NFL Mock Draft 2023: Latest Round 1 projections from PFF feature 12 SEC stars

Aug 25, 2018; Jacksonville, FL, USA; A bag of footballs sits on the sidelines prior to the game between the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

The 2023 NFL Draft is still down the road a bit, but the season of mock drafts is in full swing. The Senior Bowl will be played in Mobile, Alabama next Saturday with a number of players looking to boost draft stock in the process.

For now, a number of players have already solidified their status and outlook for the early portions of the draft in April. PFF analyst Marcus Mosher released his latest outlook for the first round recently, and he included 12 SEC stars coming off the board.

Most notably, Mosher is among the growing group of analysts to project a team trading up to No. 1 overall to select Kentucky quarterback Will Levis. For now, Mosher has the Indianapolis Colts moving up from No. 4 overall to grab Levis.

The first four picks in the draft also come out of the SEC with Bryce Young and a pair of impact defenders coming off the board early. Here are the full SEC picks from PFF’s latest first-round projections:

No. 1 — Will Levis, QB, Kentucky — Indianapolis Colts (via trade)
No. 2 — Bryce Young, QB, Alabama — Houston Texans
No. 3 — Will Anderson Jr., Edge, Alabama — Arizona Cardinals
No. 4 — Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia — Chicago Bears (via trade)
No. 9 — Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida — Carolina Panthers
No. 15 — Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina — Green Bay Packers
No. 18 — Brian Branch, S, Alabama — Detroit Lions
No. 19 — O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
No. 23 — Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia — Baltimore Ravens
No. 25 — Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M — Jacksonville Jaguars
No. 30 — Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia — Denver Broncos (via trade)
No. 31 — Nolan Smith, Edge, Georgia — Kansas City Chiefs

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Mountain Dog says:

January 28, 2023 at 10:54am

I would be stunned if Levis went #1. Anything can happen, and there are plenty of top-pick cautionary tales from the past, but this would be the NFL equivalent of Michigan State’s Mel Tucker contract.