The Las Vegas Raiders have big needs going into the 2023 NFL Draft, and in our full first-round mock, they trade down to fill one.
The 2023 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and for the Las Vegas Raiders, this will prove to be one of the more important drafts in recent memory. The Silver and Black will see general manager David Ziegler make his first Day 1 pick, as well as his first second-round selection, and he must make sure he gets some instant starting power with those picks.
Here, we look at what the first round could look like this April.
2023 NFL mock draft: Raiders trade down twice in full first-round mock
We start our 2023 first-round mock with a bang, as the Indianapolis Colts trade up with the Chicago Bears for the first overall pick. The word out of Chicago is that they are going to roll with Justin Fields as their quarterback, and moving back only a few spots enables them to get back some extra draft capital, allowing the Colts to get their new franchise quarterback.
Looking at this draft class, the No. 1 QB is up for debate, and as we work through the process, it does not seem like a two-man race anymore. However, Bryce Young, despite his size gets taken No. 1 overall by the Colts, as they start a new era of football under new head coach Shane Steichen.
It does not take long for the next quarterback to come off the board, as Ohio State star CJ Stroud heads to the AFC South as well. Stroud goes No. 2 overall to the Houston Texans, a franchise desperate for a new quarterback, and one who has a new head coach as well in DeMeco Ryans.
Stroud is considered by many to be the most accurate passer in this draft class and had a decorated career with the Buckeyes. He is going to be an excellent NFL quarterback and the best signal-caller in Houston since Deshaun Watson.