He was extremely consistent all season. 5. Andrew Farmer, Lane Kendre Miller, TCU Michael Mayer, Notre Dame Mel Kiper's final mock draft has Bears picking an OT originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago In his final mock of the 2023 the 2023 NFL Draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has the Chicago Bears. 5. ESPNs top college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit will also miss the draft due to medical reasons. Charlie Jones, Purdue Riley Moss, S, Iowa Jerron Cage, Ohio State Michael Wilson, Stanford 100. This is an awesome addition. 58 overall on my Big Board and is ranked third at the position. 9. 16. Jordan Lee, Washington State 36. Quindell Johnson, Memphis With three picks in the top 50, the Steelers entered the draft with a real chance to come away with multiple new rookie starters. His 4.46-second 40-yard dash (with a 1.50-second 10-yard split) at the combine was great for his size. Parker Washington, Penn State Wanya Morris, Oklahoma DeMarvion Overshown, ILB, Texas 21. (with WWEs Corey Graves). This is a fantastic get. But he has a high ceiling, and I think he could thrive with pro talent around him. Baltimore traded away its second-round pick in this draft to land off-ball linebacker Roquan Smith, and it took my top-ranked off-ball 'backer in this class in Round 3. Jason Brownlee, Southern Mississippi 91. Many of Levis' turnovers came when he tried to use his arm to force throws, and he's going to be punished for mistakes at the next level. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). 14. At 6-foot-4 and 244 pounds, there aren't many quarterbacks in the history of the league with Richardson's size, speed and arm strength. 54. BJ Ojulari, OLB, LSU Well, if I were doing a regrade, it'd have to be an A+, right? 2. Michael Clubb/AP. He is quite simply a fantastic thrower of the football. Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina 4. Joey Porter Jr., Penn State Khalan Laborn, Marshall Kaevon Merriweather, Iowa Top needs entering the draft: RB, CB, S, TE, G. I was a little surprised by the Bengals' choice to take edge rusher Myles Murphy (28) in Round 1, if only because there were solid tight ends, safeties and cornerbacks available. 16. 32. The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner has an incredibly quick release. John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota 6. Daniel Barker, Michigan State This grade might be clouded a bit by the first two selections, both of which I loved; but overall, it's tough to downgrade this class too much. Randy Charlton, Mississippi State Check out this show of force in the SEC title game against LSU. Jalen Wayne, South Alabama ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper graded the Saints rookie class a B-minus, criticizing them for 'a few significant reaches' in Rounds 2 and 3. . For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 3. That's why I was always confused by the rumblings they could pass on a quarterback at No. He's explosive at the snap and finishes well around the ball, even though he had just six career sacks. I liked the choice of safety Christopher Smith (170), but his tape is much better than his measurables, and I don't know if he'll ever develop into a starter. Houston traded pick Nos. Michael Ayers, Ashland I had a fourth-round grade on safety JL Skinner (183), so the Broncos got good value on Day 3. The Browns sent their first-rounder to the Texans in the Deshaun Watson deal and their second-rounder to the Jets in the Elijah Moore trade (Cleveland got a third-round selection in return), which meant the Browns waited all the way into the middle of Round 3 to be on the clock. Levis has a rocket launcher for an arm and makes some "wow" throws. Zaire Barnes, Western Michigan Eligibility restrictions apply. Byron Young, OLB, Tennessee 16. That's where the Cardinals could have found value. 16. BJ Thompson, SF Austin Jaxson Kirkland, Washington But the Falcons could get 90% of his production from Allgeier and a couple of Day 3 options. The reason behind his decision is due to the fact that he has not been vaccinated against the coronavirus. 63. Jordan Riley, Oregon This is a really solid team, though its success hinges a great deal on the health of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, . Let's say there were mixed results, as I wrote Thursday night. 7. The Commanders went back to the secondary in Round 2, picking my fourth-ranked safety Jartavius Martin (47), who played a lot as a nickel. 13. 1. DJ Dale, Alabama 11. This team made a surprise playoff run in 2022, and after it snagged two rookie starters in Round 1, it is primed to compete again in the NFC. 25. 3, and there were five more deals on the night. ET on ESPN, ABC, ESPN App). 5. 34. All he does is make plays, though. I like running back Eric Gray (172) as a potential steal on Day 3; he isn't a burner, but he can be a one-cut back behind Saquon Barkley. I was more down on two of its Day 2 picks, as I mentioned Friday, but I get building through the trenches. 42 Jaray Jenkins, LSU 14. 2. He also has a lot of experience; he started eight games as a true freshman in 2019. They hit a home run in Round 1 with cornerback Devon Witherspoon (5) and wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba (20), both of whom fill immediate needs. Karl Brooks, DT, Bowling Green Alan Ali, TCU 36. Larry Harrington, Langston 51 overall. The lingering question about this Jets class is: Are they sure they're OK at offensive tackle? Kobie Turner, Wake Forest AJ Finley, Ole Miss That's a coup for dropping down just three spots and still getting an offensive tackle who could start as a rookie. Will Levis, a Madison native who declared for the NFL Draft out of Kentucky on Nov. 30 is receiving plenty of buzz from ESPN's NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. Levis has landed . Go watch his tape against Alabama and Will Anderson Jr. -- he dominated a potential top-three pick. Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE, Kansas State Austin Stidham, Troy YaYa Diaby, Louisville I wrote more Friday night about these picks, but in short, I like them. Chicago had been connected with Darnell Wright (9) for months -- I matched this one in my two-round mock draft -- mostly because of its gaping void at right tackle. Top needs entering the draft: G, TE, RB, ILB, OLB. 44. 13. Steve Avila (36) is a plug-and-play starter at guard, while edge rusher Byron Young (77) is stellar value on my board. I've adjusted my rankings based on on-field workouts and athletic testing at the combine, numbers we've gotten from pro day workouts and buzz I've heard from NFL scouts, coaches and execs. The NFL draft's first round starts April 28, with Rounds 2-3 the following day and the final four rounds wrapping up the event on April 30. What I say about the draft is that we're trying to project who a prospect could be, not evaluate exactly what he is right now. Zay Flowers, Boston College Fantasy women's basketball: Why to focus on guards early in your draft, Miami Heat celebrate Florida Panthers while trolling Boston Bruins and Milwaukee Bucks, LIVE Transfer Talk: Manchester United see Lautaro Martinez as a striker option, McShay names every NFL team's best draft pick: 32 perfect selections from Rounds 1-7, Big takeaways from the NFL draft: A historic QB class, the rebuilt AFC South and new GMs thriving, violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy, concussions caused him to miss five games. Levis played in a pro-style offense at Kentucky, and he's not going to need much time to adjust to the NFL. 19. Carlton Martial, Troy Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State He's explosive off the line of scrimmage. Gervarrius Owens, Houston Washington dropped because of some medical concerns, but he'll step into the NFL as one of the league's best blocking tight ends; and if he can up his game as a pass-catcher, he could be a steal. 24. 7. 142. Kiper, one of the most recognizable figures in NFL draft media, has been providing coverage around the event for ESPN since 1984. Jalen Redmond, Oklahoma Joe Shimko, NC State T.J. Bass, Oregon That's a miss based on my list of pre-draft needs. Ethan Evans, Wingate I have Young No. 19. Dylan Horton, DE, TCU 25. Kyu Blu Kelly, Stanford 44 player in this class. 9. With 12 total picks entering Day 1 -- tied for most in the league with Las Vegas -- including two in both Rounds 1 and 3, the Texans needed to find starters on both sides of the ball. NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. will participate in ESPN's television broadcast covering the tentpole event from his home studio in Maryland and not onsite in Las Vegas because he is unvaccinated against COVID-19, he said Monday. Kendall Williamson, Stanford Jacob Copeland, Maryland 13. Carter is clearly a complicated prospect. 8. Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa 8. 20. Overall, I was impressed with what Ossenfort did in his first class as a GM, getting a plug-and-play left tackle and prime 2024 picks. NFL fans are the most passionate in all of sports and I can't wait for another great NFL Draft. Brad Robbins, Michigan And I have to say, I'm impressed by several of the prospects general manager Andrew Berry landed. Blake Freeland, OT, BYU Joey Fisher, OL, Shepherd Ochaun Mathis., Nebraska 26. Myles Brooks, Louisiana Tech He was used out of the slot more at Pitt -- he had 76 catches and 14 touchdowns when lined up there in 2021 -- but could play anywhere at the next level. Ben VanSumeren, Michigan State 9. Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pitt 11. 4. This draft includes so much intrigue . 28. Lachlan Pitts, William & Mary, Kemari Averett, Bethune-Cookman There's no running back there. Will Anderson Jr., Alabama Jordan Battle, S, Alabama The reality is Carter's stock hasn't dropped in the eyes of NFL teams, and so I'm not dropping him in my rankings. 36. When it comes to the NFL Draft, no one has been doing it better or longer than Mel Kiper Jr. Noah Henderson, East Carolina, 1. 54. Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame Carter was sentenced to 12 months of probation and assessed a $1,000 fine and 80 hours of community service. Kyu Blu Kelly, CB, Stanford Signing Lamar Jackson to a long-term deal, of course. Mel Kiper Jr. career timeline at ESPN. They traded up two spots to take Dalton Kincaid (25), the best pass-catching tight end in this class. He can play on third downs and stick to tight ends in coverage. And it's the receiving part that makes Gibbs such an intriguing prospect -- and could land him in Round 1. Simply put, my Covid vaccination decision is very specific to my own personal medical history. Art Green, Houston 13 tackle. Luke Wypler, Ohio State 15. Coach Brian Daboll helped make a trade up for wideout Jalin Hyatt (73), whom I had rated as the No. Jaylin Williams, Indiana Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State Yasir Abdullah, OLB, Louisville The issue is the 2024 third-rounder Denver gave up to grab Moss, which dings this class. 55. Off-ball linebacker Dorian Williams (91) ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash at the combine, and he has some coverage ability. Tyler Scott, Cincinnati Kiper, 61, who has been the face of the NFL Draft, one of ESPNs marquee events, for decades, said his decision to forgo vaccination is specific to my own personal history.. This is a dart throw, but it's the kind of Round 7 pick I can get behind. I mentioned this Friday night, but the Giants landed three of my top 45 prospects in the first two days of the draft. 123. Paxton Brooks, Tennessee They passed on Will Levis and Hendon Hooker. Atonio Mafi, UCLA 30. 4. 9. 28. 137. One reason that post-draft grades became so popular was because ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. Kiper offered thoughts after each day of the draft but released his grades once the draft was complete. Jones has great feet in pass protection and can plow over defenders in the run game. We're going to find out a lot more about Love and his future in a few months.