Mel Kiper Jr. releases first 2023 NFL Mock Draft, doesn't have Bryce Young as first QB off the board
Mel Kiper Jr. is always up to stir the pot when it comes to NFL Draft rankings, and his first mock draft of the 2023 cycle does just that.
On Wednesday, the ESPN expert released his Round 1 projections and has Ohio State QB CJ Stroud, not Alabama QB Bryce Young, mocked to go to the Houston Texans with the No. 2 pick.
As you can see below, Kiper has 10 SEC standouts going in Round 1 — fewer picks from the SEC than most analysts are currently projecting:
- No. 1 — Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia — Chicago Bears
- No. 3 — Will Anderson Jr., Edge, Alabama — Arizona Cardinals
- No. 4 — Bryce Young, QB, Alabama — Indianapolis Colts
- No. 5 — Will Levis, QB, Kentucky — Seattle Seahawks
- No. 9 — Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida — Carolina Panthers
- No. 16 — Broderick Jones, OL, Georgia — Washington Commanders
- No. 20 — Byron Young, Edge, Tennessee — Seattle Seahawks
- No. 23 — Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State — Minnesota Vikings
- No. 27 — Derick Hall, Edge, Auburn — Buffalo Bills
- No. 30 — Brian Branch, DB, Alabama — Philadelphia Eagles
As the NFL Combine and Pro Days take place around the country, we’ll see how much Kiper’s projections change.
For now, everyone in the NFL ranks is scrambling for all the information they can get about top prospects from every league around the world of college football.
Let me guess, it’s Will Levis huh?
I’m actually happy I’m wrong for once.
volfan…No it’s gotta be Anthony Richardson AR15 drafted #1. What team could miss on a sure thing passer like him ? Plus his self-confidence issues will really impress all the NFL teams.
Yeah… zero percent chance the Bears don’t trade down to around pick four and grab Will Anderson or Jalen Carter
The Bears are bad at everything they do.
I’d rather see Bryce in Indy than on the Texans. Branch won’t fall that far, he’s a middle of the round type player. A few names like Hall and Byron Young are new, haven’t seen them in many mocks. I still don’t understand the love for Jalen Carter over Will Anderson. Carter is an amazing player, don’t get me wrong, but unless that team is looking for fit based on the defense they run, Anderson is the better player.
Don’t blame you. The Texans are a top 5 worst franchise across sports. Our team chaplain is the GM.
If this is how this is going to go, Seattle and Carolina are going to have a bad time. Rchardson needs a lot of coaching up and mentorship to get to that level. Carolina can offer him nothing but a fast track to unemployment. I don’t see why Seattle thinks they need a QB in the first round because Geno Smith played really well this year. Wasted pick if that is the route they take IMO.
If only Kirby Dumbs could develop players
He does have a little trouble with prima dona, blue chip QBs.
“has Ohio State QB CJ Stroud, not Alabama QB Bryce Young, mocked to go to the Houston Texans with the No. 2 pick.”
And both QB’s will end up with a short career due to the fact that dual threats don’t have long careers in the NFL.
Dual threat is AR105 or KJ. Stroud and Young are more pro-style with the ability to extend plays with their mobility.
“The reigning Heisman winner, Young is an electric playmaker with a dual-threat skill set and an incredible feel for the game. ”
““They really coached him up, and he had everything around him,” Kiper said. “But he’s a dual-threat quarterback.””
Mel Kiper called him a dual threat.
I based my definition of dual threat based on how the QB is used in the offensive scheme
2022 stats
Young: rushing 49 attempts, 185 yards, 3.8 ypc, 4 TD
Stroud: rushing 47 attempts, 108 yards,2.3 ypc, 0 TD’s
Bennett: rushing 57 attempts,205 yards,3.6 ypc, 10 TD’s
KJ Jefferson: rushing 158 attempts,640 yards,4.1 ypc, 9 TD’s
AR: rushing 103 attempts,654 yards,6.3 ypc, 9 TD’s
Lamar Jackson Heisman season
rushing: 234 attempts, 1558 yards, 21 TD’s
passing: 3300 yards, 30 TD’s
Cam Newton Heisman season
rushing: 264, attempts,1473 yards,20 TD’s
passing: 2854 yards, 30 TD’s
btw
Caleb Williams is the reining Heisman winner
“I based my definition of dual threat based on how the QB is used in the offensive scheme”
I understand your points.
Anyone who actually watched Bryce Young’s play during his sophomore season saw that he really does not like to run the ball. He runs only when the protection breaks down, like in the 2022 season. And during the 2022 season our O-line broke down on many plays.
That’s how it seemed to me too AFan. Besides, Young is a physical light-weight. True dual-treat running in the NFL might get him killed some day.
Love to see the respect given to Byron Young. Don’t know why he hates on the rest of the Tennessee players. It’ll just make it better to see the players takin in later rounds dominate.
Young reminds me a little of Auburn’s Carl Lawson. They’re about the same size. Carl’s sill in the NFL and currently with the Jets.
BJ Ojulari will be a Round 1 pick, probably middle to end. I can see Kayshon Boutte being one of the top picks in the 2nd round, however, he could slide into the late 1st round with impressive combine and pro day showings.
When I saw the title, I expected the first five picks to be Will Levis and four clones.
The Bears have whiffed every year since 1986
Not on Rowena Smith! But they traded him, so I get your point… lol