Trio of Buckeyes stars land in first edition of Mel Kiper mock draft
COLUMBUS — Ohio State routinely pumps out first-round NFL Draft picks.
The 2023 draft will be no different, and the top NFL Draft expert believes this could be a special year for Buckeyes in the first round.
ESPN Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. released his first mock draft of the cycle, and he has a trio of Ohio State stars landing within the first 15 picks of the draft. Lettermen Row is breaking down where Kiper has the former Buckeyes stars settling in to begin their pro careers.
QB C.J. Stroud — No. 2 overall to the Houston Texans
Kiper delivered a true shocker early in his mock draft, making C.J. Stroud his first quarterback off the board to the Houston Texans at No. 2 overall — after the Bears took a defensive tackle with the first pick. Kiper’s reasoning behind Stroud as his QB1? Fit.
“I see Stroud as the best fit here as the Texans could get their pick of the top passers,” Kiper said. “He’s extremely accurate, can make every throw and has excellent touch at every level of the field. I usually don’t put much stock into single-game evaluation, but Stroud’s performance in the narrow loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinal showed me something. He was spectacular against an elite defense, carving up the Bulldogs with his arm and using his legs to maneuver the pocket and find receivers. Houston has several needs, but it should start with Stroud.”
OT Paris Johnson — No. 11 overall to the Tennessee Titans
Another Ohio State offensive lineman could be heading to Nashville. A year after the Tennessee Titans selected Nicholas Petit-Frere to become their starting right tackle, they could go back to the Buckeyes for a new left tackle. Kiper has Mike Vrabel and the Titans taking All-American left tackle Paris Johnson with the No. 11 overall pick.
His reasoning is sound in why the Titans could choose Johnson.
“Longtime left tackle Taylor Lewan has played just 20 games over the last three seasons and could be an offseason cap casualty,” Kiper said. “There might be an opening on the left side. Johnson played guard for the Buckeyes in 2021 but moved to left tackle in 2022, and he was tremendous. He will be a plug-and-play starter in the top 15 picks.”
WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba — No. 13 overall to the New York Jets
Kiper isn’t going to let the hamstring issues that plagued Jaxon Smith-Njigba last season cloud his judgment on the Buckeyes star wide receiver. He actually has Smith-Njigba reuniting with former Ohio State receiver Garrett Wilson. The pair was on the Buckeyes team in 2021 that won the Rose Bowl.
It would give the Jets yet another offensive weapon for whoever they decide will play quarterback. Kiper loves this landing spot for Jaxon Smith-Njigba early in the first round.
“The Jets picked Garrett Wilson at No. 10 last April, and he had 83 catches for 1,103 yards as a rookie,” Kiper said. “But in 2021, his teammate Smith-Njigba was the Buckeyes’ top wideout, as he put up 1,606 yards, doing damage mostly out of the slot. After an injury-plagued 2022 in which he caught just five passes, however, there are big questions about his health — he had a nagging hamstring injury — headed into the draft. I’m a big fan of Smith-Njigba, and I think he could be a star in the right situation. New York likely will have a new starting quarterback in 2023, and that passer will have to get support around him. This offense has a chance to be much improved. The Jets had a stellar draft last year; Smith-Njigba would be a great start for this one. And yes, I know, this makes it back-to-back top-15 picks on receivers for the Jets, but Smith- Njigba is worth it because of what he and Wilson can do together.”
