Winners and losers of the 2023 NFL Draft: 49ers, Cowboys, Patriots, Jets...

The 2023 NFL Draft concluded after three days of intense scouting, drafting, and trading. While the drama was limited after the resolution of the quarterback quandary, the event provided excitement and entertainment for football fans worldwide.

Many trades marked the draft in the first round, and the selection of quarterback Will Levis provided the only real drama. The NFL, however, achieved its objective of creating a spectacle on the first day of the draft that captivated the attention of the masses. The second day was geared towards football enthusiasts, and the third day catered to die-hard fans of the sport.

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Predicting the outcome of the draft is always challenging, but this year’s winners and losers may be inaccurate due to the inherent unpredictability of the event. Even Tom Brady, considered by many to be the greatest professional athlete of all time, was selected at No. 199 in the draft.

While there may not be any significant failures or successes, given the low expectations for this year’s draft, all quarterbacks found qualified teams to join. Despite being a second-round pick, Levis found a fitting home with coach Mike Vrabel and the Tennessee Titans, ending up with a favorable outcome.

2023 NFL Draft Winners

Philadelphia Eagles

In a groundbreaking move, the Philadelphia Eagles are adopting a draft strategy that involves hoarding top talent from the country’s most successful college football team. Their approach has already borne fruit, as the Eagles secured the services of cornerback Kelee Ringo in the fourth round with pick number 105. Furthermore, they managed to trade with the Detroit Lions to acquire former Bulldogs running back D’Andre Swift.

The Eagles’ first-round picks were defensive tackle Jalen Carter at number nine and Nolan Smith at number 30. This follows from their draft picks of Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean the previous year. It’s worth noting that Davis, Dean, and Carter earned Consensus All-American honors in the past two seasons while playing for the Bulldogs.

To summarize, general manager Howie Roseman and coach Nick Sirianni have successfully recruited five impact players from the Bulldogs’ defense, which played a pivotal role in securing back-to-back national championships in the past two seasons. Additionally, they added Swift, a local legend in Philadelphia, to complement Jalen Hurts. The Eagles also acquired Tyler Sheen from Alabama to further bolster their squad to protect Hurts and perhaps to balance out the Georgia-heavy locker room.

The NFC champions have cemented their position as the heavy favorites to return to the Super Bowl. The Eagles’ innovative draft strategy, combined with their slick moves in the offseason, has put them in an excellent position to compete at the highest level.

Pittsburg Steelers

The Steelers started strong by selecting Georgia tackle Broderick Jones with the 14th overall pick in the first round. Jones is a dependable protector and provides excellent value at that spot. In addition, Wisconsin defensive tackle Keeanu Benton was selected, adding a prototype interior defender with the ability to pressure the quarterback.

In the third round, the Steelers grabbed Georgia tight end Darnell Washington. He will be a valuable asset in double-tight formations, playing alongside Pat Freiermuth. But the Steelers didn’t stop there. In the fourth round, they selected Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr, son of former Steelers linebacker Joey Porter, and Wisconsin linebacker Nate Herbig, brother of guard Nick Herbig.

Pittsburgh is aware of the fierce competition in their division, but Tomlin’s no-nonsense draft strategy has set them up for success. This draft class has the potential to pay dividends in the future as the Steelers aim to return to the top of the NFL.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals made a series of savvy picks during the 2023 NFL draft, highlighted by their first-round selection of Clemson defensive end Myles Murphy. Murphy, who recorded double-digit tackles for loss in three straight seasons for the Tigers, was a tremendous value pick for the Bengals.

Cincinnati’s Day 2 selections also paid dividends, as the Bengals added Michigan cornerback DJ Turner and Alabama safety Jordan Battle to shore up their secondary. Turner’s blazing 4.26-second time in the NFL Combine makes him a valuable asset, while Battle’s experience playing in the brutal SEC should serve him well at the next level.

Day 3 saw the Bengals snag two underrated Big Ten standouts in Purdue receiver Charlie Jones and Illinois running back Chase Brown. Jones had an impressive 110 catches for 1,361 yards for the Boilermakers and should be a reliable chain mover for quarterback Joe Burrow. Conversely, Brown addresses a pressing need at running back and is a tough, consistent runner with an impressive 5.3 yards per carry. The Bengals’ sixth-round pick, Andrei Iosivas, a receiver from Princeton and a talented track star, could also make valuable contributions to the offense.

2023 NFL Draft Losers

Washington Commanders

Emmanuel Forbes from Mississippi State and Jartavius Martin from Illinois have been added to the team’s secondary. At the same time, K.J. Martin, an edge rusher, was the team’s best pick in the third round. In addition, Kentucky’s Chris Rodriguez Jr. considered a deep sleeper at running back, joined the team after falling to the sixth round.

However, some have questioned the team’s decision not to draft a tight end to support quarterback Sam Howell earlier in the draft. Despite this, the team is optimistic about the new additions and their potential impact on the field.

The Washington Football Team is also changing ownership. With head coach Ron Rivera’s record of 22-27-1 over the last three seasons, it remains to be seen if the team can push towards a winning record in the upcoming season. Many view this as a continued transition for the franchise as they look to rebuild and improve their standing in the league.

New York Jets

In the first round, the Jets selected Iowa State edge rusher Will McDonald IV, shortly after the Packers had taken Iowa edge rusher, Lukas Van Ness. While the Jets passed on the opportunity to add another receiver to their lineup, they did make significant upgrades to their offensive line by drafting Wisconsin’s Joe Tippmann and Pitt’s Carter Warren.

Meanwhile, the Packers made a controversial decision to draft three receivers and two tight ends for their new quarterback Jordan Love, which some view as a quasi-troll move against the Jets in the aftermath of a recent trade.

However, the Jets did not neglect their offense entirely, as they added Israel Abanikanda in the fifth round. The productive running back had an impressive 1,431 yards and 20 touchdowns for Pitt last season and will make a valuable addition to the Jets’ backfield alongside second-year star Breece Hall.

San Francisco 49ers

Their first-round pick belonged to the Miami Dolphins as part of the trade deal that saw Trey Lance join the team in 2021, and their second-round pick was obtained from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for Christian McCaffrey.

On Day 2 of the draft, the 49ers had three third-round picks, and they used one of those picks to acquire Michigan kicker Jake Moody, an All-American talent who won the 2021 Groza Award. While some have questioned whether Moody’s value matched the pick, the team also made a solid value pick in Penn State safety Ji’ayir Brown.

The team’s activity on Day 3 was relatively quiet, except for their acquisition of TCU linebacker Dee Winters in the sixth round.

The 49ers will also have a quarterback battle in fall camp as Lance and Brock Purdy compete for the starting spot. It remains to be seen how this will play out and impact the team’s performance in the upcoming season.