Jalen Carter to Lions, Bijan Robinson to Bucs in Tannenbaum's GM 2023 NFL Mock Draft

Georgia star Jalen Carter tumbled to the Detroit Lions with the No. 18 overall pick in the newest 2023 NFL mock draft from ESPN's Mike Tannenbaum.

Tannenbaum followed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking Texas star Bijan Robinson at No. 19.

Once considered a strong favorite to go No. 1, fans will be curious to see how far Carter falls on draft day after his stock took multiple hits in recent weeks.

The defensive lineman showed up slightly out of shape and performed poorly at Georgia's pro day. A day after the event, he pleaded no contest to charges of reckless driving and racing in connection to the January car crash that killed Bulldogs offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy. Carter had been racing LeCroy prior to the crash but was ruled not to have caused the crash.

Tannenbaum described Carter as "a calculated risk." His arrival would strengthen a Lions front seven that includes Aidan Hutchinson, the runner-up in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

In the case of Robinson, he might have to wait around a bit on Day 1 thanks to how devalued the running back position has become.

On talent alone, the Doak Walker Award winner is one of the better players on the board. He ran for 3,410 yards and 33 touchdowns and caught 60 passes for 805 yards in three seasons with the Longhorns.

For as good as Robinson is, though, teams have been able to find backfield help in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft. Of the six running backs named to last year's Pro Bowl, Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs were the only two who had been selected in the first round of the draft.

That Robinson is nonetheless widely expected to be among the top 31 picks is a testament to how much he can improve an offense right out of the gate. He could be especially impactful for a Buccaneers team trying to pivot in a post-Tom Brady future.