2023 NFL Mock Draft: Bijan to the Bears, Eagles Trade Down, and Zay Flowers Lands with Jets
By Hunter Haas
27. Buffalo Bills – O’Cyrus Torrence, OL, Florida
The Bills must establish an effective ground game before Josh Allen gets too deep into his career. Buffalo cannot afford to repeat the past mistakes that haunted Andrew Luck and Cam Newton.
Rather than burning another early pick on a running back, the Bills look to Florida mauler O’Cyrus Torrence to transform the run game as a rookie. Torrence is a force on the interior, clearing paths for his ball carriers at will and showing the agility to leak out to the second level of the defense when blocking.
28. Cincinnati Bengals – Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
The surprise signing of Orlando Brown Jr. led to the surprise trade request by Jonah Williams. Williams seemingly disinterested in moving from left tackle is likely to have his request honored. With a still-recovering La’el Collins at right tackle, the Williams decision leaves Cincinnati in a bind to start 2023.
Darnell Wright is arguably the most polished and NFL-ready offensive tackle in the class. At No. 28 in this mock draft, the Bengals land a guy that didn’t surrender a single sack in 2022. Joe Burrow is the biggest winner if this happens.
29. New Orleans Saints – Keion White, DL, Georgia Tech
Keion White should go higher than this, but due to age and a tweener status, he makes it to the end of the mock draft. White terrorized opposing quarterbacks coming from the interior and flying around the edge and regularly chased down running backs to stop the offense. He is a difference-maker New Orleans has been lacking for years.
30. Philadelphia Eagles – Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
I’m going to sound like a broken record, but purely on talent, Bryan Bresee is also a top-ten type of prospect. For different reasons, including inconsistent tape and injury history, the Clemson defender follows his teammate outside the top 20.
Of course, the Eagles are the team to benefit from this draft day tumble. Bresee can start instantly and provide three-down services to the Philly defense. He is a capable run defender and excels at collapsing the pocket from the interior. They’ll hardly miss Javon Hargrave!
31. Kansas City Chiefs – Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Northwestern
At the final pick in the first round the Chiefs do what the Chiefs do best and bet on the most talented player remaining. Adetomiwa Adebawore is going on day one of the draft, with Kansas City serving as his floor.
Adebawore played a role in college that didn’t allow him to spread his wings as a pass rusher off the edge. He played mostly inside and did his job eating up double teams and creating lanes for his teammates. With the Chiefs, he can learn to hone his craft and become a household name.
2nd Round
32. Pittsburgh Steelers – Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma
33. Houston Texans – Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
34. Arizona Cardinals – Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina
35. Indianapolis Colts – Steve Avila, OL, TCU
36. Los Angeles Rams – BJ Ojulari, EDGE, LSU
37. Seattle Seahawks – Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas
38. Las Vegas Raiders – Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
39. Carolina Panthers – Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina
40. New Orleans Saints – Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
41. Tennessee Titans – Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
42. Cleveland Browns – Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan
43. Green Bay Packers (via NYJ) – Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
44. Atlanta Falcons – Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
45. Green Bay Packers – Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin
46. New England Patriots – Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
47. Philadelphia Eagles (via WSH) – Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
48. Detroit Lions – Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State
49. Pittsburgh Steelers – Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa State
50. Tampa Bay Bucs – Derrick Hall, DL, Auburn
51. Miami Dolphins – Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State
52. Seattle Seahawks – John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota
53. Chicago Bears – Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame
54. Los Angeles Chargers – Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
55. Detroit Lions – Joe Tippmann, OL, Wisconsin
56. Jacksonville Jaguars – Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
57. New York Giants – DJ Turner, CB, Michigan
58. Dallas Cowboys – Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA
59. Buffalo Bills – Tank Dell, WR, Houston
60. Cincinnati Bengals – Antonio Johnson, DB, Texas A&M
61. Chicago Bears – Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State
62. Philadelphia Eagles – Cody Mauch, OL, North Dakota State
63. Kansas City Chiefs – Matthew Bergeron, OL, Syracuse