The 2023/24 NFL Season has officially concluded and now it is time to reflect. If I am going to be honest, I am not a true fan of regrading an NFL Draft after one season. Mainly because prospects usually take 2-3 years to develop and get a bigger picture. However, I still think it is important to see how well they did in the 1st round. So I decided to grade each pick of the 1st Round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Now Normally I would say F grades would be a HACKENBERG level of bad, but I am not going to do that as I feel it is unfair at this point to give that grade. Unless they are QB Josh Rosen’s level of bad, OT Isaiah Wilson or the selection that involved a trade has heavily backfired on them. So let’s do this and start with the Carolina Panthers.
1. Carolina Panthers – QB Bryce Young
Original Grade: A
1 Year Grade: HACKENBERG
Oh boy. Talk about a pick that has heavily backfired for the Panthers. This is not the fault of Bryce Young, as he had no chance with the Panthers in his rookie season. The Panthers’ offensive line is a mess, Young has zero consistently good receivers, his backfield was a mess, Frank Reich did not want him to begin with, and Tepper as the owner has not helped things for him either. Young has looked terrible as a Carolina Panther and has been poorly developed during his first season. He has made some brutally bad interceptions this season and has not looked like the player he was at Alabama.
Now there is time for Carolina to salvage Bryce Young. His situation reminds me a lot of Jared Goff, who was abysmal during his rookie season. In a similar situation, the Rams saved his career with the coaching change, hiring Sean McVay and getting rid of Jeff Fisher as the coach. Hopefully, that works now with Carolina hiring Dave Canales to coach.
At least Carolina has the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to help build around Bryce Young. Oh, wait. They can’t. Their first-round pick is the property of the Chicago Bears due to the trade-up for Carolina to select Bryce. Well, that sucks. As for this pick, I have to grade it as a HACKENBERG grade. It might be a little harsh, but Young was awful most of the year, and factoring in the trade-up makes it so much worse for Carolina.
2. Houston Texans – QB CJ Stroud
Original grade: A
1 Year Grade: A++
3. Houston Texans – DE/EDGE Will Anderson
Original Grade: A+
One Year Grade: A+
It’s not just the C.J. Stroud pick that helped turn this franchise around, on defense the Texans got the best pass rusher in this draft class in Will Anderson. He lived up to the hype for the Houston Texans and became a key piece to this young Houston Texans and even won the Rookie Defensive Player of the Year. Anderson finished the season with 45 tackles, and 7 sacks and was a wrecking ball for the Texans this season. This is another no-brainer A+ grade for the Texans who may finally have their face of the defense since JJ Watt was a part of this team. This NFL Draft is a complete success so far with this pick and the Stroud pick.
4. Indianapolis Colts – QB Anthony Richardson
Original grade: HACKENBERG
1 Year Grade: Incomplete
Gosh, I remember grading this pick as a HACKENBERG Grade during immediate 2023 NFL Draft grades last year. I got so much heat for that and heck even got death threats sent because of that. People thought that I was comparing him to Christian Hackenberg for doing that. Here is the thing if people actually read the 1st paragraph of that article, it legit says, that if I grade a player as a HACKENBERG it is an F Grade. Nobody read that and I got so much hate thrown my way, over a simple draft grade on one player. If that is the reason you want to throw death threats at somebody for something as small as this, guess what you are the problem.
Ok, now that that has been said let’s get into the man himself. Honestly, for his first season Richardson did not do much. He threw for 577 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception. Richardson also rushed for 136 yards and even got 4 rushing touchdowns. Richardson did show flashes, but he also showcased his super raw qualities as well. The main reason why he did not do much is because he suffered a season ending shoulder injury and only played in 4 games. It would not be fair to grade this pick, so I have to make this an incomplete grade
5. Seattle Seahawks – CB Devon Witherspoon
Original Grade: B-
One Year Grade: A
Devon Witherspoon really shined in his rookie season. He impressed me in every single way with how elite he is in zone coverage, which is a key part of the Seahawks’ defense. This kid has what it takes to be a shutdown cornerback in the league. While he only had one interception, the one he had was a Pick-6. It helps that Witherspoon has strong tackling ability as well.
The thing that impressed me the most about Witherspoon is that he also has a nice pass-rushing ability. For a cornerback, it’s been a while since I’ve seen one provide a ton of pressure to the quarterback like Witherspoon did. He even got three sacks as well, which is bonus points. Honestly, Witherspoon is what the Seahawks thought they were getting when they acquired Jamal Adams from the Jets via trade a few years ago. Witherspoon was a strong piece of a pretty mediocre Seahawks defense, and I am excited to see how he will develop next season. I would give this an A+, but due to the hamstring injury that Witherspoon suffered in his rookie season that resulted in him missing games, I have to give it an A instead.
6.Arizona Cardinals – OT Paris Johnson Jr
Original Grade: A
One Year Grade: C+
This is where every team needs to start a rebuild, by fixing the offensive line, and that is exactly what Arizona did by selecting Paris Johnson. Johnson wasn’t the greatest and appeared quite raw at times during this season. However, playing in a tough division, he performed better than expected in his rookie year. Additionally, Arizona’s offense struggled for the most part until Kyler came back.
One notable aspect of Johnson’s performance was his improvement over time, particularly in pass blocking. Surprisingly, he also excelled in run blocking, which was a minor concern I had with him coming into the draft. Overall, it was a successful rookie season for Johnson as he was an upgrade compared to what Arizona’s offensive line was last year. It will be interesting to see how he progresses in Season 2.
7. Las Vegas Raiders – DE/EDGE Tyree Wilson
Original Grade: B+
One Year Grade: C-
Tyree Wilson’s rookie season was a very mixed bag. In the first half of the season, he was absolutely terrible and a liability on the defense, constantly being dominated and generating no pressure. His poor performance even led many to believe he would be a healthy scratch. However, in the second half of the season, Wilson showed significant improvement. This improvement coincided with the Raiders making a coaching change, firing Josh McDaniels as the head coach.
On a side note, what a great idea it was hiring Josh McDaniels knowing how disastrous his coaching tenure with Denver was and the controversy surrounding his past coaching search with the Indianapolis Colts. The season was all but doomed and it looked like the Raiders were gonna dust off there tanks. However, when Antonio Pierce became the interim coach, things improved significantly, especially in how Tyree Wilson was utilized and performed. Wilson ended the season with 29 tackles and 3.5 sacks, showing signs of improvement. It will be interesting to see how Wilson performs under Antonio Pierce as the full-time head coach.
Regarding the grading, I was torn between a C or a D+, so to be fair, I decided to give this selection a C-.
8. Atlanta Falcons – RB Bijan Robinson
Original Grade: C
One Year Grade: A-
It’s still surprising that the Falcons decided to select Bijan at this spot, but he was a can’t-miss prospect who was too good for Atlanta to pass on. I liked what I saw from Robinson this season as he proved to be a valuable weapon on offense, especially as he was on the verge of a 1,000-yard season. I wonder how much better of a season he would have had with a competent head coach. Arthur Smith preferred using less talented players like Jonnu Smith and Khadarel Hodge over other skilled players like Drake London and Kyle Pitts. Additionally, at running back, Smith gave more touches to Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson over Bijan Robinson.
Remember that one game Bijan missed because of “headaches”? Thank goodness Atlanta made a coaching change by firing Arthur Smith, as he was such a hack as the head coach. Robinson should have a lot more touches next season, where he will undoubtedly improve. This is a tricky one to grade; I was torn between giving Robinson either an A or a B. However, given the hype attached to him and the coaching hindrance he faced, I’m leaning towards an A. Still, I added a “-” next to it to reflect how mismanaged and poorly coached he was.
9. Philadelphia Eagles – DT Jalen Carter
Original grade: A
1 Year Grade: A+
No-brainer grade here. Carter was one of the main pieces on the Eagles’ defense this season. If he did not have character concerns, Carter would have absolutely been a Top 5 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He has so much potential to be the next Aaron Donald, as he does a phenomenal job rushing the passer and stopping the run. He often faced multiple blockers and is considered to be a contender for Defensive Rookie of the Year. This pick clearly panned out for the Philadelphia Eagles, and if Carter keeps his head in check and continues to develop, he should be a cornerstone defensive lineman for the Eagles for a good while.
10. Chicago Bears – OT Darnell Wright
Original grade: D
1 Year Grade: C
The Bears entered the season with minimal expectations and sought to bolster their offensive line by selecting Darnell Wright in the 2023 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, Wright performed adequately as a blocker. However, his pass protection skills need significant improvement, as he allowed numerous pressures on the quarterback and surrendered 7 sacks throughout the season. On a positive note, Wright showed improvement over time and proved to be a solid run blocker. Overall, his rookie season was commendable, and there remains ample potential and promise with Wright. If he can refine his pass blocking technique, he stands to become a much more effective player next season.
11.Tennessee Titans – OT Peter Skoronski
Original grade: A+
1 Year Grade: B
The Titans have endured a bizarre season, encountering numerous challenges along the way. Despite the adversity, one positive takeaway has been the development of Peter Skoronski. Rather than placing him at the tackle position, the Titans opted to deploy Skoronski at guard to ease his transition into the NFL. In his first season, he performed admirably, demonstrating a serviceable level of play.
Like many first-year offensive linemen, Skoronski experienced some rookie moments, which is a common occurrence in the league. Additionally, his mid-season appendectomy likely impacted his performance, although he recovered solidly for the remainder of the season. One area of improvement noted in the tape is his blocking against more physical defenders, but this can be addressed through refining his technique and additional offseason work.
Overall, there were more positive than negative moments for Skoronski, and with the Titans likely undergoing a rebuilding phase, he will be afforded time to continue improving.
12. Detroit Lions – RB Jahmyr Gibbs
Original grade: HACKENBERG
1 Year Grade: A
I was initially skeptical of this pick when it was announced, especially considering the depreciating value of the running back position. Additionally, the Lions had the 18th pick and plenty of depth at running back with David Montgomery and D’Andre Swift. It was the shock of the 2023 NFL Draft and not a lot of people were fans with this pick. However, rumors surfaced that many teams were interested in Gibbs earlier in the draft, prompting the Lions to trade Swift to Philadelphia for draft picks. As time went on, the pick made more sense, and it certainly paid off in year one.
If you’re wondering why the Detroit Lions offense has shined this season, Gibbs is a big reason why. He has become one of the main pieces of this offense, rushing for 945 yards and scoring 10 rushing touchdowns, significantly contributing to the team’s success. The only reason this pick isn’t an A+ grade one year later is because Gibbs missed two games due to a hamstring injury. Nevertheless, it was a very successful season for Gibbs. Now, the question remains whether he can maintain this level of production long-term, given the depreciation of running backs in the modern NFL. For the short term, it’s an easy A grade.
13. Green Bay Packers – DE/EDGE Lukas Van Ness
Original Grade: B+
One Year Grade: C+
This one is tough to grade as Van Ness only played 33% of the snaps. However, Van Ness performed admirably in the snaps he played. He made 32 tackles in the regular season and even recorded 4 sacks. His standout performance came against the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs, where he provided significant pressure on Dak Prescott and even secured a sack. With smooth pass-rushing moves, he still possesses a lot of potential and upside on this young Packers team. I want to give Van Ness a B, but considering he wasn’t a starter and only played a third of the snaps, I can’t justify that grade. So, I’m going to give him a C+ for his rookie season.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers – OT Broderick Jones
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Original Grade: A
One Year Grade: B-
15 New York Jets – DE/EDGE Will McDonald
Original Grade: HACKENBERG
One Year Grade: D
I hated the pick when it was made, and I still hate it looking back 1 year later. This pick should have been on the offense as the Jets had plenty of players at the DE/EDGE rusher position. I even had McDonald as a 3rd round prospect heading into the 2023 NFL Draft. However the Jets used one on Will McDonald and in the short term it was an absolute waste. Time will tell if this pick will pan out in the long term, however McDonald did not have a great season.
McDonald was barely utilized consistently for this team. He did play this season, but he was mostly on special teams or in garbage time football. In fact, McDonald, at one point, became a healthy scratch for the team, which is never a good sign when a team uses a first-round pick on a player. The Jets finally decided to give an increased amount of snaps at the end of the season and finished with 14 tackles, 3 sacks, and even forced a fumble. So, that alone avoided him getting the HACKENBERG grade again, but I can’t grade this anymore then a D for now. Hopefully when looking back on this pick, McDonald becomes a super talented player for this team.
16. Washington Commanders – CB Emmanuel Forbes
Original Grade: C-
One Year Grade: D
I was not a big fan of Emmanuel Forbes during the scouting process last season for the 2023 NFL Draft. I did not have him as a Top 5 cornerback at all and had him as a 2nd round prospect. He had flashes earlier in the season, but he got progressively worse through the season. He was constantly targeted and blew so many coverages all season. Forbes was so bad that the Commanders benched him midseason due to his constant poor performances. Which is never a good sign. What also is not a good sign is being ejected after a helmet-to-helmet hit against Tyler Lockett. Yeah, definitely not a good rookie season for Forbes.
Looking at the film, it was clear that Forbes was a terrible fit on the Commanders’ defense. With the Commanders making a coaching change hiring Dan Quinn to be the head coach, is a really smart move in Forbes’ development. He needed a coaching change, and hopefully, he can improve in time. However, in the grade 1 year later, I have to give this selection a D. It’s not a HACKENBERG grade as again he showed flashes in his rookie season and even had an interception, but I can’t go higher than a D grade.
17. New England Patriots – CB Christian Gonzalez
Original Grade: A+
One Year Grade: Incomplete
It was looking like the Patriots made another phenomenal pick as Gonzalez showed so much brilliance in the games he played. The good news is that he displayed immense talent on the field. However, the bad news is that Christian Gonzalez only played in a few games. He suffered a torn labrum injury in Week 4 and was sidelined for the rest of the season. It would be unfair to grade the pick at this point, so for the time being, it will be labeled as incomplete. If he stays healthy and plays the way he did earlier in the year, then New England truly has something special in him.
18. Detroit Lions – LB Jack Campbell
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Original Grade: D
One Year Grade: C
Gosh, this one is so hard to grade. There is a lot to like with Campbell as he was a tackling machine, served as the main leader by calling some plays on defense, and showed flashes as a pass rusher. However, a tremendous issue with Campbell was how absolutely terrible he was in coverage, which is one of the main traits a linebacker needs in the NFL. It doesn’t help that he also looked lost when in coverage. Additionally, the Lions tried to use him as a Swiss army-type player, playing multiple different positions including middle and outside linebacker, DE/EDGE, and even defensive tackle at times. If the Lions are smart, they will keep him at one position and heavily work on his coverage skills during the offseason. Like I said in the first sentence, this is a hard grade for me to make, as there is a part of me that wants to give Campbell a B grade, but there is another part that is leaning towards a D. So, let’s meet in the middle, and I will give him a C for his rookie season.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – DT Calijah Kancey
Original Grade: C
One Year Grade: B
When the Buccaneers used a first-round pick on Kancey, it was a bit of a headscratcher. Not only did the Buccaneers have plenty of pieces on the defensive line, but they also had much bigger needs in the 2023 NFL Draft. I’ve got to be honest, Kancey turned out to be a really nice addition to the Buccaneers’ team. While it was a little concerning when Kancey had that calf injury, when he came back, he really shined in the playoffs. He showed his ability to rush the passer and have an impact as a run stopper. While he needs to work a bit more on consistency as a run stopper, I liked what I saw from him in his rookie season. Go back and watch both of the playoff games the Buccaneers were in this season, as Kancey really impressed me in those games. He is a guy to watch in year 2 if he continues to develop his skills.
20. Seattle Seahawks – WR Jaxon Smith-Nijigba
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Original Grade: A+
One Year Grade: C+
It still stuns me that Jaxon Smith-Nijigba fell to the 20th overall pick during the 2023 NFL Draft, as I had him labeled as a Top 10 prospect in this draft class. Seattle gains by selecting him, and he performed decently, making 63 catches for 628 yards and scoring 4 receiving touchdowns. However, it wasn’t the greatest rookie season, as Smith-Nijigba experienced some growing pains. He never had a game with over 65 receiving yards, and he had a slow and rough start to the season. This slow start could be attributed to him returning a bit early from offseason wrist surgery, as he showed much better performances in the mid to second half of the season. One area Smith-Nijigba needs to improve is limiting his drops, as he had 8 of them, which is a bit high. Overall, this season was a step in the right direction, but he is still a work in progress in terms of his development. I debated between giving him a C or a B-, but to be fair, I will settle in between and give him a C+.
21. Los Angeles Chargers – WR Quinton Johnson
Original Grade: A-
One Year Grade: D
Yikes, this was not a great rookie season for Quinton Johnson. He had 38 catches for 431 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns, which seems like an okay stat line. However, when you look at his tape, there are a lot of negatives to show for it. He had key drops in crucial moments in multiple games, looked lost running routes, and wasn’t great at getting to the high point. He also turned out to be much more of a raw prospect than what many originally thought he was.
Looking back at the stats, did you know that in his first 6 games he only got 62 receiving yards? Yeah, it’s not good. When Mike Williams went down with an injury (what else is new), Johnson failed to step up immediately. Hopefully, with a more competent coaching staff, Johnson will show much improvement next season. However, in his rookie season, I have to grade him a D, and I can’t see how you could grade it any higher than that.
22. Baltimore Ravens – WR Zay Flowers
Original Grade: A
One Year Grade: A-
Zay Flowers was one of my favorite receiver prospects heading into the 2023 NFL Draft and I was considering ranking him above Jaxon Smith-Nijigba. Flowers became a key target for Lamar Jackson during the 2023/24 NFL season, finishing his rookie season with 77 catches for 858 yards and 5 touchdowns. Flowers ran smooth routes, showcased solid hands, and displayed speed in his play. The impressive thing about Flowers was his continual improvement throughout the season. This pick had to hit, as Baltimore has not had the greatest luck in drafting wide receivers. So far, there is a lot to like about Flowers, and he had a really good rookie season.
It’s too bad Zay Flowers made a costly mistake in the AFC Championship game against the Chiefs, costing the Ravens 7 points with his fumble and unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. That moment essentially sealed the fate of the Ravens in the game, as the team never recovered. I was originally going to grade this an A, but because of his shenanigans in that game, I have to add a minus in the end.
23. Minnesota Vikings – WR Jordan Addison
Original Grade: A
One Year Grade: A+
The Vikings had decided to part ways with Adam Thielen at the time and needed to find his replacement. Luckily the 2023 NFL Draft had notable receiver prospects on the board and Jordan Addison was available as the last first-round graded receiver on the board. This pick made so much sense at the time as Addison fits the scheme of the Vikings’ offense perfectly. Nobody should be surprised that Addison made an immediate impact in his rookie season. Statistically, he made 70 catches for 911 receiving yards and even scored 10 touchdowns.
He and Justin Jefferson form a really good wide receiver duo, and what impressed me with Addison is that when Jefferson was injured, Addison became Cousins’ go-to, trustworthy receiver. My one nitpick is that he does need to improve catching in traffic, but with more experience in the league, he should clean up that weakness. I’ve got to be honest; I’m going to grade this pick an A+ as Addison almost had 1,000 receiving yards and has looked like the real deal at wide receiver. Now, hopefully, he can keep developing and playing well for many years to come with the Vikings.
24. New Yok Giants – CB Deonte Banks
Original Grade: B
One Year Grade: B+
25. Buffalo Bills – TE Dalton Kincaid
Original Grade: A-
One Year Grade: B+
Kincaid was a player I was initially nervous about due to his history of back injuries. Despite his talent, the concern over his health made me lean towards preferring Michael Mayer as the first tight end pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, Buffalo took the risk with Kincaid. They’ve been aiming for a two-tight-end system since the failed experiments with Tommy Sweeney and O.J. Howard. So far, the gamble has paid off. Kincaid has amassed 73 receptions for 673 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. He excels as a blocker and provides a reliable target for Josh Allen. Overall, it’s been a promising season for Kincaid. With further refinement of his technique and improvement in his receiving skills, he has the potential to become an excellent tight end for years to come.
26. Dallas Cowboys – DT Mazi Smith
Original Grade: C
One Year Grade: D
Yeesh, Mazi Smith did not have a great season with Dallas during his rookie season. He struggled rushing the passer and was super inconsistent at stopping the run. In fact, one of the major weaknesses on Dallas’ defense was run defense, and Smith struggled when trying to stop the run. Now, Dallas did mainly have Smith as a rotational player, and at times, he did open some holes for blitzers to provide pressure. However, there have been a lot more negative moments than positive ones, so maybe with an increased snap count and another offseason of development, he could get better. However, his rookie season was too messy, and I have to give this a D grade.
27. Jacksonville Jaguars – OT Anton Harrison
Original Grade: B-
One Year Grade: B
28. Cincinnati Bengals – DE/EDGE Myles Murphy
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Original Grade: A+
One Year Grade: C+
At the time the Bengals made this pick, it wasn’t driven by need, as they already had plenty of talent at DE/EDGE. However, Murphy was projected to be a Top 10/mid 1st round pick, making him too good to pass on. I don’t blame Cincinnati for selecting him. Murphy was mainly utilized as a rotational pass rusher and showed flashes of potential in his rookie season. However, his first six games were quite rough. Fortunately, with time and increased snaps, he improved somewhat. While his statistical output wasn’t strong with 20 tackles and 3 sacks, he did generate pressure on the quarterback. I just wish it had been at a more consistent rate. There is still potential in Murphy, but his rookie season was somewhat disappointing. I’m going to give Murphy a C+ grade, but he is a candidate to break out next season if Cincinnati increases his role.
29. New Orleans Saints – DT Bryan Breese
Original Grade: C+
One Year Grade: B+
The Saints last season should have made the playoffs, and a big reason for that was how good their defense was. They bolstered the defensive line in this draft class by selecting Bryan Bresee, and he was impressive this season. He finished his rookie season with 24 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Bresee really impressed me rushing the passer; not only did he get 4.5 sacks, but from the tape I’ve seen, he provided a lot of pressure on the quarterback. He was double-teamed frequently by offensive linemen, indicating that teams view him as a potential threat. Now, Bresee could use more work as a run-stopper, but he has shown flashes that he could develop into one. I am going to give Bresee a B+ grade, and he is a player I am interested to see how he develops next season
30. Philadelphia Eagles – DE/EDGE Nolan Smith
Original Grade: A+
One Year Grade: D
I was a big fan of Nolan Smith heading into the 2023 NFL Draft and was very surprised to see him drop. When Philadelphia drafted him, I was excited about the potential of their defense. While they didn’t necessarily need to pick Smith, he was too good to pass on at that spot. Unfortunately, his rookie season was a disappointment. It wasn’t Nolan’s fault; Philadelphia intended to use him as a rotational piece and gradually integrate him into the team. This approach made sense for Philadelphia, and when he did play, Smith was decent. While not fantastic, he showed glimpses of his pass-rushing ability. In contrast to Mazi Smith, who had many negatives, there were more positives with Nolan. I think a D grade would be appropriate here. Hopefully, Smith will develop further next season.
31. Kansas City Cheifs – DE/EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzomah
Original Grade: D+
One Year Grade: D
I’m not joking; until Super Bowl 58 hit, I had actually forgotten that the Chiefs used a 1st-round pick on Anudike-Uzomah in the 2023 NFL Draft. So, rewinding the tape, I understand why I forgot about Anudike-Uzomah, as he barely played, and when he did play, he was awful. He was outplayed by Mike Danna, who took a majority of his snaps. The only thing that saved this pick from being a HACKENBERG grade is that he got half a sack, showed potential in the playoffs, and even forced a fumble. So, I have to give a D grade to this selection, and I don’t see how anyone can grade him higher. There is at least upside with Anudike-Uzomah, as this pick was made as a scheme fit, but with another offseason of development, he should improve.
