It’s hard to predict who the real winners and losers of the 2023 NFL Draft can be after only a few days. But it’s possible to look at the overall landscape, which team drafted which player, and understand how things could look in the next few months and years. Let’s have a look at the four big winners from the 2023 NFL Draft.
Philadelphia Eagles
Let’s start in the easiest place imaginable. The Eagles are the perfect example of the rich getting richer through shrewd moves and, if we’re being totally honest, some downright good luck. They won’t care, though. Why should they?
The Eagles landed Jalen Carter, arguably the most talented player in the entire draft, with the No. 9 overall pick after his mini slide. They had to trade up one spot, giving up a 2024 4th-round pick to the Chicago Bears, but that’s hardly a king’s ransom to get someone of Carter’s quality. With the No. 30 pick, the Eagles double-dipped on the Georgia defense, drafting undersized edge-rusher Nolan Smith. His comparisons to Haason Reddick have been well covered and while he needs to improve as a pass-rusher, he can make an impact as a run defender early in his career.
Most of the Eagles draft was spent stopping the unexpected slide of Georgia defenders. They traded up for cornerback Kelee Ringo at the start of day 3, adding a real straight-line athlete who can play either cornerback or safety moving forward. Their final pick of the draft was spent on Moro Ojomo, a stout interior defensive lineman from Texas. Ojomo was a consensus top-100 player on most draft boards, so grabbing him with a seventh-round pick represents exceptional value.
New York Giants
Another strong draft from an NFC East team. The Giants were able to capitalize and take one of the top cornerbacks in the draft at the end of the first round. Deonte Banks has all the physical traits of a starting NFL corner. The blazing speed, the impressive size, and the ability to play physical – Banks can do it all, but he just needs to learn to discipline himself a little more.
The Giants’ next two picks were ones that they could have realistically made in the first round. Their second-round pick, John Michael Schmitz, might be the best interior offensive lineman in the draft. Jalin Hyatt has the vertical burner speed that could help unlock the Giants’ offense by giving Daniel Jones a true deep threat on the outside. Knocking their first three picks out of the park and then grabbing running back Eric Gray in the fifth round is a nice bonus. Gray is an elusive runner who could carve out a role in the Giants’ backfield behind Saquon Barkley.
For a team looking to prove that their 2022 season wasn’t a fluke, the Giants would always have to nail the draft to keep on the right track. Maybe they’ve done it. It certainly looks good on paper.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals might be the one true winners of the NFL Draft – and it’s not just for what they did in this year’s edition. Despite a heavy dose of rumours linking the Cardinals to trading out of the No. 3 pick leading into the draft, it seemed like nothing would materialize and they’d make the selection, potentially drafting left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. out of Ohio State.
However, the Cardinals traded down with the Houston Texans from No. 3 to No. 12 on draft night, also landing the No. 33 pick, a 2024 1st rounder, and a 2024 3rd rounder. Then the Cardinals traded back up to No. 6 to draft, you guessed it, Paris Johnson Jr. They were able to grab an extra 1st round pick in 2024 – one that could potentially be a top 3 pick – and draft the player they were planning on drafting all along. There’s every chance they could have the top two picks in the 2024 draft.
On top of Johnson and the extra picks, the Cardinals addressed their dire defensive line by drafting BJ Ojulari and added wide receiver Michael Wilson, cornerback Garrett Williams, and offensive guard Jon Gaines II among others. This was about building for the future while addressing immediate needs and the Cardinals found the perfect balance.
Indianapolis Colts
Finally? After a long time spent in the quarterback wilderness post-Andrew Luck, the Indianapolis Colts may finally have their long-term answer at the quarterback position in Anthony Richardson.
Richardson is a premier athlete, maybe the best we’ve ever seen at the quarterback position, and has a cannon for an arm. He’s inexperienced and may redshirt for some of his rookie season, but not as raw as advertised. If Richardson sticks, he could be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He certainly has the highest ceiling of any quarterback in the class.
Beyond Richardson, the Colts added an excellent slot receiver in Josh Downs and other freak athletes like Julius Brents, Blake Freeland, and Adetomiwa Adebawore – who surprisingly fell to No. 110. If the plan was to just draft athletes all over the field, the Colts have succeeded. But to do that, getting the likes of Adebawore, who is incredibly raw but put up one of the best combine performances ever, and draft your franchise quarterback, is impressive. The Colts come out smelling like roses.
-Thomas Valentine
Twitter: @tvalentinesport
Photo: Swimfinfan. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.