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C.J. Stroud, a Heisman finalist after both the 2021 and 2022 seasons, now has better betting odds to go No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft than former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, according to TheLines.com.
As AL.com’s Mike Rodak framed it, the Crimson Tide making NFL draft history in the Nick Saban era isn’t likely to happen at the end of April. “Alabama’s quest to have its first No. 1 overall NFL draft pick since 1948 might have to wait another year,” Rodak wrote.
Rodak then broke down where the Panthers and Texans are at with their top two picks in the NFL draft.
“Mock draft projections recently have leaned towards former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud being chosen first overall by the Carolina Panthers, who traded up with the Chicago Bears last month into the top spot of the April 27-29 draft,” Rodak prefaced before saying, “Former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is more often being projected as the Houston Texans’ selection with the second overall pick.”
Will Anderson Projected to Land With Arizona Cardinals
Young’s teammate and fellow top NFL draft prospect, Will Anderson, has been pegged as a near lock to end up with the Cardinals per Rodak.
“There is a near consensus, however, that former Alabama outside linebacker Will Anderson will wind up in the desert,” Rodak wrote. “The Arizona Cardinals, which already have a quarterback in Kyler Murray, are widely projected to take Young at No. 3 overall or move down a spot with the quarterback-needy Indianapolis Colts and take Anderson at No. 4.”
As Roll Bama Roll’s Josh Chatham put it, Alabama will have to “replace a legend” during the 2023 season.
“If there is one position on the field where Alabama has absolutely dominated in the recent recruiting cycles, it’s outside linebacker — in fact, Alabama has signed the top ranked edge prospect according to the 247 composite in each of the past four classes and supplemented each class with another top 4 edge prospect,” Chatham prefaced before saying, “It’s a good thing too, since they have to replace a legend.”
Alabama May Not Have Third 1st-Round Draft Pick in 2023
While Young and Anderson are locks to be selected within the first handful of draft choices at the 2023 NFL draft, there is not a consensus on whether or not there will be a third Alabama taken in the first round.
“There is not agreement yet on whether Alabama will have a third player taken in the first round,” Rodak wrote. “Brian Branch was viewed by ESPN’s Todd McShay as a mid first-round pick when he declared for the draft in January, but analysts backed off their first-round projections for Branch after he ran a 4.58-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Some more recent projections, however, have Branch being taken late in the first round. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs also earned some late first-round projections when he declared for the draft in early January, but more recent mock drafts have placed Gibbs in the second round.”
Alabama holds the record for most players taken in the NFL draft’s first round, with six being taken in 2021. It doesn’t appear as though the program will come close to that in 2023.
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