The dust has settled on the 2023 NFL Draft, and I am here to count down my 10 favorite picks for any team after the first round. That’s what they pay me for around here. LFG.
My Favorite Picks from the 2023 NFL Draft
10. Andrew Vorhees @ 229 to the Ravens – Tough scene for Vorhees tearing his ACL at the Scouting Combine. That sucks. But, if he was ever going to have a shot in the NFL, landing in Baltimore was ideal. He likely won’t be a factor in 2023, but could be a surprise in 2024. Another factor that makes me like this pick is the fact that even when healthy, Vorhees isn’t particularly twitchy. He needed to go to a place where he could just line up and mow people down. Baltimore fits the bill.
9. Olusegun Oluwatimi @ 154 to the Seahawks – I love this pick so much because the Seahawks are nailing it with their offensive line of the future. Last year, they managed to snag Charles Cross and Abe Lucas. Both look like the book end tackles for years to come. This year, they steal a talented and feisty center to bolster the interior of that line and get great value for him. It stands to reason that next year, they’ll draft two 10-year guards and go on to have the best offensive line for the next decade.
8. Siaki Ika @ 98 to the Browns – I don’t even know if the Browns need defensive tackle help or not. I don’t care. I don’t even know if Ika is a fit for the Browns. I do not care. I make no apologies for my unbridled passion for the violence in cleats that is Siaki Ika. I still want to see him flip a car over.
7. John Michael Schmitz @ 57 to the Giants – Pretty simple. The Giants needed a center. They got the best one in the class without having to invest a first round pick. That’s all, folks.
6. Marte Mapu @ 76 to the Patriots – Mapu going in the third round raised some eyebrows, but I felt like the NFL would value his versatility and skill set to a point that would get him drafted higher than expected. That said, even I wouldn’t have said “third round.” He is truly position-less, and when you take value out of the equation, this may end up being one of the best fits of the entire draft. I can’t wait to see how Bill Belichick and company deploy Mapu.
5. Moro Ojomo @ 249 to the Eagles – The rich get richer. I wrote in my blurb about Ojomo that he strikes me as a Titans type of defensive tackle. Quick first step, seems to do his best work when running free and wreaking havoc. If he didn’t land in Nashville, going to be apart of that legendary defensive line in Philadelphia was the best possible landing spot for him. At a pick that was just 10 away from Mr. Irrelevant? My goodness – you can’t beat that value.
4. Jaelyn Duncan @ 186 to the Titans – Duncan has the traits, length, and athleticism to one day be the starting left tackle for the Titans. I wouldn’t rule him out at guard or on the right side either. He brings versatility to the table. It sounds like he might’ve slid as far as he did because of concussion concerns. If he can keep that at bay, he could prove to be a steal.
3. Riley Moss @ 83 to the Broncos – Moss is one of the most underrated and versatile defensive backs in this draft class. I love that he landed somewhere with some established guys that will allow for him to take his time in sorting out where exactly he’ll play at the next level. Be it cornerback or safety, he’s going to be a factor in Denver.
2. Puka Nacua @ 177 to the Rams – One of “my guys” from the moment I popped on the Arkansas tape. But, this list isn’t just about “my guys” and where they went. It has to be about the fit, too. For Nacua, I don’t think the fit could’ve been any better. On our live stream on Saturday, Zach called Nacua “Cooper Kupp insurance.” That’s not to say Nacua is the next Kupp – it’s just illustrating that they have similar skill sets. I could 100% see Nacua thriving in that Rams offense. He’s a guy I’ll probably draft in every fantasy league I’m in this year (if any, but that’s a different debate for a different day).
1. Adetomiwa Adebawore @ 110 to the Colts – It pains me to type this, but if I’m being completely unbiased here, the Colts absolutely murdered the draft. Adebawore was my 13th overall player on my big board. To get him nearly 100 spots later feels like highway robbery. It’s clear that NFL scouts and GMs didn’t fall for the hype train the way I did after the Senior Bowl. Adebawore is an explosive interior pass rusher that will make the Colts defensive line better (and I hate that).
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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