2023 NFL Draft Order: Updated First-Round Listings After Week 17
Either the Houston Texans or the Chicago Bears will have the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. That will be decided during Week 18 of the 2022 season.
It's most likely that the Texans will be the first team on the clock on April 27 in Kansas City. They're 2-13-1 and will be locked into the top spot with a loss in their regular-season finale, which is a road contest against the Indianapolis Colts. However, the Colts (4-11-1) have struggled and the AFC South rivals tied in Week 1, so a Houston victory is possible.
If the Texans win, that will open the window for the Bears to potentially land the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft. That would happen if Chicago loses at home to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18.
With only one Week 17 game (Monday night's Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals matchup) and all of Week 18 remaining on the regular-season schedule, the 2023 NFL draft order is taking shape. Here's a look at where things currently stand.
Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order
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1. Houston Texans (2-13-1)
2. Chicago Bears (3-13)
3. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos) (4-12)
4. Arizona Cardinals (4-12)
5. Indianapolis Colts (4-11-1)
6. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams) (5-11)
7. Atlanta Falcons (6-10)
8. Las Vegas Raiders (6-10)
9. Carolina Panthers (6-10)
10. Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans Saints) (7-9)
11. Tennessee Titans (7-9)
12. Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns) (7-9)
13. New York Jets (7-9)
14. Washington Commanders (7-8-1)
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8)
16. Green Bay Packers (8-8)
17. Detroit Lions (8-8)
18. Forfeited pick (via Miami Dolphins) (8-8)
19. Seattle Seahawks (8-8)
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8)
21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8)
22. New England Patriots (8-8)
23. New York Giants (9-6-1)
24. Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
25. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)
26. Cincinnati Bengals (11-4)
27. Minnesota Vikings (12-4)
28. Dallas Cowboys (12-4)
29. Denver Broncos (via San Francisco 49ers) (12-4)
30. Buffalo Bills (12-3)
31. Kansas City Chiefs (13-3)
32. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
Draft order via Tankathon.com.
Is Young Destined to Be Heading to Houston?
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There's a good chance the Texans will take a quarterback with their first pick in the 2023 NFL draft, whether they have the No. 1 or No. 2 selection. They also should be the first team to take a QB, as the Bears already have their franchise player at the position (Justin Fields).
If Chicago has the No. 1 selection, it's possible it could entertain trade offers for the pick. But it seems more likely the Bears would use it to take the top player on their draft board.
So either way, Houston should have its pick among all the quarterbacks in the class. And it needs a franchise QB, as Davis Mills has proved he's unlikely to be the long-term answer at the position over his first two NFL seasons.
That's why it seems highly likely Alabama's Bryce Young will be coming to the Texans. The 21-year-old (who won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore in the 2021 season) is the favorite to be the first quarterback selected in the draft, as the Crimson Tide standout appears to have the most talent and upside.
Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Kentucky's Will Levis and Florida's Anthony Richardson are among the other QBs who could be taken in the first round in 2023. But Young should be selected before any of them.
Young may not have repeated as the Heisman winner this season, but he still had an impressive junior year at Alabama, passing for 3,328 yards, 32 touchdowns and only five interceptions in 12 games. He capped his college career by throwing five TD passes in the Tide's Sugar Bowl win over Kansas State on Saturday.
The next competitive throws made by Young could come in a Texans uniform. And he may just end up being the right QB for the franchise to build around for the long term.
What Would Bears Do If They End Up at No. 1?
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So, if the Bears end up with the No. 1 pick, don't trade it and opt not to use it on a quarterback (which would be highly unlikely to happen), what would they do with the selection? Well, there are quite a few roster holes on a team that is currently 3-13.
Chicago needs more offensive playmakers to set up Fields for better future success. It could also do a better job of protecting the franchise QB, so it may target an offensive lineman. Or the Bears may want to strengthen their defensive front seven, as they could use boosts at quite a few positions there.
Even if Chicago doesn't end up at No. 1, it's guaranteed to have a top-four pick in the draft, regardless of what happens in Week 18. So it will be coming away with one of the top players in the class in April.
Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. could end up being the Bears' top target. He may be the most talented overall player in the class and would take Chicago's defensive front to another level.
Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter is another top prospect who may be a good fit with the Bears. He's a different type of player from Anderson, as he'd bring athleticism to the interior of the defensive line.
As long as Chicago ends up with a top-three selection, it seems likely it will take either Anderson or Carter at this point. Of course, the Bears could also decide it's better to trade down, stock up on more draft capital and be able to fill more of their positions of need. Plus, other teams may be willing to overpay in order to move up and land a top quarterback.
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