2023 NFL Mock Draft: Chiefs choose Ok-State’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah

Whereas everyone seems to be rightfully fired as much as get the World Cup in Kansas Metropolis for 2026, there’s one other primetime occasion taking place right here that you simply received’t have to attend as lengthy to expertise.

The NFL Draft is coming to the Midwest subsequent offseason, organising at Union Station and giving town three days of festivities whereas school prospects discover out the place they’re going to be beginning their skilled careers.

With the following draft being in Kansas Metropolis, I really feel it is solely proper we take it up a notch in our preparation for who might be the following Kansas Metropolis Chiefs‘draft decide.

So I put collectively a first-round mock draft for the 2023 NFL Draft, utilizing DraftKings Sportsbook’s regular-season win totals for every crew to find out a draft order – however I’ve the Chiefs selecting final as a result of they’re profitable Tremendous Bowl LVI on this state of affairs (and in actuality).

The objective is to show you about what the draft group has concluded to be the highest prospects within the class at this second. I researched mock drafts by ESPN’s Todd McShay, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, and ESPN’s Matt Miller to get a pool of gamers.

I am going to begin with some element on the highest gamers:

1. Houston Texans: QB Bryce Younger – Alabama

Younger can be a real junior in 2022, beginning for less than his second season – but when it’s any enchancment over being the Heisman Trophy winner final 12 months, he’ll be a really sturdy contender right here. He has a smaller body than conventional quarterbacks, however his playmaking can be too fascinating.

2. Atlanta Falcons: EDGE Will Anderson – Alabama

Anderson may’ve been the highest decide in final 12 months’s class. As a real sophomore, Anderson racked up 31 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks – with a stress fee of 17%, in keeping with PFF. He must be probably the most dominant participant in school soccer this season.

3. Seattle Seahawks: QB CJ Stroud – Ohio State

Stroud began final 12 months as a redshirt freshman, incomes the Huge Ten’s offensive participant of the 12 months award whereas additionally being a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. He advantages from a strong receiving corps, however he has the construct and arm of an thrilling NFL quarterback.

4. New York Jets: CB Kelee Ringo – Georgia

Ringo was an important a part of Georgia’s protection, profitable final 12 months’s nationwide championship as a redshirt freshman; he really sealed the sport with a pick-six. He has an extended body and physique that is coupled with pure ball expertise – he had the second-most move breakups on the crew (eight).

5. Carolina Panthers: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Ohio State

I discussed Stroud having a gifted receiving corps, and Smith-Njigba can be main the way in which. He capped off his sophomore season by totaling 336 receiving yards and three touchdowns within the Rose Bowl. With Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave gone, he must be the number-one goal in one in all school soccer’s most explosive offenses.

6. Chicago Bears: QB Will Levis – Kentucky

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: IDL Jalen Carter II – Georgia

8. Detroit Lions: QB Tyler Van Dyke – Miami FL

9. Pittsburgh Steelers: OL Peter Skoronski – Northwestern

10. New York Giants: CB Eli Ricks – Alabama

11. Washington Commanders: EDGE Nolan Smith – Georgia

12. Cleveland Browns: OT Paris Johnson Jr. – Ohio State

13. New Orleans Saints: QB Anthony Richardson – Florida

14. Arizona Cardinals: EDGE Myles Murphy – Clemson

15. New England Patriots: TE Michael Mayer – Our Woman

16. Las Vegas Raiders: IDL Bryan Bresee – Clemson

17. Tennessee Titans: OL Sedrick Van Pran – Georgia

18. Miami Dolphins: OT Zion Nelson – Miami FL

19. Minnesota Vikings: EDGE Isaiah Foskey – Notre Dame

20. Baltimore Ravens: WR Jermaine Burton – Alabama

21. Philadelphia Eagles: DB Antonio Johnson – Texas A&M

22. Indianapolis Colts: IDL Zacch Pickens – South Carolina

23. San Francisco 49ers: WR Kayshon Boutte – LSU

24. Denver Broncos: LB Noah Sewell – Oregon

25. Cincinnati Bengals: EDGE Zach Harrison – Ohio State

26. Dallas Cowboys: WR Quentin Johnson – TCU

27. Los Angeles Chargers: CB Cam Smith – South Carolina

28. Los Angeles Rams: EDGE Derick Corridor – Auburn

29. Inexperienced Bay Packers: WR Jordan Addison – Pittsburgh

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: RB Bijan Robinson – Texas

31. Buffalo Payments: WR Josh Downs – North Carolina

32. Kansas Metropolis Chiefs – EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzomah – Kansas State

Photograph by Scott Winters / Icon Sportswire through Getty Photographs

The Chiefs addressed the defensive finish place within the 2022 Draft – but it surely’s nonetheless one of many thinnest teams on the crew. That’s why I consider they want to return to that nicely in 2023, and the native prospect matches into what Kansas Metropolis needs at that place.

Anudike-Uzomah broke out in his true sophomore seasons after committing to Kansas State from Lee’s Summit Excessive Faculty in Missouri. His 11 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, and 6 compelled fumbles in 2021 earned him third-team All-American honors from Phil Steele; he was additionally named first-team All-Huge 12. His 2021 season included a six-sack efficiency in opposition to TCU.

He’s listed at 6 toes 4 and 255 kilos, and appears the half. His lengthy arms enable him to swallow up rushers coming to his course, however in addition they enable him to regulate blocks in opposition to offensive tackles.

Anudike-Uzomah additionally appears to have a plan as a rusher, utilizing the push-and-pull transfer on a Kansas Jayhawks‘offensive lineman above to earn a sack and compelled fumble. I’ve additionally seen him use a protracted arm successfully to stress the quarterback from the entrance fairly than across the edge.

Chiefs followers might hope he doesn’t have an excessive amount of of a leap in his junior season, or he might not even make it this late within the draft. Those that double as Kansas State followers could have blended emotions.