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2023 NFL Draft: ESPN’s Mina Kimes addresses likelihood of ‘chaotic’ start to draft

Paul Harvey

By Paul Harvey

Published:

The 2023 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and while the top pick in the draft has come into focus, the rest of the first round is starting to become cloudy.

At this point in the process, Alabama’s Bryce Young is widely regarded as the player that will be selected No. 1 overall by the Carolina Panthers. It is what happens after Young that could throw a wrench into projections.

ESPN’s Mina Kimes joined the Paul Finebaum Show Friday to discuss the early portion of the draft and what could happen if the Houston Texans opt to not select a QB. Recently, the odds for the No. 2 pick have shifted with Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson moving up.

“Nobody seems to know what order these quarterbacks are going in. I would say Bryce Young at (No.) 1 to the Panthers it feels like that is beginning to settle but after that, nobody knows what order the QBs are in and nobody knows what teams are actually taking QBs,” said Kimes.

“…Increasingly it sounds like (the Houston Texans) are going to take Will Anderson out of Alabama, edge rusher. If that happens, it shakes up all the mocks, all the boards and things will be pretty chaotic.”

Chaos in the first round?

For much of the process, Ohio State’s CJ Stroud has been viewed as the second-best QB available in the draft with the chances for Kentucky’s Will Levis or Florida’s Anthony Richardson to blow a team away leading up to the draft. However, it is entirely possible that Will Anderson is the second-best player on the board regardless of position, and that might be enough to sway Houston into skipping over QBs entirely at No. 2 overall.

In 3 seasons for Alabama, Anderson racked up 58.5 TFL and 34.5 sacks with 204 total tackles. That includes an incredible 2021 campaign with 31 TFL and 17.5 sacks.

It is hard to argue against that kind of portfolio from an elite SEC defender in the draft, and it would certainly not be surprising for a team to be enamored with Anderson’s production and skill set despite the QBs left on the board.

Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.

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