Random first-night notes … They may end up calling the 2023 draft ‘The year of the fake out!’ after several teams pulled fast ones on the rest of the league, or at least the world watching the pre-draft process. Houston, for example, took Ohio State QB CJ Stroud with the second pick overall, after pretty much convincing everyone that they could do just anything but. Not sure what the purpose, but it did make for some early drama last night. At the same time, Indianapolis appears to have done a nice job convincing people that the QB they really liked was Kentucky’s Will Levis before taking Anthony Richardson of Florida with the 4th pick. That may have dissuaded some team of considering trading up for Richardson thinking that he might last a little longer. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh played the board perfectly to jump ahead of the NY Jets (and Washington) to grab Georgia OT Broderick Jones, the last of the big-time tackles on the board last night. In fact, the Steelers got the pick they used to take Jones from New England, who probably weren’t aware they were screwing a divisional rival. Certainly not the kind of thing that Bill Belichek would do. And Buffalo may have broken hearts in Dallas when the Bills jumped the Cowboys to grab Utah TE Dalton Kincaid.
While the Bills did select Kincaid with the 25th pick, the first-round run on TEs never materialized; indeed, Michael Mayer of Notre Dame is still on the board as we head toward the second round. Its still a good class of TEs – and may still be the best ever at the position – but it is still not a prime draft position. On the other hand, it does appear that the questions about the quality of the WR class that were swirling prior to the draft were true as no WR went in the top 20 picks, although there was a run of 4 straight starting with Seattle at #20. Its kind of interesting to note that in the end none of the teams picking in the latter part of the opening round that were thought to be hot after a receiver – the Giants, Dallas, Buffalo and Kansas City – ever did move up to take a WR. In fact, none of the 4 even took a WR at all, although as noted the Bills did move up to get a TE who may end up being more a slot receiver than in-line TE.
In fact, the expectation that last night’s opening round would be something of a trade-fest also never really materialized. There was the blockbuster deal to start the night when Houston zoomed up from the 12th pick to #3 and grabbed Alabama DE Will Anderson, plus there were a number of minor deals, especially in the middle of the round, but it was nothing like last year, when for example, more than half the opening round picks ended up being traded at least once.
Certainly one widely rumored veteran trade that didn’t happen was that of Arizona WR Deangelo Hopkins, who was thought to be on the move to either Baltimore or Tennessee last night but as the sun comes up in the desert this morning Hopkins is till the Cardinals’ headache, but there are still 6 rounds to go today and tomorrow!
