For some reason, I don’t see any other pick here but Cam Smith. Please don’t ask me why because I don’t have a great answer other than the Bengals needing help at cornerback. Smith is aggressive and should play great next to Cam Taylor-Britt. I would be genuinely surprised if this is any other pick come May.
Back-to-back Smiths for my second mock draft in a row! Now I feel like I have to do it every time. Mazi Smith will be a great addition to a Saints defensive line that needs him. He is another player that tested great at the Combine and should be a plug-and-play day-one starter for the Saints.
Another one of the biggest steals of the mock draft. Murphy is the most freakish athlete in the 2023 NFL Draft. And yes, I say that knowing what Nolan Smith did at the Combine. The only reason I see him falling is how raw of a prospect he is. If the Eagles can clean up his game, he should be an elite NFL pass rusher for many years.
Remember earlier how I said the Raiders weren’t done at quarterback? Here you go—a little inter-divisional trade to end the first round. Tanner Mckee is a perfect signal-caller for Josh McDaniels’ system.
While they may be able to get him early in the second round, drafting McKee here gives you that coveted fifth-year option. This will allow McKee to potentially sit for his first season behind Jimmy Garoppolo and still have plenty of time to evaluate his on-field performance.