It’s shaping up to be a 2023 NFL Draft in which Bryce Young — the quarterback out of Alabama — will continue be projected as the first overall pick (he’s the top selection in our latest mock draft from Christian D’Andrea), assuming the Houston Texans clinch that selection after Week 18.
And that’s the case in the latest mock draft from ESPN’s Jordan Reid.
But the rest of the top 10, as it stands, could be filled with other quarterbacks taken.
Reid has the QB-starved Indianapolis Colts taking C.J. Stroud from Ohio State. The Las Vegas Raiders, with their benching of Derek Carr, have made it clear a quarterback could be a priority, so Reid has Kentucky’s Will Levis heading there.
And with — at the moment — the No. 9 pick? It’s Florida’s Anthony Richardson to the Carolina Panthers. Here’s Reid’s thinking:
Most scouts around the league agree that Richardson will be one of the toughest evaluations in this cycle. I could see him going in this range as the third or fourth quarterback off the board, but it also wouldn’t be surprising to see him fall to Day 2. He only has 13 starts with middling production (24-15 TD-to-INT ratio) on his résumé, but the physical traits are eye-popping. His ceiling is really, really high.
A lot of questions loom in Carolina this offseason, and one of the biggest is the future outlook under center. Richardson will need patience, proper development and a franchise that avoids constant staff turnover. If the Panthers can maximize him, they can stabilize their QB position. Only Houston has a worse QBR over the past three years than Carolina (32.9).
That would make for an awesome first round already! Be sure to check out our latest mock draft, too.
