Final Mock Draft 3.0: KC Chiefs stay and select surprise player

In our final first-round mock, we take a look at how the first round will shake out. Could the Chiefs take a surprise player? We discuss the possibilities of Round 1.

The 2023 NFL Draft is almost here. That means we need to put out our final mock of the offseason. In this mock draft, we try to make it as realistic as possible by both having some surprise picks and some trades.

While the Kansas City Chiefs don’t officially select until pick 31, there are a lot of intriguing scenarios that could determine who becomes the newest member of the defending Super Bowl champions.

Without further ado, the Carolina Panthers are now on the clock.

From Chicago Bears

It seems as though the Panthers have made up their mind. While general manager Scott Fitterer claims that the team has not made a decision as to who their first pick will be, Bryce Young abruptly stopped going on predraft visits. It could be that Young is just tired of visiting with teams, but the more likely reason is that the Panthers told him that he would be joining their team at the beginning of the draft.

Bryce Young has been one of the most prevalent topics of discussion in this year’s draft. Most of that comes from his smaller size and incredible college production, but some of it has been whether he is worthy of being drafted first among a class of talented quarterbacks. For the Panthers, it’s a measured risk that could pay off if he can continue to produce at the next level.

The Texans are lucky to be able to get the next-best quarterback in this draft class. Oftentimes, the second option is not in the same tier as the first. In this case, however, some could argue that CJ Stroud is the best quarterback in the draft class. With tremendous accuracy and confidence, he led the Buckeyes to repeated successes throughout his career.

The Texans simply cannot pass up their top choice at quarterback here. With Davis Mills and Case Keenum as their top options currently, they can not at all be set at quarterback. The offense struggled throughout the entire season and that was in large part due to poor quarterback play. Stroud would be the future and would make them better on offense immediately.

To be completely honest about the trajectory of the Cardinals’ future, it doesn’t look good. With Kyler Murray and Budda Baker controversies, it appears as though the franchise is at a breaking point. At this point, it might be wise to place a bet on the Cardinals having the number one overall pick next season. In this draft, however, they have to take the best player available. In this case, that player is Jalen Carter.

While Carter has had some off-field issues and reportedly struggled in some predraft meetings, anyone that watched Georgia knows that Carter was the biggest part of why the Bulldog defense was so good. Carter is a monster with good contact balance, power, and technique. If the Cardinals hope to be respectable on defense next year, Carter would go a long way in ensuring that for both the short and long term.