The South Florida Sun Sentinel’s second 2023 NFL mock draft features Dolphins beat writer David Furones making selections through pick No. 51, the Dolphins’ first pick in this year’s draft. The NFL draft is April 27-29 in Kansas City.
Note: Projected trades were factored into this mock draft.
1. Carolina Panthers (from Chicago): Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
It’s close between Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, but the Panthers, after all they traded for the top pick, overlook Young’s size and take him for what he showed on film.
Top needs: QB, Edge rusher, ILB
2. Houston Texans: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
The natural selection after Carolina takes Young, the Texans will be happy with whichever top quarterback the Panthers pass on.
Top needs: QB, Edge, WR
3. Indianapolis Colts (projected trade with Arizona): Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
The Cardinals trade out of this spot. There’s a lot of momentum for the Tennessee Titans to jump up from 11, but the Colts don’t let their AFC South rival outbid them. They acquire their QB of the future with the plan of allowing the uber-athletic but raw Richardson time to develop.
Top needs: QB, CB, OL
4. Arizona Cardinals (projected trade with Indianapolis): Will Anderson Jr., Edge rusher, Alabama
The Cardinals move down just one spot, pick the same player they would’ve taken at No. 3, who provides a franchise pass rusher following J.J. Watt’s retirement. They also get Indy’s early second-round pick in the movement.
Top needs: Edge, CB, OL
5. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver): Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
Could present character concerns, but the Seahawks, with a pick from the Russell Wilson trade, have who is arguably the draft’s top talent fall right in their lap amid the QB hubbub.
Top needs: DT, CB, OL
6. Detroit Lions (from L.A. Rams): Tyree Wilson, Edge, Texas Tech
After remaking its secondary in free agency, Detroit continues to add defensively, becoming more stout up front as Wilson could form an elite edge tandem with Aidan Hutchinson for years to come.
Top needs: DL, LB, OL
7. Las Vegas Raiders: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
This is a great spot for the Raiders to take the first CB off the board. It also could be a spot for Vegas to snag the first offensive tackle.
Top needs: CB, OL, LB
8. Atlanta Falcons: Nolan Smith, OLB, Georgia
The Falcons appear high on QB Desmond Ridder to not go Will Levis here. They traded with Detroit for CB Jeff Okudah in the past week, so Atlanta bolsters the pass rush with the highly athletic (4.39-second 40-yard dash) but small Smith, keeping him home.
Top needs: Edge, CB, QB
9. Chicago Bears (from Carolina): Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
Another hometown story as the Bears take the first lineman off the board and get protection for QB Justin Fields. Skoronski becomes a reliable starter whether remaining at tackle or moving inside to guard.
Top needs: OT, Edge, CB
10. Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans): Lukas Van Ness, Edge, Iowa
It may be tempting for the Eagles to address the loss of RB Miles Sanders by drafting Bijan Robinson here, but they remain disciplined in assessing positional value and bring a reinforcement to a top-flight defense that saw some turnover.
Top needs: DL, S, RB
11. Tennessee Titans: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
After the first three QBs go off the board in the first three picks, it becomes apparent to the Titans as the first round progresses that they can get the fourth one without trading up. Following QB Malik Willis’ rough rookie year, Levis ends up in Nashville and can sit behind Ryan Tannehill in the short term.
Top needs: WR, OT, CB
12. Houston Texans (from Cleveland): Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
The Texans become the favorite NFL team for football fans in Columbus, Ohio split between the Bengals and Browns. Smith-Njigba gets to play with his Buckeye QB, C.J. Stroud.
Top needs: WR, Edge, DT
13. New York Jets: Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
This pick doesn’t go to Green Bay in the trade for QB Aaron Rodgers, and the Jets continue to add quality young players at premium positions while providing protection for the aging great behind center.
Top needs: OT, S, DT
14. New England Patriots: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
Coach Bill Belichick knows he needs cornerbacks to keep up with the passing games the Bills, Dolphins and Jets figure to have in 2023. And especially when looking at Miami’s speed on the outside, the Patriots get the CB who ran a 4.38 40.
Top needs: WR, CB, OL
15. Green Bay Packers: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
The Packers are transitioning from Rodgers to Jordan Love at QB, and they better get Love some pass-catchers. Kincaid is an elite receiving tight end that will give Love a nice option in the middle of the field.
Top needs: WR, TE, Edge
16. Washington Commanders: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
The son of the former Dolphin and Steeler is a long, physical 6-2 cover corner that will complement the Commanders’ stout defensive front. He gets taken right before his dad’s former team.
Top needs: CB, TE, G
17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
The Steelers have their young QB in Kenny Pickett, RB in Najee Harris and WRs in George Pickens and Diontae Johnson. Time to get Pickett the tackle he needs.
Top needs: OT, CB, DT
18. Detroit Lions: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
It’s a luxury for Detroit to be able to go RB with a second first-round pick and other needs that can comfortably be addressed later in the draft. The Lions think about Florida’s O’Cyrus Torrence here, but go best player available.
Top needs: LB, OL, DL
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma
The Bucs give Baker Mayfield — and maybe Kyle Trask — this season and position themselves to go QB early in the 2024 draft, assuming it doesn’t work out. Meanwhile, they fortify the line, going with the athletic LT instead of RT Darnell Wright, allowing Tristan Wirfs to stay on the right side.
Top needs: QB, OL, CB
20. Seattle Seahawks: Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
Adding Carter earlier, with their own first-rounder, the Seahawks consider having Geno Smith groom QB Hendon Hooker for the future, but best to go cornerback. Banks is a nice size-speed combo at 6 foot, 197 pounds and running the same 4.35 40 as Emmanuel Forbes with 30 more pounds on him.
Top needs: CB, OL, Edge
21. Los Angeles Chargers: Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh
An undersized but powerful and athletic 3-technique from Pitt? Coach Brandon Staley starts having visions of his time with the Rams and Aaron Donald in Kancey, the Miami Northwestern High grad, in shoring up the run defense. If Robinson slips out of the top 20, though, L.A. should snatch him right up as RB Austin Ekeler has requested a trade.
Top needs: TE, DL, WR
22. Baltimore Ravens: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
Baltimore gets even more serious about putting playmakers around Lamar Jackson, and the deal for WR Odell Beckham was for one year anyway. The Ravens combine an explosive WR from South Florida in Flowers with the most electric, athletic QB also from South Florida.
Top needs: WR, CB, Edge
23. Minnesota Vikings: Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
I agree with my partner Chris Perkins’ mock draft in landing Hooker in Minnesota. QB Kirk Cousins could be in his last year with the Vikings, and Hooker, recovering from his knee injury, can learn from him while Cousins is still in the fold.
Top needs: CB, ILB, DT
24. Jacksonville Jaguars: O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida
Jacksonville beefs up the offensive line in front of QB Trevor Lawrence and keeps Torrence in the state, which makes the fan base happy.
Top needs: Edge, CB, DL
25. New York Giants: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
The Giants continue to set QB Daniel Jones up after adding TE Darren Waller this offseason by adding the 6-3 WR on the outside.
Top needs: CB, WR, G
26. Dallas Cowboys: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
Cowboys have a hole to fill with Dalton Schultz departing. They unite the great pass-catcher and solid blocker with a receiving corps that includes CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup.
Top needs: TE, G, DL
27. Buffalo Bills: Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas
The Dolphins’ division rival might also go WR to give Stefon Diggs and QB Josh Allen some help, but to maintain their defense, they need a replacement for Tremaine Edmunds.
Top needs: LB, WR, OL
28. Cincinnati Bengals: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
After signing Orlando Brown at LT, Wright falls right in the Bengals’ lap to play RT. Consider QB Joe Burrow protected, and Jonah Williams’ trade request can be granted.
Top needs: OL, TE, DB
29. New Orleans Saints (from SF, via MIA and DEN): Myles Murphy, DL, Clemson
With a lot of turnover on the defensive front, the Saints are extremely fortunate to have Murphy fall to them in this scenario. He can work with Cameron Jordan, who enters the final year of his deal.
Top needs: DL, Edge, TE
30. Philadelphia Eagles: Brian Branch, S, Alabama
Perfect time for Eagles to take the first safety off the board after losing starting safeties Marcus Epps (Las Vegas) and C.J. Gardner-Johnson (Detroit) and getting help up front with their pick at 10.
Top needs: S, DT, RB
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Jordan Addison, WR, USC
There are WRs and edge rushers alike available here for the Chiefs to have their pick, and they decide to get QB Patrick Mahomes another pass-catcher after JuJu Smith-Schuster’s departure.
Top needs: WR, Edge, OT
Round 2
32. Pittsburgh Steelers (from Chicago): Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
They can go a number of different ways if the Steelers decide to go CB here, and they settle on the physical 6-2 Ringo from college football’s defending champs.
Top needs: CB, DT, LB
33. Houston Texans: Will McDonald IV, Edge, Iowa State
The Texans, after getting their Ohio State QB-WR combination in Round 1, add to the pass rush early in Round 2.
Top needs: Edge, DT, OL
34. Arizona Cardinals: Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
Arizona has a number of holes to fill, especially on defense, and now pairs maybe the draft’s top pass rusher with the slim 166-pound corner with ball-hawking skills.
Top needs: CB, OL, WR
35. Indianapolis Colts: Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
He’s absolutely massive at 6-8, 374 pounds. Jonathan Taylor — and now Richardson — might like running behind him at RT with Quenton Nelson already at left guard.
Top needs: OL, CB, WR
36. Los Angeles Rams: Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina
The Rams can no longer take the “[forget] them picks” approach, and Smith’s versatility to play on the boundary or in the slot makes him a reasonable replacement for CB Jalen Ramsey.
Top needs: CB, OL, Edge
37. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver): John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota
We already have the Seahawks fortifying the defensive front and the secondary. Now, they beef up the interior of the offensive line with the draft’s first center.
Top needs: OL, Edge, LB
38. Las Vegas Raiders: Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
The Raiders get the push on the interior up front to complement Maxx Crosby on the edge.
Top needs: OL, LB, DT
39. Carolina Panthers: Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina
Could be a little bit of a reach with Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt available, but Panthers are motivated to keep former Tar Heel home while giving Young a rookie target.
Top needs: WR, LB, CB
40. New Orleans Saints: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
If the Dolphins want to move up to grab Washington, this might be the spot to leapfrog. New Orleans could use help here, and we know QB Derek Carr likes to throw to big tight ends.
Top needs: WR/TE, CB, RB
41. Tennessee Titans: Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
As the Panthers keep one WR close to home, so do the Titans in this scenario where Hyatt falls to them. They’re also a candidate to take one of the draft’s many Day 2 TEs, too.
Top needs: WR/TE, OL, CB
42. Green Bay Packers (projected trade with NYJ of CLE pick): Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M
The first of back-to-back second-round picks the Jets own ends up with Green Bay as part of the Rodgers trade. The Packers fortify the secondary here, knowing they can get Love a WR a few picks later.
Top needs: WR, S, OL
43. New York Jets: Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
The Jets see Musgrave available as we get into the middle portions of the second and give Rodgers a young TE.
Top needs: DT, IOL, S
44. Atlanta Falcons: DJ Turner, CB, Michigan
An offseason where Atlanta loads up at various positions continues, and they insert more rookie speed on this defense with the fastest player in the draft (4.26 40) after taking the uber-athletic pass rusher Smith in Round 1.
Top needs: CB, QB, WR
45. Green Bay Packers: Marvin Mims Jr., WR, Oklahoma
Green Bay already drafted a first-round TE and has young height in its receiving corps with Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs. The Packers select the speedster Mims, who ran a 4.38 40 at the combine, for Love.
Top needs: WR, OL, DL
46. New England Patriots: Cody Mauch, OL, North Dakota State
There are some questions as to what position on the line the college tackle will play in the NFL, but Belichick will bring in the sound blocker and figure out where he’s best. We also know the Pats coach’s tendency to draft FCS linemen after Cole Strange of UT-Chattanooga went to New England last draft.
Top needs: OL, WR, QB
47. Washington Commanders: Steve Avila, OL, TCU
A potential Dolphins fit with positional flexibility on the offensive line is taken off the board four picks before Miami’s first selection as the Commanders get interior OL help.
Top needs: TE, OL, DL
48. Detroit Lions: Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
Detroit thinks about keeping Michigan DT Mazi Smith home, but the thought of inserting Simpson into the middle of that defense is too good to pass up — or maybe coach Dan Campbell takes Iowa LB Jack Campbell out of surname bias.
Top needs: LB, OL, TE
49. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
The Steelers have a great history of linebackers, and Campbell becomes the next one as coach Mike Tomlin keeps him in black and gold going from Iowa to Pittsburgh.
Top needs: DT, LB, WR
50. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami
The Hurricanes’ top draft prospect stays in the state of Florida, and the Bucs get a cover corner with the speed and physicality combo.
Top needs: CB, Edge, QB
51. Miami Dolphins: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
Did I just lay out a scenario where Gibbs falls to 51? I didn’t go into this mock thinking this could happen, nor do I think general manager Chris Grier expects to be in this position — and coach Mike McDaniel can work with any RB — but if Gibbs is there, you got to take him.
I’ve stated how I like the continuity at running back of keeping Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. on team-friendly deals, but adding the electricity of Gibbs could make this Miami offense unstoppable and be the piece that puts the team over the top for a deep playoff run. This might take the Dolphins out of the running for the Vikings’ Dalvin Cook, but it also takes care of the position through the draft with a 21-year-old.
I love Perk’s pick of Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta, too, and would take him if he’s there and not Gibbs. But the TE class appears deep, and other options could be available later, including UM’s Will Mallory. BYU tackle Blake Freeland, who had an elite combine and fits the outside-zone blocking scheme but exhibits concerns on film, could be a nice third-round selection, but pick No. 51 is too early for him.
Top needs: OL, TE, RB
