2023 NFL mock draft 4.0: QB prospect makes big jump into top 10 as scouting combine beckons
NFL draft season is in full swing with the scouting combine starting up next week. A brand new mock draft, with four quarterbacks in the top seven picks, is what you need to get your own takes percolating.
1. Chicago Bears
Georgia DL Jalen Carter
This guy is the best player in the draft. A defensive tackle going first overall might seem a bit rich, but Jalen Carter has the talent to be among the best in the league as a rookie. He’s really that special of a talent.
2. Houston Texans
Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud
The Texans are almost guaranteed to draft a quarterback with this pick and C.J. Stroud might have the cleanest floor with a high ceiling to improve and become a gamebreaker for Houston.
3. Arizona Cardinals
Alabama EDGE Will Anderson Jr.
Jonathan Gannon is going to need a massive upgrade in defensive line talent if he wants to recreate the success he had in Philadelphia. Will Anderson is a great start on that, but even he will need some help around him in free agency and the later rounds of the draft.
4. Indianapolis Colts
Alabama QB Bryce Young
Bryce Young might be a nice fit for the offense that new head coach Shane Steichen is going to install with the Colts. Young will be one of the smallest quarterbacks to get drafted this highly, but his play warrants it.
5. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos)
Texas Tech EDGE Tyree Wilson
Tyree Wilson should see a big boost in his draft stock after the NFL combine next week. Wilson is a big, productive, athletic pass rusher that has a chance to be a dominant pro if he ends up with the right team.
6. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams)
Florida QB Anthony Richardson
Anthony Richardson has a massive skill set that needs some time to marinate, but he will hear his name called fairly early in the upcoming draft. This is an ideal spot for Richardson, where he can compete with veteran Jared Goff while he tweaks his game a bit to make him a productive pro quarterback.
7. Las Vegas Raiders
Kentucky QB Will Levis
The Raiders need a quarterback and this is the last viable one they can take at this spot.
8. Atlanta Falcons
Clemson EDGE Myles Murphy
Grady Jarrett deserves better. He needs a running mate to ease some of the heavy lifting as he hits the back nine of his career. Myles Murphy might not project to be a leadoff pass rusher, but the Falcons can’t be picky. He’s still a high upside talent at a major position of need.
9. Carolina Panthers
Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon
This may seem like a worst-case scenario for the Panthers, but they can still add some premium defensive talent to their roster. Devon Witherspoon would give them a hellacious young secondary for Ejiro Evero to work with.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans Saints)
Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez
The rich get richer. The Eagles can add an uber-talented, physical corner to make their defense even better than it was this past season.
11. Tennessee Titans
Ohio State OT Paris Johnson Jr.
Taylor Lewan is officially gone from the Titans, creating a massive hole at left tackle for the short and long term. Paris Johnson Jr. is a plug-and-play left tackle that has the profile of a franchise cornerstone.
12. Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns)
Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
The Texans can pair their newly drafted franchise quarterback with a familiar face. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a bit of a specific fit due to his slot wide receiver profile, but the Texans would need talented bodies for C.J. Stroud to throw to in this scenario.
13. New York Jets
Northwestern OT Peter Skoronski
The Jets can add some insurance at tackle by picking Skoronski at this point. If Mekhi Becton can get back to moving in the right direction, they would have a kickass tackle duo for the long term.
14. New England Patriots
USC WR Jordan Addison
New England needs offensive talent to go along with the scheme overhaul. Jordan Addison would fit well in the offenses that Bill O’Brien has run in the past, so he gets added to a group that needs polish and big-play ability at wide receiver.
15. Green Bay Packers
TCU WR Quentin Johnston
Whether or not the Packers’ quarterback is Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love, they need to upgrade their wide receiver room. Quentin Johnston has the size and skills to be a quick fix and long-term option.
16. Washington Commanders
Florida G O'Cyrus Torrence
The Commanders need help up front, and Torrence has a chance to be a lockdown guard on the interior. Assuming the Commanders are really serious about this Sam Howell thing, they need to build up this supporting cast.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers
Oklahoma OT Anton Harrison
The Steelers need an anchor at tackle for Kenny Pickett and the rest of their young offense. Anton Harrison is a younger tackle, but he has massive upside to be one of the better tackles in the league.
18. Detroit Lions
Alabama CB/S Brian Branch
A versatile defensive back to put in the middle of the Lions’ secondary. Branch and Jeff Okudah would give Detroit two young, physical defensive backs to continue to build around.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer
Michael Mayer is the clear-cut best tight end in the draft and adds a lot to a Buccaneers offense just by being an elite talent at his position. Not a huge need, but he’s the best player available here.
20. Seattle Seahawks
Iowa EDGE Lukas Van Ness
Double dip! The Seahawks already took Tyree Wilson, but now they can add another player who has a bit more positional flexibility along the defensive line. Lukas Van Ness played a fair amount of interior snaps for the Iowa Hawkeyes during his time there.
21. Los Angeles Chargers
Maryland CB Deonte Banks
A little boost at cornerback for a defense that played way better down the stretch without the talent they thought they would have at the start of the season.
22. Baltimore Ravens
Georgia OT Broderick Jones
Broderick Jones is a high-upside offensive tackle that moves well, but he’s a little raw in terms of his technique. Still, he makes sense as an option across from Ronnie Stanley for the Ravens’ offense.
23. Minnesota Vikings
Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr.
New defensive coordinator Brian Flores needs more athleticism at cornerback than he currently has with the Vikings setup. Joey Porter Jr. can fix that.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
Clemson DT Bryan Bresee
Bresee’s stock seems to be all over the place, but he’s a good fit for what the Jaguars can continue to add on defense, especially if they’re really serious about Travon Walker being strictly an edge rusher.
25. New York Giants
Utah TE Dalton Kincaid
An athletic tight end to give the Giants another bonafide offensive weapon beyond Saquon Barkley, should they bring him back.
26. Dallas Cowboys
Michigan DL Mazi Smith
Mazi Smith might end up being the star of the Combine if he performs up to standards of being on Bruce Feldman’s annual freak list. He’s supposed to have a dominant showing even though he weighs more than 330 pounds.
27. Buffalo Bills
Ohio State IOL Luke Wypler
The Bills need a little more force up front to help take the load off of Josh Allen. Here’s a young, talented interior lineman from Ohio State that can help with that.
28. Cincinnati Bengals
Ohio State OT Dawand Jones
Once again, the Bengals need a right tackle. Jones is a little rough around the edges, but it’s hard to find guys at his size that can play on the edge in the NFL.
29. New Orleans Saints (via San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos)
Georgia CB Kelee Ringo
Kelee Ringo’s fall ends here. The Saints might have the best corner trio in the league with Marshon Lattimore, Alontae Taylor and Ringo.
30. Philadelphia Eagles
Texas RB Bijan Robinson
Jalen Hurts and Bijan Robinson is too tempting of a pairing for the Eagles to pass on here.
31. Kansas City Chiefs
Boston College WR Zay Flowers
Another young wide receiver for the Chiefs since apparently that’s their secret sauce to winning the Super Bowl.
(One first-round pick was forfeited by the Miami Dolphins as a result of the NFL's tampering investigation.)
Teams without a first-round pick
37. Los Angeles Rams
Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs
An explosive running back to help give the Rams a higher floor than they’ve recently had.
43. Cleveland Browns
LSU WR Kayshon Boutte
The Browns have revamped their defense and special teams with new coordinators, but they go offense here, with a weapon for Deshaun Watson who flashed top-10 talent at times during his college career.
52. Miami Dolphins
Georgia TE Darnell Washington
The tight end that can take Mike McDaniels’ running game to another level. He blocks better than most offensive linemen.
68. Denver Broncos (via Indianapolis Colts)
Stanford QB Tanner McKee
A young quarterback to pair with Davis Webb, who's in town for the sole goal of coaching Russell Wilson.
100. San Francisco 49ers
Alabama S Jordan Battle
Battle fits the attitude that the 49ers defense plays with and he’s got some upside as someone who played early in Nick Saban’s defense.
