The 2023 NFL draft is live from Kansas City, Missouri, the Chiefs the league’s first reigning Super Bowl champions to host the league’s marquee offseason event in their backyard since it hit the road.
The league’s 88th annual “Player Selection Meeting” kicks off with an unusually large amount of mystery and intrigue, but the answers finally come to light starting Thursday night in Round 1.
USA TODAY Sports will have the latest news, while analyzing each pick as it’s made.
(Note: The Miami Dolphins, who were scheduled to select 21st, forfeited their pick for illegally tampering with QB Tom Brady and coach Sean Payton when they were under contract with other clubs.)
2023 NFL draft tracker: First-round picks
1. Carolina Panthers (from Chicago Bears) –
2. Houston Texans –
NFL Draft Hub: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis
3. Arizona Cardinals –
4. Indianapolis Colts –
5. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos) –
6. Detroit Lions (from Los Angeles Rams) –
7. Las Vegas Raiders –
8. Atlanta Falcons –
9. Bears (from Panthers) –
10. Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans Saints) –
11. Tennessee Titans –
12. Texans (from Cleveland Browns) –
13. Green Bay Packers (from New York Jets) –
14. New England Patriots –
15. Jets (from Packers) –
16. Washington Commanders –
17. Pittsburgh Steelers –
18. Lions –
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers –
20. Seahawks –
21. Los Angeles Chargers –
22. Baltimore Ravens –
23. Minnesota Vikings –
24. Jacksonville Jaguars –
25. New York Giants –
26. Dallas Cowboys –
27. Buffalo Bills –
28. Cincinnati Bengals –
29. Saints (from San Francisco 49ers via Dolphins and Broncos) –
30. Eagles –
31. Kansas City Chiefs –
After years of failed negotiations, Baltimore and QB Lamar Jackson agreed to a five-year contract extension Thursday afternoon – meaning the Ravens can definitely spend their first-round pick (22nd) overall on another position. The team shared a tweet with Jackson sharing the news. – Nate Davis
After months of speculation, the 2023 NFL draft is finally about to take shape.
The mystery that has shrouded this year’s event will begin to dissipate on Thursday night, although the lingering uncertainty about several teams and prospects has left open a multitude of possibilities from the top of the order on down.
Now that the guessing game has nearly reached its endpoint, here’s USA TODAY Sports’ final NFL mock draft for 2023. – Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
The mystery of which quarterback the Carolina Panthers will select with the No. 1 overall pick remains unresolved. Uncertainty reigns further down the draft board as well, as this year’s class has left plenty of room for disagreement on the pecking order for top talent, even though several of the marquee names have established themselves in the premier tier. And comparisons become even more difficult when trying to weigh players at different positions.
With all that in mind, here’s USA TODAY Sports’ top 50 player rankings for the 2023 NFL draft. – Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
NFL teams in the market for a quarterback create much bigger stirs than those focused on right tackles and slot corners. And this year in particular, there seems to be an ever-escalating layer of drama about where the presumed franchise passers will land – with the apparent exception of Alabama star Bryce Young, the presumptive No. 1 pick.
Of course, not every team will target a quarterback – though some might have a less apparent need for one. So let’s break the league into tiers in order to assess where this draft’s class of signal-callers will likely wind up … and where they probably won’t, starting with clubs least likely to take one. – Nate Davis
It is a pretty good juncture to reflect on the NFL players who rate as history’s biggest deterrents to playing the draft lottery over the past half-century.
Some words about the methodology: This ranking and analysis are certainly interspersed with opinion. But we tried not to view these wayward picks in a vacuum – taking into account what teams sacrificed to take a player, either in terms of trade currency or whom they opted not to select, when evaluating each bust. Some deals themselves are included since many prevented teams from choosing superior options. Naturally, extra weight was given to quarterback gaffes.
Lastly, we tried to have some fun and creativity in select spots to keep you (and me) engaged, so try not to get too bent out of shape if that defensive tackle or tight end your team took in the top 10 before he petered out didn’t warrant a mention.
Read Nate Davis’s complete rankings here.
Chasing ghosts might feel like a futile task. For Daniel Jeremiah to be best prepared as NFL Network’s lead draft analyst, it’s essential.
Jeremiah said that with roughly two weeks before the draft, the level of studying a prospect is not as intense compared to the weeks before the combine in March. At this point, he’s doing his best last-minute work to be prepared for three days of broadcasting from Kansas City.
“You’re just pulling guys out of the pile,” Jeremiah told USA TODAY Sports. “I kind of joked that it’s like the scene from ‘Gladiator.’ This is not a full scouting report. It’s a thumbs up or thumbs down operation, whether or not these guys are draftable or not draftable types of players.
“You’re kind of drinking through a firehose.”
Todd McShay, ESPN’s senior NFL Draft analyst alongside Mel Kiper Jr., said that by April, most of the work is done. “At this point, to be quite honest, it’s a lot less stressful because ‘the hay is in the barn,’ as they say,” McShay wrote in an email to USA TODAY Sports.
Read Chris Bumbaca’s full feature here.
Bryce Young smiled and spoke his truth. The former Alabama star accepts that he is far from the so-called prototype NFL quarterback when it comes to certain measurables, yet he also gives off the vibe that it’s somebody else’s problem.
“Yeah, I’ve been this size, respectfully, my whole life,” Young told reporters on Friday morning at the NFL’s scouting combine.
Quick, somebody get a tape measure and a scale.
Young, whose resume includes a Heisman Trophy, a 23-4 record as a starter while toiling in college football’s most competitive conference and 80 TD passes, was listed last season at 6-0 and 194 pounds.
“I know who I am,” Young said. “I know what I can do. For me, it’s fair. Everyone can speculate and ask whatever questions are necessary. I’m going to control what I can control.” – Jarrett Bell
Aaron Rodgers has already mentored Zach Wilson before they became New York Jets teammates this week. Now, the Jets hope Rodgers’ mentorship will help Wilson’s game reach the next level. One day after acquiring Rodgers in a trade with the Green Bay Packers, Jets general manager Joe Douglas said adding Rodgers could be inspiring for Wilson, the 2021 No. 2 pick, who has struggled during his first two NFL seasons.
“I feel like this is going to be a great thing for Zach,” Douglas said Tuesday during a pre-draft news conference. “Zach’s ceiling is unlimited. No one works harder, no one loves ball more than Zach Wilson. And him having the opportunity to really shadow and be with a first-ballot, Hall of Fame quarterback every day, every hour he’s in the building, that’s a great opportunity and a great experience.” – Safid Deen
Even in jurisdictions where sports betting is regulated, the state may not offer wagers on the NFL draft. Of the states where sports betting is legal, NFL draft bets are not permitted in:
- Connecticut
- New York
- Virginia
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
It comes down to what the state’s sports gambling governing body considers a competition. The rules vary state-to-state, with deadlines and bet limits differing across certain borders. – Chris Bumbaca
After months of speculation, Aaron Rodgers is finally Big Apple-bound … or at least headed to the New York Jets’ rustic New Jersey base of operations. By finally reaching middle ground Monday, the Jets and Packers can now focus on their draft boards without the Rodgers specter lurking over Thursday and/or Friday nights. Still, this transaction, expected as it was, marks a seismic shift to the NFL landscape and seems to further shift the balance of power to the AFC. Here’s our breakdown of the winners and losers of the Rodgers deal. – Nate Davis
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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis.
