2023 NFL Mock Draft: Colts, Buccaneers trade up for QBs; Bears stockpile picks for future

Bryce Young might be historically undersized by successful NFL QB standards, but we don’t care. He’s been that good for Alabama, dragging that team to victory just about every week. And he did it with none of the playmakers that made life so much easier for Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones in previous years.

C.J. Stroud flew under the national media radar for much of the fall, but some NFL teams will tell you he’ll be in the running for QB1, and his performance in the semifinal game vs. Georgia back in January showed that he can beat you with his arm and his legs.

Jalen Carter, who was arguably the best defender on a 2021 Georgia D that had five first-round picks, would be an easy pick for the Cardinals here.

The Bears moved on from Robert Quinn before the trade deadline so they’ll be in the market for an edge rusher this offseason, and Will Anderson is in the same pre-draft conversations as Chase Young and Nick Bosa when it comes to best non-QB players in a class. Added bonus: Chicago stockpiles picks with the draft down to No. 4.

The more you watch of Wilson, the more you love his game. Not only what he put on tape at Texas Tech but his upside 2-3 years down the road. He’s long, has the frame to add weight if needed and he’s a dominant, high-motor pass rusher who can take over games.

Porter is the prototypical big, physical cornerback who looks like he belongs in the NFL. He can sometimes get a little too handsy downfield, but he checks many of the boxes of what team’s look for when drafting DBs. Is this too early for Porter? Maybe … then again, there is a premium on big, physical cornerbacks; in recent drafts Sauce, Stingley, Jaycee and Surtain were all taken early in the first round.

Richardson is one of the most exciting prospects in this class. The problem: He’s short on experience, and while his physical tools are rare, wherever he lands, it has to come with the understanding that he shouldn’t be rushed onto the field. Josh McDaniels has a history of developing QBs and Richardson has a chance to be special.

Tom Brady has re-retired and the Bucs currently have Kyle Trask under contract … and that’s it. This would be a bold move, but if Tampa stays at No. 19, four QBs will be off the board. Levis, who definitely looks the part, was plagued by injuries and poor play all fall. That said, NFL teams love how he projects to the next level, but he’ll be a controversial talking point in the coming months.

Murphy turned 21 in early January, and while we’d like to see him play with more consistency … he just turned 21 in early January. He has all the physical tools you look for in an elite edge defender and it’s easy to see him in a few years being dominant. And that, in large part, is what makes him such an interesting prospect.

Gonzalez, a Colorado transfer, is a big-time athlete who is still growing into the position. He has the size, strength and speed to line up against NFL wide receivers; he just needs to improve in run support.

Skoronski is solid and consistent, which are two of the best things you can say about an offensive lineman. The biggest issue he’ll face during the pre-draft process will be arm length and whether his NFL future is at tackle or guard.

Johnston’s an above-the-rim playmaker whose athleticism and contested-catch abilities make him WR1 at this point in the proceedings. The Texans drafted their QB of the future at No. 2 and now they give Stroud an explosive playmaker.

Paris Johnson, who plays left tackle for the Buckeyes this season, also has experience on the interior; either way, he is a Day 1 starter.

The Patriots have needs at wide receiver, but instead look first to bolster the offensive line. Wright had Day 3 grades coming into the 2022 season and was dominant for the Vols, and he capped that off with a strong Senior Bowl week. Don’t be surprised if he makes his way into Round 1.

Addison isn’t a big target, but he’s one of the most dynamic players in the country who can line up anywhere. Whether it’s Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love or the QB behind Door No. 3, the Packers need to break the 20-year drought of not taking a wideout in the first round.

Witherspoon had a great season for the Illini and while there will be questions about his slight frame, you wouldn’t know it to watch him play.

Van Ness never started a game at Iowa but that’s not the point. The point is that NFL teams love his size, his athleticism and where his game could be a couple of years from now. Purdue’s George Karlaftis went at the end of Round 1 a year ago, and USC’s Drake Jackson went a round later; both players were high-upside prospects who exceeded expectations as rookies. Van Ness is in the same conversation, but could be the best of the bunch.

White was another player who had a great week at the Senior Bowl, and NFL teams love his size (6-foot-4, 280 pounds) and his motor. He consistently wins at the line of scrimmage and is good against both the run and getting after the quarterback. He may eventually end up going early on Day 2, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him slip into the first round.

Maryland teammate and fellow CB Jakorian Bennett got much of the buzz in the fall, but Banks put together the type of season that will land you in the top-50 conversation. He’s a fluid athlete who is also a big, physical corner who can match up with NFL wide receivers.

Branch isn’t the first name you hear about when the conversation turns to Alabama’s defense, but maybe he should be. He’s a sure tackler, can blitz off the edge, and is solid in coverage, and if Nick Saban trusts him, that’s all you need to know about his NFL prospects.

We’ll see if Jones ultimately find his way into the first round, but it’s hard to overlook just how dominant he was in one day of practice at the Senior Bowl. Yes, his footwork needs some fine-tuning but his huge frame, long arms and enormous wingspan more than make up for what he lacks in quickness. He’s block-out-the-sun big, even when standing next to his offensive linemates.

Torrence transferred from Louisiana and didn’t miss a beat. He was dominant for Florida last fall, he was dominant during Senior Bowl practices and if history is any guide, he’ll be dominant in the NFL, too.

The Georgia-to-first-round pipeline continues. A year after five Bulldogs went in Round 1, expect a handful this time around too. Ringo is a long, physical corner who has matched up against some of the best players in the country.

Mayer is more Gronk than Kelce but that’s not a bad thing. He won’t test as well as some of the other, more athletic TEs in this class, but he does everything well. In Jacksonville, he could replace Evan Engram, if the team is unable to re-sign him after a career year.

Smith-Njigba barely saw the field during the 2022 season because of injuries but he’s still one of the top wideouts in the class. It’s easy to forget that he led the 2021 Buckeyes in receptions and that corps included first-rounders Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, and future first-rounder Marvin Harrison Jr.

Hyatt wasn’t in the first-round conversation heading into the 2022 season but he’s a great example of a player taking advantage of his opportunities, thanks in large part to Hendon Hooker’s Heisman Trophy campaign. Hyatt is a bona fide deep threat who consistently stacks defensive backs who were helpless to do much about it all season.

Sanders is a former five-star prospect who transferred from Alabama after the 2021 season and all he did was show out for the Razorbacks. He was an edge rusher for the Crimson Tide, but he lined up all over the defense for Arkansas and he’s been a one-man wrecking crew when he’s on the field.

Jones had had a strong ’22 campaign for the Bulldogs, where he has faced some of the best defensive players in the country every day at practice for the last two years. He’s not yet a finished product, but he has the athleticism and strength to be a difference-maker when he puts it all together.

Good news: The Saints got a much-needed first-round pick in the Sean Payton deal. Bad news: It’s not nearly high enough to land the team a QB. Instead, the focus is on defense. Brady Roby and PJ Williams are set to be free agents and Cam Smith is a first-round talent who can be a Day 1 contributor.

Robinson is special, and while he is probably one of the best players in this class, he could still be around late in Round 1 because he’s a running back. Do the Eagles NEED him? No, but this offense, which was unstoppable for most of the season, would be even better in ’23 with him in the backfield. Put another way: There are worse things than adding a Saquon Barkley-type talent to this offense.

Ojulari, whose brother played at Georgia and plays for the Giants, had a solid campaign for the Tigers, and he has many of the same explosive qualities that made his brother so hard to block for the Bulldogs. Ojulari could end up being better than Azeez, and that’s saying something.