NFL Draft News & Analysis

2023 NFL Mock Draft: Sam Monson and Steve Palazzolo mock the first round, sending Bryce Young to the Carolina Panthers at No. 1 overall

Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young (9) warms up before the start against the LSU Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

On the heels of the first wave of NFL free agency, PFF's Sam Monson and Steve Palazzolo host a live 2023 NFL mock draft using PFF's mock draft simulator.


1. Carolina Panthers (via CHI): QB Bryce Young, Alabama

An offensive coordinator will have to do some things to scheme around Young's height, but it's a small price to pay for everything else he brings to the table.


2. Houston Texans: QB Anthony Richardson, Florida

High-end play wins Super Bowls, and no one has a higher end in this class than Richardson. Now, what are the chances he reaches that or even comes close?

PFF's 2023 NFL Draft Guide is available for download to all PFF+ subscribers. Click here to download the guide today! 

3. Las Vegas Raiders (via ARZ): QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State

(Trade: Arizona sends No. 3, Las Vegas sends Nos. 7 and 100) 

As a passer, Stroud is nothing like the other two first-round quarterbacks who came out of Ohio State before him. And that bodes well for his NFL prospects.


4. Indianapolis Colts: QB Will Levis, Kentucky

Levis' tape has so much to like from a tools and NFL-readiness standpoint, but his accuracy – or lack thereof – is borderline untenable at this point.


5. Seattle Seahawks (via DEN): EDGE Will Anderson Jr., Alabama

Elite production and elite tools. That's an easy combination to draft highly.


6. Detroit Lions (via LAR): DI Jalen Carter, Georgia

Carter is as good a DT prospect as we've seen since we started grading college in 2014. A complete prospect.


7. Arizona Cardinals (via LV): CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon

(Trade: Arizona sends No. 3, Las Vegas sends Nos. 7 and 100) 

Gonzalez is the total package physically. He's got all-pro tools but just needs a little refinement to get there.


8. Atlanta Falcons: CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois

Witherspoon may not have an elite physical skill set for the position, but his senior year tape was as good as we've seen in our nine years of college grading.


9. Chicago Bears (via CAR): OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern

Skoronski has the highest floor of any offensive lineman in the draft class. It may just come at guard, though.


10. Philadelphia Eagles (via NO): DI Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh

He may have to start off as a designated pass-rusher, but he can truly excel in that role. There's little doubt he's going to impact QBs at the next level.


11. Tennessee Titans: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State

If you don't have a well-defined slot role in your offense, JSN isn't worth a first-rounder. If you do, he should be your WR1.

PFF's 2023 NFL Draft Guide is available for download to all PFF+ subscribers. Click here to download the guide today! 

12. Houston Texans (via CLE): WR Quentin Johnston, TCU

It's all there. Every uncoachable physical tool – Johnston has.


13. New York Jets: OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State

You can expect some growing pains early on due to Johnson's limited experience, but that's the nature of the tackle position. If he's dedicated to his craft, he'll be a stud.


14. New England Patriots: CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State

Porter is a high football IQ cornerback with the kind of size and physicality everyone is looking for. If he was a slightly better athlete, he'd be a top-10 pick.


15. Green Back Packers: TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah

You'd like him to be a little bigger to make defenses respect him as a blocker, but he's the best receiving tight end in the class.


16. Washington Commanders: DB Brian Branch, Alabama

Branch is a very high-floor defender with a skill set that can fit into every defense in the NFL.


17. Buffalo Bills: EDGE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech 

(Trade: Pittsburgh sends No. 17, Buffalo sends Nos. 27 and 91)

No edge prospect manhandled offensive tackles more than Wilson last year. That's a defensive lineman who can play for any scheme.


18. Detroit Lions: CB Deonte Banks, Maryland

Banks has all the physical traits of an All-Pro cornerback. He just needs to be more consistent with his technique.


19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: OT Anton Harrison, Oklahoma

Harrison could have really upped his draft stock with another year in a college weight room. He may have to be “redshirted” out the gate, but I'd bet money on him being a plus pass protector in time.

PFF's 2023 NFL Draft Guide is available for download to all PFF+ subscribers. Click here to download the guide today! 

20. Seattle Seahawks: WR Jordan Addison, USC

Addison has one of the higher floors among receivers in the draft class due to his blend of route-running chops and all-around athleticism.


21. Los Angeles Chargers: RB Bijan Robinson, Texas

Robinson is about as well-rounded a back as you'll see in the draft. He's one of the highest-floor players in the class.


22. Baltimore Ravens: EDGE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa

Van Ness has one of the weirder prospect profiles in the draft class, but it's one I'm willing to bet on.


23. New Orleans Saints (via MIN): EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson

(Trade: Minnesota sends No. 23, New Orleans sends Nos. NOS. 29 and 115)

The guy we saw as a freshman was a lock top-10 pick. Where'd he go?


24. Jacksonville Jaguars: OT Broderick Jones, Georgia

Another year of seasoning could have made Jones a top-five pick. He still may end up close to that range with his dominant physical skill set.


25. New York Giants: EDGE Nolan Smith, Georgia

Smith is unique in so many ways with a lot of projectable NFL traits. He'll likely be a more productive pass-rusher in the NFL than he was at Georgia.


26. Dallas Cowboys: TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame

Mayer is one of the highest-floor players in the draft. You know you're getting a complete, productive tight end at the next level. However, can he separate enough to be a true difference-maker?


27. Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State

(Trade: Pittsburgh sends No. 17, Buffalo sends Nos. 27 and 91)

Forbes has some boom-or-bust aspects to his game but has the kind of athletic traits that can make up for misreads.


28. Cincinnati Bengals: OT Dawand Jones, Ohio State

He has to be put in a certain role, but in that he could dominate. If you have a mobile quarterback, this is the guy you want at right tackle.


29. Minnesota Vikings (via NO from SF): DI Bryan Bresee, Clemson

Bresee is a bit more of a project than you'd like at the top of the draft, but he wasn't put in much of a position to succeed in Clemson's scheme. His physical skill set is special.


30. Philadelphia Eagles: G O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida

Torrence is a plug-and-play guard who's best suited for gap schemes, but I wouldn't pigeonhole him by any means.


31. Kansas City Chiefs: EDGE Felix-Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State

Anudike-Uzomah has really easy tape to project to the next level. He's one of the higher-floor pass rushers in the class.

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