NFL Draft: An Art, A Science, or Both?

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The 2023 NFL Draft is in the record books. An emotional Bryce Young took the stage Thursday night in Kansas City as the 1st overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and becomes the new face for the Carolina Panthers. After three days of anticipation, emotion, and gut-wrenching jitters from the to-be NFL players, front office executives, and fans, the last of seven rounds wrapped up last night. 259 players were selected for the 2023-2024 NFL season.  

The NFL Draft consists of seven rounds. Round One kicked off Thursday with 31 players selected. The Draft continued Friday with Rounds 2-3. Saturday wrapped up the selection process with rounds 4-7. Teams that did not qualify for the post season playoffs get the top picks in the draft.

Teams have a limited amount of time to make a pick. If a team fails to select a player, it can make a selection later. However, the team runs the risk of letting the next team on the clock take the player it was considering. Teams can trade draft picks or current NFL players to whom they hold the rights. Once a player is chosen in the draft, he can only sign with the team who drafted him.

More aften than not, being drafted in the NFL is the realization of a childhood dream. But, once the selection is made, what if the player does not want to play for the team who drafted him? In 1983, John Elway was drafted as the #1 overall pick by the Baltimore Colts. He refused to play for them citing he did not want to risk his professional career. He was eventually traded to the Denver Broncos.

Trades work when teams trade their current players or draft picks for another player or for a better position in an upcoming draft pick. 

A draft position does not always determine the player’s outcome for a team. Here are three players that debunked that idea. The best player in NFL’s history was a QB drafted late in the NFL Draft.

Tom Brady was the 199th player drafted in the 6th round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Brady played 23 seasons for the Patriots and Buccaneers. He threw for 89,214 yards and 649 touchdowns, played in 14 Pro Bowls, won a Comeback Player of the Year award, 2 Offensive Player of the Year awards, 3 MVP awards, 5 Super Bowl MVP awards and 7 Super Bowls. Statistically, he is the greatest player in NFL history.

2023 NFL Draft:

Round 1

1. Carolina Panthers (from Chicago): Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

2. Houston Texans: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State

3. Houston Texans (from Arizona): Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama

4. Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

5. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver): Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois

6. Arizona Cardinals (from L.A. Rams through Detroit): Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State

7. Las Vegas Raiders: Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech

8. Atlanta Falcons: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

9. Philadelphia Eagles (from Carolina through Chicago): Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

10. Chicago Bears (from New Orleans through Philadelphia): Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee

11. Tennessee Titans: Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern

12. Detroit Lions (from Cleveland through Houston and Arizona): Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama

13. Green Bay Packers (from N.Y. Jets): Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa

14. Pittsburgh Steelers (from New England): Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia

16. Washington Commanders: Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State

17. New England Patriots (from Pittsburgh): Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon

18. Detroit Lions: Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Calijah Kancey, DT, Pitt

20. Seattle Seahawks: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State

21. Los Angeles Chargers: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU

22. Baltimore Ravens: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

23. Minnesota Vikings: Jordan Addison, WR, USC

24. New York Giants (from Jacksonville): Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland

25. Buffalo Bills (from Jacksonville through N.Y. Giants): Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah

26. Dallas Cowboys: Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan

27. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Buffalo): Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma

28. Cincinnati Bengals: Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson

29. New Orleans Saints (from San Francisco through Miami and Denver): Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson

30. Philadelphia Eagles: Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia

31. Kansas City Chiefs: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State

Round 2

32. Pittsburgh Steelers (from Chicago): Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State

33. Tennessee Titans (from Houston through Arizona): Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

34. Detroit Lions (from Arizona): Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa

35. Las Vegas Raiders (from Indianapolis): Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

36. Los Angeles Rams: Steve Avila, OL, TCU

37. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver): Derick Hall, EDGE, Auburn

38. Atlanta Falcons (from Las Vegas through Indianapolis): Matt Bergeron, OL, Syracuse

39. Carolina Panthers: Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss

40. New Orleans Saints: Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame

41. Arizona Cardinals (from Tennessee): BJ Ojulari, EDGE, LSU

42. Green Bay Packers (from Cleveland through N.Y. Jets): Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State

43. New York Jets: Joe Tippmann, C, Wisconsin

44. Indianapolis Colts (from Atlanta): Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State

45. Detroit Lions (from Green Bay): Brian Branch, DB, Alabama

46. New England Patriots: Keion White, EDGE, Georgia Tech

47. Washington Commanders: Jartavius Martin, DB, Illinois

48. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Detroit through Green Bay): Cody Mauch, OL, North Dakota State

49. Pittsburgh Steelers: Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin

50. Green Bay Packers (from Tampa Bay): Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State

51. Miami Dolphins: Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina

52. Seattle Seahawks: Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA

53. Chicago Bears (from Baltimore): Gervon Dexter Sr., DT, Florida

54. Los Angeles Chargers: Tuli Tuipulotu, EDGE, USC

55. Kansas City Chiefs (from Minnesota through Detroit): Rashee Rice, WR, SMU

56. Chicago Bears (from Jacksonville): Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami (FL)

57. New York Giants: John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota

58. Dallas Cowboys: Luke Schoonmaker, TE, Michigan

59. Buffalo Bills: O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida

60. Cincinnati Bengals: D.J. Turner, CB, Michigan

61. Jacksonville Jaguars (from San Francisco through Carolina and Chicago): Brenton Strange, TE, Penn State

62. Houston Texans (from Philadelphia): Juice Scruggs, C, Penn State

63. Denver Broncos (from Kansas City through Detroit): Marvin Mims Jr., WR, Oklahoma

Round 3

64. Chicago Bears: Zacch Pickens, DT, South Carolina 

65. Philadelphia Eagles (from Houston): Tyler Steen, OT, Alabama

66. Philadelphia Eagles (from Arizona): Sydney Brown, S, Illinois 

67. Denver Broncos (from Indianapolis):  Drew Sanders, ILB, Arkansas 

68. Detroit Lions (from Denver): Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee

69. Los Angeles Rams: Nathaniel Dell, WR, Houston

70. Las Vegas Raiders: Byron Young, DT, Alabama

71. New Orleans Saints: Kendre Miller, RB, TCU

72. Arizona Cardinals (from Tennessee): Garrett Williams, CB, Syracuse

73. Houston Texans (from Cleveland): Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee

74. Cleveland Browns (from N.Y. Jets): Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee

75. Atlanta Falcons: Zach Harrison, DE, Ohio State

76. New England Patriots (from Carolina): Marte Mapu, ILB, Sacramento State

77. Los Angeles Rams (from New England through Miami): Byron Young, DE, Tennessee

78. Green Bay Packers: Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State

79. Indianapolis Colts (from Washington): Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina

80. Carolina Panthers (from Pittsburgh): DJ Johnson, EDGE, Oregon

81. Tennessee Titans (from Detroit through Arizona): Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane

82. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: YaYa Diaby, DE, Louisville

83. Denver Broncos (from Seattle): Riley Moss, CB, Iowa

84. Miami Dolphins: Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M

85. Los Angeles Chargers: Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State

86. Baltimore Ravens: Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson

87. San Francisco 49ers (from Minnesota): Ji’Ayir Brown, S, Penn State

88. Jacksonville Jaguars: Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn

89. Los Angeles Rams (from N.Y. Giants): Kobie Turner, DT, Wake Forest

90. Dallas Cowboys: LB DeMarvion Overshown, LB, Texas

91. Buffalo Bills: Dorian Williams, LB, Tulane

92. Kansas City Chiefs (from Cincinnati): Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma

93. Pittsburgh Steelers (from San Francisco through Carolina): Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

94. Arizona Cardinals (from Philadelphia): Michael Wilson, WR, Stanford

95. Cincinnati Bengals (from Kansas City): Jordan Battle, S, Alabama

96. Detriot Lions (compensatory selection from Arizona): Brodric Martin, DT, Western Kentucky

97. Washington Commanders (compensatory selection): Ricky Stromberg, C, Arkansas

98. Cleveland Browns (special compensatory selection): Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor

99. San Francisco 49ers (special compensatory selection): Jake Moody, K, Michigan

100. Las Vegas Raiders (special compensatory selection from Kansas City through N.Y. Giants): Tre Tucker, WR, Cincinnati

101. San Francisco 49ers (special compensatory selection): Cameron Latu, TE, Alabama

102. Minnesota Vikings (special compensatory selection from San Francisco): Mekhi Blackmon, CB, USC

Round 4

103. New Orleans Saints (from Chicago): Nick Saldiveri, OG, Old Dominion

104. Las Vegas Raiders (from Houston): Jakorian Bennett, DB, Maryland

105. Philadelphia Eagles (from Arizona through Houston): Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia

106. Indianapolis Colts: Blake Freeland, OT, BYU

107. New England Patriots (from L.A. Rams): Jake Andrews, C, Troy

108. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver): Anthony Bradford, OG, LSU

109. Houston Texans (from Las Vegas): Dylan Horton, EDGE, TCU

110. Indianapolis Colts (from Tennessee through Atlanta): Adetomiwa Adebawore, DT, Northwestern

111. Cleveland Browns: Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State

112. New England Patriots (from N.Y. Jets): Chad Ryland, K, Maryland

113. Atlanta Falcons: Clark Phillips, CB, Utah

114. Carolina Panthers: Chandler Zavala, OG, NC State

115. Chicago Bears (from New Orleans): Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas

116. Green Bay Packers: Colby Wooden, DT, Auburn

117. New England Patriots: Sidy Sow, OG, Eastern Michigan

118. Washington Commanders: Braeden Daniels, OL, Utah

119. Kansas City Chiefs (from Detroit through Minnesota): Chamarri Conner, S, Virginia Tech

120. New York Jets (from Pittsburgh through New England): Carter Warren, OT, Pittsburgh

121. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Tampa Bay): Ventrell Miller, LB, Florida

122. Arizona Cardinals (from Miami through Kansas City and Detroit): Jon Gaines II, OG, UCLA

123. Seattle Seahawks: Cameron Young, DT, Mississippi State

124. Baltimore Ravens: Tavius Robinson, EDGE, Ole Miss

125. Los Angeles Chargers: Derius Davis, WR, TCU

126. Cleveland Browns (from Minnesota): Isaiah McGuire, EDGE, Missouri

127. New Orleans Saints (from Jacksonville): Jake Haener, QB, Fresno State

128. Los Angeles Rams (from N.Y. Giants): Stetson Bennett, QB, Georgia

129. Dallas Cowboys: Viliami Fehoko Jr., DE, San Jose State

130. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Buffalo): Tyler Lacy, DE, Oklahoma State

131. Cincinnati Bengals: Charlie Jones, WR, Purdue

132. Pittsburgh Steelers (from San Francisco through Carolina): Nick Herbig, LB, Wisconsin

133. Chicago Bears (from Philadelphia): Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati

134. Minnesota Vikings (from Kansas City): Jay Ward, CB, LSU

135. Las Vegas Raiders (compensatory selection from New England): Aidan O’Connell, QB, Purdue

Round 5

136. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Chicago): Yasir Abdullah, LB, Louisville

137. Washington Commanders (from Arizona through Buffalo): K.J. Henry, DE, Clemson

138. Indianapolis Colts: Darius Rush, CB, South Carolina

139. Arizona Cardinals (from Denver through Detroit): Clayton Tune, QB, Houston

140. Cleveland Browns (from L.A. Rams): Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB, UCLA

141. Minnesota Vikings (from Las Vegas through Indianapolis): Jaquelin Roy, DT, LSU

142. Cleveland Browns: Cam Mitchell, CB, Northwestern

143. New York Jets: Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pittsburgh

144. New England Patriots (from Atlanta through Las Vegas): Atonio Mafi, OG, UCLA

145. Carolina Panthers: Jammie Robinson, S, Florida State

146. New Orleans Saints: Jordan Howden, S, Minnesota

147. Tennessee Titans: Josh Whyle, TE, Cincinnati

148. Chicago Bears (from New England through Baltimore): Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon

149. Green Bay Packers: Sean Clifford, QB, Penn State

150. Buffalo Bills (from Washington): Justin Shorter, WR, Florida

151. Seattle Seahawks (from Pittsburgh): Mike Morris, EDGE, Michigan

152. Detroit Lions: Colby Sorsdal, OT, William & Mary

153. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: SirVocea Dennis, LB, Pittsburgh

154. Seattle Seahawks: Oluseun Oluwatimi, C, Michigan

155. San Francisco 49ers (from Miami): Darrell Luter Jr., CB, South Alabama

156. Los Angeles Chargers: Jordan McFadden, OG, Clemson

157. Baltimore Ravens: Kyu Blu Kelly, CB, Stanford

158. Indianapolis Colts (from Minnesota): Daniel Scott, S, California

159. Green Bay Packers (from Jacksonville through Atlanta and Detroit): Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Virginia

160. Jacksonville Jaguars (from N.Y. Giants): Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M

161. Los Angeles Rams (from Dallas through Houston): Nick Hampton, OLB, Appalachian State

162. Indianapolis Colts (from Buffalo): Will Mallory, TE, Miami (FL)

163. Cincinnati Bengals: Chase Brown, RB, Illinois

164. Minnesota Vikings (from San Francisco): Jaren Hall, QB, BYU

165. Chicago Bears (from Philadelphia through New Orleans): Terell Smith, CB, Minnesota

166. Kansas City Chiefs: BJ Thompson, OLB, Stephen F. Austin

167. Houston Texans (compensatory selection from L.A. Rams): Henry To’oTo’o, LB, Alabama

168. Arizona Cardinals (compensatory selection): Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn

169. Dallas Cowboys (compensatory selection): Asim Richards, OT, North Carolina

170. Las Vegas Raiders (compensatory selection from Green Bay through New York): Christopher Smith, S, Georgia

171. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (compensatory selection from L.A. Rams): Payne Durham, TE, Purdue

172. New York Giants (compensatory selection): Eric Gray, RB, Oklahoma

173. San Francisco 49ers (compensatory selection): Robert Beal Jr., DE, Georgia

174. Los Angeles Rams (compensatory selection from Las Vegas through Houston): Warren McClendon, OT, Georgia

175. Los Angeles Rams (compensatory selection from Tampa Bay): Davis Allen, TE, Clemson

176. Indianapolis Colts from Dallas Cowboys (compensatory selection): Evan Hull, RB, Northwestern

177. Los Angeles Rams (compensatory selection): Puka Nacua, WR, BYU

Round 6

178. Dallas Cowboys (from Chicago through Miami and Kansas City): Eric Scott Jr., CB, Southern Miss

179. Green Bay Packers (from Houston through Tampa Bay): Karl Brooks, DE, Bowling Green

180. Arizona Cardinals: Kei’Trel Clark, CB, Louisville

181. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Indianapolis): Josh Hayes, CB, Kansas State

182. Los Angeles Rams: Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, CB, TCU

183. Denver Broncos: JL Skinner, S, Boise State

184. New York Jets (from Las Vegas through New England): Zaire Barnes, OLB, Western Michigan

185. Jacksonville Jaguars (from N.Y. Jets): Parker Washington, WR, Penn State

186. Tennessee Titans (from Atlanta): Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland

187. New England Patriots (from Carolina): Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU

188. Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans through Houston): Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford

189. Los Angeles Rams (from Tennessee): Ochaun Mathis, DE, Nebraska

190. Cleveland Browns: Luke Wypler, C, Ohio State

191. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Green Bay through L.A. Rams, Houston and Philadelphia): Trey Palmer, WR, Nebraska

192. New England Patriots: Bryce Baringer, P, Michigan State

193. Washington Commanders: Chris Rodriguez Jr., RB, Kentucky

194. Kansas City Chiefs (from Detroit): Keondre Coburn, DT, Texas

195. New Orleans Saints (from Pittsburgh through Denver): A.T. Perry, WR, Wake Forest

196. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jose Ramirez, OLB, Eastern Michigan

197. Miami Dolphins: Elijah Higgins, WR, Stanford

198. Seattle Seahawks: Jerrick Reed II, S, New Mexico

199. Baltimore Ravens: Sala Aumavae-Laulu, OL, Oregon

200. Los Angeles Chargers: Scott Matlock, DT, Boise State

201. Houston Texans (from Minnesota): Jarrett Patterson, C, Notre Dame

202. Jacksonville Jaguars: Christian Braswell, CB, Rutgers

203. Las Vegas Raiders (from N.Y. Giants through Houston): Amari Burney, OLB, Florida

204. New York Jets (from Dallas through Las Vegas): Jarrick Bernard-Converse, CB, LSU

205. Houston Texans (from Buffalo): Xavier Hutchinson, WR, Iowa State

206. Cincinnati Bengals: Andrei Iosivas, WR, Princeton

207. Green Bay Packers (from San Francisco through Houston and N.Y. Jets): Anders Carlson, K, Auburn

208. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Philadelphia): Erick Hallett II, S, Pittsburgh

209. New York Giants (from Kansas City): Tre Hawkins III, CB, Old Dominion

210. New England Patriots (compensatory selection): Demario Douglas, WR, Liberty

211. Indianapolis Colts (compensatory selection from Minnesota): Titus Leo, LB, Wagner

212. Dallas Cowboys (compensatory selection): Deuce Vaughn, RB, Kansas State

213. Arizona Cardinals (compensatory selection): Dante Stills, DT, West Virginia

214. New England Patriots (compensatory selection from Las Vegas): Ameer Speed, CB, Michigan State

215. Los Angeles Rams (compensatory selection from Washington through Buffalo): Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss

216. San Francisco 49ers (compensatory selection): Dee Winters, LB, TCU

217. Cincinnati Bengals (compensatory selection from Kansas City): Brad Robbins, P, Michigan

Round 7

218. Chicago Bears: Travis Bell, DT, Kennesaw State

219. Detroit Lions (from Houston through Minnesota and Philadelphia): Antoine Green, WR, North Carolina

220. New York Jets (from Arizona through Las Vegas): Zack Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion

221. Indianapolis Colts: Jaylon Jones, CB, Texas A&M

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https://c0fe4afbeb7124a28ebd5889f0fde1b5.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html 222. Minnesota Vikings (from Denver through San Francisco): DeWayne McBride, RB, UAB

223. Los Angeles Rams: Ethan Evans, P, Wingate

224. Atlanta Falcons (from Las Vegas): DeMarcco Hellams, S, Alabama

225. Atlanta Falcons: Jovaughn Gwyn, OL, South Carolina

226. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Carolina): Cooper Hodgers, OL, Appalachian State

227. Jacksonville Jaguars (from New Orleans): Raymond Vohasek, DT, North Carolina

228. Tennessee Titans: Colton Dowell, WR, UT Martin

229. Baltimore Ravens (from Cleveland): Andrew Vorhees, OG, USC

230. Buffalo Bills (from N.Y. Jets through Tampa Bay, Philadelphia and Houston): Nick Broeker, OG, Ole Miss

231. Las Vegas Raiders (from New England): Nesta Jade Silvera, DT, Arizona State

232. Green Bay Packers: Carrington Valentine, CB, Kentucky

233. Washington Commanders: Andre Jones Jr., EDGE, Louisiana

234. Los Angeles Rams (from Pittsburgh): Jason Taylor II, S, Oklahoma State

235. Green Bay Packers (from Detroit through L.A. Rams): Lew Nichols III, RB, Central Michigan

236. Indianapolis Colts (from Tampa Bay): Jake Witt, OT, Northern Michigan

237. Seattle Seahawks: Kenny McIntosh, RB, Georgia

238. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Hayes, OT, Michigan

239. Los Angeles Chargers: Max Duggan, QB, TCU

240. Jacksonville Jaguars (from N.Y. Giants through Baltimore): Derek Parish, EDGE, Houston

241. Pittsburgh Steelers (from Minnesota through Denver): Cory Trice Jr., CB, Purdue

242. Green Bay Packers (from Jacksonville): Anthony Johnson, CB, Virginia

243. New York Giants: Jordon Riley, DT, Oregon

244. Dallas Cowboys: Jalen Brooks, WR, South Carolina

245. New England Patriots (from Buffalo through Atlanta): Isaiah Bolden, CB, Jackson State

246. Cincinnati Bengals: D.J. Ivey, DB, Miami

247. San Francisco 49ers: Brayden Willis, TE, Oklahoma

248. Houston Texans (from Philadelphia): Brandon Hill, S, Pittsburgh

249. Philadelphia Eagles (from Kansas City through Detroit): Moro Ojomo, DT, Texas

250. Kansas City Chiefs (compensatory selection): Nic Jones, CB, Ball State

251. Pittsburgh Steelers (compensatory selection from L.A. Rams): Spencer Anderson, G, Maryland

252. Buffalo Bills (compensatory selection from Tampa Bay through L.A. Rams): Alex Austin, CB, Oregon State

253. San Francisco 49ers (compensatory selection): Ronnie Bell, WR, Michigan

254. New York Giants (compensatory selection): Gervarrius Owens, S, Houston

255. San Francisco 49ers (compensatory selection): Jalen Graham, LB, Purdue

256. Green Bay Packers (compensatory selection): Grant DuBose, WR, Charlotte

257. Denver Broncos (compensatory selection from New Orleans): Alex Forsyth, C, Oregon

258. Chicago Bears (compensatory selection): Kendall Williamson, DB, Stanford

259. Los Angeles Rams (compensatory selection from Houston): Desjuan Johnson, DT, Toledo

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