The 2023 NFL Draft is over. It is time to take stock. For the best. But also for the worse. Here are the Top 10 worst choices.
1 – Detroit Lions, Ja’Myrr Gibbs (RB) – 1st round, 12th pick
A running back in the 1st round? But what is this sacrilege? A position which in addition was not a need! But what happened in the decision-making room for the Lions to come to the conclusion that this was the best possible option at the 12th choice. So of course Gibbs may be productive, but there is no logic in this selection.
2 – San Francisco 49ers, Jake Moody (K) – 3rd round, 99th pick
A kicker hadn’t been selected on the second day of the draft since 2016. For good reason, the best kickers in the NFL are nearly all undrafted players. Why waste capital as important as a 3rd round, and especially when the team had no choice in the first and second rounds. The former Michigan player will have an interest in shining and winning matches to justify his choice.
3 – Los Angeles Chargers, Quentin Johnston (WR) – 1st round, 21st pick
If the position is not really debated, we expected a different profile to offer Justin Herbert more variety. Finally, the profile of the former receiver of TCU fits in the already well-known style of Mike Williams. And yet, it’s not as if the Chargers had no choice. Jordan Addison and Zay Flowers were still available and could have provided a non-present profile in Kellen Moore’s attack. A more electric profile could have offered an explosive and complementary alternative to Herbert. Damage.
4 – Tennessee Titans, Will Levis (QB) – 2nd round, 33rd pick
After selecting Peter Skoronski in the 1st round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Titans’ logic seemed crystal clear. Rebuilding the team starting with the line looking towards 2024 to really launch the new project. Finally going up quickly and early in the 2nd round, the franchise finally chose the player they were promised in 11. A good opportunity? Not necessarily. By investing a 33rd pick in a younger version of Ryan Tannehill, the franchise remains in its system, but above all gives up on a larger, more ambitious reconstruction, with an even more talented quarterback in 2024. Or else it won’t will be neither more nor less than a 33rd choice to throw in the trash.
5 – Green Bay Packers, Sean Clifford (QB) – 5th round, 149th pick
If the idea was to put as little pressure as possible on Jordan Love, the franchise could have waited until the very end of the draft. Instead, Green Bay decided to drop a choice that could have been useful to fill a need (like that of safety) on a quarterback who will never start. Not because Love will necessarily be brilliant, but because Clifford will be beaten for the number 2 position during training camp.
6 – Arizona Cardinals, Parris Johnson Jr (OT) – 1st round, 6th pick
Of course protecting Kyler Murray is important. But in what state of ruin was the defense? With the possibility of choosing the best defender in 3rd position, the franchise had the possibility of getting their hands on a potential generational player who could have shined for many years. Having a new building block to build on. And in addition, Parris Johnson is not even the best offensive tackle of the vintage.
7 – Dallas Cowboys, Luke Schoonmaker (TE) – 2nd round, 58th pick
Scheduled for the 3rd day, the selection of the tight end of Michigan at the end of the 2nd round surprised. Still raw and with a production and experience that is ultimately quite limited, Dallas’ bet to make him Dalton Schultz’s successor this week seems daring. The front office got caught up in the “rush” on the position during the 2nd round, but other profiles still available could have achieved more consensus. A too early choice which will increase the pressure on the player in a traditionally already demanding franchise.
8 – Detroit Lions, Jack Campbell (LB) – 1st round, 17th pick
Undoubtedly a position of priority need for the Lions, the choice of Jack Campbell is not at all illogical. What is more is to select it so high. Investing a pick 18 on a linebacker is not really fashionable on this position which has lost value in recent years. And after picking up the 34th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft in the trade with Arizona, Jack Campbell certainly could have waited.
9 – Green Bay Packers, Jayden Reed (WR) – 2nd round, 50th pick
It is not a question here of calling into question the player who meets a need, both from a point of view of the profile and from a numerical point of view in a squad well depopulated before the draft. But the movement that led to the selection of Reed is at least misunderstanding, see professional misconduct. Positioned in 45th position, the Packers had the opportunity to select one of the most talented players in the class in the person of Brian Branch while meeting a major need for the franchise, the post of safety / nickel back largely understaffed in talent. But by choosing to back down, the franchise not only passed on the player, but offered him on a platter to a competitor by agreeing to complete the trade with rival Detroit. Unacceptable.
10 – Zach Charbonnet (RB) – 2nd round, 52nd pick
Obviously what would a draft be without a runner selected too high by Seattle? And if in the end the position is no longer so much of a surprise, the choice of the player surprised. The complementarity with Kenneth Walker does not seem obvious and the choice 52 nevertheless seems largely premature for Charbonnet. After the excellent start to the franchise’s draft, we expected more reinforcement on the inside of the defensive line to continue to strengthen the defense.
