Albert Breer's mock draft: Analyst takes two defensive players in Top 3 of 2023 NFL mock draft

The 2023 NFL Draft is a day away! And that means analysts will get their final mock drafts published in the next 24 hours. MMQB's Albert Breer is one of those analysts who just released his only mock draft of the season. Breer is well connected in NFL circles, but that isn't quite enough to get good intel on picks. Teams are pretty good about not giving anything away that they don't want other teams to know about.

Breer, like all of us, doesn't feel confident in what will happen with the four top quarterbacks other than Bryce Young to the Panthers with the first pick. That lack of clarity has a domino effect on the rest of the draft that is extremely hard to predict. But, Breer and others will give it the old college try!

Quarterbacks

Breer agrees with the consensus that Bryce Young will go No. 1 to the Panthers. It's really the only thing people can agree on regarding the quarterbacks at this point. He then has the Texans taking DE Tyree Wilson and waiting on their quarterback. The Texans not liking CJ Stroud has become abundantly clear if you believe the rumor mill and apparently Breer does.

The next quarterback off the board is Stroud though, as he ends up going to the Colts at No. 4. This move makes sense for the Colts and would be considered a big win. They've been tied to Will Levis, but that took into account the Texans possibly taking Stroud.

The next quarterback off the board is Levis, who falls to the Texans at pick No. 12. That would be fortuitous for Houston if he lasted that long and they were really in on him.

The fourth and final quarterback to go in the first round is Anthony Richardson, who falls to the Buccaneers at pick 19. Breer believes if Richardson falls this far that the Buccaneers will want to take a chance on finding their longterm quarterback.

First defensive player taken

I mentioned that Tyree Wilson went at No. 2 to the Texans. His draft stock continues to rise, as evaluators believe he has more room for upside than the polished Will Anderson. That's very much splitting hairs, but Breer believes he fits DeMoco Ryans scheme a little better than Anderson.

Where did Bijan Robinson go?

Where Robinson goes in this draft is up for much debate. He's in the Top 5 of most analysts big boards, but the devaluation of the running back position has teams and analysts questioning where he should go. Breer has the Detroit Lions snatching him up with Pick 18. Breer believes it's entirely possible another team will grab him beforehand or even trade up a few spots to grab him. Evaluations on his ability and value for a team build are going to mesh for the team that picks him.

Best pick

I've seen Dalton Kincaid go to the Chargers quite often this draft season and I like it for them. I'd also be happy with one of the top receivers, but they need a pass-catching tight end and Justin Herbert needs more strong targets.

Worst pick

I believe the Texans should take the plunge on Stroud over Levis. There is a marked difference in the two and enough to not want Levis as ahead of Stroud. I still think there is a real chance the Texans grab Stroud, but we shall see.

Final thoughts

This mock feels balanced and believable. Trades are likely going to mess with all the mocks this year as teams figure out what they'll be willing to spend to move up. I expect plenty of trades and a crazy night.

  
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