Grading the First Round of the 2023 NFL Draft
It’s been about two months since the 2023 NFL Draft took place, and with training camps all around the league right around the corner, let’s take a look back at the first round of this year’s draft, and get some more cool-headed reactions to this year’s draft class.
Note that these draft grades mean absolutely nothing until we actually see these players on the field, and rather is just a fun exercise in positional value and player stock from the perspective of a draft scout.
Carolina Panthers (via Chicago Bears) - Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
Grade: A
This was the guy that was promised to save a franchise whose quarterback situation has been a laughing stock since their Super Bowl trip in 2015. Young has the guaranteed talent with the squad the Panthers have assembled at the moment to make some noise.
2. Houston Texans - CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State
Grade: A-
He should be fine, especially with DeMeco Ryans as his head coach and the team Houston has built this offseason, but trusting the track record Ohio State has with quarterbacks in the NFL, a bit of doubt is due.
3. Houston Texans (via Arizona Cardinals) - Will Anderson Jr., DE, Alabama
Grade: A+
There you go. An aggressive move to get a cornerstone and face for your defense. This trade up was a fantastic move by Houston, to grab your hopeful quarterback of the future and then a key piece for your defense in back-to-back picks.
4. Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Grade: C
He’s a huge project player. There is all but certainty that Richardson will be great, but taking the gamble that he isn’t for a team that’s built to win now isn’t safe, and could very easily burn the Colts. If this pays off, this grade will easily turn into an A or higher.
5. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos) - Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
Grade: B-
There were better corners on the board, and Seattle is coming off of a year where Tariq Woolen broke out as a rookie. If his development continues, he’ll be a shutdown option in Seattle for years to come. WIth more pressing needs elsewhere on their defense, and the failure to take the best corner available, it knocks this grade down a bit.
6. Arizona Cardinals (via Detroit Lions from Los Angeles Rams) - Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
Grade: B
It fills a need! That’s pretty much all that can be said here until Johnson shows up on the field, and it can be seen if he is a productive tackle or not.
7. Las Vegas Raiders - Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech
Grade: A+
The Raiders successfully resisted the temptation to take Will Levis here, and rather pounced on the best player available, pairing him with Chandler Jones and Maxx Crosby on that defensive line. Jones and Crosby will both be big helps in Wilson’s development, and will likely make him all the better in his role.
8. Atlanta Falcons - Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
Grade: S (stands for Superior, higher than A+)
The Falcons’ draft philosophy under General Manager Terry Fontenot has been to take the best player available, no matter what your position of need might be. The Falcons followed suit here, and got the best offensive weapon in the draft for it. As their need continues to be playmakers on offense, and people to make sure second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder can succeed, they used a high draft pick to help out Ridder and the entire offense of Atlanta even more.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (via Chicago Bears from Carolina Panthers) - Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
Grade: S
Yeah, legal concerns, but the Eagles just got an absolute stud if the legal concerns don’t have legs. The best defensive tackle prospect that’s been seen in years, going to a system where he can play with a bunch of his former college teammates and get mentored by a legendary defensive tackle from the Eagles in Fletcher Cox? Yeah, this draft grade is that high because of the situation Carter goes to more than anything else.
10. Chicago Bears (via Philadelphia Eagles from New Orleans Saints) - Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
Grade: B
Keeping Justin Fields upright is never really a bad call.
11. Tennessee Titans - Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
Grade: A-
This is the best offensive lineman in the class, going to a place where offensive line help is needed everywhere. Not much more to say about this, his outlook is to be a great tackle on a bad team for a couple of seasons, however.
12. Detroit Lions (via Arizona Cardinals) - Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
Grade: D
Huh? Multiple questions for Detroit here. First, if you were going to pick a running back, why didn’t you just stick where you were and pick Bijan? Second, Jahmyr Gibbs would most likely have still been on the board six picks later, what was the urgency to get him at 12? Third, why not just keep Jamaal Williams?
13. Green Bay Packers (via New York Jets) - Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa
Grade: B
Lukas Van Ness is not a bad player in the slightest, but Packers. You need to actually draft offensive weapons or lineman to help out Jordan Love. He’s got a makeshift offensive line and two second-year receivers out there. That’s pretty much it. What’s your plan here?
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (via New England Patriots) - Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
Grade: A
Yes. Well done, Steelers, seeing an opportunity to get your guy before he goes, and taking it. The Jets were going to take Jones with the next pick, so the Steelers getting him while they had the chance while not giving up too much is a fantastic move.
15. New York Jets (via Green Bay Packers) - Will McDonald IV, DE, Iowa State
Grade: C-
The Jets take a reach on a player that reinforces a strength. McDonald’s talent is there, but what’s the value of the pick with so many other good players at the position there?
16. Washington Commanders - Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
Grade: C+
Is there something wrong with Christian Gonzalez?
17. New England Patriots (via Pittsburgh Steelers) - Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
Grade: A+
There he is. This is a top two cornerback in the draft, and the Patriots got him at pick 17. A Bill Belichick guy goes to Bill Belichick’s team.
18. Detroit Lions - Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
Grade: D
No linebacker was worth a first-rounder this year. This would be a great second-round pick, but it’s not worth a first.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh
Grade: B+
The fit isn’t fantastic for Kancey to the Bucs, but the Bucs getting Kancey is a huge gain, a big time threat to go next to Vita Vea.
20. Seattle Seahawks - Jaxon Smith-Nijgba, WR, Ohio State
Grade: B+
Once again, the fit to the team isn’t great, but the player is great in his own right, so being able to get him here, a pick of the litter at wide receiver with the 20th pick, is insane.
21. Los Angeles Chargers - Quentin Johnston, WR, Texas Christian
Grade: S
The best wide receiver in the class going to a place where his talent will be fully realized and he will have the best opportunity to succeed on a winning team. There’s not a better fit with the rest of the picks after this one.
22. Baltimore Ravens - Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
Grade: A
With a large need at the position, the Ravens could have taken pretty much any receiver left on the board here and this pick would have gotten an A. However, with Flowers, they’re getting a player who is in the same vein as a Steve Smith Sr., a reliable, short yardage threat who can go deep and make those contested catches if need be.
23. Minnesota Vikings - Jordan Addison, WR, Southern California
Grade: A
This is great value for a player who will be a lethal weapon on the other end from Justin Jefferson. Having him available at the end of this wide receiver run is a perfect fall of the board for the Vikings.
24. New York Giants (via Jacksonville Jaguars) - Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
Grade: B-
Not about Banks, but why did the Giants trade up for that?
25. Buffalo Bills (via Jacksonville Jaguars) - Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
Grade: B
Fills a need, not much more. There was a better tight end on the board here as well, but the Bills were looking for a player more in the receiving tight end’s mold. Kincaid fits that ideology.
26. Dallas Cowboys - Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan
Grade: C+
The Cowboys made it very clear pre-draft that they wanted Bijan Robinson or a tight end. After having both of those things snatched away from them, they look elsewhere, and find a short reach at this spot. Fills a small need, but a confusing pick nonetheless.
27. Jacksonville Jaguars (via Buffalo Bills) - Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma
Grade: B-
With the incoming suspension of Cam Robinson, this makes sense. Harrison’s going to have a trial by fire for the first few games of this season, but he should be fine.
28. Cincinnati Bengals - Myles Murphy, DE, Clemson
Grade: A
Absolute steal for the Bengals. Getting one of the most consistent edge players in this draft at the end of the first round, with a fifth-year option in case his production doesn’t carry over is a fantastic job done.
29. New Orleans Saints (via San Francisco 49ers through Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos) - Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
Grade: A
Another high-floor player to go to a defense looking to get younger, at more value than originally expected. Good work all around here.
30. Philadelphia Eagles - Nolan Smith, DE, Georgia
Grade: S
The Eagles can’t keep getting away with this. Two players who could have easily gone in the top 10 at ninth overall and 30th?
31. Kansas City Chiefs - Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE, Kansas State
Grade: B+
Taking the hometown guy that fills a need is never a bad call, and will make fans happy.
There we go, all 31 picks of this year’s first round graded. If this draft follows normality, the “Three Thirds” rule will likely take effect, where a third of these players become stars, a third are good, but not superstars, and a third fall out of the league; but here’s hoping the sheer amount of talent in this class shines through.
