Full First-Round NFL Mock Draft: Every Team!

Yinzer Crazy Contributor Anthony DiCerbo. Follow him on Twitter @SnarfVenom

I’ve already established that mock drafts are like throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping that after the draft you see something stuck. Just because the odds aren’t in my favor doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying. 

This time I am going to change things up. Instead of only focusing on the Steelers, I’m going to take a look at the entire first round and go team by team, explaining my picks along the way. 

Without further delay, let's get into it! 

1. Carolina Panthers (From Chicago): C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State 

After their trade with the Bears, the Panthers get their pick of the litter in the 2023 class. What that actually means is that they get to pick between C.J. Stoud and Bryce Young, and I lean toward them selecting Stroud. Stroud has excelled at the college level, and he as all the tools that you look for in an NFL quarterback. He isn’t as athletic as Young or Richardson, but the Panthers should be happy making Stroud the face of their franchise. 

2. Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama 

No matter what happens with the first pick, the Texans should be happy. While they may rate one of the two higher than the other, either Stroud or Young moves the franchise in the right direction. Bryce Young is an exciting player with a lot to like. His athleticism allows him to extend plays, but his height and durability are concerns. If Young can keep his level of play at the NFL level the Texans will be an exciting team sooner rather than later. 

3. Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama 

It's crazy to think at one point last season, Steeler fans were familiarizing themselves with Anderson, it feels like forever ago. 

Anyway, the Cardinals end up with the prize edge rusher in the draft class. The Cardinals defense is barren with star talent after JJ Watt’s retirement, and Will Anderson Jr. gives them a focal point to build around while they wait for a verdict on the career of Kyler Murray. 

4. Indianapolis Colts: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

The first real curveball of my mock draft comes from the Colts and Will Levis. The consensus is that Anthony Richardson is the third QB in the class, but I think the Colts will opt for the more pro-ready Levis. Despite not having the bonkers level potential of Richardson, Levis is a solid prospect. He has a lot of the prototypical quarterback traits and is physically gifted to go with it. His accuracy is a bit of an issue, but one that I would much rather have when compared to the amount of development Richardson would need. 

They have Gardner Minshew to likely get the nod to start the season, and then they can turn to Levis once the team inevitably struggles. That option seems off the table with whatever team selects Richardson. Also for some reason, I feel like Jim Irsay would be cool with the whole mayo coffee thing that he does. 

5. Seattle Seahawks (From Denver): Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech 

A more developmental edge rusher when compared to Will Anderson Jr., Tyree Wilson headlines the next tier of edge rushers in the class. His very high ceiling will have a team calling his name early on in the draft. Even with Jalen Carter on the board, I have the Seahawks leaning more toward the edge rather than the interior of the defensive line, especially with Carter’s concerning legal troubles. 

6. Detroit Lions (From Los Angeles Rams): Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia 

I have to imagine the Lions being pleased with this scenario playing out ahead of their pick. With the option of landing Carter or their choice of the top corners, they chose to stop Carter’s short-lived fall. On the field Jalen Carter can seemingly do it all. He is big enough to take on and defeat blocks, but possesses enough finesse and skill to be a brilliant pass rusher from the interior. At this point, all of that is too good for the Lions to pass up. 

7. Las Vegas Raiders: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida 

After the Colts opt out of the Anthony Richardson experience, the next logical landing spot for the project quarterback is the Raiders. Even after signing Jimmy G in free agency, I can’t see the Raiders passing on the chance to draft Richardson. If Richardson can put everything together and reach his full potential he can be a unicorn at the quarterback position. If he doesn’t get close to that potential you are left drafting Tyler Huntley in the top 10. Jimmy G’s three-year contract gives the Raiders a quarterback to commit to for the time being while giving Richardson a mentor and the space he needs to develop into a true pro quarterback. 

8. Atlanta Falcons: Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa 

Van Ness is a difficult prospect to pin down in this class. I’ve seen mock drafts where he goes top five and some where he falls down past the Steelers. Luckily for him, edge rushers are a premium position, so he doesn’t have to wait too long to hear his name called. 

For the Falcons Jessie Bates and Calais Campbell are nice additions, but Van Ness gives them a much- threat off the edge. 

9. Chicago Bears (From Carolina): Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon 

I’m bucking the trend a bit by not having the Bears go with an offensive lineman to help out Justin Fields, but grabbing the top corner in the draft at the 9th spot is great value for the Bears. Gonzalez is a great athlete, running a 4.38 40 at the combine. He is a very fluid corner, and he has the potential to take away a large portion of the field if he hits his full potential. While it is enticing to have the Bears go OL, I can just as easily see them continuing to build out their defense with the selection of Gonzalez. 

10. Philadelphia Eagles (From New Orleans): Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern 

After almost having zero offensive linemen go in the top ten the Eagles decide to end that streak with the selection of Skoronski. 

There is some debate about whether Skoronski is a guard or a tackle at the NFL level, and I think he has the traits to succeed at either spot really. Here the Eagles take him as a plug-and-play replacement guard after Isaac Seumalo left and signed with the Steelers. The Eagles still get the added benefit of his position flexibility and can move him around should the need arise. 

11. Tennessee Titans: Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State 

After a string of no offensive linemen, the Titans make it two in a row with their selection of Paris Johnson Jr., who might be my favorite lineman in the class. He has experience playing both guard and tackle at Ohio State, but figures to be a tackle at the pro level. He needs to improve some on his pass protection, but he has all the tools to be a starting tackle for a decade. The Titans, whose window for contention seems to be closed now, get decent value at a premium position, but they need a lot more help to contend. 

12. Houston Texans (From Cleveland): Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State 

After grabbing their quarterback with the second pick the Texans look to grab some help for their new face of the franchise here in the form of Smith-Njigba. Nico Collins, Noah Brown, and Robert Woods are all mediocre names at best, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba can come in and instantly be a quarterback’s best friend in an NFL offense. The brother of the Pirates outfielder (yes I just called him that) is a smooth route runner and can excel after the catch. His performance in the 2022 Rose Bowl against Utah is one of the best performances I have ever seen from a wide receiver regardless of level. Injuries made this past season a wash, but he seemed healthy at the combine and Ohio State’s pro day. Assuming he is good to go, I think Smith-Njigba is the best receiver in the class and an instant upgrade for Houston. 

13. New York Jets: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois 

Witherspoon is the second corner taken in this draft, and after the Jets miss out on the top two linemen I have them opting to place Witherspoon in an ideal scenario. Last year the Jets hit a home run with Sauce Garner, now they get to pair him with Witherspoon to create a powerful and young cornerback duo. 

14. New England Patriots: Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson 

There are a few ways the Patriots could go here. Joey Porter Jr. makes a good amount of sense, as does receiver Quentin Johnston. Instead, they opt to help out their pass rush, which is really never a bad idea in the NFL. Adding Murphy gives New England another pass-rushing option outside of Matthew Judon. Murphy put together several solid seasons at Clemson, he could stand to add more to his pass-rush repertoire, but he has the physical tools to work out in the NFL. 

15. Green Bay Packers: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU 

I can’t remember who did it, but I saw a mock draft that talked about wanting to pick a receiver here out of pettiness toward Aaron Rodgers, but they opted to go a different direction. I, however, will embrace that level of pettiness. One of the talking points was always how the Packers wouldn’t draft weapons for Rodgers, well in year one of the Jordan Love experience that is already out the window, and for good reason too. The Packers should be all about surrounding their young QB with weapons to try and maximize his potential. 

Johnston got a lot of attention this season with the rise of TCU, and it’ll likely result in him being one of the first few receivers taken. The Packers look towards his desired size and ability to go get the ball to hopefully bail out their inexperienced QB in his first year at the helm. 

16. Washington Commanders: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State 

One pick before the Steelers are on the clock, Porter Jr. hears his name called to the Commanders. The potential CB1 finds a home and the Commanders find tremendous value at a position of need. The lack of interceptions at Penn State is something to watch for, but I don’t see it as a massive issue. The Commanders will be happy to grab the best press corner in the draft here. 

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia 

After not picking a tackle for the Steelers in my last mock, I go to one early here. Broderick Jones should honestly be a no-brainer for the Steelers here. The 6’5” Georgia product is still a little raw and is just 21 years old. He can come in and immediately challenge Dan Moore Jr. for the left tackle job, and I’m sure Steeler fans would be happy to deal with his growing pains if it means a decade of protection for Kenny Pickett’s blind side. 

18. Detroit Lions - Brian Branch, S, Alabama 

The Lions continue grabbing value for the defense with the selection of Branch here. After grabbing Carter earlier the Lions could still use some help in the secondary. The Lions are happy grabbing the best interior defensive lineman and best safety to add to their defense. 

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma 

Part of me really wanted to go with Hendon Hooker here for Tampa, but instead, I opt for the safer pick in the form of the Oklahoma tackle. Firmly in the second tier of tackles Harrison fills a massive need for Tampa following the release of Donovan Smith. Harrison lets the Buccaneers potentially flip Tristan Wirfs to the left side for some much-needed experience over there.

20. Seattle Seahawks: Calijah Kancey, DL, Pitt 

After going edge early the Seahawks look to continue to bolster their pass rush with the addition of the Pitt product. Kancey, who has gotten comparisons to Aaron Donald won’t have to immediately reach that potential to be a help to the Seahawks who fill a major need with this pick. He lacks some size, but his pass-rushing production should be enough to entice the Seahawks here. 

21. Los Angeles Chargers: Jordan Addison, WR, USC 

Addison stays in California with the Chargers here. He provides another weapon Justin Herbert and new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. He will fit right in with Mike Williams and Keenan Allen, and those names should draw some attention away from Addison which could allow him to thrive in LA. 

22. Baltimore Ravens: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College 

Despite the clear uncertainty at quarterback, the Ravens are definitely interested in upgrading their receiver core. Even with a reported offer on the table for OBJ the Ravens could still use help. A shorter receiver, Flowers has the speed necessary to be a serious weapon. A pre-draft riser Zay Flowers gets his name called in the first round to help out the Ravens, who have not had the best luck when it comes to drafting receivers, but hope the Flowers can buck that trend. 

23. Minnesota Vikings: Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland 

Banks has a lot of good things going for him. His physical traits make him a desirable prospect even if he needs some more experience to reach his full potential. He lit up the combine with his 4.35 40 time and had the best athleticism score out of all the corners. He fills a need for the Vikings following the departure of Patrick Peterson and could develop into a solid CB1 if everything works out. 

24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Darnell Wright, OL, Tennessee 

The Jags here get to grab themselves a big and position-flexible lineman to protect Trevor Lawrence. With Jawaan Taylor leaving for Kansas City and Cam Robinson coming off an injury Wright makes a lot of sense here. He can serve as depth if Robinson is good to go, but if he’s out and Walker Little has to kick over Wright is a capable starter right away with the added flexibility of playing some guard if needed. 

25. New York Giants: Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia 

Some might have Smith higher in their drafts, but I feel like the 20s is more accurate. I have him behind guys like Van Ness and Murphy so this makes more sense. A smaller edge and not a huge need for the Giants, but still adding more quality on the edge is never a bad thing. He’s a strong enough defender to not see a dip in quality when he comes on the field, and adding him to a rotation that already includes Kayvon Thibodeaux should give the Giants a stronger defensive weapon. 

26. Dallas Cowboys: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame 

I find tight ends hard to place in mock drafts, but this draft has two or three that could potentially go in the first round. The first of which in this mock is Mayer. The need certainly exists for Dallas. With Dalton Schultz signing in Houston, the Cowboys current top tight end is Jake Ferguson. Mayer is one of the safest picks in this draft. Not an exceptional athlete, Mayer makes up for it by being solid at just about everything a tight end would have to do. 

27. Buffalo Bills: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas 

The Bills get to make a true luxury pick with the selection of Robinson, and it’s a pick that I’m sure would have many Bills fans jumping through tables in excitement. Robinson is being called the best running back prospect since Saquan Barkley, and even with that he has to wait quite a while to get picked, but he lands in a desirable situation with the Bills. On an offense that already includes Josh Allen, Josh Diggs, and Gabe Davis, Bijan Robinson would take the rushing game to a level that hasn’t been in Buffalo for more or less the entirety of Josh Allen’s career. Robinson should be fully capable of taking some of the pressure off of Allen and would allow the Bills to control the clock more effectively late into games. 

28. Cincinnati Bengals: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah 

One of the other premier tight ends in the class finds a home with the Bengals, and it is easy to see why the fit exists. The Bengals let Hayden Hurst walk in free agency and instead opted to add Irv Smith Jr. to the team. Still, he doesn’t feel like a long-term solution, and with it getting closer to time for the Bengals to pay their stars, adding another weapon on a rookie contract seems like a good idea. 

29. New Orleans Saints (From San Francisco): Bryan Bresee, DL, Clemson 

A bit of a forgotten name in this mock, the Saints should be happy filling a need here with Bresee. A prospect that really feels a year away, the Saints would be betting on his potential here. He needs some more experience and playing time to reach his ceiling, but if he gets there you have a strong lineman at the point of attack with some ability to make the pocket uncomfortable for opposing quarterbacks. 

30. Philadelphia Eagles: Keion White, EDGE, Georgia Tech 

The Eagles go with an athletic edge player who still needs some fine-tuning, but could eventually serve to help replace some of the pass rush that the team lost this offseason. After starting his college football career as a tight end White is still working towards his full potential at his new position, but he’s already found success and should continue to get better. 

31. Kansas City Chiefs: Jaylin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee 

After winning the super bowl the Chiefs get to go with a luxury pick at 31. With room at wide receiver after Juju Smith-Schuster signed with New England the Chiefs opt for Hyatt. Hyatt has the speed to be an immediate weapon for Patrick Mahomes. After having a great season with Tennessee, leading the nation in touchdown catches, Hyatt parlays it into the first round. He has some holes in his game, but those will look a lot smaller catching passes from Mahomes.

Bonus Pick! 

32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina 

Even though it is technically in the second round, the Steelers are the owners of pick 32, and here I see them grabbing their next wide receiver early. I had him in my last Steelers mock at pick 49, but I’m not going to wait around this time. The Steelers still have a need at the receiver position. Only Diontae Johnson and George Pickens are proven, Calvin Austin iii can be electric but he’s coming off an injury.

The Steelers threw praise at Downs’ pro day workout, and I’m going to take it at face value and assume that he is a target for them, so they don’t bother waiting and secure their guy with the 32nd pick. 

Conclusion 

Well, there you have it! The entire first round, plus a bonus pick. I tried to keep a healthy mix of some surprises, there are always some, while not overthinking every single pick. 

As always, feel free to let me know what you think!