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

7. New York Jets: Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson

The New York Jets consistently ranked among the top of most “Off-Season Winner” articles, and rightfully so. General manager Joe Douglas outdid himself with the talent that he added to the fold. The team brought in a potential No. 1 wide receiver, No. 1 running back, No. 1 cornerback, and even a No. 1 pass rusher. Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, Sauce Gardner, and Jermaine Johnson will serve as pillars going into the future. Zach Wilson is going to be given every chance to prove he was worth the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. With the offense mostly set, and a number of high potential players on defense, what is the move for the Jets?

I went with the best player available approach, giving the Gang Green one of the better pass rushing prospects in years. Clemson’s Myles Murphy is one of only four Tigers to ever record multiple seasons with multiple forced fumbles and at least four sacks. He has produced from the moment he arrived on campus, and is going to bring that same immediate contribution to whoever drafts him. Murphy looks as though he was built in a lab, especially when you see him pursue a ball carrier or quarterback. He is a superb athlete, showing the ability to “out-strength” his opposition, while also being so fleet of foot that defenders are often left in his dust. Carl Lawson is returning from injury for the Jets, but Murphy is too tantalizing of a prospect to pass on here. Robert Saleh loves his defense.

8. New York Giants: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

There is a lot of projecting involved with this pick, I can admit as much. The New York Giants declined the fifth-year option on their starting quarterback Daniel Jones, leaving the future cloudy for both Jones and the Giants. The former No. 6 overall pick is getting a fair shot to prove he’s a viable option for the new regime to build around. Brian Daboll, former Bills’ offensive coordinator, is taking over as the head coach in New York. He is often credited with the development of perennial MVP candidate, Josh Allen, leading some to believe he could do the same for Jones (on a smaller scale). While Daboll is an offensive mastermind, he is not a miracle worker. Unless Jones completely flips the script, I expect the Giants to be looking for a quarterback next off-season.

Will Levis committed to Penn State out of high school, and after spending time as a backup, he opted to enter his name into the transfer portal. Under the tutelage of Liam Cohen, the star quarterback grew in leaps and bounds as he won the starting gig for the Kentucky Wildcats. Cohen unlocked a different side of Levis, helping the quarterback grow his confidence, while incorporating offensive sets that Cohen learned in prior stints with the Los Angeles Rams. Given Levis’ understanding of pro-style concepts, and proficiency in selling the play action, he shouldn’t take long to learn the ropes. This will shoot him up the draft board if he’s able to build upon his strong 2021 campaign. Oh yeah, he would also get to team up with his former go-to target at Kentucky, the Giants No. 43 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft — wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson.

9. Carolina Panthers: Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame

The Panthers are one of the most puzzling teams in the NFL. During Matt Rhule’s time at the helm, the franchise has drafted very well. The issue is, they’ve thrown a number of their draft resources at the quarterback position. Those moves include the risky Sam Darnold trade, the move to trade up for 2022 rookie Matt Corral, and the most recent trade for the disgruntled Baker Mayfield. The top three quarterbacks went off the board already, so rather than having Carolina reach for another shot-in-the-dark, I’m going to take a different approach.

The Panthers have Brian Burns on the edge, and he has shown flashes of being the top pass rusher on an NFL roster. Still, he cannot do it all on his own. Notre Dame’s Isaiah Foskey reached the double-digit mark, recording ten sacks in his breakout 2021 season. He forced an astonishing six fumbles, proving to be one of the biggest game-changers in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft pool. Foskey and Burns can cause disruption every snap, and I can tell you I would lose sleep if I had to game plan for a defense featuring those two coming off the edge.

10. Washington Commanders: Paris Johnson Jr., OL, Ohio State

It is no secret that the Commanders love themselves some Buckeye talent. Their two best players, Terry McLaurin and Chase Young, both proudly rep Ohio State. They are much more well-rounded as a roster than most would expect, so it’s complete guesswork when it comes to their selection here. I’ll go with an offensive lineman, because you can never have too many of those. After losing former All-Pro guard, Brandon Scherff, the Commanders replaced him with (yes you guessed it) another Ohio State alum, Andrew Norwell, but that won’t be enough considering he’s entering his age-31 season.

Paris Johnson Jr. played inside on the offensive line last season, but he will assume the role of left tackle in 2022. He is built better for the outside, but I still like his potential at guard. The franchise signed Charles Leno Jr. to an extension, and drafted Samuel Cosmi in the 2021 NFL Draft. Assuming a smooth transition, Johnson could step in to fill any role on the offensive line for Washington. Maybe they go with a defensive player here, but in order to get the best out of Carson Wentz at quarterback, he must feel protected.