The order of the top 31 first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft is set after Super Bowl LVII, with the Chicago Bears picking No. 1 and the Houston Texans picking No. 2. A dramatic win by the Texans in Week 18 propelled the Bears into first place. Will Chicago retain this choice or change? Will the Texans choose their signalman of the future? The Bears and Texans are followed by the Arizona Cardinals at number 3.
Several teams have the opportunity to make big moves as there have been six trades involving first round picks. The Texans, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles are in line for two first-round selections. There will be 31 first-round picks this year as the Dolphins were stripped of the right to pick for rigging violations. The Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, and San Francisco 49ers will also not be selected in the first round. The Denver Broncos don’t have a first-round pick of their own, but one will come from a deal that sent outside linebacker Bradley Chubb to the Dolphins in a deal that included the 49ers’ 2023 first-round pick.
The 2023 NFL Draft will take place at Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, home of the Kansas City Chiefs. The first round is scheduled for April 27th. Rounds 2 and 3 will take place on April 28, and rounds 4 to 7 on April 29. The draft will air on ABC, Sportzshala and the Sportzshala app.
Check out the top 31 picks below. (The team reviews below were updated for December.)
1. Chicago Bears (3-14)
There will be many teams in need of quarterbacks who want to trade the Bears for first place. A year after no first-round pick, Chicago could come out with a few firsts by trading back, allowing GM Ryan Poles to fill the needs of the defensive line, wide receiver, and offensive line. The Bears finished last in the NFL in sacks (20) and pressure (96). Strengthening their passing rush is their #1 priority, and if that doesn’t come at the cost of signing free agents, they might find that help in the draft. — Courtney Cronin
2. Houston Texans (3-13-1)
Reconstruction Texans stuck in the mud. Why? Because they’re looking for their future quarterback and new coach, since Lovi Smith was fired hours after the season finale. There was optimism before the start of the season that Davis Mills could be the long-term answer, but after 10 starts (and 11 steals) he found himself on the bench. However, after the backup Kyle Allen struggled through two starts, Mills returned to the starting lineup in week 14. Entering this draft, Houston must find his franchise signaller to give his rebuild legitimacy. – Favorite DJ
3. Arizona Cardinals (4-13)
Arizona would have many needs in the first round, and adherence to the “best player available” philosophy has not always been to the team’s advantage. This draft will be aimed at making quarterback Kyler Murray happy and giving him more room to work, whether he’s a offensive lineman or an offensive target. The Cardinals will have a new coach and general manager — they hired Monty Ossenforth as general manager on January 16 — and will lead this draft. Murray’s rehab and surgery for a late-season knee injury he received in week 14 dragged on into the off-season. — Josh Weinfuss
4. Indianapolis Colts (4-12-1)
The Colts have selected two quarterbacks in the first round since 1998: Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck. With their need for position as dire as ever, look for increased attention to passers-by in this class. The Colts have other issues to work out, such as who will be their coach in the future, but there are no discussions about the critical quarterback situation given Matt Ryan’s age (37) and his game, and Sam Elinger’s unproven status. . — Steven Holder
5. Seattle Seahawks (via 5-12 DEN)
In the Russell Wilson trade, general manager John Schneider and the Seahawks are doing well. With the Broncos at 5-12, the first round pick they owe Seattle finished 5th. This early pick gives the Seahawks a rare chance to add the powerful quarterback they badly need up front, but they’ll also need a quarterback if they let Jeno Smith go free. Seattle also owns Denver’s second-round pick, meaning they’ll likely have three top-40 picks. — Brady Henderson
6. Detroit Lions (via 5-12 LAR)
Since arriving in Detroit, general manager Brad Holmes has shown off drafting talents by drafting gems like fourth-round wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who is gearing up for a record-breaking start to his career. There will be tough decisions to be made in this draft, and the Lions will likely have quarterback and cornerback issues to deal with. Yes, Jared Goff had a great season, but Detroit needs to secure young talent in this spot, and secondary is his biggest defensive need. — Eric Woodyard
7. Las Vegas Raiders (6-11)
A year after waiting until the third round to make their first pick – general manager Dave Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniels gave Green Bay first and second round picks for Davante Adams – Las Vegas once again needs to get a bit of everything. Little has changed, even with stars like Adams, running back Josh Jacobs and defenseman Max Crosby on the roster. However, the wild card is the quarterback. Because despite Derek Carr signing a three-year, $121.5 million extension with a no-trade clause last offseason, the Raiders have a three-day post-season window to move on with a relatively cheap hit to the $5 salary cap. .6 million dollars. — Paul Gutierrez
8. Atlanta Falcons (7-10)
The Falcons could serve well by focusing on defensemen and wingers in this draft. They are once again bottom of the league in sacks (21) and pressing percentage (22%), and the team is desperate for players to surround star tackle Grady Jarrett. That was Atlanta’s biggest need last year and remains the biggest need this offseason, only this time there’s money on the ceiling to play for. — Michael Rothstein
9. Carolina Panthers (7-10)
The Panthers haven’t taken a quarterback in the first round since Cam Newton was the top pick in 2011. With the No. 9 pick, it’s time to put an end to the turmoil the team has been in since mid-season 2018 when Newton suffered a shoulder injury. With the trade of running back Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers, general manager Scott Fitterer is positioning himself to have the choice to switch to quarterback if necessary. — David Newton
10. Philadelphia Eagles (via 7-10 NO)
The Eagles are a 14-3 success in the playoffs and will still get two first-round picks. With Jalen Hurts solidified as the starting quarterback, Philadelphia can focus on the offensive line, defense line, and backs. — Tim McManus
11. Tennessee Titans (7-10)
The Titans will be drafting without general manager John Robinson for the first time since 2015, having hired Ran Carton as general manager on January 17. This draft will be critical for a team stuck in a playoff exit cycle. Tennessee has invested heavily on defense and delivered the results they want, but the offense lacks established dynamic playmakers other than running back Derrick Henry, so there should be players in this draft who can help score points on the board. — Turron Davenport
12. Houston Texans (via 7-10 CLE)
The Texans’ second pick came in a trade with the Cleveland Browns for quarterback Deshawn Watson. In the trade, the Texans received 2022, 2023, and 2024 first-round picks, as well as a 2023 third-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick. — Sportzshala Staff
13. New York Jets (7-10)
The Jets should be back to normal pulling. After accumulating picks in the last two drafts – they’ve only had six top 36 picks – they have one pick in each of the top rounds. This makes it difficult to meet the needs, but there are clearly not as many of them as in previous years. This puts more pressure on general manager Joe Douglas and his scouting department because there is less chance of error than in years of high volume, but it is a sign of progress in their recovery. — Rich Jiminy
14. New England Patriots (8-9)
The Patriots have picks — an additional third-round player from the 2022 draft day trade with Carolina, an additional fourth-round player from a previous deal with running back Sonia Michel to the Rams, and two additional sixth-round players from a trade involving Stephon Gilmour. and Jarrett Stidham, who will provide enough flexibility to make deals. If the attacking hold is within striking distance early, it will be a slam dunk. Shaky play in that position, due in part to a string of injuries, contributed to the offense’s 20th-highest sacks in the NFL in sacks taken per game. — Mike Reiss
15. Green Bay Packers (8-9)
Still waiting for the first round receiver? It will be the 21st year without him, especially with the Packers hitting second-place Christian Watson and fourth-place Romeo Daubes last year. However, the Packers still need the help of their quarterback – be it Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love. This should show up in the tackle and tight end. Who knows how long David Bakhtiari will last with a left tackle? And it is still not a fact that Yosh Nijman is a long-term player in the starting lineup. In the tight end, their only playmaker is Robert Tonyan and his contract is expiring. — Rob Demowski
16. Washington Commanders (8-8-1)
The Commanders have eight draft picks, three of which will come in the seventh round. They don’t have a third-round pick due to the Carson Wentz trade, but they’ll most likely get one for the loss of defenseman Brandon Scherff to free agency last offseason. They are in a good position to address several areas. Washington needs more depth in the corner, and here he can use his first choice. A quarterback could be an option, depending on how the position plays out: Wentz has no guaranteed money and could be cut; Taylor Heinicke to become a free agent; and Sam Howell started one game. …
Source: www.espn.com
