After his freshman season in 2020, I thought Bresee was a future top-five pick, but he missed all of 2021 with an ACL injury. 9. Tanner McKee, Stanford Final 2023 NFL draft rankings: Mel Kiper's top prospects by position The reality is this pick has some risk because we've never seen a pocket passer under 6 feet tall have consistent success at the NFL level; Young is 2 inches shorter than Drew Brees. 27. Johnson, East Carolina The Seahawks struck gold with cornerback Tariq Woolen and found solid rookie starters in offensive tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas and running back Kenneth Walker. Top needs entering the draft: G, TE, RB, ILB, OLB. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee I don't see a vastly improved defensive depth chart. Top needs entering the draft: DE, DT, ILB, RB, WR. Keenan Isaac, Alabama State Hooker has some holes in his game, but this is good value, even if he never develops into a high-end starting quarterback. Joe Tippmann, Wisconsin Brenton Strange, TE, Penn State 147. 130. Rakim Jarrett, Maryland 20. Bumper Pool, Arkansas Austin Ajiake, UNLV He isn't just a burner. Aaron Rodgers knows that feeling; the Packers have now drafted a defensive player with 12 of their past 13 first-round picks, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. 7. He has great hands and can break tackles after the catch. 9. If it feels like Kiper should be much older than 62 at this point, it's because he's been covering the NFL Draft for ESPN since 1984, when he was just 23 . Jalen Green, Mississippi State Darrius Bratton, Virginia 33. Wideout Puka Nacua (177), tight end Davis Allen (175) and edge rusher Ochaun Mathis (189) were all reaches on my board, and L.A. ended up taking my sixth-ranked punter Ethan Evans (223). Evan Hull, Northwestern Marte Mapu, Sacramento State 2023 NFL mock draft: Mel Kiper's final first-round predictions Schefter and Herbstreit wont be involved in the broadcast at all, but Kiper Jr. will still be on the broadcast, just not from Las Vegas. Jaiden Woodbey, Boston College 29. 18, with top running back Bijan Robinson still on the board. Richardson is still very raw -- his mechanics and footwork need a lot of work. Richardson hasn't come close to his ceiling. 35. I had undrafted grades on quarterback Sean Clifford (149) and 6-foot-5 kicker Anders Carlson (207). Tight end Zack Kuntz (220) lit up the combine workouts, and he is a worthy risk in Round 7. His 4.46-second 40-yard dash (with a 1.50-second 10-yard split) at the combine was great for his size. Darrell Luter Jr., South Alabama Peter Afful Jr., Washburn Jordan Lee, Washington State Carter Warren, Pitt Go watch his tape against Alabama and Will Anderson Jr. -- he dominated a potential top-three pick. 17. I mentioned this Friday night, but the Giants landed three of my top 45 prospects in the first two days of the draft. Corey Mayfield, UTSA I had Smith in my top 25 during the season, before he tore his right pectoral muscle and missed the rest of the season. YaYa Diaby, DE, Louisville Robinson did absolutely everything for Texas. 74. 24. He had 19 catches last season, averaging 16.5 yards per reception. The Saints ended up picking 19 spots after their original selection. George Tarlas, Boise State Still, New England was in a spot to get a starter, either at cornerback, offensive tackle or wide receiver. Mel Kiper's final mock draft has Bears picking an OT originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago In his final mock of the 2023 the 2023 NFL Draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has the Chicago Bears. The Browns sent their first-rounder to the Texans in the Deshaun Watson deal and their second-rounder to the Jets in the Elijah Moore trade (Cleveland got a third-round selection in return), which meant the Browns waited all the way into the middle of Round 3 to be on the clock. Taylor Grimes, Incarnate Word Marvin Mims Jr., WR, Oklahoma Top needs entering the draft: QB, DE, WR, DT, ILB. Emanuel Wilson, Ft. Valley State There's not much flash in this class, which is not usually how team owner Jerry Jones does things, but I can't knock many of these selections. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). XFL semifinals: Defenders roll Sea Dragons, set up title showdown with Renegades. Here we go, with the position-by-position rankings at the bottom (updated April 25, 10 p.m. 10. Andrew Farmer, Lane He picked off four passes in 2022; he has the hands of a receiver. Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota 32 lingering post-draft questions: Will Lions have regrets? It's usually 20 or so, but this class wasn't considered to be as good as recent drafts. Eric Garror, Louisiana 22. 8. I had a fourth-round grade on safety JL Skinner (183), so the Broncos got good value on Day 3. 14 overall, the Patriots were in an interesting spot in this draft. That's extremely high for a player I don't think has starter-level tools. 36. I have write-ups for the top 25 guys then lists for the rest. He had a stunning 130 pressures over the past two seasons, which is 45 more than the second-best defender (San Jose State's Viliami Fehoko). During the multiday event, which lasts seven rounds, teams choose players based on their needs. Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State He ran a 4.35-second 40-yard dash and put up a 42-inch vertical leap at the combine. 40. He moves inside to tackle at times, so that versatility will help his stock for NFL teams. 3. J.D. Nick Saldiveri, Old Dominion Cody Mauch, North Dakota State JL Skinner, Boise State 3. Grant Gibson, NC State, James Jackson, South Alabama 57. 13. Robert Ferrel, Washington State Abraham Beauplan, Marshall Brycen Tremayne, Stanford David Perales, Fresno State Kiper, a fixture on ESPN's NFL draft coverage since 1984, won't be the only familiar face missing from the event. Tre Tucker, Cincinnati 22. I still think he's a Round 1 prospect -- he obviously will put on weight as he gets older -- but he's not a top-15 lock. This is an awesome addition. Some of this had to do with getting ahead on the DTs early in a thinner-than-normal class, but I'm grading each class on value, and so the Bears have to get dinged. He had nine sacks last season and was extremely impressive during the athletic testing at the combine. Wright got better every season. 2. 8. 41. The Jordan Love era in Green Bay starts with an edge rusher. Luke Wypler, Ohio State DeMarvion Overshown, Texas Nick Herbig, LB, Wisconsin 11. 117. He also has a lot of experience; he started eight games as a true freshman in 2019. Quentin Johnston, TCU How ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and others sized up Dolphins draft - Yahoo The 2023 NFL Draft marked his 40th season covering the draft and he was pretty pleased by the overall class of the Las Vegas Raiders. Gutekunst took my fifth- and sixth-ranked tight ends in Luke Musgrave (42) and Tucker Kraft (78), and he added wideout Jayden Reed (50) to try to alleviate some of the pressure off Love. Peter Skoronski, Northwestern Justin Shorter, Florida JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN This class is lifted up by those first three picks, which all fit positions of need. On Day 2, they added cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (32), defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (49) and tight end Darnell Washington (93), all of whom could play significant roles this season. Garrett Williams, CB, Syracuse Carter was sentenced to 12 months of probation and assessed a $1,000 fine and 80 hours of community service. He fits the mold of what NFL teams want from their "move" tight ends. BJ Ojulari, OLB, LSU Jordan Perryman, Washington Michael Wilson (94), a 6-foot-2 wideout, had a nice combine workout, which boosted his stock. Karl Brooks, Bowling Green 4. Check out the positions I listed above. Picks correct: 1.5/31 Noteworthy: Not a particularly strong. Jason Taylor II, Oklahoma State Joe Shimko, NC State Stroud had 85 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions over the past two seasons. Nick Broeker (230) is a decent guard prospect who is definitely worth a Round 7 flier. He started 39 games at tackle in college. General manager Chris Ballard stuck at No. K.J. 4. 37. Anthony Johnson Jr., Virginia Garett Maag, North Dakota 11. Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame I also liked the value for edge rusher Yasir Abdullah (136) and safety Antonio Johnson (160) on Day 3, but I would have gone with running back Roschon Johnson over Tank Bigsby (88) in the third round. Kiper has appeared on ESPNs draft coverage since 1984. 13. John Ojukwu, Boise State Mel Kiper Jr.'s final 2023 NFL draft mock sends Bills first-round pass Todd Centeio, James Madison Tyler Steen, OT, Alabama 16. 84. Emari Demercado, TCU Cedric Tillman, Tennessee 10. They must trust that Mekhi Becton will return healthy and productive after back-to-back lost seasons. Michael Mayer, Notre Dame Not necessarily about the value -- Johnston is No. 13. They traded down from No. Isaiah Moore, NC State Aron Cruickshank, Rutgers Parker Washington, WR, Penn State, 101. His full analysis on each pick can be found here . (And who knows, maybe they found the next Brock Purdy in here somewhere.). Kiper said that Accorsi told him that there was a market for draft information and suggested that Kiper convert his analysis into a business. Sydney Brown, S, Illinois I completely support everyone determining whats best for their individual circumstance and recognize the value of vaccines, he wrote. Bryce Young, Alabama 5 22 Related Topics ESPN Sports journalism Sports 22 comments Best Add a Comment 4t9rman 1 yr. ago 2023 NFL Draft: ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. whiffed on Will Levis 21. I'd like to see him use his legs to scramble for first downs; he can be a little too rigid in the pocket. Jordan Mims, Fresno State 23. Tyrick James, Tulane (with WWEs Corey Graves), Pick on the Total for Reds-Padres on May 2, Chris Paul OUT for rest of Game 2 vs. Nuggets Monday with groin injury, Wells Fargo Championship Picks: PGA TOUR Golf Best Bets, Predictions, Odds to Consider on DraftKings Sportsbook, Full schedule for Hurricanes vs. Devils in second round of 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, List of teams that have advanced to second round of 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Updated bracket heading into second round of 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Andrei Iosivas, Princeton The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz breaks down the Golden State stars legendary performance to close out the Kings. 8. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA 14. 65. 116. Merlin Robertson, Arizona State 6. Read Mel Kiper Jr.s full statement below, which he tweeted out on April 18th. What I say about the draft is that we're trying to project who a prospect could be, not evaluate exactly what he is right now. It's a solid if unspectacular move to replenish the D-line after Frank Clark was released. 118. The guy is without question the g.o.a.t. Off-ball linebacker Dorian Williams (91) ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash at the combine, and he has some coverage ability. Back-to-back-to-back-to-back wide receiver selections in the middle of Round 1. 52. Morris was a little too inconsistent on tape; he is my No. Jordan Howden, Minnesota 46. Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State T.J. Luther, Gardner-Webb 15. Henry To'oTo'o, Alabama 27 overall on Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson, clearly a piece . 17. XFL semifinals: Defenders roll Sea Dragons, set up title showdown with Renegades. Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky 145. Las Vegas was originally scheduled to host 2020's edition of thedraft, but the COVID-19 pandemic altered those plans, forcing that year's draft to be held remotely. Julius Brents, Kansas State Cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly (157) was a value on my board, and I like the stash pick of guard Andrew Vorhees (229), who likely will sit out all of 2023 after a recent knee injury. Colby Sorsdal, William & Mary Matt Landers, Arkansas Nesta Jade Silvera, Arizona State 23. Kiper could not be reached for additional comment Tuesday. Check out the best highlights that contributed to a great college career for Alabama safety Brian Branch. Even though they traded at midseason what ended up as the top pick of Round 2, they still had four selections in the top 64. Clayton Tune, Houston 4. Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke made two trades down in Round 1, acquiring extra fourth-, fifth- and seventh-round picks in the process. Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa In fact, that was right around the cutoff point for where most NFL execs and scouts had their first-round grades. He has stellar burst and explosiveness out of breaks. I liked defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy (141) in Round 5; he can be solid nose tackle. Mel Kiper health. They hit a home run in Round 1 with cornerback Devon Witherspoon (5) and wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba (20), both of whom fill immediate needs. Braeden Daniels (118) is light on his feet but undersized; he is my seventh-ranked guard. Titus Swen, Wyoming And yet, the arm strength and the dual-threat ability are so intriguing that a team near the end of Round 1 absolutely could take him and let him develop. 15. O'Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida 15. Robert Ferrel, Washington State Ryan Swoboda, UCF Jayden Reed, Michigan State He also showed up at his pro day 9 pounds heavier than he was at the NFL combine, and he couldn't finish the position drills. 32. This is a really solid team, though its success hinges a great deal on the health of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was in the MVP discussion before concussions caused him to miss five games. 13. Dawand Jones, Ohio State His announcement shocked the Pro Football world. 13. He has excellent hands -- check out this touchdown grab -- and he has great speed, though he didn't run at the combine. 139. 39. Ideally, you'd see the familiar face of Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN's NFL Draft expert, on television on the night of the 2022 NFL draft event. McDonald is a speed rusher who is super explosive; he had the best broad jump of any of the edge rushers at the combine (11 feet). Licht did a good job this weekend. That's impressive stuff from general manager Joe Schoen. Joey Fisher, Shepherd 10. I mentioned defensive end as a need, and the Lions didn't address it at all in this class; they had just two Day 3 picks. 19. Flowers' size won't wow teams, but if they just put on the tape, they'll see why he's a first-round talent. 75. Brett Neilon, USC 2 wideout behind Justin Jefferson. 62. I love what Ballard did on Day 3 -- and grabbing Downs in the third round -- but this class will be defined by Richardson and how the quarterback's career goes. 4. 144. 13, 42 and 207 and a conditional second-rounder in 2024, while giving up a disgruntled quarterback and pick Nos. 7. 5. 7. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper graded the Saints rookie class a B-minus, criticizing them for 'a few significant reaches' in Rounds 2 and 3. . Mike Morris, Michigan I'm moving Gibbs into my top 25 in these final rankings -- he has been my No. 1, Panthers' Bryce Young is all 'business now'. Top needs entering the draft: CB, DT, G/C, DE, QB. For a team that went 7-10 and has more than a few roster holes, I just don't get it. DeAndre Square, Kentucky He has the talent to turn into a solid pass-catcher. He is a thin 6-foot-1 and 166 pounds. Charlie Jones, Purdue 51. Trea Shropshire, UAB For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. He started 42 games in college, playing both tackle spots and right guard for the Vols. Keion White, Georgia Tech Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State On Day 2, Houston reached significantly -- and traded up to do so -- for center Juice Scruggs, though I'm a fan of wideout/returner Tank Dell and what he could bring to this offseason. TyJuan Garbutt, Virginia Tech Jordan Wright, Kentucky, Mikel Jones, Syracuse Nolan Smith, Georgia 12. Tre Tucker, Cincinnati Quindell Johnson, Memphis I don't know that Carter Warren (120) is a candidate to play as a rookie. He's going to start as a rookie. 14. (The Spun) Filed Under: NFL Related: ESPN's Brian Windhorst Explains He's Talking Quietly Because His Hotel Neighbor's Threat Paul Finebaum Not Liking What He's Hearing About Alabama He didn't allow a single sack on 446 pass-block snaps last season. But this year, it will not be the case. Tanner McCalister, Ohio State Stroud's protector. Daiyan Henley, Washington State 8. The upside is tremendous -- and the Colts have a solid offense around him to help -- but I'd be worried to throw him into the fire in Week 1, as the team seems eager to do. Jacob Gall, Baylor 43. Rashee Rice, WR, SMU 38. video for When should Pirates fans buy into this team? Coming into the 2022 season, we thought he might be a first-round pick; he had nine touchdowns on just 38 catches in 2021.