Mel Kiper shakes up Top 10, including new No. 1, in updated 2023 NFL Mock Draft
With just over two weeks until the 2023 NFL Draft, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper has once again shaken up his latest mock draft. He has a new No. 1 overall pick in his updated mock Tuesday morning.
Bryce Young has once again leap-frogged C.J. Stroud to go atop the board to the Carolina Panthers after they traded up with the Chicago Bears. That puts Stroud as the No. 2 pick to the Houston Texans. Both quarterbacks met with a large contingent from the Panthers, which adds to the intrigue atop the board.
This year’s draft is seen as a strong one for quarterbacks, especially atop the board. In fact, Kiper’s top four picks are all quarterbacks, including a fun trade involving the No. 3 overall pick.
Kiper projected the Tennessee Titans move up eight spots in a mock trade with the Arizona Cardinals to select former Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson. That would move Arizona back outside the top 10, which would allow the Cardinals to build up more draft capital as they embark on their rebuild. To close out the top four, Kiper has former Kentucky standout Will Levis going to the Indianapolis Colts at No. 4 overall.
After that, Kiper has former Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter as his first defensive player — and first non-quarterback, for that matter — even despite some question marks amid his tumultuous pre-draft process. That puts former Alabama star linebacker Will Anderson as the No. 6 overall pick to the Detroit Lions, which would create quite a pairing on the EDGE with Aidan Hutchinson already in the fold as last year’s No. 2 overall selection.
The 2023 NFL Draft is coming up fast, set for April 27-29 from Kansas City.
Here is Kiper’s full updated Top 10 of his latest mock draft.
Mel Kiper’s updated NFL mock draft Top 10
- Carolina Panthers (from trade with Chicago Bears) — Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
- Houston Texans — C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
- Tennessee Titans (via mock trade with Arizona Cardinals) — Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
- Indianapolis Colts — Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
- Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos) — Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
- Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams) — Will Anderson, LB, Alabama
- Las Vegas Raiders — Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
- Atlanta Falcons — Nolan Smith, LB, Georgia
- Chicago Bears (from trade with Carolina Panthers) — Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
- Philadelphia Eagles — Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern
Click here to see the rest of Mel Kiper’s latest 2023 NFL Mock Draft on ESPN.