2023 NFL Draft: Daniel Jeremiah identifies intriguing team fits for top prospects

With Arizona in need of a pass rush after the arrival of Jonathan Gannon, a defensive-minded head coach, Jeremiah has the Cardinals take Texas Tech forward Tyree Wilson instead of Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. (with Georgia’s Jalen Carter). ) in his last fictitious draft. This is one of the surprises in the latest DJ’s Round 1 prediction, but Jeremiah expanded his thinking and Wilson was the guy flying under the radar.

“I think Jalen Carter is the best player in the draft and Anderson is the second best player.” Jeremiah said. “If you ask me, I wouldn’t trade either of those two guys, Jalen Carter or Will Anderson. If I were them, I probably wouldn’t want to leave, no matter how desperate they are for linebackers. I think these are the two best guys. What would I do? Here’s what I would do – I would take one of those two guys. But I do I want to make sure Tyree Wilson intervenes. I remember doing something similar last year, trying to warn everyone that this Travon Walker from Georgia… Like, hey, “Just know who he is and be aware.” Do not be surprised. It’s the same as what I’m doing here. The same formula.

A home playoff loss with the Bills only 10 points in the divisional round was a bitter end to a season that had begun with Super Bowl expectations. The disappointing result could push Buffalo to get another gun for Josh Allen in the first round. Jeremiah thinks Ohio State’s Jackson Smith-Njigba and Boston College’s Zai Flowers are two wide receivers fit for the No. 27 Bills overall.

“Smith-Njigba would probably be one of the people I consider a good addition,” said Jeremiah. “If you’re looking for someone who can do some of that in midfield, he’ll give it to you. Gabe (Davis) can play more and (Stefon) Diggs does everything. I think it would be very good as a really good player. I love Zay Flowers. I know he’s not the biggest guy in the world at just over 5-9, 182 pounds, but he’s a TY Hilton clone. .”

Jeremiah also sees an opportunity for Buffalo to bolster their inside offensive line, with Florida’s O’Cyrus Torrens a potential choice late in the first round.

What will Chicago ultimately do with the No. 1 overall? That is OUR a burning question that transcends all others, and the answer to it should have a significant impact on the rest of the 2023 NFL Draft. Jeremiah, who didn’t make any trades in his last tryout draft, sees the Bears taking a hitter or defenseman if they trade. But if they go too far for Georgia’s Jalen Carter or Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr., Jeremy loves when Chicago bolsters Justin Fields’ defense.

“I would probably go back to the same guy I was just talking about: (Peter) Skoronski,” Jeremiah said of the Northwest offensive lineman. “As bad as the Bears defense is, you need to give Justin Fields some help moving forward. If they traded all the way to 9th, I’d think they were probably trading themselves in picking offensive linemen. on that moment. It would be hard to turn down these two defenders because they are very, very good. would go that route and it would probably switch me from the defensive side of the ball to the offensive side with their first choice.”

After a poor defensive year, the Browns hired Jim Schwartz as their new coordinator, hoping to breathe life into the talented division. The Clevelands are expected to add depth to the pass rush in the draft, given the aggressive formation Schwartz is using and the departure of Jadevon Clooney as a free agent.

With that in mind, Jeremiah called Iowa state prospect Will McDonald IV the perfect rookie for the Browns, who have no first-round pick.

“Schwartz loves to go out and let these guys rock and roll and really get off the ball,” Jeremiah said. “When you look at what the Browns are picking – second round, pick 42 – if you’re into wing rushers that have big juice, I’ll know one of them head to toe if you go to Iowa. .They have the best player in Will MacDonald IV in terms of explosive power and athleticism. He is a little short, weighing 241 pounds. Let’s see how much it weighs (on a combine). He can really hit the ball. He can win. with rotational movements. He can win just by turning the corner. Explosion and bending is his calling card. Speaking to Matt Campbell, the Iowa State head coach, he thinks about the players they had there, including recently Brock Purdy and Brees. Hall – he said that Will MacDonald had the most potential of anyone they met there.

Another potential target for Cleveland in the second/third round?

“I really like Felix Anudike-Uzoma from Kansas,” said Jeremy. “He fits me in that range too. He can hit the ball. He can win with his hands.”

Denver will not appear on the clock until the end of the second day of the draft if there is no trade. Jeremiah believes that with the Broncos consistently picking in the third round (Nos. 68 and 69), they will focus on adding depth in the trenches, and Denver should have quality options available.

“When you look at the directions they can look in, I think the O-line, D-line will be where you start,” Jeremiah said. “I think, in terms of offensive line, I’m pretty good at the interior and some of the depth that you can find in this part of the draft. I think Edge Rush is actually a pretty good band too. could be in the range: Clemson’s KJ Henry would be one of them, Army’s Andre Carter, Ohio State’s Zach Harrison, TCU’s Dylan Horton. These are good players. I think these guys will probably be in the third- or fourth-round range. (Isaiah of Notre Dame) Fosky would be another one. He’s going to test very well, so he can test his way out of that range. not bad. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the quality of depth that comes with the third and fourth rounds of this draft.”

In his last 2023 tryout draft, Jeremiah proposed to Detroit that Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson be drafted. It’s an intriguing option for the Lions, who have two first-round picks (No. 6 and 18), and Jeremiah clarified his prediction after talking to several teams about the prospects.

“During phone calls across the league, the best way to talk about quarterbacks is to talk to teams that don’t need them, and then you get an accurate picture of how they evaluate them and what they say. Think. Anthony Richardson is the second quarterback on several teams I’ve spoken to,” Jeremiah said. “We can look at the numbers and it doesn’t look good on paper. You look at the accuracy, this and that and that… He has elite hand strength. He is a rare athlete. from LSU with 80 yard touchdown. He has a big ceiling, great abilities. If you want to fall in love with Anthony Richardson, check out Utah (record) – you’ll think he’s the first pick in the draft. Even in Missouri, he was successful in this game.”

Jeremiah added that he understands that Richardson is “a bit of a roller coaster” on tape, but with such valuable game-changing QBs, teams are willing to take risks. With Jared Goff under contract for two more seasons, taking Richardson now will give the Lions the opportunity to patiently develop the 21-year-old.

“I know he hasn’t played a ton, but teams are starting to look at some of these quarterbacks as lottery tickets and this one has the biggest payout,” Jeremiah said. “That’s why I think you’re going to see Richardson go pretty high. The reason I keep him with the Lions is because sometimes when you have those two picks (in the first round) I don’t want to say it’s a luxury – because you’re trying to get good players – but when you look at the situation in the NFL right now, and you’re looking at a top-notch quarterback game, it gives you the opportunity to try one of those guys that could be. He’s not at that level right now, but in terms of the ceiling, with him and Jared Goff, his ceiling is much higher. Jared is now a solid, stable player. He plays…