I’m back with my recap of Day 2 of the 2023 NFL draft, going through the picks I liked and didn’t like and trying to figure out which of the 32 teams got the best value.
The big news after Round 1 was the free fall of quarterback Will Levis, the No. 4 overall prospect on my Big Board. Ultimately he landed in a great spot early on Day 2, and you can see my thoughts on his fit with the Titans below.
Just like I wrote after the first round, the opinions below are based on my Big Board rankings and grades for each prospect. I’ll evaluate trades up and down the board to see which teams fared best — and worst. I’m trying to find the steals of Day 2 and the picks that confused me based on other prospects available.
My post-draft grades for all 32 teams will be out late Saturday night, and I’ll empty my notebook there. I’ll see you all early on Saturday as we’ll be back for Rounds 4-7 (noon ET on ESPN, ABC and the ESPN App).
Here are my best available prospects heading into Saturday: DT Adetomiwa Adebawore (No. 42 overall); CB Kelee Ringo (63); CB Darius Rush (66); OT Blake Freeland (68); CB Carrington Valentine (69).
coverage:
Round 1 recap: Who fared well
Kiper’s final Big Board
Consensus position rankings
Biggest winners and my favorite picks from Rounds 2 and 3
The picks: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky (No. 33); Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane (No. 81)
C’mon, after Levis dropped out of Round 1, you knew I’d have the team that picked him listed among the Day 2 winners. I really believe Levis is going to be a productive, early starter, and it could be as soon as Week 1 this season. Tennessee has veteran Ryan Tannehill, but he’s owed no guaranteed money in 2023. He could be released before the season. Malik Willis, a third-rounder last year, was drafted by former general manager Jon Robinson. Levis has a chance to come in and compete and try to win the job.
Why do I believe in Levis’ ability? Because he can do everything at a high level, even if he was reckless at times last season. He has a stellar arm, can escape the pocket and pick up first downs with his legs, he’s tough, and he’s accurate when he has time to throw. With NFL-level talent around him, he’s going to be even better. Plus, here’s a fun reminder, from ESPN Stats & Info: Levis is the first quarterback selected No. 33 overall since Brett Favre in 1991.
With Levis in Round 2 and offensive lineman Peter Skoronski in Round 1, I like what general manager Ran Carthon is building. Now, all eyes are on the AFC South quarterbacks as Houston (C.J. Stroud) and Indianapolis (Anthony Richardson) also made additions.
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Titans trade up to select Will Levis
The Titans trade up to the 33rd pick to draft Kentucky QB Will Levis.
I should mention, too: Tennessee moved up eight spots with Arizona to get Levis, giving up Nos. 41 and 72 plus a third-rounder next year (and getting No. 81). That’s quite a bit to make the move, but again, I’m a fan of Levis.
The Titans closed out their Day 2 with Spears, a big-play machine who broke a ton of tackles and put up 1,581 rushing yards last season. He has a knee injury that caused him to drop out of the second round, but the Titans have seen his medicals and must feel comfortable. With the rumblings that Derrick Henry might be around for only one more season in Tennessee, this is a nice get.
The picks: Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State (No. 42); Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State (No. 50); Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State (No. 78)
I said to start the broadcast on Friday night that I wanted to see the Packers take one of the tight ends early in Round 2, and they did that … and more. Musgrave is an intriguing combination of size and speed. He played in just two games last season because of a knee injury. At 6-foot-6, 253 pounds, though, he has all the talent in the world, and he was starting to put things together before his injury. This is a good pick to help out young quarterback Jordan Love.
Green Bay then added Reed and Kraft, one of my favorite prospects in this class, replenishing its depth chart. Kraft is more advanced as a blocker, but I could see coach Matt LaFleur using both tight ends at the same time. They have versatility to line up in the slot. The Reed pick was a little high based on other receivers on the board, but the Packers have to be considered a Day 2 winner because of how they’re putting playmakers around Love.
The picks: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State (No. 32); Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin (No. 49); Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia (No. 93)
The Steelers kicked off Day 2 with a guy I thought they might take in Round 1. I had matched Porter to them at No. 17 a couple of times, but they instead addressed their O-line on Thursday. They waited out the corners and landed my No. 22 overall prospect. Porter is long and physical, and though he only had one career interception, I think his ball skills will improve at the next level. The son of another former Pittsburgh draft pick landed in a perfect spot. And he’ll get to learn the tricks of the trade from veteran Patrick Peterson.
The Steelers also added the big defensive tackle Benton, and though I’m lower on him than Todd McShay, I see why they did it. He’s my No. 6 defensive tackle; I thought he’d go in Round 3. This isn’t that big of a reach, but he needs to be more than just a run-stuffer to up his game. On tape, I see him flash pass-rush talent, but he wasn’t consistent enough.
As for Washington, I believe he dropped because of some medical concerns, though I don’t have details. At 6-foot-7, 264 pounds, he has a first-round frame and is extremely talented, but he didn’t produce much at Georgia. If he gets healthy, though, this could be tremendous value.
The picks: John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota (No. 57); Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee (No. 73)
The Giants landed my top-ranked center in Schmitz late in Round 2. That’s a steal. He fills an immediate need. I was surprised he lasted that long.
They followed that by trading up 16 spots to snag Hyatt, giving up No. 128 in the process. Hyatt is a speedster who can be a deep threat out of the slot, though he needs to refine his route running. He’s my fifth-ranked wideout, and I thought he could have snuck into the first round for the right team. What a draft the Giants are having. I also really liked cornerback Deonte Banks on Thursday. They have come out of the first two days with three of my top 45 prospects.
The picks: Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa (No. 34); Brian Branch, S, Alabama (No. 45); Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee (No. 68)
I questioned what the Lions did in Round 1, but I have no qualms with LaPorta. I recently moved him up my Big Board — he’s No. 36 overall and is the No. 3 tight end in my rankings. You talk about all the tight ends Iowa has produced, but it’s LaPorta who is the career leader in receptions (153). He is outstanding after the catch. Now, unlike most Hawkeyes tight ends, he needs to be more consistent as a blocker, but he has upside in the pass game. I like this selection, which came from Detroit’s trade back with Arizona in Round 1.
The Lions then made an intra-division trade with the Packers to take my top-ranked safety in this class. Branch played mostly as a nickel corner for Alabama, but I see him as a versatile safety who could be a center fielder. To make this deal and move up three spots, Detroit gave up Nos. 48 and 159. These first two picks on Day 2 are tremendous.
With their final pick of Day 2, the Lions made the fascinating call to snag Hooker. There was lots of buzz that he wouldn’t make it out of the top 40, but he instead landed in a nice spot. There won’t be pressure on him to play immediately, as Jared Goff is the clear starter. He can now focus on picking up an NFL offense and improving his mechanics, while Detroit can get a look at a potential long-term passer. I had a mid Round 2 grade on him, so this was solid value.
More picks I liked in Rounds 2 and 3
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I really thought linebacker Trenton Simpson would be off the board by the top 40, maybe even as high as Buffalo at No. 27. Instead, he tumbled down the board, and Baltimore took him at No. 86. That is tremendous value. Simpson has the best cover ability of the off-ball ‘backers in this class. He ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the combine. Again, this could be the best value pick so far.
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Josh Downs is a great selection by the Colts, and he’ll be an easy outlet for Anthony Richardson. Indy got him at No. 79, but I had him at No. 50. He’s one of the best slot receivers in the class.
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Inside linebacker Drew Sanders found a great fit in Denver at No. 67, and I had him ranked No. 37 on my board. At 6-foot-4, he has range in the run game and some potential as a blitzer. This could be a steal. I also liked safety Riley Moss to the Broncos at No. 83, but they gave up a 2024 third-rounder to move up, which is a lot.
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Keion White is another typical Bill Belichick pick after the Patriots snagged cornerback Christian Gonzalez in Round 1. New England got great value on my board with the 6-foot-5, 285 pound White at No. 46 overall. I have him as my No. 31 prospect. He’s versatile enough to play outside or inside along a flexible front.
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Rashee Rice will love playing in Kansas City, and Patrick Mahomes will love Rice, who was tremendous on vertical routes last season. He’s not a burner, but at 6-foot-1, he can go up and get deep balls. I like this selection at No. 55.
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Miami got my third-ranked running back Devon Achane at No. 84, and I love his potential of making an impact as a rookie. He ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash at the combine — he can fly. He also has some receiving ability. For a team that didn’t have a first-rounder, the Dolphins have done well.
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Buffalo filled a hole with guard O’Cyrus Torrence, a pancake machine, at No. 59. He plows over defenders in the run game.
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Tyler Steen is an intriguing swing tackle prospect for the Eagles, who already have experienced veterans at both starting spots. Philly took him at No. 65, but he’s a top-50 prospect in my rankings.
Questionable picks and reaches from Rounds 2 and 3
The picks: Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida (No. 53); Zacch Pickens, DT, South Carolina (No. 64)
Dexter was the first prospect drafted who ranked outside my top 100. At 6-foot-6, 310 pounds, he looks the part, and he also tested well at the combine. I didn’t love his tape, though. Is he just a run-stuffer? The Bears double up at defensive tackle with Pickens, who has a little more pass-rush upside. Dexter likely will play more as the nose while Pickens can be a penetrator.
Chicago is building from the trenches, which I get, but the organization passed on elite tackle Jalen Carter in the first round and opted for two reaches on Day 2 who ranked outside the top 10 at the position.
The picks: Derick Hall, OLB, Auburn (No. 37); Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA (No. 52)
The Seahawks took Hall 23 spots higher than I had him in my rankings. They took him over both Byron Young and BJ Ojulari, whom I would have preferred. He has some juice as an edge rusher, but Young would have made an instant impact for Seattle.
I also scratched my head at yet another second-round running back for Seattle. The value is fine with Charbonnet, and I actually think he’s a good player, but this team just took Kenneth Walker a year ago. Is this the best use of resources? Of course, Charbonnet was the Seahawks’ fourth pick in the first two rounds thanks to the Russell Wilson trade, so maybe they saw this as a luxury they could afford.
The pick: Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State (No. 44)
I mentioned the Colts above, but it was interesting to see the Colts pass on a few corners in favor of Brents, whom I rated as the No. 10 CB in this class. He went ahead of Kelee Ringo, Cam Smith, Tyrique Stevenson and DJ Turner. That surprised me.
Brents is 6-foot-3 and super long, but he doesn’t have stellar straight-line speed. Will he be able to flip his hips and run with No. 1 NFL wideouts? His tape didn’t match his combine workout. While this fills a need for Indianapolis, I would have gone elsewhere.
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I thought the Saints went about a round too high for edge rusher Isaiah Foskey. They took him at No. 40. At 6-foot-5, he looks like a great pass-rusher, but he did not consistently pressure quarterbacks last season.
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The Chargers kept former USC defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu in Los Angeles, but I gave him a third-round grade. He went No. 54 overall. He’s a tweener — 6-foot-3, 266 pounds — and I’m not sure he can play full time at end or tackle. He has some pass-rush ability, but this was high.
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Houston traded up into Round 2 for Juice Scruggs, my fourth-ranked center, but this was not a great center class overall. I thought he’d land in Round 4.
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I was really surprised to see Alabama’s Byron Young go before Tennessee’s Byron Young. Yes, there are two defensive line prospects with the same name in this draft class. The Raiders took the Crimson Tide defensive tackle at No. 70, when I thought he could go in the fifth round. I don’t see the upside that would put him near the top of the third round. The Volunteers’ Young went to the Rams at No. 77.
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Edge rusher DJ Johnson went about two rounds early, as Carolina traded up for him at No. 80 overall. He had six sacks last season, but high-end traits don’t stand out when I watch his tape.
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Defensive tackle Kobie Turner was the first player outside my top 200 to be drafted. The Rams took him at No. 89.
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The 49ers took my second-ranked kicker late in Round 3. I liked Chad Ryland over Jake Moody. No. 99 is really high.
