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2023 NFL Draft News & Rumors

Texans Open To Trading Down; Team Preparing To Pass On QB At No. 2?

April 17th, 2023 at 10:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nick Caserio does not intend to leave Houston after the draft, but the third-year GM is facing a decision comparable to the Texans’ 2006 Reggie Bush-or-Mario Williams call. The Texans stunned the football masses 17 years ago by taking Williams at No. 1; they continue to be linked to making another unexpected move.

The Texans are willing to listen to offers for their No. 2 overall pick, Caserio said Monday, adding calls have come in. Teams with top-five choices generally listen, though franchises with clear quarterback needs could be considered less inclined to entertain offers. But the Texans are believed to have placed a bit of a value gap between expected No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, who is now expected to be available at No. 2.

Suddenly, this draft’s potential early run on quarterbacks is far from a lock to continue at 2. The Texans look likely to pass on Stroud or any other quarterback at 2, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said during an NFL Live appearance (h/t Brobible’s Dov Kleiman). The prospect of Houston punting on filling its QB need at 2 has been out there for a bit now, but the consensus viewpoint has still been the team taking a passer — presumably Stroud — with the first of its two first-round picks. But the Texans also could nab a potentially safer pass-rushing prospect in this spot.

While the post-Peyton Manning Broncos, late-Doug Marrone-era Jaguars and Mitchell Trubisky-years Bears provide examples of the uphill battles that can form when high-end pass rushers are on teams without reliable quarterbacks, the Texans may well be considering Will Anderson Jr. or Tyree Wilson at 2. A previous report indicated the Texans were high on Anderson, but NBC Sports’ Peter King points to Wilson gaining steam, indicating he would not be surprised if the Texans chose the Texas Tech edge rusher over the two-time Bronko Nagurski award winner.

Both Anderson and Wilson have visited the Texans, and certain NFL staffers view the less productive Big 12 edge as presenting more upside than the SEC dynamo. Anderson finished with 27.5 sacks over the past two seasons; Wilson collected 14 and is coming off a season-ending foot injury. The Texans need help at defensive end, and former No. 2 overall pick Nick Bosa obviously made a considerable impact on DeMeco Ryans‘ career progression. It would still be a risk if the Texans leave Stroud on the board, and it would be interesting to see if the team makes an active effort to trade down if/once the Panthers select Young.

Sitting at No. 4, the Colts view the prospect of all the non-Young QBs being available to them as realistic, Schefter adds. A recent report indicated Indianapolis was leaning against trading up for a passer. The Cardinals have spoken with several teams about trading the No. 3 overall pick, as those teams would seemingly aim to leapfrog the QB-needy Colts, but Schefter indicates Indy has a real shot of staying at 4 and landing this draft’s QB2.

This reality would take the Cardinals standing pat and taking the best player available, which could be the edge rusher the Texans do not draft, but a QB-QB-QB start to this draft suddenly appears unlikely. Mel Kiper Jr.’s most recent mock draft has a QB-QB-QB-QB start, featuring Anthony Richardson and Will Levis going at Nos. 3 and 4, but Schefter doused that in cold water. The Colts are believed to rank Levis over Richardson, but we are in peak misdirection season. Stroud sitting there at 4 could render a Richardson-or-Levis decision moot.

A scenario in which non-QBs go off the board at Nos. 2 and 3 would hinge on the Cardinals not receiving the offer they want, and it would certainly make the Panthers’ eight-spot trade-up before free agency — which cost them D.J. Moore, their 2024 first-round pick and other assets — subject to scrutiny it has not yet received. The Texans also would be sitting at No. 12 in need of a quarterback.

Case Keenum and Davis Mills represent the Texans’ current QB room, and while the 2024 draft could include highly touted QB prospects Caleb Williams (USC) and Drake Maye (North Carolina), the AFC South team — which also hosted potential second-rounder Hendon Hooker on a visit — would certainly take a risk by not addressing its top need this year.

Bryce Young Cancels Remaining Visits

April 17th, 2023 at 4:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Further pointing to this draft leading off with Bryce Young, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes the 2021 Heisman winner has shut down his pre-draft visit schedule (Twitter link). Players can take visits through Wednesday, but Young will halt his pre-draft meetings.

Young has completed his Panthers and Texans visits, and he also met with the Raiders. The Colts worked out Young and were believed to be planning a visit, but as we move closer to the draft, it appears Indianapolis (No. 4 overall) will be out of reach for the latest Alabama QB prospect. FanDuel now has Young a prohibitive favorite (minus-1050, via VSiN’s Femi Obebefe) to go No. 1 overall. BetMGM has Young as an even more imposing favorite, at minus-2000. C.J. Stroud and Will Levis are visiting the Panthers on Tuesday, but the Young connections overshadow those meetings.

Once linked closely to Stroud, the Panthers have been tied to Young for several days now. While recent executive polls produced a few Stroud-to-Carolina predictions, NBC Sports’ Peter King indicates he has not spoken to anyone in recent days who expects the Panthers to pass on Young at No. 1. While a report last week indicated the Panthers had not thrown in the towel on Stroud or Anthony Richardson yet — both QBs met with the team — it is difficult to ignore the signs pointing Young to Charlotte.

The Panthers have been unable to find quarterback continuity since cutting Cam Newton in March 2020, and Newton had begun a steady downhill slide since Super Bowl 50. The former MVP’s injuries accelerated that descent, and the Panthers have used six starting quarterbacks (Kyle Allen, Will Grier, Teddy Bridgewater, P.J. Walker, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield) since Newton’s 2019 foot injury led to his eventual release. The team that pursued Deshaun Watson for two offseasons (and passed on the likes of Justin Fields, Mac Jones and Kenny Pickett) removed all doubt about securing this draft’s top available QB by moving into the Bears’ No. 1 slot before free agency.

Young totaled 50 touchdowns (47 passing) during his Heisman campaign and grades as this year’s top prospect, per ESPN’s Scouts Inc. and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah. His 5-foot-10, 204-pound frame injects additional risk into Carolina’s likely decision, but many staffers in the Panthers’ building are believed to back the two-year Crimson Tide starter. Barring a borderline-shocking development, Young appears poised to become the third first-round quarterback (Newton, Kerry Collins) in Panthers history.

NFL Draft Prospect Profile: TCU WR Quentin Johnston

April 16th, 2023 at 10:09pm CST by Ely Allen

We all know the recent history of drafting TCU wide receivers, especially in the first round. Since 2000, only Jeremy Kerley has surpassed 600 yards receiving in a season, while former first round picks Josh Doctson and Jalen Reagor both failed to finish out their rookie contracts with the teams that drafted them. Doctson was released just before his fourth year in the league, while Reagor was traded around the same time last year. The latest Horned Frog to attempt to erase the dreadful history of receivers out of Fort Worth is junior wideout Quentin Johnston.

Johnston was a consensus four-star wide receiver out of Temple High School (Texas) in the Class of 2020. After initially committing to Texas before his senior year, Johnston would eventually flip to TCU after the dismissal of Longhorns wide receivers coach Drew Mehringer. With Reagor leaving for the NFL, a spot at the top of the depth chart was wide open for the taking.

Johnston earned a starting role in Fort Worth immediately as a freshman, leading the team with 487 receiving yards and earning honorable mention All-Big 12 honors. As a sophomore, he would earn first-team All-Big 12 honors after leading the team in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Then, this past year, Johnston lead the Horned Frogs in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns en route to his second straight year on the All-Big 12 first team. Over his three-year career at TCU, Johnston totaled 115 catches for 2,190 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Among the other top receiver prospects, Johnston reigns as the biggest of the bunch, establishing himself physically as a potential WR1. His size obviously assists him, with length and strength inherent in his frame, but it doesn’t keep him from being as agile as the smaller receivers in the draft. Johnston used his burst and acceleration to rank second in the nation in yards after catch per reception. His combination of size and elusiveness make him one of the tougher receivers to bring down after the catch. Before the catch, he has great awareness to track the ball and use his leaping ability and body control to make grabs.

The biggest problem showing up on Johnston’s film is drops. Whether it’s a lack of confidence in his hands that results in inconsistent body-catching or a lack of focus as he fails to secure the ball before turning his eyes upfield to run, drops plagued Johnston in 2022. Luckily, drops have been a bit of an issue for the rest of the receivers expected to be first-rounders, as well, making his eight drops hurt a little less. Boston College’s Zay Flowers surpassed Johnston with nine drops of his own this year. Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba dropped six passes in his only full season of play. USC’s Jordan Addison only had two this year but had 21 during his two years at Pittsburgh. Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt may be the exception of the group, with only eight drops in his collegiate career, but five of those came in 2022.

Looking past the drops, Johnston has only a few other things to work on. Tight hips and a lack of variety at TCU mean that he has some work to do on route-running. Also, despite his size, Johnston didn’t have the best track record with contested catches.

Plenty of teams have done their homework on Johnston. So far, in the pre-draft process, Johnston has met with or planned to meet with the Giants, Ravens, Chiefs, Cowboys, Cardinals, Falcons, Vikings, Jaguars, and Titans. Basically, any team looking to add some size to their receiving corps has done some research on Johnston.

The 21-year-old makes a lot of sense for that purpose. The disastrous history of TCU wideouts going pro and Johnston’s drops will be overlooked fairly easily. Not only will teams overlook them because of his size but because he uses his athleticism to blend that size congruously with speed and strength. He’s almost certain to hear his name on Day 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft later this month, but at what point in the night he is selected has yet to be determined.

Several Teams Interested In C John Michael Schmitz

April 16th, 2023 at 8:12pm CST by Ely Allen

Center is an intriguing position when determining draft value, as the top centers can be extremely valuable but aren’t always considered first rounders. The most recent example saw the Ravens draft Tyler Linderbaum last year to be rewarded with a top-six center, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

While this year’s top centers, Joe Tippmann of Wisconsin and John Michael Schmitz of Minnesota, aren’t entirely expected to go in the first round, Schmitz has been receiving plenty of interest and shouldn’t last long into the second round, if he’s still available by then.

We had noted a private workout with the Steelers weeks ago. Since then, Schmitz has participated in a private workout and dinner with the Jets, a top 30 visit and dinner with the Seahawks, a top 30 visit with the Vikings, and a coach workout and dinner with the Giants, according to Pat Leonard of New York Daily News. Additionally, the 24-year-old has had Zoom contact with the Texans, Titans, Colts, Bills, and Packers.

Seattle has reportedly been “all over” Schmitz, according to Leonard. After the retirement announcement of center Austin Blythe, the Seahawks certainly could use a strong new potential starter to anchor their line. The only center currently on the roster is career backup Joey Hunt, who returned to Seattle last year after two seasons with the Colts. The other team that has shown a lot of love towards Schmitz is the Jets, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. With Connor McGovern‘s contract expiring this offseason, New York could also use a young, new center for presumed quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

While center can be a tough position to pinpoint and Tippmann remains as competition for the best center prospect, the sheer amount of interest in Schmitz leads to the belief that he won’t last long into Day 2 of the draft later this month. That’s if he even makes it past Day 1.

Utah TE Dalton Kincaid Cleared Before Draft

April 16th, 2023 at 6:38pm CST by Ely Allen

This year’s draft class is extremely deep at the tight end position, and one of the top prospects faced the additional challenge of a recent injury. Despite a back injury suffered late in the season, Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid has officially been cleared for football activity prior to the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Dr. Robert Watkins sent an email to NFL teams fully clearing the 23-year-old. “Dalton Kincaid sustained a back injury while playing football on 11/26/2022,” the email said. “Subsequent MRIs have shown appropriate healing, and he has been asymptomatic with no pain and no limitation of function for at least 3 months. He is cleared to play football with no restrictions.”

The injury caused him to miss the Senior Bowl and NFL scouting combine, and a shoulder injury forced him to miss time earlier in the year, as well. The injury issues don’t help concerns about his smaller frame for an NFL tight end. Yet, Kincaid is still a stellar pass-catching option who caught at least eight touchdowns in four of five college seasons (the fifth being the COVID-shortened season).

The full clearance is big for Kincaid, who is expected to be selected in the first round later this month. He and Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer are widely anticipated to go on Day 1, while Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave and Georgia’s Darnell Washington have a chance, as well. With such a deep class, a nagging back injury could’ve really hurt Kincaid’s draft stock; a full clearance should keep Kincaid with his status as a consensus top two tight end in the draft.

With injury concerns out of the way, Kincaid has had several visits planned with NFL teams. The Ute met with the Bengals and Patriots this past week and has plans to visit the Packers in the week to come. Prior to those visits, Kincaid had spent time with the Texans, Raiders, Chargers, Jaguars, Titans, Lions, Chiefs, and Cowboys.

WR Zay Flowers To Visit Ravens

April 16th, 2023 at 4:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens have made a pair of veteran additions to their receiver room this offseason, but they continue to look into the top options at the position in this year’s draft class.

That will include hosting Zay Flowers on a top-30 visit tomorrow, per NFL Network’s Taylor Bisciotti (Twitter link). The Boston College product has had a busy schedule already, which comes as no surprise given his status as one of the top vertical threats in particular amongst other first-round prospects in the 2023 class.

Flowers has already met with the Giants, Raiders, Cowboys, Patriots and Saints. It came out recently that he will also visit the Bills, a team which, like the Ravens, has been connected to a notable receiver addition during this month’s draft. Baltimore has already added Nelson Agholor and Odell Beckham Jr. as veteran signings aimed at boosting their underwhelming passing attack.

Each of those pacts were one year in length, though, so a long-term investment at the position could still pay dividends for the Ravens. Baltimore owns pick No. 22, which could put them in range to land one of the first-round WR locks in this year’s class, one noted more for its depth than its star power. In addition to Flowers, they have also looked at Jordan Addison as well as Quentin Johnston and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who are all likely to hear their names called on Day 1.

Flowers put himself in the conversation for the top wideout this year after he set new career highs in 2022, his fourth season with the Eagles. The 5-10, 177-pounder totaled 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns on 78 catches, demonstrating his abilities both on the outside and in the slot. It is the latter alignment which is likeliest for Flowers at the NFL level, though, albeit one which should allow him to provide value at all levels of the field.

Despite the continued need for a young receiver this year, the Ravens have recently been linked to using their top pick on a corner. That position is certainly one of need at the moment, but addressing it would significantly decrease the high-end pass catching options available to them later in the draft. As a result of the Roquan Smith trade, Baltimore doesn’t own a second-rounder and their highest pick after the first round is No. 86. Flowers will be long gone by that point, but the Ravens will do their due diligence on him as they prepare for, in all likelihood, a rookie wideout addition at some point in the near future.

TE Darnell Washington Visits Panthers, Cowboys

April 15th, 2023 at 9:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

This year’s tight end class is said to be far deeper and more talented than any of those in the recent past. Darnell Washington is one of several highly-touted prospects at the position, and has drawn interest from multiple teams in the pre-draft process.

The Georgia product recently met with the Panthers and Cowboys, as noted by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 and ESPN’s Todd Archer (Twitter links). Those teams are in far different situations with respect to their draft positioning, but they likely aren’t the only ones doing their homework on the uber-athletic pass catcher.

Washington spent three seasons with the Bulldogs, and the 2022 campaign was his most productive. He totaled 28 catches for 454 yards and a pair of touchdowns, all new career highs. Those numbers (along with his prowess as a run blocker) helped lead Georgia to another national championship, and confirmed his status as one of the top tight ends in this year’s class. He followed that up with an impressive showing at the Combine, during which he ran a 4.64-second 40-yard dash.

The Panthers will use the top pick on a quarterback, the identity of which seems to be coming into focus as the first round approaches. Their next selection is No. 39, which would likely be in the range for Washington and most other seam-stretchers this year. Carolina has already made a big move at the TE spot this offseason, inking Hayden Hurst to a three-year, $21.75MM deal in free agency.

The Cowboys, on the other hand, have yet to make an addition on the open market. Longtime starter Dalton Schultz took a one-year pact with the Texans, despite Dallas reportedly having offered a significantly more lucrative extension. That leaves the latter team in need of a new No. 1 option at the position; while in-house candidates are in place, the Cowboys have frequently been connected to using a Day 1 or 2 selection on a tight end.

Dallas owns pick No. 26, which could be around the time the first tight ends start coming off the board. Washington faces competition from Michael Mayer and Dalton Kincaid in particular to be the first to hear their name called at the position, and several high-profile prospects will last into the second and third rounds. The Cowboys have the 58th and 90th selections, which will give them multiple chances to add a seam-stretcher, be it Washington or another prospect they take an extended look at.

AFC North Draft Rumors: Steelers, Ravens, Bengals

April 15th, 2023 at 6:06pm CST by Ely Allen

There have been quite a few rumors surrounding the Steelers’ potential approach to the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette held a Q&A this week to discuss his thoughts on some of those rumors.

Many fans had questions about potential options at wide receiver, and Dulac made his thoughts very clear: no higher than the third round. With Diontae Johnson and George Pickens in place, Dulac doesn’t see any need to dip into the first two rounds to add to the group. He mentions Ole Miss wide receiver Jonathan Mingo as a name to lookout for, as Mingo has been predicted to go around the third or fourth round.

Another fan asked about the possibility of Pittsburgh trading up in the first round. Dulac dismissed the rumors as just that, insinuating that looking into trades is a common occurrence for the Steelers that doesn’t always lead to action. He referenced last year, when the team reportedly looked into trading up for quarterback Kenny Pickett, who would end up falling to them at their original position, anyway.

Here are a few other draft rumors from around the AFC North:

NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker

April 15th, 2023 at 5:15pm CST by Ely Allen

We’ve already seen plenty of reports on the 2023 NFL Draft class’s top passing prospects. After the expected first-rounders (Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Florida’s Anthony Richardson, and Kentucky’s Will Levis), nearly all other quarterback prospects aren’t expected to hear their names until Day 3 of the draft. The exception to that statement is Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker, considered one of the draft’s top passers who shouldn’t be available for long, if at all, after the first 31 picks.

Hooker is one of the older quarterbacks in the draft, graduating from Dudley High School (NC) back in 2017. Considered a Top 247 player and the fifth-ranked dual-threat quarterback by 247Sports, Hooker initially committed to Virginia Tech a few weeks after receiving an offer and stuck with the Hokies despite some late flirting with Oregon.

In Blacksburg, Hooker competed with redshirt freshman Josh Jackson for the starting job at quarterback before redshirting, himself. In 2018, he would sit once again behind Kansas transfer Ryan Willis. The next year, Hooker would finally get an opportunity to start for the Hokies after a disappointing start to the season for Willis. With Hooker behind center, Virginia Tech rebounded to find their way to a bowl game thanks to Hooker’s 1,555 passing yards, 18 total touchdowns, and only two interceptions. Hooker returned as the starter in 2020 but only appeared in eight of 11 possible games. Overall, during his career with the Hokies, Hooker completed 63.1-percent of his passes for 2,894 yards, 22 touchdowns, and seven interceptions over 21 total games, adding 1,033 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground.

Seeking greener pastures, Hooker transferred to Tennessee with many thinking he would back up Joe Milton, the Michigan transfer who was widely expected to take over after the departure of Jarrett Guarantano. An early injury to Milton, though, opened the door for Hooker to take the reins, and Hooker didn’t look back. A breakout season saw Hooker throw for 2,945 yards and 31 touchdowns to just three interceptions, adding 616 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. He utilized his extra COVID year of eligibility to return in 2022. Playing in two fewer games due to an ACL tear that ended his final year early, Hooker threw for 3,135 yards and 27 touchdowns to just two interceptions, adding 430 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

The late-season ACL tear obviously hurts his draft stock, but maybe not quite as much as you might think. The 25-year-old was already likely expected to need some development after playing in Josh Heupel‘s extremely quarterback-friendly offense in Knoxville. His jump in success from Virginia Tech to Tennessee could be a result of the Volunteers’ offense that included mostly play action passes that had largely predetermined targets.

The convenient offense affected his ability to make reads which led to frequent checkdowns when his initial reads weren’t there. When he didn’t immediately check down, any hint of pressure would push him out of the pocket. While finding success on rollouts and scrambles, it did lead to a worrying 39 fumbles over his college career.

Additionally, his knee might not be the only concern health-wise. A potential heart condition was discovered when undergoing tests after a positive COVID test, according to Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports. The condition was determined to be a “false alarm” as a result of a procedure, but Hooker later suffered a convulsive episode that he blamed on medication from the heart procedure.

Looking past all that, Hooker was dominant at Tennessee. He took advantage of the quarterback-friendly offense for a masterfully efficient 58 touchdowns to five interceptions. He has a strong arm and touch that makes him a phenomenal deep ball passer. He didn’t rely on it in college, but he has an instinctive ability in the open field, utilizing agility, elusiveness, and toughness. Heupel lauded him as a hard worker and a strong leader, as well.

There’s a lot to like about Hooker’s long-term upside. His mental development over his collegiate career bodes well for his ability to attack the learning-curve he’ll face in the NFL. He boasts some strong tools, as well, that will come in handy when he does catch up to the professional game. As long as health is of no concern, there’s no reason that Hooker can’t develop into a starter at the NFL-level.

So who will take a chance on Hooker? As a bit of a project with recent health issues, it will likely be a team with a short-term or unproven situation at quarterback in 2023. Think the Commanders (Sam Howell), the Falcons (Desmond Ridder), the Colts (Gardner Minshew, Nick Foles), or the Texans (Davis Mills). The Ravens might even be a possibility with the current uncertainty surrounding Lamar Jackson.

While many expect him to fall to the second round, it wouldn’t be a total surprise to see a team trade up to the back of the first round as Baltimore did with Jackson in 2018. The extra fifth-year option could prove useful if Hooker sits for a year or two. Even if that’s not how it plays out, Hooker likely won’t sit around for long into Day 2. We’ll find out in just under two weeks from now.

NFC Draft Rumors: Bucs, Commanders, 49ers, Seahawks

April 15th, 2023 at 3:18pm CST by Ely Allen

Every year, pundits and analysts debate the value of drafting a running back in first round. The Buccaneers are the latest to enter into this forum as they are reportedly considering doing just that, according to Buccaneers staff writer/reporter Brianna Dix.

The player in question for Tampa Bay is Texas running back Bijan Robinson. Robinson is far and away the consensus top running back on the board. In three years with the Longhorns, Robinson totaled 3,410 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. While not his main mode of attack, he can hurt in the passing game as well, as evidenced by his 60 catches for 805 yards and eight touchdowns over his collegiate career.

No running backs were taken in the first round of last year’s draft, with Breece Hall being the first off the board in the second round, but two years ago, we saw two running backs taken on Day 1. Despite durability being a main cause of concern for rookie rushers, Najee Harris rewarded the Steelers with a league-leading 381 touches and a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie. Travis Etienne unfortunately had to sit out his rookie season, but his debut season with the Jaguars in 2022 was nearly as impressive as Harris’s rookie year, despite only starting 12 games.

Beyond last year, we’ve seen the Chiefs move past Clyde Edwards-Helaire in favor seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco. We’ve seen a first-team All-Pro honor for Josh Jacobs in Las Vegas. We’ve seen the rollercoasters of Saquon Barkley and Sony Michel‘s careers, as well as the disappointment of Rashaad Penny‘s. The debate continues on into 2023. There has certainly been both hits and misses with first-round running backs, but where will Robinson fall in that storyline?

Here are a few other draft rumors from around the NFC:

  • The Commanders have made it clear that they believe in second-year quarterback Sam Howell to take over the starting job in 2023, leading many to believe that taking a passer on Day 1 is off the table. According to ESPN’s John Keim, though, if a strong prospect like Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker is still available in the second or third round, Washington may not be able to pass them up. For the first round, though, it appears that the team has done their homework on the 2023 NFL Draft’s batch of offensive linemen. Jordan Reid, also of ESPN, specifically mentions Ohio State tackle Dawand Jones as a name that has been linked to the Commanders.
  • The 49ers received a healthy amount of compensatory draft picks, including three third round picks. It’s a good thing, too, because without them, San Francisco’s first 2023 draft pick wouldn’t come until late in the fifth round. Surprisingly, despite needs at both offensive line and defensive back, Matt Miller of ESPN is hearing that the 49ers have done more work studying tight ends that any other team in the league. The team has lauded the depth of this year’s draft class, and Miller notes that this is a historically great tight end class. He mentions Michigan’s Luke Schoonmaker, South Dakota’s Tucker Kraft, and Old Dominion’s Zack Kuntz as potential options for San Francisco at the end of Day 2 who could end up working with George Kittle in the tight end room.
  • The Seahawks can go in a couple of different directions in the first round with both the No. 5 and 20 picks. They may keep their eyes on the available quarterbacks, if they fall in love with any, to sit for a year or so behind Geno Smith and Drew Lock. What Miller really sees them doing is taking advantage of a potential early run of quarterbacks to nab one of the draft’s top defensive linemen like Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia’s Jalen Carter. If they don’t like any of their options at defensive line either, Miller reports that Seattle is reportedly in love with Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon.
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