2023 NFL Draft Roundtable: Response to Dane Brugler’s post-merger form

Our draft mentor, Dane Brugler, released his latest mock draft to the post-NFL scouting combine earlier this week. What stood out in his 31 first-round picks?

We asked our draft team members Nick Baumgardner, Diante Lee, and Nate Tice for their thoughts.

1. The Colts and Panthers hit CJ Stroud (No. 1) and Anthony Richardson (No. 4), respectively. Bears were at the center of both trades. Especially in light of everything you saw and heard in class, how do you like these moves?

Baumgardner: Colts and Stroud felt like the perfect pair before Plural. Stroud can go through his share of first-year hiccups, but Indianapolis has a better roster than we’re used to seeing this high in the draft. The Colts have the defense and general staff to help a young player like that. To me, it seemed like a decision of whether or not Indianapolis would fall in love with Stroud or Bryce Young and choose to sit and wait, knowing there would be value in the fourth anyway.

Stroud was great at collecting and in the College Football Playoff game. His throwing motion is similar to a golf swing, and he is the most talented pocket passer in the class. And make no mistake, this is a good quarterback class.

Tice: I love it for the Bears, who need as many players and ways to find them as possible. A war chest of recruiting picks would help.

Stroud matches the size threshold the Colts have for their players and will bring a polished game to a roster that isn’t as bad as one might think. Pairing Stroud (my QB1 character) with Shane Steichen, who has a background in Norv Turner offenses, would make sense. Stroud could drive the ball to Indianapolis receiving corps for size. This roster will only need a bit of talent along the offensive line, too.

My religion is mine: In the Cyberverse beta, this is the trade pack to end all trade packs for Chicago. When Bears GM Ryan Poles spoke with such unwavering certainty about getting surplus capital by trading the first pick, that was exactly what he and the Chicago fanbase had in mind.

Based on conversations before and during the combine, the Colts are looking for a long-term option at quarterback but not a draft. While there’s no such thing as certainty when it comes to up-and-coming players, Stroud is as close as you get in this draft class to threading that needle. His size, accuracy and consistency make him the kind of foundational piece needed to build this offense around.

I still have some questions about how Stroud will manage pressure at the next level, but I struggle to see him as anything other than the efficiency machine he has been since his first start at Ohio State. The 2017-18 version of Jared Goff is the track I’m banking on, and Stroud’s ceiling will be determined by how comfortable he is with the use of his legs.

Baumgardner: As far as Richardson goes, I don’t hate the idea of ​​him landing the Carolinas, although I do hope he has or adds a veteran to his roster whenever he goes. If these Panthers can do it, Frank Reich can create a really good environment for Richardson’s talented skill set. To be honest, I’m the better fit for Richardson and Seattle, but that’s why this trade makes more sense from Carolina’s point of view.

Tice: I love the pairing of Richardson and the Panthers, especially if they sign Jacoby Brissett to be a bridge, as Dane suggested. Brissett can hold the castle until Richardson is ready, which I think will be faster than expected. The Panthers have a good offensive line (mostly signed through 2024), DJ Moore as the #1 receiving option and a talented defense that can carry the weight of the team through any adjustment period.

I love Richardson with the Panthers. I love Brissett and Richardson considered making the QB room in 2023.

for me: Brissett (or a quarterback of that caliber) as an intermediary between the present and future of the Panthers would be ideal, especially if Carolina can bring that player in on a one- or two-year deal. There isn’t a great deal of offensive skill on the roster, outside of Moore, but Carolina will have a healthy amount of max space in 2024 to properly build around Reich and a future quarterback.

If Carolina plays her right hand, it could be a quick turnaround.

2. The other trade here is also interesting: New England is up 10 for Peter Skowronski. Philadelphia cuts it to 14, adds picks and takes Bijan Robinson. Who won that trade?

Tice: There may be concerns about Skowronski’s height, but there is nothing about his value as a footballer. It makes sense that the Patriots—a team that has found similar value in a player like Joe Thune, despite their “height limitations”—would be interested in a prospect who could play anywhere along the offensive line. A skilled and versatile player is a worthwhile investment. And “skillful” and “versatile” are two words that Bill Belichick likes to craft his list with.

I think the Eagles win the deal, though, continuing their habit of starting with a red paper clip and turning it into something increasingly more valuable. Robinson is one of the most talented players in the draft, because he can influence shots on all three downs. No matter what is said about the value of a running back, finding a football player who can make a positive impact as a rusher, receiver, and pass-blocker for forty-pictures is well worth the investment in the middle of the first inning.

for me: I don’t know if either team will “win” the deal, but I think both teams will leave with the feeling that their mission is accomplished. Skoronski should be a top 10 pick in this draft, arm’s length be damned, and New England’s offensive line has been a problem all last season. Even without legendary assistant coach Dante Skarnichia in the fold, I have enough confidence in Bill Belichick’s vision to transform this franchise into a new era and in Skowronski’s ability as a pass blocker to pull off a stellar combination.

As for Philadelphia, Cristian Gonzalez and three runners-up were already off the board by the time the 10th pick came around, so there would be an incentive to drop a few spots and reassess. This draft doesn’t have enough stellar talent across the board to discuss touring spot value (in good faith, at least), and this isn’t a list with many immediate needs to address. Getting Robinson and some extra capital would be ideal.

Baumgardner: My main highlight is that it shows how talented Skoronski is, and how high the league is on him. Some teams may have disagreements about where he will play, but many believe he is a top-five player in this category – no worse than a top-10 player. If you have the assets to make it happen, someone would be worth the jump.

However, this also shows that Philadelphia is in a position to win any and all trades it enters during the draft, as its roster is still well loaded and its draft capital is still in a very good place. (On a personal note: I suggested Bijan return to the Eagles for the summer and I felt like the whole town was coming for me. I now feel vindicated.)

3. Trades aside, what’s a more surprising pick than Dane’s latest mock-up?

for me: I enjoy the opportunity to think like a commentator on Dane’s mock drafts, so I wouldn’t pass it up here. He really impressed Kalega Kansi and Zay Flowers in the first round, especially with Brian Pressey having to fight his way through to the first round and Quentin Johnston finishing out of the top 31. Weighs in at under 290 pounds (Kansei was 281), but we’re still talking about a little guy in weight and wingspan.

With Flowers, he fulfills the basic athletic ability of a wide receiver his size (5-foot-9, 182 pounds). He can also switch between being smooth and snappy as a road runner, he has big hands and he’s a playmaker. However, you’re crafting a receiver who can really only fit one archetype, and I don’t know if he’s going to open up consistently in the middle of the field enough to warrant a first-round pick.

Baumgardner: Seeing Prissy’s name all the way there at No. 29 is a little disturbing. It’s realistic, though many are torn over it. He’s a talented player who’s had to deal with things beyond his control, just to be able to outperform on the final touchdown spot.

Another thing that wasn’t surprising to me but might be to some: Dane pointed out that Houston doesn’t have to (and probably doesn’t) take a #2 quarterback. And many seem to have assumed otherwise. The Texans need a lot of things, in addition to their quarterback, if they want to ride with Davis Mills longer and focus on elite quarterback options next year… I can understand that.

Tice: It wasn’t a pick for me, and that’s Johnston’s first-round exit. This wide receiver class isn’t a great class, as far as outstanding talent is concerned – especially compared to recent classes, and even more so when it comes to sized receivers. I wouldn’t be shocked if Johnston fell on Day 2, as he’s not a perfect prospect, but he has an interesting combination of height/weight/speed that others at the top of this year’s class just don’t.

I kept scrolling to see his name and ended up in the comments section.

4. What is the best player-team fit in the back half (Pick 17-31)?

Baumgardner: Oh man, there’s a lot. I’m going with Michael Meyer and the Chargers, I can see Justin Herbert’s smile all the way from here in the freezing cold Michigan. One of the things I love most about Meyer’s NFL exposure is the fact that he played for several different players at Notre Dame, many of them inconsistent. The Irishman has gone through a huge transition during his time there, and it didn’t bother him at all. Notre Dame was wobbly, and Meyer was looking better.

Honorable Mention is Jackson Smith Ngigba to Seattle at the age of 20, and that seems like an incredible value. It was good to see Smith-Njigba back on the field running around doing crazy things in the combine.

Tice: Love, love and love Meyer chargers. He would be a constant force for Herbert and provide a much-needed influx of talent for the Chargers at tight end—not just as a receiver but as a blocker. Nick mentioned my other favorite: Smith Ngigba to the Seahawks. He’ll be a cherry on top for what I believe will be a top 10 offensive tackle in 2023 and has a skill set that would pair nicely with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

I’m also fond of Joey Porter Jr. to the Steelers at 17. Not surprisingly, Porter has the mentality of a Steelers defender and would give this unit another player with bona fide star potential. The defense led by TJ Watt and breakout player Alex Highsmith up front, with Minka Fitzpatrick and Porter at the back end will be one of the best teams in the league. Porter will match the competitive mentality, intelligence and physicality with which the Steelers play.

for me: There’s some really good stuff on the back half – Dane is great at defining the franchise’s body type and athletic traits. Miles Murphy is exactly the kind of prospect that fits Tampa Bay’s “bigger, faster, stronger” approach to building a front seven, and Dalton Kincaid is perfect for a Cowboys offense that needs someone other than CeeDee Lamb to hit hard goals in center field.

I agree with the consensus here, though: Mayer, pairing up with the Chargers’ offense needs more variety and physicality. Los Angeles still needs speed, but Meyer’s presence will help their passing and running game.

(CJ Stroud photo: Dale Zanine/USA Today)