Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud deliver a 1-2 SoCal punch in the NFL draft
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud have been friends and competitors since eighth grade, two quarterback prodigies growing up in Southern California.
On Thursday night, they were the one-two punch to kick off the NFL draft.
Alabama’s Young was the top pick of the Carolina Panthers, and Ohio State’s Stroud went No. 2 to the Houston Texans.
“Whenever there’s a pressure situation, I look at that as an opportunity,” said Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner who played at Cathedral High in Los Angeles and Mater Dei in Santa Ana. “It’s fun to be in those situations. That’s what we all dream of.
Kansas City Chiefs draft Felix Anudike-Uzomah with final pick of first round
No. 31 pick: Kansas City Chiefs select DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah (Kansas State) — Hard-playing pass rusher who is a strip-sack magnet. Not particularly strong at stopping the run.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: This guy doesn’t have to go too far. Great quarterbacks in this division, so the Chiefs are always looking to upgrade.
Philadelphia Eagles select Nolan Smith at No. 30
No. 30 pick: Philadelphia Eagles select LB Nolan Smith (Georgia) — Played on a star-studded defensive line and collected 12½ sacks for his career. His senior season was cut short by a torn pectoral muscle.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Lot of speculation the Eagles might take Smith at 10, so he’s a huge bargain here. Pair of Georgia defensive standouts taken.
New Orleans Saints select Bryan Bresee at No. 29
No. 29 pick: New Orleans Saints select DT Bryan Bresee (Clemson) — A versatile player who lined up all over the defensive front for Clemson. Dealt with several injuries and illnesses during his college career.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Back-to-back Clemson defensive linemen selected. Saints need to upgrade the interior of their line to slow the run.
Cincinnati Bengals take Myles Murphy with No. 28 pick
No. 28 pick: Cincinnati Bengals select DE Myles Murphy (Clemson) — A freshman All-American who took over full-time as a junior. Didn’t put up huge numbers (17½ career sacks) but was a lot to handle coming off the edge.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: The Bengals need a more disruptive pass rush and twice Murphy led Clemson in sacks. He can overpower blockers.
Jacksonville Jaguars take Anton Harrison at No. 27
Pick No. 27: Jacksonville Jaguars select OT Anton Harrison (Oklahoma) — Slimmed down about 20 pounds from his freshman season and now weighs around 315. Very nimble and should be a tackle-only prospect.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: With Cam Robinson facing a multi-game suspension, the Jaguars had to turn their attention to their O-line.
Mazi Smith goes to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 26
No. 26 pick: Dallas Cowboys select DT Mazi Smith (Michigan) — A first-team All-Big Ten selection and Michigan’s defensive player of the year, Smith is uncommonly quick and agile for a 337-pound man.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: The Cowboys wanted a tight end, but the Bills grabbed one first. Dallas struggled to stop the run last year and Smith helps.
Dalton Kincaid goes to the Buffalo Bills at No. 25
Pick No. 25: Buffalo Bills select TE Dalton Kincaid (Utah) — Kincaid really came on last season after an injury to fellow Utah tight end Brant Kuithe. For his career, Kincaid had 35 touchdown catches. The Bills moved up two spots in a trade with the Jaguars, sending their Nos. 27 and 130 picks to Jacksonville.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: The Bills leapfrogged Dallas to take the first tight end off the board. Rookie can learn from Dawson Knox.
New York Giants draft cornerback Deonte Banks at No. 24
No. 24 pick: New York Giants select CB Deonte Banks (Maryland) — Banks is a very physical corner who is stout against the run. Missed 11 games in 2021 because of an injured shoulder. The Giants traded up one spot in a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who received Big Blue’s Nos. 25, 160 and 240 picks.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: No one had fewer interceptions last season than the Giants. Banks will bookend Adoree’ Jackson
Jordan Addison selected by the Minnesota Vikings at No. 23
No. 23 pick: Minnesota Vikings select WR Jordan Addison (USC) — Addison began his career at Pitt, playing two seasons there before transferring for a final season at USC. He won the 2021 Biletnikoff Award as college football’s top receiver.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Fourth receiver in a row. Addison will help draw coverage off of Justin Jefferson and give Kirk Cousins another potent weapon.
Zay Flowers goes to Baltimore Ravens at No. 22
No. 22 pick: Baltimore Ravens select WR Zay Flowers (Boston College) — Flowers leaves school as Boston College’s career leader in catches, receiving yards and touchdown receptions.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Now that Lamar Jackson has his extension, he has another weapon to join Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor.
Chargers select TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston at No. 21
No. 21 pick: Chargers select WR Quentin Johnston (Texas Christian) — Johnston was a key component to TCU’s offensive success, although he was shut down in the national championship game. He’s a back-to-back first-team All-Big 12 selection.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Chargers pass on local talent in Jordan Addison to reach for a bigger receiver in Johnston. Can stretch the field for a big guy.
Seattle Seahawks select Jaxon Smith-Njigba at No. 20
No. 20 pick: Seattle Seahawks select WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Ohio State) — Came into his own last season after the departure of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. Smith-Njigba is an excellent slot receiver, although he has struggled with injuries.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Seahawks land an elite slot receiver who joins a receiving corps that includes DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
Calijah Kancey goes to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 19
No. 19 pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers select DT Calijah Kancey (Pittsburgh) — Kancey was highly productive for Pitt considering his size — 5-11, 280 — which meant he wasn’t long enough to be a defensive end and just small on the interior.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: The Buccaneers have gotten a lot of production out of Vita Vea when he’s healthy. Kancey could learn a lot from him in middle.
Detroit Lions select Jack Campbell with No. 18 pick
No. 18 pick: Detroit Lions select LB Jack Campbell (Iowa) — Especially productive his senior season when he racked up 128 tackles, 5½ of them for losses. A first-team All-Big Ten selection.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Campbell is crafty enough to direct traffic as a rookie. Lions already have an overachiever in the middle: rocker-haired Alex Anzalone.
Christian Gonzalez goes to New England Patriots at No. 17
Pick No. 17: New England Patriots select CB Christian Gonzalez (Oregon) — Great size and speed. Gonzalez transferred from Colorado to Oregon in 2021.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Bill Belichick gets an ultra-versatile defensive player with great range who runs a sub-4.4 in the 40-yard dash.
Emmanuel Forbes selected No. 16 by the Commanders
No. 16 pick: Washington Commanders pick CB Emmanuel Forbes (Mississippi State) — Forbes is college football’s all-time leader in pick-sixes with six. He’s skinny at 166 pounds, but great instincts and knows where the ball is going to be.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Lots of good quarterbacks in the NFC East, so Ron Rivera can never have enough good corners. A pick-six machine.
New York Jets select Will McDonald at No. 15
No. 15 pick: New York Jets select LB Will McDonald (Iowa State) — Super-quick pass rusher who didn’t play football until his junior year of high school. Holds Iowa State record for career sacks. Joins college teammate Breece Hall with Jets.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: The Jets must have loved McDonald, because this wasn’t a huge area of need. Scary young line.
Pittsburgh Steelers trade up to get Broderick Jones at No. 14
No. 14 pick: Pittsburgh Steelers select OT Broderick Jones (Georgia) — The Bulldogs were loaded on the offensive line, so Jones didn’t step in full-time until midway through the 2021 season. He dominated opponents last season, though. The Steelers sent their Nos. 17 and 120 picks to the New England Patriots in order to trade up to No. 14.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Last of the top tier tackles for a franchise that needs an upgraded left side for young skill players.
Lukas Van Ness selected No. 13 by Green Bay Packers
No. 13 pick: Green Bay Packers select edge Lukas Van Ness (Iowa) — Van Ness was an outstanding youth hockey player as well. Has great size and is continuing to build a repertoire of pass-rush moves.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Packers need help at position with Rashan Gary coming off a torn anterior cruciate ligament and Preston Smith reaching 30.
Jahmyr Gibbs selected No. 12 by the Detroit Lions
No. 12 pick: Detroit Lions select Jahmyr Gibbs (Alabama) — Gibbs is a change-of-pace back who can also return kicks. He started his career at Georgia Tech and finished with one season at Alabama.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: The last time the Lions chose a running back this high in the draft it was future Hall of Famer Barry Sanders.
Peter Skoronski selected No. 11 by Tennessee Titans
No. 11 pick: Tennessee Titans select OT Peter Skoronski (Northwestern) — A three-year starter who turned down several Big Ten offers, Skoronski has a compact build and (relatively) shorter arms, giving him more of a guard build. He was a first-team All-American tackle last season, however.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: With left tackle Taylor Lewan gone, Skoronski and Andre Dillard can hold down the left side. Each can play guard or tackle.
Darnell Wright goes to Chicago Bears at No. 10
No. 10 pick: Chicago Bears select OT Darnell Wright (Tennessee) — The 335-pound Wright played tackle in college but might be more of a guard in the pros. He’s excellent in small spaces but might have problems holding off quicker players on the edges.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: The Bears rotated through nine different starting line combinations last season. Wright can start on the right side then move.
Jalen Carter selected No. 9 by Philadelphia Eagles after trade with Bears
No. 9 pick: Philadelphia Eagles select DT Jalen Carter (Georgia) — Came on strong as a junior and many people saw him as a candidate for the top spot in the draft. Off-the-field controversies caused some teams to cool on him. The Eagles reportedly traded their No. 10 pick and a fourth-round selection in the 2024 draft to the Chicago Bears to move up a spot.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: The Eagles always start with their lines and build out. They led the league in sacks last season. Priorities.
Bijan Robinson selected No. 8 overall by the Atlanta Falcons
No. 8 pick: Atlanta Falcons select RB Bijan Robinson (Texas) — The 6-foot, 220-pound Robinson has ideal size for an NFL back and outstanding body control. In three seasons for the Longhorns, he ran for 3,410 yards and 33 touchdowns. He might be the most talented running back to enter the league since Saquon Barkley.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Not only does Robinson solidify the ground game for the Falcons, but he’s an outstanding receiver. Arthur Smith couldn’t resist.
Tyree Wilson selected No. 7 by the Las Vegas Raiders
No. 7 pick: Las Vegas Raiders select edge Tyree Wilson (Texas Tech) — The 6-6, 270-pound defensive end has elite size and boundless potential. He showed some of that in college but is still considered a raw talent.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Wilson is raw, but he’ll soak in the pass-rushing knowledge from Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones.
Paris Johnson Jr. selected at No. 6 by the Arizona Cardinals after trade
No. 6 pick: Arizona Cardinals select OT Paris Johnson Jr. (Ohio State) — Johnson moved from right guard to left tackle in his final season for the Buckeyes and should be able to play either on the interior or on the edge of an NFL offensive line. The Cardinals traded with Detroit Lions to move up to No. 6.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Cardinals move back up to take first tackle off the board. Kyler Murray thanks them for the bodyguard.
Devon Witherspoon selected by the Seattle Seahawks at No. 5
No. 5 pick: Seattle Seahawks select CB Devon Witherspoon (Illinois) — Relatively small at 5-11, 181, Witherspoon is extremely aggressive and was among the nation’s top defensive players last season.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Head fake by Pete Carroll. The Seahawks haven’t drafted a cornerback in the first round since Kelly Jennings in 2006.
Anthony Richardson selected No. 4 by the Indianapolis Colts
No. 4 pick: Indianapolis Colts select QB Anthony Richardson (Florida) — Richardson is a physical freak who set multiple records for quarterbacks at the combine. He basically started one season at Florida and had a low completion rate (53.8%) but has a high ceiling.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Richardson left quite an impression in Indianapolis a couple of months ago, breaking multiple QB records at the combine.
Will Anderson selected No. 3 by the Houston Texans after trade with Cardinals
No. 3 pick: Houston Texans select LB Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) — A lean scorcher off the edge at 243 pounds, Anderson collected 34½ sacks in three seasons for the Crimson Tide. The Texans acquired the pick in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals minutes before the selection.
In addition to the No. 3 selection, the Texans reportedly received the No. 105 overall pick in exchange for the Nos. 12 and 33 picks. The Cardinals also received a first-rounder and third-round selection in the 2024 draft.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: Anderson will not only get to the quarterback but help patch Houston’s shoddy run defense (170.2 yards rushing per game).
C.J. Stroud selected No. 2 by the Houston Texans
No. 2 pick: Houston Texans select QB C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) — Stroud completed nearly 70% of his passes in consecutive seasons at Ohio State, leading the Buckeyes to back-to-back 11-2 seasons.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: For the first time, quarterbacks from Southern California go in the top two picks. Texans passed on a defender for their QB.
Bryce Young selected No. 1 by the Carolina Panthers
No. 1 pick: Carolina Panthers select QB Bryce Young (Alabama) — In three college seasons, Young threw for 80 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions. Although he’s undersized at 5-foot-11, the 2021 Heisman winner can both play from the pocket and throw on the move.
Sam Farmer’s analysis: The 5-10 Young doesn’t have ideal height for a quarterback, but his play-making abilities give him a Russell Wilson quality.
How much can Rams fix their depleted roster with 2023 NFL draft picks?
The Rams spent the last three months acquiring or retaining exactly zero marquee players.
A team that finished 5-12 last season essentially has done nothing to improve a roster that was ravaged by injuries and characterized by underachievement and poor decisions.
But the Rams’ austerity plan does not extend to the NFL draft, at least in terms of numbers.
With 11 picks in a draft that begins Thursday in Kansas City, Mo., they could be relying on their selections perhaps more than at any time during coach Sean McVay’s tenure.
Who will Chargers pick first? There is depth behind the 21st choice
Chargers general manager Tom Telesco this week specifically highlighted only one position group: tight end.
Although that is an unusually deep group, the club’s social media team recently touted wide receiver Zay Flowers and, before that, running back Bijan Robinson.
Though the names varied, the consensus among the most prominent national mock drafts is the Chargers will take an offensive player Thursday at No. 21.
All this means nothing is certain as Round 1 finally, mercifully, arrives — ending months of speculation founded in everything from fact to fantasy.
Sam Farmer’s final mock draft: Four QBs set to go in the first round
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There could be four (or more) quarterbacks selected in the opening round of the NFL draft Thursday evening, and this mock has three going in the first five picks.
The big surprise this contemplates is Seattle taking a passer in the No. 5 spot, even though the Seahawks already have a starter in Geno Smith and plenty of other needs. But Florida’s Anthony Richardson is a freakish prospect who could be too enticing for Seahawks coach Pete Carroll to pass up.
Another eye-opener in this mock is Philadelphia selecting Texas running back Bijan Robinson at No. 10, which would go against the grain for the Eagles. They’re always looking to fortify their offensive and defensive lines.
With Matthew Stafford only QB on roster, who might Rams target in draft?
In 11 NFL drafts as the Rams general manager, Les Snead has selected nearly 100 players.
But only three quarterbacks. And none since 2016, when the Rams traded up a record 14 picks in the first round to select Jared Goff at No. 1.
This year’s draft could be the first time in seven years — and the first time during the Sean McVay era — that the Rams select a prospect who plays the sport’s most important position.
Matthew Stafford, 35, remains the starter as he prepares for his 15th NFL season. Stafford led the Rams to a Super Bowl title two years ago and then signed a four-year extension that included $120 million in guarantees.
USC’s Jordan Addison and others among great first-round picks for NFL draft
One is wideout Jordan Addison, who had tremendous success at schools on opposite sides of the country.
Another is defensive tackle Jalen Carter, once projected to be the top pick but now steeped in controversy.
Yet another is cornerback Joey Porter Jr., with the weighty challenge of living up to his own name.
These are some of the other guys, the non-quarterbacks who will be selected Thursday in the first round of the NFL draft and will be rookies to watch Sundays this upcoming season.
Anthony Richardson the next Josh Allen? QB evaluator Greg Cosell weighs in
The Carolina Panthers weren’t going to wait around for a quarterback to fall to them in the NFL draft.
The Panthers have opted to start fresh with a rookie. They struck a deal with the Chicago Bears, trading up to the No. 1 spot in the draft to grab a top-tier quarterback prospect.
The big question: Which quarterback will it be?
The general consensus is the top four consist of Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Kentucky’s Will Levis and Florida’s Anthony Richardson, although that pecking order is in the eye of the beholder.
With little cap room, where Chargers must be on money with NFL draft picks
He stepped to the podium Monday and immediately revealed how eager he was to embrace the 2023 season.
“It’s been 93 days since our last ballgame,” Brandon Staley said in response to the opening question of his latest news conference. “So we’re ready to get started.”
Ninety-three days — counted out exactly by the Chargers’ meticulous head coach — since his team lost a 27-0 AFC wild-card lead in Jacksonville in a dramatic, face-first tumble from the playoffs.
Friends Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud say ‘it’s super cool’ to share NFL draft spotlight
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two of the top quarterback prospects in the NFL draft, Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, stood about 20 yards from each other Wednesday morning at the traditional meet-the-media session on a local high school field.
The longtime friends are expected to be chosen at or near the top of the first round Thursday, with Young probably going to the Carolina Panthers at No. 1 and Stroud almost surely to be selected in the 2-7 range.
The locale is different — Kansas City is playing host to the nomadic draft for the first time — but the theme is familiar: Quarterbacks are in the spotlight, with other potential first-rounders including Florida’s Anthony Richardson, Kentucky’s Will Levis and Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker.
Grading Les Snead’s 11 Rams drafts: Where did it go right and wrong?
Rams general manager Les Snead has a brief role in “Change the Equation,” a pre-draft video released by the Rams on Tuesday.
“We need a new formula,” Snead tells coach Sean McVay and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris while standing in front of a whiteboard. “It’s time to get back to the lab.”
Not exactly an Oscar-caliber performance.
“I didn’t come away going, ‘Oooh, I got a career. I got a next chapter in Hollywood,’ ” Snead told reporters during a videoconference.
‘Mom, they invited me!’: Reliving the weekend when CJ Stroud caught up to Bryce Young
The guys who crown the next big thing at the most glamorous position in sports take their job quite seriously. To them, their annual Elite 11 final competition isn’t just some camp where there’s a trophy given or an MVP title bestowed at the end.
“It’s ‘American Idol’ for high school quarterbacks,” says Yogi Roth, a Pac-12 Network analyst and former USC quarterbacks coach who works the event.
But even the organizers of the event will tell you — and this was certainly the case in summer 2019 — that a pecking order exists entering the weekend. It’s inevitable, a product of human nature, really. By the end of their junior years, most of the young men being considered for those coveted 20 spots have been scrutinized in such minute detail between their high school and 7-on-7 performances that it can feel like there isn’t that much new to see.
NFL reporters’ 2023 mock draft
On your marks, get set, mock…
In keeping with tradition that stretches nearly two decades, the Los Angeles Times turned to beat writers who cover their teams on a daily basis to create one version of the NFL draft’s opening round.
There are 31 selections in this first round instead of 32 because the Miami Dolphins were stripped of this year’s selection for tampering.
This mock starts with the selection of a quarterback — the real draft is sure to begin that way — but there are also early runs on edge rushers and defensive backs. There are other notable tidbits, too, such as Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker going in the first round, and USC receiver Jordan Addison winding up with Josh Allen throwing him passes.
Selection order for the entire for 2023 NFL draft
Here’s the selection order for all seven rounds of the 2023 NFL draft heading into Thursday’s first round. Trades will inevitably be made once the draft starts, creating changes to the selection order.
NFL draft 2023: How to watch, what time does it start?
It was less than three months ago that Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs defeated Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.
Seems like only yesterday, doesn’t it?
OK, it doesn’t. Every day since NFL season ended seems like an eternity, and it’s going to get only worse over the next three months or so before training camps open.
Luckily we get a reprieve this week: