The first round of the 2023 NFL Draft did not disappoint! We wanted chaos, and we absolutely got it. There were seven trades, including three in the first 10 picks. We saw edge rushers and offensive linemen fly off the board, while tight ends barely made a sound. After writing and tweeting about every pick, I’ve compiled my notes and distilled it down to a few main elements. Here are my five things that stood out in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. 

1. Texans Select 2nd, 3rd Overall After Trade with Arizona

What a gutsy roll of the dice to start the DeMeco Ryans era. The Texans selected C.J. Stroud, quarterback from Ohio State with the second overall pick in the first round. Then, seconds later, they traded back up to third overall with the Arizona Cardinals to select Will Anderson Jr., edge rusher from Alabama. Arizona picked up No. 12 and No. 33 in this year’s draft, while also securing 2024 first- and third-round picks. 

This trade has the potential to be one of the best swings of all time. Stroud is a great passer who can move around in the pocket and put the ball in tight windows. He’s a leader in the locker room and my favorite option to take the reins in Houston. Anderson has been at the top of the draft board for nearly two years. Both players proved that they can compete at the highest level and lead their teams to victories. In the span of 10 minutes, not only did Houston’s football team get better, but it likely added a team captain and potential All-Pro to either side of the ball.

2. Philadelphia’s Reign in the NFC Is Here to Stay

By moving up from one spot to No. 9 to get Jalen Carter, defensive lineman from Georgia, Howie Roseman continues to play chess when everyone else plays checkers. He then stood in at No. 30 and made the pick, also a Bulldog, taking Nolan Smith. Roseman’s ability to work the draft and squeeze every drop of value out of each selection is uncanny. Philadelphia lost the Super Bowl last season because it couldn’t stop the run. The Eagles not only addressed that but added a fast-twitch pass rusher to their arsenal as well. The Eagles are coming for the throne, folks. 

3. Are Running Backs…Back?

Bijan Robinson, my best player in the entire draft, went eighth overall to the Atlanta Falcons. Even more surprising, Jahmyr Gibbs went just four picks later to the Detroit Lions at No. 12. The narrative that running backs are the least valuable position seems to have been ripped to shreds tonight with two premium picks invested in talented backs who can elevate their respective offenses to the next level. 

For Atlanta, Bijan is going to be asked to do literally everything. The Falcons have an extremely leaky and aging offensive line, so the natural running lanes might not be there. Still, Bijan can catch passes out of the backfield with the best of them. The Falcons still have six rounds to invest in the trenches. For Robinson’s sake, I hope they do. 

In Detroit, I disagreed with both of the Lions’ picks myself. I thought No. 12 was too early to take Gibbs, RB2 on my board, and I thought Jack Campbell should have been an early second-rounder. Given the current stable of RBs in the Motor City, Jahmyr is likely a third-down back to start. He’s fluid, can make defenders miss, and will be a great pass catcher. I’ve compared him to Alvin Kamara with the Saints. 

4. Wide Receivers and Tight Ends Fall Down the Board

After being told that this was the deepest tight end class in a long time, we only watched one of them go off the board in the first round when Buffalo selected Dalton Kincaid from Utah. The receivers took their time to start going, but by No. 20 they were ready to fly off the board. Seattle took Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the Chargers took Quentin Johnston, the Ravens took Zay Flowers, and the Vikings took Jordan Addison. To me, I wonder if the general lack of size combined with natural separation led to these later selections. Regardless of where they went, I see bright futures for each of these four guys with winning franchises. 

5. Best Prospects on the Board for Day 2

TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame – I’m shocked there was only one tight end drafted in the first round, while we saw two running backs come off the board.

CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State – Reports are circulating that there might be something, potentially medical, that has teams hesitant. Dallas Cowboys draft coverage fully expected him to be the pick at No. 26 before Mazi Smith was the pick. 

SAF Brian Branch, Alabama – Branch can play safety or corner. I love his cover ability.

QB Will Levis, Kentucky – I feel terrible for Levis, but I never once had him graded as a first-round QB. He didn’t win in college. I wouldn’t trust him to be my franchise quarterback with a first-round pick. 

CB Julius Brents, Kansas State – Long and athletic, Brents could be the Tariq Woolen of the 2023 draft. 

LB Drew Sanders, Arkansas – Sanders is a great off-ball linebacker who can provide pass rush on third downs. There was a good chance in my mind that he went in the first round. 

QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee – Someone is going to give Hendon a shot early on Day 2. He won’t be ready for training camp with his recovery of his ACL tear, but he will be ready by September.