2023 NFL Draft: Mel Kiper Jr. gives latest projection for No. 1 overall pick in 4.0 mock draft

The 2023 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and the debate over which player will come off the board at No. 1 overall continues to rage on.

Early Tuesday morning, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. made an appearance on “Get Up” to discuss the latest projections in his 4.0 mock draft. While CJ Stroud had a turn getting a lot of love as the projected No. 1 overall pick, the attention has swung back to Alabama’s Bryce Young to become the top pick in the draft.

Young is Kiper’s current pick to be selected by the Carolina Panthers, and Kiper cited what separates Young from CJ Stroud, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis as the top QB in this class:

“Just the decision-making, Greeny, and the fact that this past year he didn’t have that elite supporting cast,” explained Kiper. “He put up the numbers, he dealt with the injury, played through it and only missed the one game.

“I think people just look at him as a guy that has the ‘it factor.’ He’s a winner, he’s got that sparkle and a guy that Carolina I think can move forward with. I think they have the infrastructure there in place with the o-line, supporting cast, all those coaches that will be surrounding the QB. I think Bryce Young would be the guy at this stage we are in the process.”

.@MelKiperESPN on why he believes Bryce Young will be the No. 1 pick over C.J. Stroud in his Mock Draft 4.0: pic.twitter.com/Tl1Uo4OdoC

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) April 11, 2023

What does it mean moving forward?

Kiper is not alone in his projections to have Bryce Young become the No. 1 overall pick. Coming out of Easter, the updated odds on DraftKings have Young slightly ahead of CJ Stroud as the favorite to become the top pick in the draft.

As for the Carolina Panthers, their visit with Young is reported to take place on Tuesday. That visit will likely shed even more light on Young’s potential to become the top pick in the draft.

Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.