Winners & Losers from Day 1 of 2023 NFL Draft

Round 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft is officially in the books. As advertised, there was suspense from Picks 1-31. The Houston Texans shocked everyone by not only making the second overall pick, but also trading up to select Will Anderson Jr at number three overall. Some picks were as expected. But some were head scratching to say the least. Check out the Day 1 winners & losers…

Winner: Houston Texans

The Texans are tired of losing. So what did they do - they addressed their offense by grabbing a franchise quarterback in CJ Stroud and a cornerstone on the defense with Will Anderson Jr. The turnaround will not happen immediately, but better days are ahead for Houston.

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Loser: Detroit Lions

After the Rams flubbed away the 2022 season, the Lions were the main beneficiaries because of the Matthew Stafford trade. The “Rams of the Midwest” proceeded to trade back and select Jahmyr Gibbs. The pick left fans dumbfounded at the fact that the team already has DeAndre Swift and David Montgomery on the roster. While Gibbs is a weapon, Detroit failed to address other areas on their roster that kept the team back from the playoffs in 2022.

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Winner: Running Backs

Even though Gibbs was a reach at No. 12 overall to the Lions, the NFL saw the return of running backs selected in the first round, both in the top-15 nonetheless.

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Loser: Tier 2 Quarterbacks

Many analysts and experts expected Will Levis to go fourth overall to the Indianapolis Colts. However, the Kentucky Wildcat did not hear his name called after 31 picks. Mel Kiper predicted the Rams to trade up for Hendon Hooker, but he too did not hear his name called.

Winner: Los Angeles Rams

Even though for a seventh consecutive season the Rams did not turn in a card, they still secured a win tonight. If the team is looking to add a quarterback to learn under Matthew Stafford, they have Will Levis still on the board to take in Round 2. In addition, players like Joey Porter Jr, Cedric Tillman, Michael Mayer, Dawand Jones, and O’Cyrus Torrence are still available. Lastly, the Arizona Cardinals selected offensive tackle, Paris Johnson, while the Seattle Seahawks added cornerback, Devon Witherspoon. Witherspoon will be a great player, but neither team drastically improved after Day 1.

Loser: Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys had arguably the worst selection of the night when they picked Michigan defensive tackle, Mazi Smith. It was a reach, considering Smith was considered a late second round pick.

Winner: Calijah Kancey, DL

It’s a nice situation when you end up in the NFC South and the quarterback play consists of Derek Carr, Desmond Ridder, and Bryce Young. Not to mention, Kancey will get to line up next to a defense that consists of Vita Vea, Greg Gaines, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Shaq Barrett, and Devon White. Kancey landed in a very friendly situation.

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Loser: Will Levis, QB

According to ESPN Stats & Info, there was less than a 0.1% chance that Will Levis would fall outside of the first round. Levis was mocked to the Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks in the majority of mock drafts. The SEC quarterback will have to sit tight a little longer…

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Stay tuned for more 2023 NFL Draft content and Los Angeles Rams draft selections when the draft resumes at 7:00pm EST.