The first round of the 2023 NFL Draft delivered on excitement.
All week we heard about how this could be the most unpredictable Day 1 we’ve ever seen, and we didn’t have to wait long for the festivities to start. Carolina took quarterback Bryce Young, as was expected. Houston, despite pre-draft rumors to the contrary, went quarterback at pick No. 2, selecting C.J. Stroud like we all had postulated back in January.
But then it went off the rails.
Arizona held the No. 3 spot, and with all the holes the Cardinals needed to fill, it was widely thought they’d trade out. And they did. Except they traded out with Houston, which moved back up to take edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., making two picks in the top three.
There were seven trades. The first wide receiver didn’t go off the board until No. 20. Quarterback Will Levis is still waiting to get his name called. The Lions took a running back at No. 12 and an inside linebacker at No. 18. Seven edge rushers heard their names called.
Amid all the chaos emerged some clear-cut winners. Here are the top four from us, in no particular order.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Eagles‘ draft strategy: Take whoever wore a “G” on their helmet in college.
OK, that’s oversimplifying, but Philadelphia was unquestionably one of the first round’s winners after taking two players from Georgia: Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith. The Eagles traded up to get Carter, who made it past both Seattle and Detroit.
Philadelphia then swapped picks with the Bears at No. 9, surrendering just a fourth-round pick next year to do it. Once the pick was made, it seemed like the perfect fit.
Yes, Carter has some concerns off the field. Scouts and coaches have told me he’ll need some extra attention as he adjusts to the NFL lifestyle. But going to Philly where he’ll be surrounded by established leaders, a great team culture and even former Georgia teammates is a recipe to get the most out of his insane talent.
Georgia DT Jalen Carter highlights
I can’t tell if the fact Smith fell to the Eagles at No. 30 is dumb luck or if there’s something we’re unaware of that led so many teams to pass on himm. Sure, he’s undersized for a pass rusher, but that hasn’t stopped the Eagles before.
Carter and Smith now join former teammates Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean, both Georgia Bulldogs taken in last year’s draft, on the Eagles’ defense. Philly already looks as if they could be back in the Super Bowl again come February.
The Steelers entered this draft in dire need of an offensive tackle, but they were situated all the way back at No. 17; typically out of the range of a top-tier tackle. No problem for general manager Omar Khan, who showed remarkable poise in his first year running Pittsburgh’s draft. Sure, the Steelers had to sweat through the selections of Paris Johnson Jr. and Darnell Wright. But when the time was right, they pounced.
For the price of a measly fourth-round pick, they swapped places with New England at No. 14 and nabbed Broderick Jones. It’s not just that Jones is a plug-and-play starter who didn’t allow a sack for Georgia last season. He was also the last of the blue-chip tackle prospects, and he might well have been picked by the New York Jets just one slot later.
If that’s not reason enough to be excited, the Steelers also hold the first pick of the second round. They could use it to address their need at cornerback — perhaps by drafting Steeler legacy Joey Porter Jr.? Or perhaps they could trade away from the pick and add capital. The possibilities are endless, and very exciting.
It’s so nice to see some harmony in Baltimore. The Ravens have long been regarded as one of the most stable organizations in the NFL, but things felt awfully dysfunctional during a lengthy Lamar Jackson contract dispute.
More important than any draft pick, the Ravens squashed that beef early Thursday afternoon by agreeing to terms with Jackson on a five-year, $260 million extension. Jackson got his well-deserved payday, and the Ravens got a sense of clarity about their direction as a team. And what’d they do with that clarity? Set out to make their franchise quarterback happy.
Zay Flowers is a bit undersized at 5-foot-9, but he’s speedy and a fantastic route runner. Add him to the mix along with Mark Andrews, Odell Beckham Jr., Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor and all of a sudden the Ravens’ passing attack is intriguing. They don’t pick again until midway through the third round, so Friday’s unlikely to be as exciting. But after a tumultuous couple of months in Baltimore, Thursday was a much-needed win.
-Helman
Sure, having two picks in the first round gives you a better shot to “win” the first round. But I was ready to say Seattle won after its first pick at No. 5.
The Seahawks seemingly held their breath as three quarterbacks went in the top four picks. Houston did what they did, landing both their quarterback and a foundational defensive player in Stroud and Anderson, respectively. The aforementioned Carter was right there, and he was the best prospect left on the board.
Picking Carter would have had the added benefit of keeping him from Detroit, as well. A defensive line with Carter and the Lions’ second overall pick last year, Aidan Hutchinson, wasn’t anything anyone in the NFC wanted to see, right? Well, the Seahawks sniped the Lions. They just didn’t do it with Carter.
Seattle got this year’s best cornerback in Devon Witherspoon, who could help bring back flashes of the Legion of Boom for Seattle. Witherspoon isn’t a speedster, but neither was Richard Sherman, and Witherspoon has a knack for getting his hands on the ball.
His instincts are phenomenal, and Detroit wanted him badly. But Seattle took him first and still had pick No. 20 to look forward to.
Illinois DB Devon Witherspoon Highlights
The Seahawks took Jaxon Smith-Njigba at 20, making him the first receiver off the board. That’s likely indicative of how the NFL truly viewed this receiver class but getting the top wideout to pair with D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett is a home run for a Geno Smith-led offense, making the first round overall a home run for the Seahawks.
-Vitali
David Helman covers the Dallas Cowboys for FOX Sports. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team’s official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing “Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion” about the quarterback’s time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter at @davidhelman_.
Carmen Vitali covers the NFC North for FOX Sports. Carmen had previous stops with The Draft Network and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, including 2020, which added the title of Super Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to her résumé. You can follow Carmen on Twitter at @CarmieV.
NFL Draft coverage from FOX Sports:
National Football League
NFL trending
Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Sponsored Content
Juega en grande con cryptomonedas
