2023 NFL Mock Draft: Picks, Betting Recommendations for Every 1st-Round Selection

Welcome to the first edition of our 2023 NFL Mock Draft, where we link the top college prospects with NFL teams and include the best available betting prop, based on current NFL odds from our best NFL betting sites.

It's officially draft season in the NFL. The scouting combine wrapped up in Indianapolis and pro days are the final showcase before the draft kicks off on April 27.

We're still seven weeks away from the NFL draft, so most sportsbooks are limited in their prop bets, but the early bird gets the worm and there's plenty of value still available. 

Here, we try to marry the projected picks with the best prop currently available.

Here are our 2023 NFL Mock Draft picks and predictions, based on the NFL draft odds and prop markets from the best sports betting sites.

2023 NFL Mock Draft predictions

1. Indianapolis Colts: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

Young's odds to go first overall were as high as -105 last month. Now, some books have him at -200. The Alabama passer might not be a slam dunk, first-overall pick in the mold of Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck, but he allayed concerns about his size with his measurements at the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday.

The Colts are desperate to get out of quarterback purgatory and general manager Chris Ballard is desperate to save his job. We have Indianapolis trading up to the first pick to solve its QB problem for the foreseeable future.

Recommendation: First Overall Pick - Bryce Young (-165 via BetRivers)

Young cemented his status as the projected No. 1 pick in April's draft by weighing more than 200 pounds. Had he come in under that mark, it's likely C.J. Stroud or Anthony Richardson could have replaced him as the betting favorite. The price became steeper at all of our top sportsbooks, and the best number out there is at BetRivers where Young's odds to go first overall are at -165.

2. Houston Texans: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State

The Texans are also a QB-needy team and lost the opportunity to have their pick of the litter when they won their final game of the regular season. As a result, they'll have the second choice at the position.

Stroud's props aren't yet available as most books have only first overall pick and first quarterback selected on the board at this point. While Stroud was impressive at the combine, Richardson stole the spotlight and Stroud's place as the runner-up to Young as betting favorite at some books.

The odds are longer for Stroud to be the first overall pick than they are for him to be the first quarterback drafted. Caesars was hanging a +550 on Stroud on Sunday, but they've since joined the rest of the books at +450.

3. Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama

If quarterbacks go with the top two picks of the draft, the Cardinals will have their choice of the best player that doesn't throw the football. 

Anderson had been the consensus top defensive player but was recently supplanted by Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter. However, that changed when Carter was arrested Saturday, March 4 for reckless driving and racing charges in an incident that resulted in the death of a former teammate and Georgia staffer. As a result, Anderson is once again the betting favorite to be the first defensive player off the board.

Recommendation: First Defensive Player Drafted - Will Anderson Jr. (-215 via BetRivers, Unibet)

The value is gone on Anderson's first defensive player props, but BetRivers and Unibet currently have the lowest number. Monitor this prop in the event Carter starts climbing back up draft boards.

4. Chicago Bears: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

Should the Bears trade back to No. 4, they'll be in prime position to begin reloading a roster bereft of talent. Carter's off-field issues may have dropped him down the board, but he might just land in the lap of a team that needs a whole lot of help on the defensive side of the ball.

Those who believe Carter will still be the top choice among defenders despite his legal issues should head to FanDuel, whose +450 odds are longer than the +350 at BetRivers and Unibet.

5. Seattle Seahawks: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

UPDATE: The Seahawks reportedly re-signed QB Geno Smith to a three-year, $105 million contract on Monday, March 6.

No player made more money at this year's combine than Richardson. An athletic freak, Richardson set multiple quarterback records during testing and ran a blazing 4.43 official time in the 40-yard dash. 

As a result, his odds to be the first quarterback drafted improved from +8000 on Feb. 16 to +300 at DraftKings.

Recommendation: Which Team Will Draft Anthony Richardson? - Seahawks (+550 via DraftKings)

This prop is a draft special currently only available at DraftKings. 

While the Seahawks re-signed Smith after he led Seattle to the playoffs and won Comeback Player of the Year, Smith is no long-term solution.

Richardson represents the lottery ticket of this year's draft and his stock only rose further with his combine performance.

6. Detroit Lions: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon

The Lions were in the Richardson sweepstakes, but with the top three QBs off the board, Detroit can instead look for a player that will make an immediate impact for a team with playoff aspirations. The Lions ranked dead last in total defense and 30th in pass defense this past season.

Detroit needs a star to match up with the likes of Minnesota Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson. The Lions can take the first cornerback off the board and the consensus top pick is Oregon's Gonzalez.

Recommendation: First Cornerback Drafted - Christian Gonzalez (-175 via BetRivers, Unibet)

Once more props open, the recommendation here will be to bet the Lions to take a defensive player. 

7. Las Vegas Raiders: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

If the Raiders strike out on a top quarterback like Aaron Rodgers in free agency, they could pivot to Jimmy Garoppolo. In any event, they'll need a long-term plan at the position and Levis is the consensus fourth quarterback on the board.

There has been some talk of Levis being a dark-horse, first-overall pick, but the Kentucky quarterback didn't do anything at the combine to supplant the three QBs ahead of him on the oddsboard.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech

Wilson didn't take part in the combine as he recovers from a fractured foot suffered in November, but he still managed to make an impact. 

Despite the injury, at 6-foot-6, 275 pounds with an 86-inch wingspan, Wilson's measurables may be too great to pass up.

Depending on the book, Wilson carries either the second- or third-shortest odds to be the first defensive player drafted. 

9. Carolina Panthers: Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson

The Panthers are a strong candidate to trade out of this pick. They don't have a glaring need at tackle, defensive end, or receiver, and all of the best quarterbacks are off the board.

If they stay in this spot, Murphy represents the best player available. One can never have enough pass-rushers.

With multiple defenders already selected, we recommend waiting for more top-10 props to become available.

10. Philadelphia Eagles: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois

The NFC champions figure to be poached in free agency. A number of the Eagles' star players are set to test the open market, including defensive backs C.J. Gardner-Johnson and James Bradberry. 

With a pick obtained from the New Orleans Saints, the Eagles can retool by taking a top-10 talent and a player accustomed to playing in the cold.

The odds on the first cornerback drafted are much closer between Gonzalez and Witherspoon at Unibet and BetRivers. The best value on Witherspoon being the first CB selected is at DraftKings.

Check out our 2023 NFL Draft odds

11. Tennessee Titans: Peter Skoronski, T, Northwestern

It's rare to see the first offensive lineman taken outside of the top 10, but if this scenario plays out, it sets up perfectly for the Titans, who are in desperate need of a building block at left tackle.

Recommendation: First Offensive Lineman Selected - Peter Skoronski (+135 via DraftKings)

Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr. is the current betting favorite to be the first O-lineman off the board, but Skoronski is more frequently mocked to the Titans. 

12. Texans: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State

The NFL is a copycat league and the Cincinnati Bengals' duo of college teammates Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase has been an instant success. The Texans can attempt to replicate that combination by pairing Stroud with his Ohio State teammate Smith-Njigba.

Recommendation: Team to Draft Jaxon Smith-Njigba - Texans (+1000 via FanDuel)

Smith-Njigba is +200 at DraftKings and FanDuel to be the first receiver taken in the draft. If you're confident in his landing spot, FanDuel is offering a team-to-draft-player prop on the Buckeyes wideout.

13. New York Jets: Paris Johnson Jr., T, Ohio State

Left tackle is a popular mock for the Jets. They spent their 2020 first-round pick on tackle Mekhi Becton, but injuries limited him to just one game in 2021. Fellow Jets tackles Duane Brown and George Fant are both in their 30s.

Johnson's odds to be the first O-lineman drafted vary from -110 to -150 at our top sportsbooks. Since he's not the first OL in our mock, we suggest waiting until more player-to-team props open closer to the draft.

14. New England Patriots: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU

Trying to project what the Patriots will do is a fool's errand, but so is betting. There's no consensus among the experts on who New England might target, but there's no debate that the Patriots need help at receiver.

TCU's Quentin Johnston is currently the favorite to be the first wide receiver drafted at our best sportsbooks. At 6-foot-3, 208 pounds, he's the biggest wideout among the top picks and an ideal target for Patriots quarterback Mac Jones.

Those hoping to bet the favorite to hear his name called first should head to FanDuel, where Johnston carries a small gap from Smith-Njigba (+200).

15. Green Bay Packers: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

Whether it's Rodgers or Jordan Love throwing the passes, the Packers' starting quarterback will need an upgraded receiving corps.

Tight ends Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis are scheduled to become free agents, as are wideouts Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. The Packers have made it clear they don't believe in using a first-round pick on a wideout, but a tight end like Mayer should meet their criteria.

Recommendation: Who Will Be Drafted Earliest? - Mayer (-120 via DraftKings)

Most books have taken their First Tight End Drafted prop off the board. DraftKings has a head-to-head matchup prop between Mayer and Utah's Dalton Kincaid (-110). There isn't much room between the two, but Mayer has been feted as the class of the tight end crop all season.

16. Washington Commanders: John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota

The Commanders would also like to be in the running for one of the top four quarterbacks, but won't net one with the No. 16 pick. 

Current Washington center Chase Roullier counts $12.4 million against the cap, but there's a potential out in his contract. 

Schmitz tested well at the combine and projects to be the next center to make an immediate impact in the NFL, like 2022 first-round pick Tyler Linderbaum and 2021 second-rounder Creed Humphrey.

Schmitz isn't in the conversation to be the first O-lineman drafted. Our recommendation is to wait to bet the Minnesota center to go in the top 31.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State

The Steelers sure do love sentiment. Last year, Pittsburgh had a need at quarterback and took Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett. This year, corner is among the Steelers' weaker areas and there's an easy link to Penn State's Joey Porter Jr., the son of former Steelers great Joey Porter.

Porter has the third-shortest odds to be the first corner drafted and has +10000 odds to be the first defensive player to go.

I'm waiting to bet a team-player prop. Steelers to draft Pickett hit at +375 at DraftKings last April.

18. Lions: Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia

The Lions can't afford to neglect their defense. With their second pick of the first round, they can target one of the top edge-rushers available.

Smith showed off eye-opening abilities at the combine.

Smith is available at +5000 at FanDuel and +7500 at DraftKings to be the first defensive player selected. Those are long odds, so our approach will instead be to wait for a prop on the Lions to use the pick on a defensive player.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Broderick Jones, T, Georgia

The Buccaneers had trouble protecting Tom Brady in his final season, underscoring the importance of a strong offensive line. 

Left tackle Donovan Smith costs $17.9 million against the cap despite his subpar play. Jones is among the top three tackle prospects in the draft and comes in at a staggering 6-foot-5, 311 pounds.

 Jones trails Johnson and Skoronski in the odds to be the first O-lineman drafted. 

20. Seahawks: Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa

The Seahawks ranked in the bottom third in defense this past season. After using the first of their two picks on Richardson, they have to address the other side of the ball.

Van Ness didn't start at Iowa - due to their antiquated team rules - but he tore up the combine. 

We recommend waiting for a prop to take Van Ness within the top 20 of the draft. His stock is quickly rising and he could be a top-15 selection by April.

Check out our Super Bowl Odds 2024

21. Los Angeles Chargers: Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee

The Chargers-receiver ties are obvious. Though the team isn't expected to cut veteran wideout Keenan Allen, the Bolts need depth behind their oft-injured duo of Allen and Mike Williams.

The question then becomes which is the Chargers preference of the receivers still available. Hyatt profiles as a deep ball threat with top-end speed after he ran a 4.4 40 at the combine. That sounds like a match for the big arm of quarterback Justin Herbert.

Recommendation: Who Will Be Drafted Earliest? - Hyatt (-120 via DraftKings)

DraftKings' head-to-head matchup prop pits Hyatt against Zay Flowers out of Boston College (-110). We lean towards Hyatt over the 5-foot-9 Flowers.

22. Baltimore Ravens: Jordan Addison, WR, USC

Can the Ravens afford to keep taking these draft swings at receiver? With quarterback Lamar Jackson's future with the team still in limbo, the franchise might not have a choice.

Getting a reliable receiving threat is top of mind when it comes to convincing Jackson to re-sign.

Addison's odds to be the top receiver in the draft changed after he ran a 4.5 in his first run at the 40. His odds are now as long as +550 at FanDuel.

23. Minnesota Vikings: Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia

Cornerback is an obvious need for the Vikings. The team ranked second-last in pass defense, hired new defensive coordinator Brian Flores, and could lose veteran corner Patrick Peterson to free agency.

Most mocks have matched the Vikes with Georgia corner Kelee Ringo, but they could opt for a DB with better ball skills, like Mississippi State's Emmanuel Forbes.

Either way, Minnesota drafting a corner feels like one of the few locks of the draft, therefore, we'll wait to bet the Vikings to pick a defensive player.

24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State

There are still two stud tight ends expected to go in the first round, but the Jaguars are no longer in the market for a new one after they franchise tagged Evan Engram.

The Jags can instead turn to the defense. They're rumored to be shopping corner Shaquill Griffin and therefore could look for his replacement in the draft.

25. New York Giants: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

There are few teams more desperate for a difference-maker at receiver than the Giants. They made the playoffs with a collection of unheralded wideouts and released Kenny Golladay after the season.

This draft class is deep at receiver. When they become available, we recommend finding a prop that has the Giants taking a wideout with their first pick. We would also bet Over 4.5 receivers going in the first round.

26. Dallas Cowboys: Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh

Kancey entered the first-round conversation with his performance at the combine. 

Kancey's numbers led to comparisons to Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who also ran fast at the combine and has a similar stature.

We'll be looking for a top-32 prop on Kancey when they're released.

27. Buffalo Bills: Brian Branch, S, Alabama

The mocks for the Bills' first-round pick run the gamut from receiver, to running back Bijan Robinson, to linebacker, and safety. 

Much hinges on what position the team decides to address via free agency. However, with most of the top wideouts already off the board in our mock, the Bills could instead turn to safety with Jordan Poyer set to hit free agency.

28. Cincinnati Bengals: Austin Kincaid, TE, Utah

Bengals tight end Hayden Hurst could leave via free agency, which would leave a hole in the Cincinnati offense. Kincaid would represent exceptional value at the back end of the draft.

The Utah tight end has been climbing the oddsboard and challenging Mayer to be the first player taken at the position.

29. New Orleans Saints: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

Another star of the combine was Washington, an athletic tight end out of Georgia. He'd be an additional weapon for new Saints quarterback Derek Carr.

We're hoping to catch the books napping and take Washington to go in the first round if it's available at ideal odds. 

30. Eagles: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

Armed with two first-round picks, the Eagles can afford to use one on a top-10 talent and devalued position. Robinson is the consensus top running back in the draft, but finding a team willing to cough up a premium pick for a rusher is difficult.

Eagles running backs Miles Sanders and Boston Scott are free agents. Robinson could represent a better, cheaper option and make Philly's offense one no defense wants to face.

Recommendation: Which Team Will Draft Bijan Robinson? - Eagles (+330 via DraftKings)

DraftKings suspended their Robinson-specific prop after his run through combine drills on Sunday. It's back up and the Eagles are the favorite to land him. The Lions - another team with two picks in the first round - follow at +450 odds.

Check out our 2023 NFL MVP odds

31. Kansas City Chiefs: Dawand Jones, T, Ohio State

The defending champs can sit back and wait for the best player still available when they close the first round of the draft.

The Chiefs aren't using a franchise tag on left tackle Orlando Brown and he may become too rich to re-sign. Kansas City could go anywhere with the 31st overall pick, but tackle seems a likely scenario with Andrew Wylie also set to test the market.

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