2023 NFL Mock Draft: Latest CBS Sports projections feature 13 SEC stars in Round 1

The 2023 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 27, in Kansas City. The Chicago Bears hold the No. 1 overall pick, but there’s a decent chance they’ll trade down with a team that needs to draft a quarterback.

CBS Sports analyst Tom Fornelli updated his Round 1 projections on Super Bowl Sunday, and he has Ohio State QB CJ Stroud going No. 1 to the Indianapolis Colts.

He then has the SEC accounting for the next 4 picks and 13 picks total in Round 1. Here’s a look at the SEC-related projections:

• No. 2 — Bryce Young, QB, Alabama — Houston Texans
• No. 3 — Will Levis, QB, Kentucky — Carolina Panthers
• No. 4 — Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia — Chicago Bears
• No. 5 — Will Anderson Jr., Edge, Alabama — Seattle Seahawks
• No. 13 — Broderick Jones, OL, Georgia — New York Jets
• No. 18 — BJ Ojulari, Edge, LSU — Detroit Lions
• No. 19 — Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• No. 20 — O’Cyrus Torrence, OL, Florida — Seattle Seahawks
• No. 23 — Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State — Minnesota Vikings
• No. 24 — Brian Branch, DB, Alabama — Jacksonville Jaguars
• No. 26 — Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina — Dallas Cowboys
• No. 27 — Antonio Johnson, DB, Texas A&M — Buffalo Bills
• No. 30 — Nolan Smith, Edge, Georgia — Kansas City Chiefs

The NFL Combine begins in Indianapolis later this month. We’ll see if any additional SEC standouts can work their way into the Round 1 discussion!

Adam Spencer

Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.