2023 Mock Draft: Four Teams Land New QBs in the Top 10, Bijan Robinson Takes Talents to Detroit, and More!
By Hunter Haas
Week 16 of the NFL season is in the books, and with the playoff picture shaping up, the top of the NFL Draft order is starting to take form. The Houston Texans have held the No. 1 spot in our mock draft for most of the season, with the Chicago Bears right on their heels.
Thanks to the now disastrous Russell Wilson trade, the Seattle Seahawks sit at No. 3, reaping the benefits of Denver’s disappointing 2022 season. The Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts, two teams that entered 2022 with postseason ambitions, round out the top five of the current NFL Draft order (via Tankathon).
2023 Mock Draft: Four Teams Land New QBs in the Top 10, Bijan Robinson Takes Talents to Detroit, and More!
As usual, the quarterback position figures to be the focal point of day one. As many as four signal-callers could hear their name called within the first 10 selections of the 2023 NFL Draft. Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s CJ Stroud have been mainstays in the QB1 conversation, but Kentucky’s Will Levis and Florida’s Anthony Richardson possess tantalizing traits behind center and could win over a front office picking early in the NFL Draft.
Other positions stocked with talent include cornerback, edge rusher, wide receiver, and running back. It is a great year to need help at premium positions on the roster. This mock draft sees numerous players at each position taken in round one. Enough talking… let’s get things rolling!
1. Houston Texans – Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
It would not be a shocker to see the Houston Texans add talent to the roster during the 2023 NFL Draft, and choose to wait until 2024 to land their signal-caller of the future. However, this quarterback class features some intriguing options. Nick Caserio enters his third NFL Draft as the GM in Houston, so my gut says he is ready to get his franchise centerpiece on offense.
Who could that be? All four quarterbacks named in the opening will be in play at No. 1, but the prospect I would select is 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, Bryce Young. Young, unlike Crimson Tide quarterbacks before him, was frequently asked to carry the team, and rarely did he falter. The concern with his size (6’, 194 pounds) is not unfounded, but his arm talent, leadership, and poise under pressure overshadow the worry. Hopefully, the NFL doesn’t overthink it.
2. Chicago Bears – Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia
The Chicago Bears have watched Justin Fields blossom in year two under a new coaching staff. There is still room for improvement, but Fields has quieted the “bust” talk. The ideal way to support their young quarterback is by beefing up the offensive line, but the position lacks a top-five talent, and the best player in the class is still on the board at this point of the mock draft.
Georgia’s Jalen Carter is the best player on the Bulldog defense in 2022, the same way he was in 2021. On a team full of NFL talent, #88 routinely stood out on tape. Carter is the rare interior defender that can single-handedly collapse a pocket from within. He fills multiple gaps as a run stuffer and shows freaky lateral mobility when pursuing a tackle. Carter is exactly what the doctor ordered for Chicago.
3. Seattle Seahawks (via DEN) – Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
Oh boy… I know some Seattle fans who will not be happy with me, but the Will Levis-Seahawks pairing makes sense on paper. Levis is experienced lining up under center, excels at selling the play action, and drips NFL-caliber traits. It will take better decision-making and improved technique for Levis to become a top signal-caller in the NFL, but the Seahawks have a long track record of developing talent.
Geno Smith opened the 2022 season with spectacular performance after spectacular performance but has cooled down considerably since November began. The team has lost five of its past six, coinciding with the downturn in Smith’s play. General manager John Schneider built a wall on the offensive line in last year’s NFL Draft; now he gets the future at quarterback. Re-signing Smith and easing Levis in presents the best option for all parties.