Three years later, the biggest storyline from the 2023 NFL Draft still starts at the top: What if the Carolina Panthers selected C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans landed Bryce Young?
In this re-draft, that's exactly what happens -- in part because of the arbitrary rules of this exercise (see below) and because Stroud's early-career brilliance might still make him the safer choice at No. 1 overall. However, Young's steady development over the past year or so makes the Texans' side of the equation far more fascinating than it would've seemed 24 months ago.
The shakeup at the top is just the beginning. From undrafted free agent Jalen Redmond cracking Round 1 to the Eagles targeting a tight end at No. 9, this re-draft has some fun surprises.
As it happens, CBS Sports' Pete Prisco just dropped his three-years-later 2023 NFL Draft regrades last week. While Prisco gave the real-life Dallas Cowboys an "F" after first-rounder Mazi Smith didn't work out, our re-draft aims to fix that, but along the offensive line. And Prisco was right to give an A+ to the Rams and Seahawks for their historic hauls; below, Seattle would be hard-pressed to match that real-life success but still does pretty well with Jahmyr Gibbs and Brian Branch.
Before we get into all 31 picks (remember, the Dolphins lost their first-round selection for tampering violations), here is the breakdown of this re-draft compared to the 2023 first round:
- 16 first-rounders from the original 2023 draft
- Eight second-rounders
- Five third-rounders
- One fifth-rounder
- One undrafted free agent
One last thing before we get going -- here are the rules for this little exercise:
- Assume the entire 2023 NFL Draft class is made up of free agents, and we're holding a re-draft based on their real-life NFL careers to date.
- Assume all eligible players from the 2023 NFL Draft are healthy as of the re-draft, but prior injury history should be a consideration.
- The original team cannot re-draft the player it selected in 2023. For example, the Panthers can't take Bryce Young with the No. 1 overall pick.
- Assume the same draft order from the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
OK, let's get to it:
1. Carolina Panthers: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
- Original pick: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
There was a point during the 2023 season that the Panthers may have regretted not taking C.J. Stroud. In the last season-plus, you could argue Young has outplayed Stroud, but if there was a re-draft today with the "you can't select the same player you originally drafted" rule in place, Stroud would be Carolina's pick 10 times out of 10.
2. Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
- Original pick: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
See above. Young has probably been the better QB over the past 12 months, and I think both Young and Stroud are going to continue to improve in Year 4. The Texans' roster is stacked, but if you don't have a serviceable QB, it won't matter.
Stroud played out of his mind as a rookie, but I'd like to think Young would have helped Houston advance to the playoffs at least twice in his first three seasons in the universe where they drafted him.
3. Houston Texans: Puka Nacua, WR, BYU
- Original pick: Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama
Will Anderson Jr. was such a good pick here, and the cost, it turns out, was not prohibitive either. But rules are rules, so instead, the Texans get Bryce Young a legit weapon in Puka Nacua.
You might argue that the Texans WR room is pretty deep, but we still don't know when Tank Dell will be 100% -- he was also in the 2023 class, so he's technically a free agent in this exercise ... as is sixth-rounder Xavier Hutchinson -- and I love the idea of Nacua and Nico Collins on the field together.
4. Indianapolis Colts: Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama
- Original pick: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
The Colts have tried to improve their pass rush, and I think Laiatu Latu is poised to break out in 2026, but there ain't no way you're passing on Will Anderson Jr. here.
5. Seattle Seahawks: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
- Original pick: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
Man, the Seahawks had such a good 2023 draft, and it'll be hard to match the real-life picks of Devon Witherspoon and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
But Jahmyr Gibbs isn't a bad start, even with the team drafting Jadarian Price in Round 1 last month. Remember: Zach Charbonnet was injured last season, and more importantly for our purposes, he's a member of the 2023 draft class, so he's technically a free agent.
6. Arizona Cardinals: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
- Original pick: Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
Paris Johnson Jr. was the original pick -- and a great one -- but Darnell Wright has been one of the best offensive linemen in the league the past couple years.
7. Las Vegas Raiders: Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
- Original pick: Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
Paris Johnson Jr. can play either right or left tackle, and with new quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Kolton Miller entrenched at left tackle, Johnson will be a right tackle in our scenario here.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia
- Original pick: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
Jalen Carter can take over games when he wants to, and the Falcons have made a concerted effort to get younger and faster on defense.
9. Philadelphia Eagles: Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State
- Original pick: Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia
Here's what I wrote in my notes on Kraft during the 2023 pre-draft process: "High-end athlete, long frame, long strider who eats up cushion and is a matchup problem both inline and from the slot. Surprisingly good inline blocker who has good hands, a huge catch radius and YAC ability. Battled injuries in 2022. How much do injuries and level of competition affect the evaluation? Still, get Travis Kelce-at-Cincy vibes."
Hey, not bad! And before the knee injury last season, Kraft was quickly becoming one of the best young tight ends in the league.
10. Chicago Bears: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
- Original pick: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
Without Darnell Wright, the offensive line has some things to address, but Ben Johnson isn't passing up on Bijan Robinson here.
11. Tennessee Titans: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
- Original pick: Peter Skoronski, OG, Northwestern
I thought about Jaxon Smith-Njigba here, but the Titans have focused a lot of resources on wide receiver, even if this might be Calvin Ridley's last season in Nashville. Witherspoon, meanwhile, would start outside (opposite Alontae Taylor) or in the slot (or both) in this secondary for Robert Saleh.
12. Detroit Lions: De'Von Achane, RB, Texas A&M
- Original pick: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
Achane isn't Gibbs, but he's not far off. And he gives the Lions some much-needed explosiveness out of the backfield in a world where Gibbs is playing for the Seahawks.
13. Green Bay Packers: Tuli Tuipulotu, EDGE, USC
- Original pick: Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa
Lukas Van Ness famously never started a game at Iowa, but he certainly looked the part. He has yet to match expectations, something Tuipulotu exceeded pretty early in his NFL career.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
- Original pick: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
The Steelers originally traded up for Broderick Jones, who is recovering from a back injury. They also landed Joey Porter Jr. at the top of Round 2. The offensive line appears to be set, even with Jones on the shelf, and Gonzalez, when he's healthy, would be an upgrade over Porter.
15. New York Jets: Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
- Original pick: Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa State
The Jets' roster is in pretty good shape. Obviously a lot will depend on Geno Smith, but there's not another quarterback in this class worth selecting this high (and honestly, the next quarterback worth taking a flyer on might legitimately be Tyson Bagent, and that might be in Round 2). Instead, we continue to attack the defense and youth at linebacker with Jack Campbell.
16. Washington Commanders: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
- Original pick: Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
This is a layup. Scary Terry gets some help in the form of one of the best players in the league who somehow slips to pick No. 16 here. McLaurin, Smith-Njigba and Antonio Williams would be A LOT of fun.
17. New England Patriots: Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
- Original pick: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
The Pats desperately need offensive playmakers … pending the AJ Brown trade, of course. Even still, it feels like LaPorta, who tied for the most receiving touchdowns by a rookie tight end in NFL history, would quickly become one of Drake Maye's favorite targets.
18. Detroit Lions: Byron Young, EDGE, Tennessee
- Original pick: Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
Young has 29 sacks in three seasons, including 12 in 2025 -- which is tied for second among pass rushers from the 2023 class behind Tuli Tuipulotu. Young is an older player for the 2023 class (he's 28, while Anderson is just 24), but that's not necessarily a bad thing; sure, maybe his ceiling is lower -- but it was already pretty high when he arrived in the league.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kobie Turner, DL, Wake Forest
- Original pick: Calijah Kancey, DL, Pittsburgh
Kobie Turner was a combine snub, again showing that the combine isn't a prerequisite to not only getting drafted (and Turner was a Day 2 pick) but also being one of the best players in your draft class. Also: this re-draft confirms just how good the Rams' draft haul was -- they have four players going in the first round here, none of whom were actual first-rounders in 2023.
20. Seattle Seahawks: Brian Branch, S, Alabama
- Original pick: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
In the actual 2033 draft, the Seahawks landed Witherspoon and Smith-Njigba. In the re-draft, they get Gibbs and now Brian Branch. It would be incredibly difficult to top the original draft haul, but it's hard to get too upset about this version.
21. Los Angeles Chargers: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
- Original pick: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
I thought about Michael Wilson here, in part because he's physically similar to Quentin Johnston. And while Zay Flowers might be more like Ladd McConkey ... well, there are worse problems to have on a roster.
Interior offensive line would have been a consideration too, but given that both tackles should be healthy and the offseason signings (as well as drafting Jake Slaughter), restocking the wide receiver room seemed prudent here.
22. Baltimore Ravens: Peter Skoronski, OG, Northwestern
- Original pick: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
Yes, the Ravens paid John Simpson like a starter in free agency, but he was just average last year for the Jets. Skoronski has been solid -- and really good when healthy -- since he arrived in the NFL, seamlessly transitioning from left tackle in college to left guard.
In this scenario, he'll move to right guard because rookie first-rounder Vega Ioane will man left guard. And if you're set on Simpson playing (since the Ravens paid him), we could even have the conversation about moving Skoronski to center, which remains a gaping need.
23. Minnesota Vikings: Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State
- Original pick: Jordan Addison, WR, USC
Jordan Addison has been solid at times, stepping up when Justin Jefferson has battled injuries. But we can't re-draft him here, so instead we're taking Jayden Reed, who is similar in terms of height/weight/speed but battled injuries for much of last season.
We're assuming full health for our purposes, and if the Vikes get the 2024 version -- Reed had 857 receiving yards, six touchdowns and averaged 15.6 yards per catch -- he'll fit right in with Jefferson and Kyler Murray/J.J. McCarthy.
24. New York Giants: Jalen Redmond, DL, Oklahoma
- Original pick: Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
The Giants traded Dexter Lawrence before the draft and just lost Roy Robertson-Harris to a torn Achilles. There are real depth concerns at defensive tackle, and Redmond, who went undrafted, has been one of the best defensive linemen from the 2023 class, not named Jalen Carter.
I had Redmond 55th on my final big board (and he's played even better than that –- in 2025, he had 6.0 sacks, five batted passes and 26 hurries), but injury concerns resulted in him going undrafted. In looking at my pre-draft notes on Redmond, I came across this from one scout: "Inconsistent from game to game, but if you grade the flashes, his best football is ahead of him."
25. Buffalo Bills: Steve Avila, OG, TCU
- Original pick: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
O'Cyrus Torrence has been really good for the Bills, but Steve Avila has maybe been a little better in L.A. for the Rams, where he's played solely at left guard. He'll have to move to right guard in Buffalo, but I'd expect him to play close to the same level.
26. Dallas Cowboys: Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma
- Original pick: Mazi Smith, DL, Michigan
Tyler Guyton has been inconsistent for the Cowboys, and while Anton Harrison has played all but 12 of his NFL snaps at right tackle, in college at Oklahoma he made 23 of his 24 starts at left tackle.
27. Jacksonville Jaguars: Keeanu Benton, DL, Wisconsin
- Original pick: Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma
In real life, the Jags continue to try to figure out the defensive line, so in the re-draft we oblige with Keeanu Benton, who has been reliably consistent in Pittsburgh while occasionally showing big-play flashes.
28. Cincinnati Bengals: Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State
- Original pick: Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson
The Bengals have tried to draft their way into solid linebacker play but haven't quite figured it out. Henley solves that problem and serves as the link between the much-improved defensive lines and secondary.
29. New Orleans Saints: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
- Original pick: Bryan Bresee, DL, Clemson
The Saints have a lot of questions at cornerback opposite Kool-Aid McKinstry. Currently, Quincy Riley is listed as the starter, but Porter, who can be too aggressive at times, is still one of the best young outside cornerbacks in the league.
30. Philadelphia Eagles: O'Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida
- Original pick: Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
Smith has yet to play up to his first-round status, and with questions still at right guard, Torrence would be an easy plug-and-play solution.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Jordan Addison, WR, USC
- Original pick: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State
The WR room remains in flux, especially since the Chiefs took Rashee Rice in the actual 2023 draft, which means he's currently not on the roster (part of me wonders if they would draft him again given the choice). Instead, K.C. takes Addison, who proved in Minnesota that he can be the man when Justin Jefferson missed time with injuries.
