The Biggest Surprises Of The NFL Draft 2023 And What They Mean For The Game

If you watched the draft, you would likely be familiar with some of the big names that got snapped up, but you may not know what was unexpected or surprising about it. Indeed, there were many surprises to be seen during the draft, and it shows that many experts and analysts can’t guarantee anything, especially in the crazy world of the NFL! 

If you missed the draft, or want to be more informed about the picks and what they mean for the game, then sit back and read on. We will cover the biggest surprises, so that you’re more informed and can discuss them with your friends. Let’s dive in with the quarterback surprise of the draft! 

Will Levis Not Being Picked In Round One 

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way! The quarterback is the most interesting class to watch out for every draft. Will Levis was slated as one of the top prospects to be picked in the first round, something nobody would have disagreed with. The NFL itself agreed, inviting him to the green room as they assumed he would be a golden pick! 

Bryce Young, arguably the most desired quarterback, was picked first. If you could believe it, it wasn’t until the 33rd overall pick early in the second round that the Tennessee Titans would pick up Will Levis. By far, this was the most surprising aspect of the draft, and it goes to show that the top prospects aren’t always prioritized by teams in the first round. 

An Actual Kicker Was Picked On Day 2 

If you’ve been watching the draft for a while now, you will know just how surprising this is. The last time a kicker was picked before day three was in 2016, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selecting Roberto Aguayo back in the second round. Fast forward seven years, and it’s actually the San Francisco 49ers who have decided to mix things up this year. 

While it certainly wasn’t at the start of the second day, the 49ers decided to pick Jake moody as the 99th pick. Why they decided this was a priority is unknown at this time, but what we do know is, that it has got attention. Jake will go into the season confident, not only because he was the first kicker picked, but because it was on day two!  

If that doesn’t boost your confidence, then we aren’t sure what else could! Of course, the pressure of this could be too much, but it remains to be seen. It was certainly a surprise, and not something that anyone would have likely predicted or bet on! Many NFL fans would have been looking for the latest odds on picks ahead of the draft, and certainly will be looking for the latest odds when it comes to the season!  

If you fancy Roberto or any of the new players to do well for a team, you may want to bet on their team to win a match. Look at the draft to find where the top picks have gone, and look at the latest Vegas NFL odds to help inform your betting and give you the best chance to maximize your returns. Bear in mind that gambling always comes with a degree of risk, and you should only ever gamble with spare money that you can afford to lose, you should always prioritize your utility bills and life before gambling. 

Houston Had Two Of The Top Three Picks 

While double-dipping isn’t exactly unheard of, we don’t see it a lot. Back in 2018, it was the Cleveland Browns who went for two high picks, having both the first and fourth overall picks. They used this to their advantage, picking up key players for their team early, and allowing them to be in a stronger position before the season kicked off. 

What is different with the recent draft, is that the Houston Texans actually traded so that they would have two of the top three picks! Using their second overall pick, they secured the services of highly rated quarterback C.J. Stroud. Going into the next pick, they went straight for edge-rusher Will Anderson Jr.  

In order for them to secure these early pick-ups, they had to say goodbye to their 12th and 33rd overall pick, as well as its 2024 first-round pick and 2024 third-round pick. It’s hard to say right now if this was a good deal, but the Texans general manager Nick Caserio believed that Will Anderson Jr. would be picked up and wasn’t last, so he wanted to secure his services as early as possible. 

This isn’t the first time we have seen a team go for two picks in the top three, one of the most famous examples of a team doing this was when the Indianapolis Colts did this in the 1992 draft. Back then, they actually had the first two overall picks! Interestingly, they used both of these picks for two defensive players. 

There are plenty of lessons to be learned from what Houston did. For one, while this was a surprise, it may mean this is more common in the future. The Houston Texans got exactly who they wanted, and will be set up for the next few years. If the team does well on the field, then you can bet that more teams will look to do what they did and secure the services of players early, at the expense of future picks. 

Nolan Smith Was A Low Pick 

Speaking of picks, Nolan Smith was projected by many NFL analysts and experts to be one of the top prospects to be picked early. In terms of edge-rushers, there weren’t many better than Nolan, but it seems that his weight class and smallish size put some teams off. 

Despite his size, it was still a surprise to see Nolan not be picked early, and instead was the 30th overall pick. It was the Philadelphia Eagles that decided to take a punt on him despite the injury concerns. It’s not entirely surprising that the Eagles picked him up, as they were looking quite light in his position. Depending on how he performs, this could give hope to more teams to take a pick on smaller players.  

The Jets Made An Odd Choice 

Going into the 2023 draft, everyone thought the New York Jets would secure the services of a wide receiver to help out Aaron Rodgers. Aaron Rodgers, joining recently from the Packers, was left frustrated at the lack of support he had, and everyone thought this would be a priority for the New York Jets. 

That’s why everyone was surprised that the Jets decided to draft a developmental pass-rusher instead of any wide receiver. Of course, this is still a wise investment for the future, but you can’t help but wonder what Rodgers will be thinking.