Now that the college football season is getting further and further in the rearview mirror (and no that object is not closer than it appears), the focus turns to the NFL playoffs and then the 2023 NFL draft.
That is quickly approaching with just the conference championship games and the Super Bowl to go, so get ready for the inundation of draft coverage through April when all the real shenanigans go down in Kansas City.
One of the most followed draft gurus is none other than ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. For him, there is no offseason when it comes to the draft, but once the year turns, his efforts crank up from medium to medium-high on the gas burner.
And so it is here in late January. Kiper just updated his first-round 2023 NFL draft projections (subscription required) and has three Ohio State players mentioned after staring into his crystal ball. Here are the Buckeyes he has forecast to go in the first 31 picks and where he thinks they will land.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Wide Receiver
What Kiper Projects
No. 13 overall pick | New York Jets
What Kiper Says
“I thought about an offensive lineman here, but let’s instead reunite my top-ranked receiver in this class with my top-ranked receiver in the 2022 class. The Jets picked Garrett Wilson at No. 10 last April, and he had 83 catches for 1,103 yards as a rookie. But in 2021, his teammate Smith-Njigba was the Buckeyes’ top wideout, as he put up 1,606 yards, doing damage mostly out of the slot. After an injury-plagued 2022 in which he caught just five passes, however, there are big questions about his health — he had a nagging hamstring injury — headed into the draft.
“I’m a big fan of Smith-Njigba, and I think he could be a star in the right situation. New York likely will have a new starting quarterback in 2023, and that passer will have to get support around him. This offense has a chance to be much improved. The Jets had a stellar draft last year; Smith-Njigba would be a great start for this one. And yes, I know, this makes it back-to-back top-15 picks on receivers for the Jets, but Smith-Njigba is worth it because of what he and Wilson can do together.”
Paris Johnson Jr., Offensive Tackle
What Kiper Projects
No. 11 overall pick | Tennessee Titans
What Kiper Says
“The Tennessee offense was a mess this season, which resulted in the firing of coordinator Todd Downing. General manager Jon Robinson also was let go, and you have to think Robinson’s inability to get the offensive line up to par contributed to it. Longtime left tackle Taylor Lewan has played just 20 games over the past three seasons and could be an offseason cap casualty. There might be an opening on the left side. Johnson played guard for the Buckeyes in 2021 but moved to left tackle in 2022, and he was tremendous. He will be a plug-and-play starter in the top 15 picks.”
C.J. Stroud, Quarterback
What Kiper Projects
No. 2 overall pick | Houston Texans
What Kiper Says
“Houston just fired coach Lovie Smith, and the franchise’s clear offseason priority has to be upgrading at the quarterback position. Davis Mills really struggled in his second season as the Texans’ offense was among the league’s worst in several statistical categories. With two top-12 picks in this draft, they have to get quality starters as they continue their rebuild.
“I see Stroud as the best fit here as the Texans could get their pick of the top passers. He’s extremely accurate, can make every throw and has excellent touch at every level of the field. I usually don’t put much stock into a single game evaluation, but Stroud’s performance in the narrow loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinals showed me something. He was spectacular against an elite defense, carving up the Bulldogs with his arm and using his legs to maneuver the pocket and find receivers. Houston still has several needs, but it should start with Stroud. I have Stroud just barely behind Will Levis (Kentucky) and Bryce Young (Alabama) in my rankings, but Stroud gets the nod here because of how he would fit.”
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