How Teams with Multiple 1st-Round Picks Can Ace 2023 NFL Draft
Because Russell Wilson is now a member of the Denver Broncos, Matthew Stafford is now a member of the Los Angeles Rams and Deshaun Watson is now a member of the Cleveland Browns, their former teams—the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions and Houston Texans, respectively—hold multiple first-round picks in this year's NFL draft.
The New Orleans Saints also sacrificed a 2023 first-round selection in a 2022 trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, making Howie Roseman's squad the fourth team in the draft with two picks in Round 1.
In a perfect world, here's how things will play out for each of those teams on the night of April 27.
Houston Texans
1 of 4
Pick Nos.: 2 and 12
Draft QB Bryce Young
Fallback: QB C.J. Stroud
If not for the knock on Young's size, I think there'd be no doubt he's the most promising quarterback in this class. And great quarterbacks with tremendous football minds and leadership skills such as Young have defied size-based concerns consistently in this era. If the Chicago Bears stick with Justin Fields and don't trade the No. 1 pick, the Texans have to choose Young in the second spot. If he's gone, Stroud is the complete package as a pocket passer with less risk than Will Levis or Anthony Richardson.
Draft WR Quentin Johnston
Fallback: OT Paris Johnson Jr.
There's no doubt it's time for Houston to add its next franchise quarterback, and with its second pick, it ought to secure support for that signal-caller. Nico Collins and Brandin Cooks don't move the needle enough, and the offense needs more skill to maximize the next quarterback's chances of becoming a star. Johnson has all the tools to become a perennial Pro Bowler. The team would immediately have one of the best young QB-WR duos in the NFL, but if he is off the board, I'm not sure there's another receiver worthy of the 12th selection. A trade down for Jordan Addison or Jaxon Smith-Njigba would make sense, but Johnson would be a good potential long-term pillar to protect Young or Stroud.
Another option: Trade down from No. 2
The Texans are at least a year or two from being competitive, so if they can gain an extra first-round pick this or next year by dropping a few spots while still landing a quarterback such as Levis or Richardson, it would be worth it. Those two aren't guaranteed to become franchise signal-callers, but nobody is. The draft is a crapshoot—collect as many dice-throws as you can.
Seattle Seahawks
2 of 4
Pick Nos.: 5 and 20
Draft Edge Will Anderson Jr.
Fallback: DL Jalen Carter
Now that the Seahawks have committed to Geno Smith at quarterback, they're in a prime position to add one of the best non-quarterbacks in this draft class. You have to figure at least two, if not three or four, quarterbacks will be drafted before Seattle is on the clock with the fifth pick, which should give it a shot at Anderson or Carter, who are widely considered to be the top two defensive players in the class. Either would be big for a defense that ranked in the bottom-12 in defense-adjusted value over average at Football Outsiders and below the league median in pressure rate.
Draft S Brian Branch
Fallback: LB Trenton Simpson
With two quality starting receivers in place and the offensive line seemingly set everywhere but center, the Seahawks should probably double down with defenders. With Anderson or Carter in the fray, they can address off-ball defense with Branch or Simpson. Imagine Anderson or Carter teaming up with Branch or Simpson for years to come.
Another option: Trade the No. 20 pick
If it looks like Anderson and Carter might be off the board before the Seahawks are on the clock with the No. 5 pick, it might be worth it to take advantage of that extra draft capital by jumping up a spot or two at the expense of the No. 20 selection. Seattle, however, would have to get at least a late first-round or early second-round pick in return as well.
Detroit Lions
3 of 4
Pick Nos.: 6 and 18
Draft DL Jalen Carter
Fallback: CB Devon Witherspoon
If four quarterbacks are selected in the top five, the Lions could land Carter or even Anderson. That'd be a no-brainer. If only three (or fewer) quarterbacks are picked in the top five, they might not be able to land Carter or Anderson but would have to at least consider one of the big four quarterbacks. Still, Jared Goff had an encouraging season, and I'm not convinced of Levis or Richardson. So, unless Young or Stroud shockingly falls to them, Witherspoon would make sense. His tape is unreal, and he's the top corner in the class, per Pro Football Focus.
Draft S Brian Branch
Fallback: CB Joey Porter Jr.
Just like Seattle, Detroit should go double defense after it ranked 28th in DVOA last season and was gashed on the ground. With the pass defense likely to be addressed earlier, there's room to go anywhere here. Branch is versatile and should be able to make an impact in coverage and against the run, while Porter would make a lot of sense if the Lions don't have to settle for Witherspoon their first time up.
Another option: Trade down from No. 6
If by chance Detroit misses out on the top two quarterbacks and defensive players, it might want to sell its first selection to a team in need of a passer—such as the Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers or New York Jets—in order to add more talent across the board. The Lions could even still land Witherspoon a few picks later.
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Philadelphia Eagles
4 of 4
Pick Nos.: 10 and 30
Draft Edge Myles Murphy
Fallback: CB Devon Witherspoon
The Eagles have a handful of solid defensive players on the verge of free agency and won't likely have the salary-cap space to re-sign them all. Thus, they probably have to pick the best defensive player available with the 10th choice. Murphy wouldn't likely need much time to acclimate, and he'd be a perfect fit with his versatility. Ditto for Witherspoon, who is NFL-ready. That's big when you're essentially a Super Bowl-or-bust team.
Trade the No. 30 pick
Someone is likely going to want to trade into the end of the first round, which could benefit Philadelphia, which has proved to be great at finding talent and could lose a decent chunk of free agents. In other words, it will need bodies.
The Eagles' second step is a little more broad and open-ended simply because there are more variables to factor in by the time the No. 10 pick (and especially the No. 30 selection) rolls around. Plus, the lot of in-house free agents will probably impact the direction Philly goes on draft night.
Still, if the Eagles do stand pat here after going D with the 10th pick, and if they do lose impending free-agent running back Miles Sanders, this would be a great spot to land a back such as Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs.
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