The first round of the 2023 NFL Draft is officially in the books. Thursday had it all, from numerous stunning trades to players going much higher or lower than expected. Fans can only hope this excitement continues throughout the rest of the draft. But before that, let's quickly grade all 31 first-round picks from the 2023 NFL Draft Thursday night.
1. Carolina Panthers (from CHI): QB Bryce Young, Alabama
The Panthers were obviously taking a quarterback after trading a king's ransom to the Bears to move up to No. 1 overall of the NFL Draft. The question was just which one. In the end, they wound up going with Bryce Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner from Alabama. Some have concerns about Young's size, but his skills are undeniable. He should be the face of the franchise for years to come. Grade: A
2. Houston Texans: QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
Despite rumblings of the Texans not going quarterback with this pick, they decided to use common sense and took one. Stroud has been the subject of some unflattering reports recently, which strangely only emerged days before the draft. Regardless, his college production and intangibles are excellent, and he should succeed in Houston. Grade: A-
3. Houston Texans (from ARI): EDGE Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
In the first shocking trade of the night, the Texans immediately came back on the clock to take the best defensive player in the draft. Houston paid a hefty price to do it, sending four picks including a 2024 first-rounder to Arizona to move up from No. 12. If Anderson turns out to be as good as advertised, though, it's well worth it. He will be a cornerstone player for DeMeco Ryans and the Texans' defense. Grade: A
4. Indianapolis Colts: QB Anthony Richardson, Florida
The Colts couldn't leave the first round without a quarterback, and with Young and Stroud off the board, the choice came down to Richardson and Kentucky's Will Levis. Ultimately, they went with Richardson, a physical freak with unreal athleticism. He still has to simmer a bit, but if he can reach his potential, he will be a star in the league. Grade: A-
5. Seattle Seahawks (from DEN): CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
The Seahawks took an interesting approach to the NFL Draft here. They decided to add to a strength. After drafting Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant last year, Seattle now adds arguably the best corner in the draft in Witherspoon. Assuming Witherspoon lives up to the hype, the Seahawks might now have one of the best secondaries in football. Grade: A-
6. Arizona Cardinals (from LAR via DET): OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State
The Cardinals took the No. 12 pick they received from the Texans, along with the No. 34 pick in the second round, and packaged them to the Lions to move back up to No. 6. With the newly acquired pick, they took arguably the best offensive tackle in the draft in Johnson. Offensive line was a major need for the Cardinals, and they addressed it in a big way with this move. Grade: A
7. Las Vegas Raiders: EDGE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
The Raiders' pass rush left a lot to be desired in 2022, recording the third-fewest sacks in the league at just 27. Chandler Jones didn't provide the spark the Raiders probably wanted, so looking for another edge rusher to complement Maxx Crosby made sense. Las Vegas is now hoping that Wilson, the second-best edge rusher in the draft behind Anderson, can fill that need, and he should. Grade: A-
8. Atlanta Falcons: RB Bijan Robinson, Texas
Robinson is a fantastic player and will make the Falcons' offense better, but this pick is still rather questionable. Atlanta already had the third-best rushing offense in the league in 2022, led by breakout rookie Tyler Allgeier. The Falcons had much bigger needs in the NFL Draft to address than just adding another running back, regardless of Robinson's talent. Grade: C-
9. Philadelphia Eagles (from CAR via CHI): DT Jalen Carter, Georgia
Remember that Carter was widely thought to be the best player in the draft before off-field issues came to life. For the Eagles to get him at No. 9, even if they had to trade up one spot to do it, could be a steal if he stays out of trouble. After losing Javon Hargrave in free agency, the NFC Champions reload their defensive line in a big way. Grade: A+
10. Chicago Bears (from NO via PHI): OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee
The Bears desperately needed offensive line help after allowing 58 sacks last year, fourth-most in the league. Wright is a bit of an unconventional pick, though; most had Northwestern's Peter Skoronski and Georgia's Broderick Jones above him. He does fill a major need, though, which makes this still a solid pick. Grade: B
11. Tennessee Titans: OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
Much like the Bears, the Titans were another team who needed offensive line help after a rough season. Tennessee got great value in Skoronski, who was up there with Johnson as the best offensive lineman in the draft. He can line up anywhere on the offensive line, a huge plus for a team that needs help at nearly every position in that unit. Grade: A+
12. Detroit Lions (from CLE via HOU and ARI): RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
This pick is one of the biggest head-scratchers in the first round. Most had Gibbs going at the end of the first round or even the second, but what's even stranger is the team that picked him. Detroit already has D'Andre Swift on the roster and signed David Montgomery this offseason, so adding another running back just feels redundant even if a Swift trade seems very likely. The Lions had much more pressing needs in the NFL Draft than what's essentially a luxury pick. Grade: F
13. Green Bay Packers (from NYJ): EDGE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
You can always count on the Packers to go defense in the first round. The Packers' pass rush struggled in 2022 without Za'Darius Smith, especially after Rashan Gary went down for the season in early November. Van Ness is a solid prospect and still has plenty of room for improvement. No. 13 may be a bit high for him, but only slightly so. Grade: B
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (from NE): OT Broderick Jones, Georgia
The Steelers were yet another team that needed offensive line help, and they were determined to make it happen. Pittsburgh sent a fourth-round pick (No. 120 overall) to New England to move up three spots and take Jones, who didn't allow a single sack for the Bulldogs in 2022. Jones is a little raw, but he has tremendous upside. If he develops properly, he could anchor Pittsburgh's offensive line for years to come. Grade: A
15. New York Jets (from GB): EDGE Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
It feels like the Jets wanted Jones and then scrambled once the Steelers swiped him from under their nose. McDonald is a good prospect, but most had him going late in the first round, if at all. He does fit into the Jets' scheme and should be solid, but it still feels like a strange pick. Grade: C+
16. Washington Commanders: CB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
The Commanders needed a cornerback, and they got one in Forbes. However, it's hard to feel great about this pick when there were better corners still on the board, including arguably the best one in the class in Oregon's Christian Gonzalez. Most had Forbes going on Day 2, so to see him this high is puzzling. Grade: D-
17. New England Patriots (from PIT): CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
The Patriots may have gotten the NFL Draft steal of the first round, and they did so after trading back. As previously mentioned, Gonzalez was up there with Witherspoon as one of the top corners in the draft, with many projecting him to go in the top 10. For New England to get such a player at No. 17, at a position of need at that, is fantastic value. Grade: A+
18. Detroit Lions: LB Jack Campbell, Iowa
Well, Detroit needed an inside linebacker, and Campbell is arguably the best one in the class. Still, he probably would've been available for the Lions early in the second round, and then this pick could've gone towards another position of need. This pick isn't as confusing as the Gibbs one, but is still confusing nonetheless. Grade: D+
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DT Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh
Kancey is a very unique prospect in this class. He's small for a defensive tackle at 6-1 and 281 pounds, but he has blistering speed for a player at his position. He will most likely be a defensive end in Tampa Bay's 3-4 system. The Buccaneers needed more pass rushers, and Kancey was a solid choice. Grade: B
20. Seattle Seahawks: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
Here's where the run on wide receivers gets started. The first of four in a row is Smith-Njigba, who had a monster 2021 season before injuries plagued him in 2022. If Smith-Njigba can return to that 2021 form, the Seahawks could have one of the best receivers in the league with him, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. He can also take over for Lockett once the 30-year-old receiver inevitably moves on from Seattle. Grade: A-
21. Los Angeles Chargers: WR Quentin Johnston, TCU
The next wide receiver to go off the board was Johnston, the premier big-body receiver in the class. Considering the Chargers already have two big-body receivers in Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, choosing Johnston over a faster receiver is a bit strange. It will probably look better once Allen moves on, but for the time being it's a bit of an odd pick. Not bad, but not fantastic either. Grade: C+
22. Baltimore Ravens: WR Zay Flowers, Boston College
The Ravens had a massive day on Thursday. They finally signed Lamar Jackson to a long-term extension, and then celebrated by getting him an elite weapon. Flowers is small, but has elite agility and route-running. With him and Odell Beckham Jr. in the fold, Baltimore's receiving woes could be a thing of the bast. Grade: A
23. Minnesota Vikings: WR Jordan Addison, USC
To round out this run on receivers, the Vikings take Addison out of USC. Minnesota could've used a running mate for Justin Jefferson after parting ways with Adam Thielen this offseason, and Addison is an excellent choice for the role. However, the Vikings might've been better off addressing their porous defense instead of adding to their already strong offense. For what he is, though, Addison is a good pick. Grade: B
24. New York Giants (from JAX): CB Deonte Banks, Maryland
With the top receivers all off the board, the Giants decided to address one of their other big needs in cornerback. Banks still has some developing to do, but he's probably the most athletic corner in this class. If he develops properly, he could be a staple in New York's secondary for a while. The Giants giving up two late round picks, No. 160 and No. 240, knocks this grade down a bit, but only slightly. Grade: B+
25. Buffalo Bills (from NYG via JAX): TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah
This pick is a little odd, not because of Kincaid but the Bills themselves. Buffalo already has a solid starting tight end in Dawson Knox, so very few expected them to add another one. Kincaid is a great NFL Draft talent, though, and could have realistically gone several picks earlier. An unconventional pick, but not a bad one. Grade: B-
26. Dallas Cowboys: DT Mazi Smith, Michigan
Smith wasn't a common pick to go in the first round, but defensive tackle was a big need for Dallas. The Michigan product excels against the run and while his pass rushing isn't great now, it can develop with time. The Cowboys may have reached a bit here, but not enough to make this a bad pick. Grade: B
27. Jacksonville Jaguars (from BUF): OT Anton Harrison, Oklahoma
After trading back twice to acquire a few Day 3 picks, Jacksonville finally made a pick and addressed a position of need. The Jaguars needed to replace Jawaan Taylor at tackle, and at only 21 years old with plenty of intangibles, Harrison could be the replacement they're looking for. Grade: B+
28. Cincinnati Bengals: EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson
The Bengals didn't have many major holes, but edge rusher was one of their weaker spots last season. So, taking an edge rusher in Murphy who could've gone earlier was a good idea. He can excel against both the run and pass, and should complement Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard well. Grade: A-
29. New Orleans Saints (from SF via MIA and DEN): DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson
The Saints lost three defensive line starters in free agency, so addressing the position in the first round was an easy pick. Bresee didn't have the most productive college career, as he battled through injuries and tragedy throughout. However, he's a very good run defender and can cause havoc in the passing game too. Grade: B+
30. Philadelphia Eagles: EDGE Nolan Smith, Georgia
The Eagles really love their Georgia defenders, as Smith marks the fourth one they've drafted in the last two years. That's not a bad thing, though, as Smith is an excellent prospect with ridiculous athleticism for his position, running a 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Philadelphia's record-setting pass rush last season looks very strong once again in 2023. The Eagles first round of the NFL Draft might have been the best of any team. Grade: A
31. Kansas City Chiefs: EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
Finally, the defending champs add some pass-rush help in the form of local product Anudike-Uzomah. The Chiefs needed another edge rusher after releasing Frank Clark this offseason, so taking one here was a natural choice. Anudike-Uzomah is a bit of a project, but playing next to Chris Jones should help his development. Grade: B
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