With the 2023 NFL Draft behind us, we’re set to break down every team’s draft picks over the 3 day event, giving player projections and opinions on team fits as we go division by division through the NFL.
Next up, the NFL Champions and the rest of the AFC West
Denver Broncos:
2(63) WR Marvin Mims, Oklahoma
3(67) LB Drew Sanders, Arkansas
3(83) CB Riley Moss, Iowa
6(183) S JL Skinner, Boise State
7(257) C Alex Forsyth, Oregon
Without a first round pick thanks to the trade for Russel Wilson, the Broncos were limited in what they were able to do at the draft, but still made some solid improvements for their club.
WR Marvin Mims out of Oklahoma is a speedster who averaged 20.1 yards per catch last year and gives the Broncos offense an explosive downfield element that they’ve been sorely missing. Wilson has the ability to throw one of the nicest deep balls in the NFL, and if he returns to form and Mims can become a more consistent receiver, the pairing has serious potential to create some magic. Mims will certainly be in line to start the season as an explosive punt returner after averaging 11.8 yards per return in college.
Grabbing linebacker Drew Sanders in the 3rd round was a no-brainer, as his only true fault is that he can occasionally be overaggressive, which led to 22 missed tackles during his time at Arkansas. If that’s the biggest fault you can find on your new starting linebacker, you’re feeling pretty good about yourself. Sanders racked up 103 tackles, 13.5 tackles for a loss and 9.5 sacks and will step right into the Broncos defense while making plays all over the field.
The Broncos gave up a 2024 3rd round pick and their 4th rounder this year to move up to take CB Riley Moss, and the haul might be worth it to grab a defensive player with the ball skills that Moss has. He’s a former nationally recognized hurdler and scored incredibly well in the athletic testing at the combine. He will excel playing in zone coverages where he can keep his eyes on the quarterback and make his break on the ball. If Denver utilizes him properly he can turn into an excellent NFL player.
Boise State safety JL Skinner can be used in run support and has the versatility to play multiple coverages. With proper coaching he can become an average starter in the NFL, which is a nice value in the 6th round.
C Alex Forsyth is another value pick in the 7th round and shows the technique and consistency that offensive line coaches love to see. He had bad injury luck during the pre scout processes which, along with his average athleticism, was likely why he dropped so far in the draft, but can certainly carve out a nice role as a strong backup lineman with the potential to work his way into a starting role.
The Broncos will have to be active on the undrafted free agent market to add more bodies for camp, but came away from the draft with great value from their selections.
Kansas City Chiefs:
1(31) DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
2(55) WR Rashee Rice, SMU
3(92) OT Wanya Morris, Oklahoma
4(119) S Chamarri Conner, Virginia Tech
5(166) LB B.J. Thompson, Stephen F. Austin
6(194) DT Keondre Coburn, Texas
7(250) CB Nic Jones, Ball State
When you’re the Super Bowl champs, you don’t have to spend too much time stressing over the draft, as you have the luxury of trying to find the next man up to replace players who priced themselves off of your squad.
DE Felix Anudike-Ozumah fills a pass rushing need after the departure of Frank Clark. Although he’ll need to improve his run defense if he wants to be an every down player, he has multiple tools to get to the quarterback and the pursuit to chase them down. Paired with 2022 pick George Karlaftis, who really started making waves in the second half of the season, the Chiefs now have two very different pass rushers to keep offenses on their toes.
Going for a wide receiver with their 2nd pick wasn’t a huge surprise, but perhaps taking Rashee Rice was. Rice doesn’t have elite speed or size, but was one of the best players at tracking the ball downfield, as he tied for 1st in the vertical jump at his position. He has a habit of getting above defenders to make the tough catches, and gives the Chiefs an element in their wide receiver group they’ve been missing.
Chiefs fans were probably hoping to fill the hole on their offensive line earlier, but if OT Wanya Morris can regain his focus he has the exact size and length that NFL coaches look for in a tackle. He oddly didn’t start a game in 2021 after transferring to Oklahoma, and has since been suspended for 2 games because of academics. With the Chiefs boasting one of the best coaching staffs in the league and having that winning pedigree, Morris landed in the perfect place to help regain focus off of the field and realize his full potential.
Using their remaining picks on defensive depth pieces is a smart way to fill the depth chart and create competition in training camp.
S Chamarri Conner can obtain a roster spot based on his size and versatility alone. But he will have to become a better tackler and needs to work on his angles to retain that spot. He was a 4 year starter and a 2 time captain, has worked both as a true safety and as a nickel back covering tight ends, so there’s potential there for him to be used as a chess piece in the Chiefs backfield.
LB B.J. Thompson will need plenty of coaching to help him work on his technique and build up his strength before he can be considered much more than a practice squad player. He tested well in his athletic testing, and has explosive speed to match the natural physical tools, so there is a nice base there for the Kansas City staff to work with.
Getting a nice backup/potential starter at DT was a good pickup by the Chiefs in the 6th round. Keondre Coburn is a former top 50 overall recruit and was a second team all conference selection in his senior year. He’s stout, but athletic and has nimble feet, and shows some bull rushing ability to get after the quarterback. But his bread and butter will be clogging the lanes and becoming a disruptive force against the run. He has his flaws, as he needs to improve his interior handwork, and has occasionally let rushers slip through his grasp, but this was a great value pick for the Chiefs, as he could play meaningful snaps as soon as this season as a rotational player.
The Chiefs have a habit of hitting gold on day 3 cornerbacks, and there is a feeling that 7th round pick Nic Jones could be the next one as he has the length and a natural feel for playing the ball in coverage.
While nothing truly stands out about the Chiefs 2023 draft class, they’re the champs for a reason, and will continue their next man up mentality.
#Chiefs Felix Anudike-Uzomah: "For me, I still haven't made the team until I put in the work and impress the coaches…" pic.twitter.com/j1zeIvNSvN
— Aaron Ladd (@aaronladdtv) May 6, 2023
Las Vegas Raiders:
1(7) DE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
2(35) TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
3(70) DT Byron Young, Alabama
3(100) WR Tre Tucker, Cincinnati
4(104) CB Jakorian Bennett, Maryland
4(135) QB Aidan O’Connell, Purdue
5(170) S Christopher Smith II, Georgia
6(203) LB Amari Burney, Florida
7(231) DT Nesta Jade Silvera, Arizona State
While the draft has been a time for Raiders fans to dread for the past, under the new regime, they did ok to good, which is certainly an improvement.
They probably didn’t expect Tyree Wilson to fall to them at 7th. And while they have Chandler Jones slotted to line up opposite of Maxx Crosby, Wilson will have two incredible rushers to learn from as he eases into the NFL. With the team only collecting 27 sacks last season, adding another elite rusher is a huge plus, and gives them security at the position beyond this season.
The surprises kept coming on day 2 for the Raiders, as the top all around tight end Michael Mayer fell to them in the second round. After trading Darren Waller to the Giants in the offseason, the Raiders had a huge hole to fill, and landed a prospect who’s drop in the draft can probably be attributed to a case of being over evaluated as he has been on scouts radars since he was a freshmen starter at Notre Dame. Raiders fans can expect broadcasters to constantly point out his background as a basketball player as he continually boxes out defenders to come down with the ball for the offense.
The Raiders filled their need on the interior defensive line early in the 3rd round, snagging DT Byron Young. Young has decent length and is technically savvy, and is a player who will have to win with power and balance over quickness – a trait that some players struggle with as they play against stronger opponents. He comes out of Alabama being praised for his leadership by coaches and teammates, so at the very least the Raiders got a nice rotational piece that will be a benefit to their locker room.
The Raiders briefly dipped back into their old habits at pick 100, opting to reach for WR Tre Tucker. Tucker is athletic and fast, and might carve out a key role as a special teamer. However, drops are a concern and he lacks the ideal size to be a regular NFL player, so he will struggle making contested catches. He has the potential to stretch the field, and might even carve out a nice role as a gadget player, taking advantage of his speed in underneath routes. Tucker is the definition of a high ceiling, low floor player, and until the Raiders start proving that they can coach these type of players up to reach that ceiling, this seems like a risky selection in the 3rd round.
The Raiders did well on day 3. CB Jakorian Bennet is a fast talented corner, who is always around the ball challenging the catch. His coverage tends to lack the discipline needed to become a consistent NFLer, but he has good size and an aggressive style that serve him well.
QB Aidan O’Connell should develop into a solid backup for new QB Jimmy Garrapolo should his injury concerns rear their ugly head in 2023. He had a better tape in 2021 than he did in 2022, which is mildly concerning. He’s a pocket passer that has great accuracy over the first 2 levels, but struggles with his deep ball. He was probably tasked with taking on too much of a role during his time at Purdue, but has the makings of becoming a solid backup/game manager quarterback in the NFL.
S Christopher Smith II is the type of leader every team wants in the locker room. He has man-cover talent and the range to play over the top, but was more effective in college when he was attacking plays downhill on underneath routes. Despite his limited size, he’s extremely reliable in coverage, but his stature does hurt him when it comes to trying to tackle larger running backs.
The Raiders took another flier at linebacker with Amari Burney. He’s an aggressive linebacker with good speed but lacks the instincts and consistency needed to stick it out in the NFL. He shows potential in coverage when asked, and has the skillset to take on a special teams role early in his career. But he will likely end up on the practice squad over the next couple of seasons.
Nesta Jade Silvera is an interior plugger set for duties as a 4-3 nose tackle. He struggles when he has to deal with down blocks or double teams, but he plays with knockback power and can more than hold his own against single blockers. He has talent, and is extremely active, so there’s a possibility that he can make noise in training camp and even earn a roster spot.
Compared to past drafts, the Raiders did well to fill needs and take some players with extremely high upsides. The organization now needs to learn to consistently develop their own picks before we can get too excited about their future.
Los Angeles Chargers:
1(21) WR Quentin Johnston, TCU
2(54) OLB Tuli Tuipulotu, USC
3(85) ILB Daiyan Henley, Washington State
4(125) WR Derius Davis, TCU
5(156) OG Jordan McFadden, Clemson
6(200) DT Scott Matlock, Boise State
7(239) QB Max Duggan, TCU
While the Eagles went after players from Georgia, the Chargers decided to heavily invest in the offensive weapons from TCU.
The Chargers needed to pick a wide receiver in the 1st round as Keenan Allen and Mike Williams grow older, and their injury history gets longer, but the pick of Quentin Johnston feels more like a future replacement for one of the two as opposed to trying to compliment them in the here and now.
Johnson is another big bodied receiver who played most of his college career out wide, which makes his fit alongside Allen and Williams feel a little awkward. He’s shown some inconsistencies in his game, and with his elevation and catch radius, it feels like he should have a more successful catch rate than he actually does. Landing with the Chargers, and more specifically Justin Herbert, will bode well for his development as he needs an accurate deep ball to take advantage of his weapons. Johnston feels like he will be a strong WR2 for his career, but never quite make it to a high volume WR1.
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu is a bit of a tweener, and he also seems like an awkward fit on the Chargers. He had impressive seasons on the edge in college, but doesn’t have the look of an edge defender at the NFL level. Tuipulotu can become a special player in the right scheme, so the Chargers staff will be under pressure to not waste their 2nd round pick and utilize his skill set properly.
ILB Daiyan Henley, on the other hand, is a former safety who converted to linebacker, and became one of the most sure tacklers in all of college football. He excels playing in the box but is versatile enough to cover tight ends and the slot, making him a fun chess piece for the Chargers to use along their defense.
Johnston’s college teammate, speedy 4th round pick Derius Davis actually might have a bigger impact on the offense (assuming everyone is healthy) as he fits in better in the slot and can also make an impact on special teams as a punt returner. If Davis can develop a more robust route tree to utilize his quickness and ability to slip press coverages, he has the ability to make explosive plays with his speed. He will be fun to watch in the Chargers offense if he can put it all together.
Jordan McFadden adds some depth along the offensive line. He was a 3 year starter, playing at both tackle spots, and a team captain. He’ll probably transition inside at the NFL level due to his height and length, but his broad frame and skills in run blocking make the transition to guard seem like a natural fit. He has good footwork and initial drive, so when you combine that with his leadership skills and his experience at tackle, McFadden has a solid chance to start as a strong backup with the potential to become a starter.
DT Scott Matlock may have to be placed in the right scheme to avoid interior blocking a little more, but his motor and athleticism should let him carve out a nice role in the NFL. He will have to get bigger and stronger to deal with potential double teams and become a consistent block beater, but he’s shown flashes as a pass rusher and a penetrator against the run. If he builds up his already impressive frame, this could be a nice value pick for the Chargers.
The Chargers finished off their run of the TCU offense by taking QB Max Duggan with their final pick in the draft. Duggan is a scrappy quarterback with the attitude, toughness and leadership that teams are looking to add to their locker room. His limitations as a passer will cap his ceiling in the NFL, but he can make plays through the air and on the ground, and his intangibles and familiarity with the Chargers earlier picks make this a fine draft choice in the 7th round.
The Chargers leave this draft with questions remaining in their secondary and at tight end, and for a team that’s supposed to be contending for the Super Bowl, it’s hard to get excited about the additions they made over the weekend.
-Devon Gallant
Twitter: @DevGallant
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.