2023-05-02 07:00:00
Which teams managed to maximize their Super Bowl hopes during the 2023 NFL Draft? That’s what every talk show in this country and across the pond will be talking regarding in the next two weeks when we talk regarding the NFL. Because we finally have fresh material and fresh topics to talk regarding once more. One of them: As predicted, it was the “draft of quarterbacks”; three signal callers were selected in the top four. But in the shadow of the big QB moves, other teams have also managed to gain attention in the draft. Today we at TOUCHDOWN24 are taking a look at our biggest winners and losers from this exciting weekend.
Winner: Philadelphia Eagles
How can you not mention the Eagles first? It was almost cheeky how the reigning NFC champions managed to further strengthen their already excellent roster. And with a strategy that we haven’t seen before: With Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith in the first round as well as cornerback Kelee Ringo, who surprisingly fell to the fourth round, Philly brought three players from the same college onto the team. And not from just any college, no: Carter, Smith and Ringo were part of what many consider to be the best college defense of all time with the Georgia Bulldogs.
A+ Draft for the Eagles ???? pic.twitter.com/0gWjOf65lg
— PFF (@PFF) April 30, 2023
In Philly, the trio will now meet two other Bulldogs stars in defensive tackle Jordan Davis and linebacker Nakobe Dean, whom general manager Howie Roseman already lured to the city of brotherly love in the 2022 draft – to the “Philly Bulldogs”, as they are in many places already mentioned. Georgia’s defense has been something of a counterpart to LSU’s offense in 2021 over the last few seasons, with today’s NFL stars like Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. If the defensive stars of the reigning college champions also hit the ground running, Philly will be even harder to beat next season.
Loser: Miami Dolphins
Similar question to the Eagles, only in reverse: How should we not call the Dolphins losers in this draft? Miami, in a division with the Bills, the Aaron Rodgers-led Jets and Bill Belichick’s Patriots (even if the Patriots roster isn’t anything special, Belichick still has tricks up his sleeve), has a huge one at the quarterback position in Tua Tagovialoa , health question mark and only brought four new players into the team in this draft. For comparison: The Patriots had nine picks on the third day of the draft alone.
Yes, it was the same situation for Miami last year, but back then they lost their first-round pick for superstar Tyreek Hill. This made it possible to look at the Dolphins’ draft class in a much more positive light. In 2023, the Dolphins lost their first-round selection because of illegal “tampering” with Tom Brady and Sean Payton, so they got nothing in return. The Dolphins need to be successful in the next year or two, otherwise the missing talent from the last two drafts will catch up with them quicker than expected.
Gewinner: Seattle Seahawks
Sure, with two picks in the first round, your team has a better chance of being counted among the “winners” at the end of the weekend. Still, these picks have to be right, because following all, you got them in some trade in which you gave up some other type of compensation. Contrary to what most experts expected, the Seahawks did not take Jalen Carter at number 5, but instead chose Devon Witherspoon, the best cornerback in the draft class. Rumor has it that Witherspoon was high on the Lions’ wish list, picking 6th overall and thus trading with the Cardinals just minutes following Seattle’s selection.
Seattle #Seahawks fans meet your new CB Devon Witherspoon
My favorite clip ever #NFLDraft
— Jared Tokarz (@JaredNFLDraft) April 28, 2023
Witherspoon isn’t the fastest cornerback, but he has a nose for the ball and somehow gets a hand in on almost every play. He will allow the Seahakws, together with last year’s selection Tariq Woolen, to form a kind of “Legion of Boom 2.0”. With the second selection at position 20, what many consider to be the best receiver in the class, Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, found his way to Seattle. He will have a chance to establish himself in the league alongside DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett and gives Geno Smith another reliable target. This made the first round a real home run for Pete Carroll and Co.
Loser: New Orleans Saints
Because of their trade with the Eagles last year, the Saints were already in a bad position before the draft. Bryan Bresee in the late first round and Isaiah Foskey in the second should help immediately on the defensive front, but these picks only serve to illustrate how much the Saints are hurting from losing Marcus Davenport, for whom they once gave up two first-round picks. In the third round, TCU’s Kendre Miller, a running back, came relatively early, although the position is already well occupied with Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams. Yes, it’s a depth pick, but it might have been taken later in the draft.
On the other hand, I find the selection of Fresno States quarterback Jake Haener in the fourth round interesting. Haener was compared in many places to Drew Brees, who was also his great role model in his youth. It’s one of those great stories that only the NFL Draft writes that he’s actually landed in New Orleans. Overall, the Saints didn’t get significantly worse with this draft, but they also didn’t create any space between themselves and the rest of the competition in the NFC South. In a draft with no real clear losers (Miami aside), this is at least worth mentioning for us.
Gewinner: Indianapolis Colts (Chris Ballard)
There’s actually no two ways regarding Ballard being one of the best managers when it comes to evaluating young talent in the draft. The 53-year-old has had some impressive drafts in the past, but was still up for consideration in Indianapolis following last season. The reason? The quarterback situation. Since Ballard took over as GM of the Colts, no signal caller has been able to establish himself long-term. The Colts’ approach of relying on older, experienced quarterbacks (Rivers, Wentz, Ryan) with a seemingly title-ready roster failed miserably. Instead, it should now finally be a young quarterback who leads the team into the future. And that quarterback is none other than Anthony Richardson.
Colts have the most athletic draft of all time
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) April 29, 2023
The former Gators star isn’t the best quarterback in this class (that’s definitely Bryce Young in my opinion), but he has the highest upside. Especially when we consider that he probably got the perfect landing spot with the Colts. As the Eagles’ offensive coordinator last year, new Colts coach Shane Steichen showed that he can deal with mobile quarterbacks and establish an appropriate system. Let’s be clear: Copying Jalen Hurts’ success in Philly won’t be easy, but the ceiling is definitely there with Richardson.
Richardson will also be helped in his search for more accuracy in the passing game by receiver Josh Downs, whom the Colts took as one of the biggest steals of the draft in the third round (pick #79). If the O-line returns to its former self in Indy and Richardson lives up to the hype surrounding him, the Colts might have one of the most entertaining offensive lines in 2023. And if there’s one thing the fans in Indianapolis needed, it’s a little excitement following years of languishing in the middle of the league.
Loser: San Francisco 49ers
Similar to the Saints and Dolphins, the Niners did not have an easy starting position without the right to choose in the first two draft rounds, but at least with three picks in round 3 there was the possibility of still leaving the draft with talent. One of those picks went for kicker Jake Moody, who is an incredible talent. But a kicker in round 3? This is simply far too early when there is still good talent in much more important positions. The selection of Saftey Ji’ayir Brown from Penn State was a good value pick, but the third day was also a disappointment – with the exception of TCU linebacker Dee Winters in the sixth round.
Ultimately, the weak draft is primarily a result of the trade for Trey Lance a few years ago, who will now fight in training camp with Brock Purdy for the starting spot in San Francisco. The question is: Will the Niners be able to somehow generate value from the Lance trade? Because if not, such drafts are ultimately what teachers are happy to forgive their students as “consequential errors”. It still remains a weak draft.
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