2023 NFL Mock Draft: Falcons Draft Will Anderson, Plus A Surprise at No. 2 Overall

The NFL season is getting closer and closer by the day, which means the NFL Draft coverage will be ramping back up here at NFL Mocks. Before we get into assessing and evaluating the players too much, we are due for another 2023 NFL Mock Draft. As is obvious, it is nearly impossible to predict what teams will do 10 months from now. But let’s give it a try anyway.

The next crop of talent looks to be stronger than what we saw in the 2022 NFL Draft, and another season of stellar play should help solidify that claim. A handful of quarterbacks have started to hear their names in first-round rumors. The wide receiver group may not be quite up to snuff relative to previous years, but the top-end talent is still prevalent. Offensive line lacks a top-five talent, but a number of guys should expect to come off the board on the opening day nonetheless.

2023 NFL Mock Draft: Alabama and Georgia Players Fly Off the Board

When it comes to defense, that’s where I start to get excited. Edge rusher and cornerback are the two most premium positions on a defense, and both offer droves of talent from top-to-bottom. As many as six or seven pass rushers could come off the board on day one, and the same can be said about the loaded cornerback class. Linebacker and safety both will send starter level talent to the league, as well. Another year, another massive influx of talent for the NFL.

*To be clear, I did not pick this draft order, either. I used the inverse Super Bowl odds from a betting site to decide the order, so if you have beef with that, call up Vegas. Without further ado, this 2023 NFL Mock Draft is underway.*

1. Atlanta Falcons: Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama

Would the Atlanta Falcons really pass on a quarterback if they land the No. 1 overall pick? My answer is yes. First and foremost, the Falcons ended the 2021 season with 18 total sacks as a team. This is unacceptable, as the next closest squad recorded 29 sacks, a stark contrast from what Atlanta put up. Next, the Falcons signed Marcus Mariota to a two-year pact, and also spent a third-round draft pick on rookie Desmond Ridder. Neither of those moves are enough to stop general manager Terry Fontenot from taking a signal-caller in 2023. However, adding those factors might be enough to tip the scales in favor of Alabama pass rusher, Will Anderson.

Too often, the word generational is thrown around with reckless abandon. I’m here to tell you that “generational” would be an insult to Will Anderson, because this implies that there have been others like him. This is not the case. Anderson’s pass rushing moves, play strength, and overall football IQ are unrivaled. Not only by his peers, but in terms of the history of football. If it sounds like I’m being hyperbolic, I urge you to turn on his tape. You will see that he is truly a one of one player. Anderson is the type of guy that could pair with cornerback AJ Terrell to form a dominant duo on the defensive side of the ball for years to come.

2. Houston Texans: Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia

Now hold on just a minute. A 2023 NFL Mock Draft that doesn’t have a quarterback going in the top two? Yep. General manager Nick Caserio spent nearly two decades with the New England Patriots, and during that time he learned the importance of roster building. If you can create a juggernaut, it leaves you tons of leeway when it comes to finding the franchise cornerstone at quarterback. The Texans exhibited this approach in the 2022 NFL Draft, albeit in a weaker class of passers than is expected for 2023. Alas, I still see them going with the slow burn approach.

They drafted Davis Mills out of Stanford in 2021, and he played very well in spurts as the starter last season. In four combined games against the Patriots, Rams, Chargers, and Titans, Mills recorded a 74% completion rate, 1077 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and only one interception. He will get a full audition this coming season, and if he replicates that success more consistently, it will allow Caserio to look elsewhere for roster upgrades.

This is where Georgia’s Jalen Carter comes into play. Carter is a monstrous figure on the defensive line — and even with a defense that featured five first-round picks — he stood out on a majority of snaps. It was reported that the Texans strongly considered Carter’s former teammate, Jordan Davis, before eventually trading out of the pick to allow the Eagles the ability to select Davis. Now since trade downs are not being utilized in this exercise, they end up getting arguably the best player from the star-studded 2021 Georgia defense. Carter will step in and immediately become the leader of the defensive unit. He profiles as an elite pass rusher from the inside, and grades very well as a run blocker. It might be bold given his position, but don’t be surprised if Carter goes in the top five.