two firsts this year and this one is courtesy of the Rams in the Goff/Stafford trade.