Three teams came out of the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft as huge winners
Yesterday was like Christmas for NFL Draft junkies as the 2023 NFL Draft finally began. Months and months of prospect evaluations and unhinged draft rumors have led to this event. As teams begin to fill their rosters with young talent, fans and analysts are eager to see who will come out on top in this year’s draft.
While there were many unknowns heading into the draft, there were a few teams that did an impressive job in the first round. Let’s take a look at three teams that “won” the first round and made some great picks.
The Arizona Cardinals made a franchise-altering trade in the top ten
1. The Arizona Cardinals
Heading into the draft, the Arizona Cardinals had the third overall pick but were not interested in making the selection. There were many reports over the last few days that the Cardinals wanted to trade back, and there were reports that they were targeting Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr.
The Cardinals may have taken Paris Johnson Jr. with the third pick, but they were able to trade back with the Houston Texans for a package including the twelfth pick.
The Texans trade: Pick 12, 33 and a 2024 first round pick, 2024 3rd round
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 28, 2023
The Cardinals trade: Pick 3, pick 105.
This was a massive haul for the Cardinals as they were able to stay inside the top fifteen picks while also receiving the thirty-third overall pick in this year’s draft and a first and third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The 2024 first-round pick is immensely valuable because that is the Texans’ first-rounder, which could turn into a top-five pick in a draft featuring elite talents like Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Marvin Harrison Jr.
On the other hand, this was a disastrous trade for the Texans. Using the Draft Tek trade value chart, here’s how much each pick involved in the trade is worth:
Houston Texans Picks
No. 12 Pick: 1,200 points
No. 33 Pick: 580 points
2024 1st Round Pick: 2,600 points*
2024 3rd Round Pick: 265 points*
Total Value: 4,645 points
*Based on the projected 2024 NFL Draft order on NFL Mock Draft Database
Arizona Cardinals Picks
No. 3 Pick: 2,200 points
No. 105 Pick: 84 points
Total Value: 2,284 points
Surplus Value: 2,361 points (equal to the third overall pick)
Based on these trade value numbers, the Arizona Cardinals fleeced the Houston Texans, and it’s not arguable. The amount of surplus value the Cardinals got in this trade is equal to the third overall pick. This means they got way more draft capital than expected, and the draft picks they received were equal to the pick they gave up in the first place.
This trade was a masterclass for Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort, and he will look like a genius if the Cardinals end up with two top-three picks in next year’s draft.
This wasn’t the last move the Cardinals made, though. After moving back to number twelve, the Cardinals traded up with the Detroit Lions for the sixth pick.
The updated trade:
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 28, 2023
The Lions trade: Pick 6, pick 81.
The Cardinals trade: Pick 12, 34, 168.
After trading back into the top ten, the Cardinals drafted Paris Johnson Jr., the player they were likely targeting the whole time. The Cardinals were the biggest winners of the first for a few reasons. They were able to get a talented prospect they liked who plays a premium position, and they traded down to get him, netting them a future first and third-round pick.
Trades like this don’t happen very often, and it could drastically change the future of the Arizona Cardinals.
The Philadelphia Eagles hit a two-run home run, securing two top-twenty talents
2. The Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles entered the draft with the tenth and thirtieth picks. There were two players connected to them who people expected them to target inside the top ten: Georgia defenders Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith.
Jalen Carter is arguably the best player in the class, but he slipped due to severe off-the-field issues. Once he made it to the ninth pick, the Eagles called the Chicago Bears to discuss a trade because there were rumors that the Bears were also interested in Carter.
The Bears have traded pick 9 to the Eagles for pick 10 and a 4th round pick in 2024, per source.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 28, 2023
The Eagles ended up trading a fourth-round pick to move up one spot, which is a bit rich but will be worth it if Jalen Carter reaches his ceiling. Trading up for Carter is risky, but the Eagles didn’t have to go far to secure him, and he was potentially the top player on their board. This was a great pick for them.
The Eagles had a second first-round pick at number thirty, but they would have to wait a long time before their second selection. Taking Jalen Carter with the ninth pick meant the Eagles probably lost a chance to draft Nolan Smith and would have to look elsewhere if they wanted an edge rusher.
Luckily for them, the rest of the league passed on him. Five edge rushers went off the board, including Will McDonald IV, before Nolan Smith and the freakishly athletic pass rusher from Athens, Georgia, made it all the way to pick thirty. The Eagles’ front office probably passed out when they realized Smith fell to them, but once they got off the floor, they turned the card in and made him an Eagle.
Nolan Smith was the sixteenth-ranked player and fourth-ranked edge rusher on the consensus big board, so the Eagles getting him with the thirtieth pick is insane value. Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith will make the Eagle’s front seven even scarier and gives them a ton of depth moving forward.
Howie Roseman continues to prove that he is arguably the best general manager in football.
The Seattle Seahawks struck gold, getting a star cornerback and a star wide receiver
3. The Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks entered the draft with the fifth and twentieth picks of the first round. There were rumors that they may target Jalen Carter with their first selection, but there were also rumors that they weren’t interested at all.
The Seahawks decided to go in another direction, selecting Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon with the fifth pick. This was a surprising pick, as Witherspoon had not been connected to the Seahawks before the draft, but it makes a ton of sense. Witherspoon was the top-ranked corner and fifth-ranked player on the consensus big board, and he and Tariq Woolen give Seattle a scary cornerback duo that they haven’t had in a long time.
With the twentieth pick, the Seahawks scooped up Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Heading into the draft, it was hard to imagine the Seahawks coming away with Smith-Njigba with their second pick because he would have to get past the Titans, Texans, Packers, Patriots, and Jets. Luckily for Seattle, he fell right into their lap.
The Seahawks may have gotten the most talent of any team in the first round. According to the consensus big board, Witherspoon was a top-five player, and Smith-Njigba was a borderline top-ten player. To make that even better, both players play premium positions meaning their value will be extremely high if they succeed.
The Seattle Seahawks used to be extremely confident in their big board, which led to them reaching for players they liked and making bad picks. Their draft philosophy has seemingly changed, though, and over the last two years, they have absolutely crushed the draft. Their general manager John Schneider is quietly becoming one of the better drafters in the league.