(L-R) Jalen Carter poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell | David eulitt/getty images/afp
Standout Players and Under-the-Radar Gems
With the 2023 NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, NFL trade news is heating up as teams look to consolidate their rosters for the upcoming season. But before we dive into the latest buzz, let's take a moment to reflect on some of the biggest winners and losers of this year's draft.
NFL Draft Winners
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are hands down top winners of the 2023 NFL Draft. Philly may have fallen short of a Super Bowl ring at the end of last season but they’re on track to taking another whack at it.
NFL rumors may say that Georgia star defensive tackle Jalen Carter has some drama lurking off of the field but after back-to-back championships with the Dawgs, he was certainly hard to pass up at no. 9 overall.
The Eagles didn’t stop there with drafting Dawg defenders as they snagged Carter’s defensive linemate Nolan Smith late in the first round and cornerback Kelee Ringo. The team added yet ANOTHER former Dawg through a trade in running back D’Andre Swift.
Should we say “Fly, Dawgs, Fly” now?
Not to mention the steal they found in steady Vanderbilt guard Tyler Steen in the third round, which has been making headlines in the NFL news.
Fly Dawgs Fly 🐶🦅@GeorgiaFootball | @Eagles pic.twitter.com/Ai4dQqzo0a
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) April 28, 2023
Atlanta Falcons
This may seem like a stretch as many NFL analysts were not a fan of Atlanta’s draft picks this year, but I’m here to tell ya why we should be excited for them. They struck a gold mine drafting Bijan Robinson at No. 8 overall. Was running back a NEED in Atlanta?
Not necessarily, but Terry Fontenot loves to go for the absolute BEST players available. And it helps that head coach Arthur Smith loves to run the “sh*t piss outta the ball” and will know exactly what to do with his new toy.
Arthur Smith's 2nd half game plan was simple:
Run the damn ball. @AtlantaFalcons pic.twitter.com/ktfCIpj0g6 — NFL Films (@NFLFilms) October 4, 2022
However, they did address needs elsewhere and picked up a versatile offensive lineman in Syracuse's Matthew Bergeron at the top of the second round. They added depth to their d-line with Ohio State's Zach Harrison and beefed up their secondary with a high-potential starting rookie corner in Utah product Clark Phillips.
Sure, we don’t know what we’ll get in second-year QB Desmond Ridder, but the Falcons seem to trust him enough by passing on this year’s rookie QB class. The Falcons' 2023 draft picks mixed with their offseason moves is the perfect cocktail that tastes like success.
Detroit Lions
Ok, so maybe from a glance taking running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the no. 12 overall pick or linebacker Jack Campbell at No. 18 overall look like back-to-back silly moves. But now, the Lions have immediate starters who should make immediate impacts.
They were also able to grab one of, if not the best safety in the second round, Brian Branch. But the cherry on top was getting quarterback Hendon Hooker early in the third round, who can develop behind Jared Goff.
It’s safe to say that just like in 2022, we will not see Lions head coach Dan Campbell cry in 2023.
Hendon Hooker has been drafted by the Detroit Lions 🦁 🔥
Thank You for putting Tennessee back to on the map and go be great 🍊🧡pic.twitter.com/T5gzJU29X1 — Tennessee DieHards (@DieHardsVols) April 29, 2023
NFL Draft Losers
New York Jets
I get it, the New York Jets now have Aaron Rodgers, which is something to cheer about. However, they didn’t acquire much help from the 2023 NFL Draft. Will McDonald was a decent first-round pick, but they passed on much better talent at No. 15 overall. He could start, but there’s now a lot of confidence in whether or not he’s a sturdy and steady addition to the defense.
The Jets also expect second-round pick center Joe Tippmann to protect Aaron Rodgers, which is a huge job for a rookie and could easily get ugly… fast. New York had some more picks on Day 3, but nobody worth discussing.
I just LOVE how much Aaron Rodgers has been around during #Jets voluntary workouts since he’s signed 🙏🏻
He’s committed He wants another ring LET’S GO 😤😤✈️ pic.twitter.com/84RdQcYb3e — Harrison Glaser (@NYJetsTFMedia) May 4, 2023
Miami Dolphins
The biggest losers of the 2023 NFL Draft were the Miami Dolphins. Not only did the NFL suspend Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and fined him $1.5 million for tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton following a six-month investigation, they made the Dolphins forfeit a first-round selection in the 2023 NFL draft.
Aside from sitting embarrassingly on the sideline in round one, they also waited until the 7th round to bolster their offensive line.
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