Cardinals Send No. 96 To Detroit; Lions Select DT Brodric Martin
The Cardinals continue to deal picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, this time trading the No. 96 overall pick to the Lions in exchange for Detroit’s Nos. 122, 138, and 168, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The Lions used their new third-round pick to select Western Kentucky defensive tackle Brodric Martin.
Coming out of Tuscaloosa with no stars in recruiting rankings, Martin went to North Alabama. He played for four years at the FCS school before transferring to Western Kentucky in the spring of 2021. Martin’s production saw no drop off as he elevated to the FBS level. In two years with the Hilltoppers, Martin totaled 62 tackles, six tackles for loss, and four sacks, all impressive numbers for a nose tackle.
At nearly 6-foot-5, 330 pounds, Martin is a boulder in the middle of the defensive line. While his technique wasn’t fully developed and sometimes lacks, he makes up for it with violent strength and deceptive quickness. He accumulated 143 tackles in five years of college play thanks to his ability to stack up and move laterally to defend multiple gaps in the line.
Defensive tackle was a bit of a need for Detroit. The Lions rolled mostly with Alim McNeill and Isaiah Buggs on the interior defensive line, rotating in Benito Jones as Levi Onwuzurike sat out the year recovering from back surgery. None of the linemen were necessarily dominant with McNeill grading out highest, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), ranking as the 33rd-best defensive tackle in the league.
Martin likely won’t be asked to play the 65-plus percentage of defensive snaps that McNeill and Buggs did in 2022, but he should provide strong contributions in short sample sizes. With Onwuzurike hopefully due to return soon, Martin won’t be expected to be an immediate contributor, but once he develops, Martin could be a strong nose tackle in Aaron Glenn‘s system.
Broncos Trade 2024 Third-Rounder To Move Into Seahawks’ No. 83 Slot
The Broncos and Seahawks are trading again. While this is not a pick Seattle obtained in the Russell Wilson trade, the NFC West team will send it to Denver. 
With the newly obtained choice, the Broncos are taking Iowa defensive back Riley Moss. The Broncos are paying up to make this move. They will send the Seahawks No. 108 this year and a 2024 third-round pick, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
Moss was a two-star recruit who chose local Iowa for college. He made an immediate impact in the Hawkeyes’ secondary making 24 tackles, two interceptions, and five passes defensed as a freshman. As a four-year starter, Moss played way beyond his high school rankings. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors this year and was a first-team All-American in 2021. Over five years in Iowa City, Moss totaled 11 interceptions and 37 passes defensed. He added physicality with four tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in his last two years.
Moss is electric after making an interception. He’s top 19 in school history in interceptions but top two in interception return yards. He’s a true hustler not only on defense but as a huge special teams contributor, as well. He does have a little injury history in his hip and left knee, but Moss only missed seven games over five years. Some pundits pegged him as a safety at the next level, but after five years at Iowa as a true outside cornerback, it’s hard to imagine Moss settling for anything less.
More realistically, Moss provides Denver with true defensive back depth. All-Pro Patrick Surtain leads the Broncos’ cornerback contingent. Damarri Mathis filled in for Ronald Darby after his October ACL tear; the team cut Darby last month. After seeing oft-used backup safety Caden Sterns miss 12 games last year with injury, the Broncos may hope to see Moss in a role at safety, but Moss has the ability to play at any position in the secondary. Regardless, the Broncos are getting a hard worker who truly prides himself on proving he can do what others think he can’t.
Lions Draft QB Hendon Hooker At No. 68
Hendon Hooker generated buzz as a possible late-first-round pick, but the Tennessee quarterback fell out of Round 2. The Lions will stop his fall, selecting him at No. 68 overall. 
Detroit moved down twice in Round 2, sliding back to from No. 55 to No. 63 and back to No. 68. They now have a unique developmental quarterback set to work behind Jared Goff. Hooker, however, spent six years in college and is going into his age-25 season. He is also coming off an ACL tear sustained in November.
After four years at Virginia Tech, Hooker transferred to Tennessee to take over after the departure of Jarrett Guarantano. A breakout season saw Hooker throw for 2,945 yards and 31 touchdowns to just three interceptions, adding 616 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. He utilized his extra COVID year of eligibility to return in 2022. Playing in two fewer games due to the ACL tear that ended his final year early, Hooker threw for 3,135 yards and 27 touchdowns to just two interceptions, adding 430 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
His knee might not be the only concern health-wise. A potential heart condition was discovered when undergoing tests after a positive COVID test, according to Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports. The condition was determined to be a “false alarm” as a result of a procedure, but Hooker later suffered a convulsive episode that he blamed on medication from the heart procedure.
Looking past all that, Hooker was dominant at Tennessee. He took advantage of the quarterback-friendly offense for a masterfully efficient 58 touchdowns to five interceptions. He has a strong arm and touch that makes him a phenomenal deep ball passer. He didn’t rely on it in college, but he has an instinctive ability in the open field, utilizing agility, elusiveness, and toughness. Heupel lauded him as a hard worker and a strong leader, as well.
There’s a lot to like about Hooker’s long-term upside. His mental development over his collegiate career bodes well for his ability to attack the learning-curve he’ll face in the NFL. He boasts some strong tools, as well, that will come in handy when he does catch up to the professional game. As long as health is of no concern, there’s no reason that Hooker can’t develop into a starter at the NFL-level.
Hooker lands in a beautiful spot to develop with the Lions. Detroit had an impressive season behind their veteran quarterback in Goff. Goff had a resurgent season last year but still holds a massive $30.98MM cap hit in 2023 and a $31.65MM cap his in 2024. If Hooker can take up the Lions offense quickly while sitting behind Goff as a rookie, Detroit may feel comfortable taking on the $5MM of dead money they would incur by releasing Goff in 2024.
If not, Goff has two years left on his contract. If the Lions are planning to transition to an offense lead by Hooker, he’ll have one to two years to get comfortable running an NFL attack. If they’re happy with Goff and plan on extending his stay in the Motor City, then they’ve acquired a strong upgrade at the backup quarterback position.
Texans Acquire No. 62 From Eagles, Draft C Juice Scruggs
The Eagles fielded calls on moving back from No. 30. With the penultimate pick in the second round, the defending NFC champions will slide down a bit. The Texans moved up to No. 62. To move down three spots to No. 65, the Eagles will pick up Nos. 188 and 230. The Texans will take Penn State offensive lineman Juice Scruggs.
Scruggs continues a bit of a second-round run on centers, slotting in as the third center off the board behind Wisconsin’s Joe Tippmann and Minnesota’s John Michael Schmitz. The third Nittany Lion off the board, and the second in as many picks, Scruggs brings ideal size, strength, and acumen to Houston.
Scruggs had to come back from a serious car accident in 2019, suffering a break of his L3 vertebra after being thrown from the vehicle in the wreck. Instead of risking spinal surgery that could end his career, he allowed it to heal naturally and slowly, eventually rehabbing back into playing shape. He returned to become a captain in Happy Valley.
Scruggs reads defenses well before the snap and masterfully reacts to defensive line stunts and twists. He has strength to push blocks into the next level, but when overpowered, Scruggs can struggle to recover.
After releasing Justin Britt, the Texans re-signed Scott Quessenberry, who ranked dead last in the NFL out of 36 qualifying centers, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). This should provide Scruggs with an immediate starting opportunity at center in 2023. If not, Scruggs can provide some strong competition or depth on the interior with experience at both center and guard at Penn State.
Bears Obtain No. 56 From Jaguars, Select CB Tyrique Stevenson
The Bears will climb five spots for a cornerback. Dealing Nos. 61 and 136 to the Jaguars in exchange for No. 56, the Bears selected Miami’s Tyrique Stevenson. 
A consensus top-five cornerback in the high school class of 2019, Stevenson transferred to Miami after two years at Georgia. He dealt with a number of injuries throughout his career, including a torn labrum and surgery to shave his collarbone, but he made the most out of the time he did play, earning honorable mention All-ACC in 2021 and third-team All-ACC honors this past season.
Stevenson brings some versatility to the Bears secondary. The staff in Athens transferred him to their STAR position (a linebacker/safety hybrid). The Hurricanes put him right back at his natural position as an outside corner, and he rewarded them with three interceptions and 14 passes defensed over two years in Coral Gables. He brings a long, muscular build matched with rangy speed and agility. He can stray in coverage but excels in press-man, rerouting receivers without drawing penalties.
Stevenson should find some immediate opportunities to contribute in Chicago. Kyler Gordon, Jaylon Johnson, Kindle Vildor, and Jaylon Jones all got the most run of the cornerbacks in the Bears secondary last year. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Johnson was the best of the group, grading out as the 67th-best cornerback in the league. If Stevenson makes a strong showing in camp, he can make a run for a starting job. He should be a strong rotation candidate either way.
Packers Send No. 48 To Buccaneers
Minutes after sending No. 45 to the Lions, the Packers are moving down again. They are sending No. 48 to the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay will send Nos. 50 and 179 to Green Bay for the right to move up.
With the pick, the Buccaneers took North Dakota State guard Cody Mauch. The Bucs experienced steady trouble at guard last year, after losing Alex Cappa in free agency and ex-small-school find Ali Marpet to retirement. Injuries gripped the Bucs, who have since traded Shaq Mason to the Texans.
Tampa Bay now has Mauch and Matt Feiler in the interior O-line mix. The team signed Feiler late in free agency. Mauch finished his career at the Division I-FCS power as a two-time first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference honoree. This marks the second straight year in which Tampa Bay has chosen a second-round guard. The team added Luke Goedeke in Round 2 last year.
Mauch originally arrived in Fargo as a lean tight end at 6-foot-5, 221 pounds. The Bison worked their magic, bulking him up to 6-foot-6 and 303 pounds as they molded him into an NFL-ready offensive tackle. His final form at NDSU was a team captain and FCS offensive lineman of the year. He heads to Tampa Bay to compete for a starting job in a new-look offense.
Latest On Ravens’ Draft Approach
Ravens fans are all too familiar with the old Ozzie Newsome effect on the first round of the draft. While the fanbase often clamored for offensive weapons for Joe Flacco, Newsome continuously left them wanting. 
From 2010-2014, Newsome used Baltimore’s top picks on linebacker Sergio Kindle, cornerback Jimmy Smith, linebacker Courtney Upshaw, safety Matt Elam, and linebacker C.J. Mosley. He followed it up with two swings in 2015, using the team’s first- and second-round picks on wide receiver Breshad Perriman and tight end Maxx Williams, respectively, but neither pick lived up to their draft stock.
Newsome shocked the world in his last draft as general manager of the Ravens back in 2018, using the team’s first four picks on offensive players Lamar Jackson, Hayden Hurst, Orlando Brown, and Mark Andrews. Since his departure, his successor, Eric DeCosta, has gone for a bit more balance, drafting each an offensive and a defensive player with the team’s top two picks each year, usually trying to add offensive weapons for Jackson like wide receiver Marquise Brown, running back J.K. Dobbins, and wide receiver Rashod Bateman.
The same is expected for Thursday, as the Ravens are reportedly “focused on adding playmakers” for Jackson, in an attempt to prove their intentions of keeping him around, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN. Many expect this to mean a wide receiver. Baltimore, as usual, has an impressive collection of tight ends in Andrews and second-year players Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar.
They also are expected to return a healthy 1-2 punch of J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, both of whom have helped lead one of the league’s best rushing attacks alongside Jackson. It should be noted, though, that Graziano’s comment about adding playmakers was in reference to Texas running back Bijan Robinson. He believes that, if Robinson begins to slide further and further back in the first round towards the Ravens’ No. 22 pick, DeCosta may make a move to trade up and nab another playmaker to support Jackson.
On the other side of the spectrum, Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post confirms that the Ravens are looking to trade in the draft, he just believes it will happen in the opposite direction. La Canfora bluntly states, “The Ravens are shopping this pick.” Granted his mock draft has them trading back one spot to No. 23, he could still be right about the team’s intentions.
Trading back out of the first round was a staple of the Newsome era, usually as a way to acquire more draft capital, something the Ravens lack after the Roquan Smith trade and a move up in last year’s draft to select tackle Daniel Faalele. While DeCosta hasn’t recently shown the same affinity for middle-round draft pick acquisitions, this may be the perfect time for DeCosta to steal a move from his old mentor.
As for what the Ravens would look for when shopping the pick, there’s two likely possibilities. The first of which is congruent with their current needs. If they still desire a young cornerback, there are strong second- or third-round options at the position like South Carolina’s duo of Darius Rush and Cam Smith or Miami’s Tyrique Stevenson.
The second option is a result of this year’s talent-pool. It’s been no secret that the 2023 draft class is not considered especially deep. The Ravens may have the intention of selling their top pick this year in order to acquire much more capital for a draft next year that is projected to have a bit more talent.
With the draft officially less that 24 hours away, we won’t have long to wait and see what happens. Whether Baltimore follows old Newsome tactics of taking the best player available regardless of position, taking a defensive player like a cornerback to replace free agent Marcus Peters, trading back, or even if they take Jackson’s contract negotiations into consideration and go after weapons for the young quarterback, there are options aplenty.
Draft Rumors: Commanders, Chargers, Giants, Bengals, Bears
It’s the eve of the 2023 NFL Draft, and connections are being made left and right. Every team has hosted several prospects and done their fair share of homework. Here’s a few things we’re hearing in the hours leading up to the draft:
- The Commanders can go in a lot of directions at the exact midpoint of the first round. They’ve been connected to offensive tackle and cornerback prospects in most situations. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, though, Washington’s executive vice president of football/player personnel Marty Hurney is a big advocate for Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson. The team has committed to last year’s fifth-round pick Sam Howell as their starting quarterback for 2023, as well as bringing in Jacoby Brissett as an experienced backup. Drafting Richardson would likely be a sit-and-learn situation while either Howell or Brissett man the starting spot under center.
- The Chargers have been rumored to be looking ahead in this year’s draft towards next year’s needs, according to Breer. Even though wide receiver is clearly not a need with Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Josh Palmer, Williams may end up as a cap casualty after this season with a pending $32.46MM cap hit in 2024. This could lead to Los Angeles getting ahead of that hole and drafting a wideout in the first round this year. Breer hears the team really likes Boston College receiver Zay Flowers.
- Another team who could possibly be looking to cover a future contract situation, the Giants are reportedly fairly high on Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs, according to Breer. With contract negotiations with veteran Saquon Barkley being reported as tenuous, it’s hard to imagine general manager Joe Schoen further stirring the pot with another first-round running back. It would provide the team with a backup option if negotiations with Barkley turn sour, though.
- The Bengals ranked 29th in 2022 for team sacks and are reportedly looking for more pass rushing help on the interior defensive line, according to Breer. At the end of the first round, there’s only so many options. Georgia’s Jalen Carter surely won’t still be around at No. 28 overall. Clemson’s Bryan Bresee has some strong tools but is expected to need to improve his pass rushing arsenal. Pittsburgh’s Calijah Kancey is the only real answer here. With 14.5 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss over the last two years, the diminutive tackle projects as a discount Aaron Donald. If Kancey isn’t available or not what the Bengals are looking for, they could trade back or just wait for someone like Auburn’s Colby Wooden in the third or fourth round.
- Lastly, the Bears have been frequently tied to offensive line prospect Peter Skoronski out of Northwestern. It’s unclear whether they like Skoronski as an improvement at tackle or a new starter on the inside, but if he’s available by the time the tenth pick rolls around, it’s hard to imagine Chicago passing up the nearby offensive lineman.
Draft Prospect QB Hendon Hooker Expected To Be Cleared By Week 1
University of Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker has been working hard to come back from an ACL tear that he sustained in mid-November of last year. With the injury occurring so late in the year, it easily could’ve affected his availability to play in 2023, but according to Pete Thamel of ESPN, that’s not expected to be the case.
Thamel reports that every NFL team received a letter from Dr. Neal ElAttrache, Hooker’s orthopedic surgeon, claiming that Hooker is “on a timeline to be fully-cleared by the first weekend of the NFL season.” The injury largely wasn’t expected to affect his draft status too much. Hooker was already drawing first-round interest and has been predicted to be selected by the end of Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft, even without the letter.
One of the reasons for this is that Hooker is projected to be a bit of a project on offense in the NFL. He has plenty of tools that will greatly assist him at the next level as an NFL quarterback, but some of the reasons for his success in Knoxville are things that won’t continue at the pro level.
For instance, Hooker played on an extremely quarterback-friendly offense as a Volunteer under Josh Heupel. The gameplan was conducive to offensive output at the college level but hasn’t been known to produce NFL-ready passers. Heupel’s offense is assumed to run largely off of predetermined targets. This is likely evidenced by the rate and speed at which Hooker was known to check the ball down. If Hooker’s first (and only) read wasn’t there, he would check the ball down.
One of the most difficult parts of playing quarterback in the NFL is reading pro defenses, not just before the snap but during the play, as well. Since Heupel’s offense didn’t promote the development of this tool for Hooker, many teams doing their research on the 25-year-old expect that there will be a learning curve for him at the next level.
Because of this expectation that Hooker will sit and learn, the knee injury was not a huge strike against him. Regardless, with the letter from Dr. ElAttrache, if any teams were worried about how soon he would be available, they can put that concern to rest.
Jaguars DT DaVon Hamilton Signs Three-Year Extension
For the second year in a row, the Jaguars have reported another big extension just before the NFL Draft. This year’s recipient is fourth-year defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the new contract is essentially a three-year deal worth $34.5MM. He’ll get a fully guaranteed amount of $23MM and have an opportunity to push the maximum value of the contract to $36MM through incentives. 
Hamilton is being rewarded for an extremely strong season after his third year in the league. The former third-round pick out of Ohio State had found starting opportunities over his first two years in the league but took over as a full-time starter in 2022. With an increased snap percentage, Hamilton recorded career-highs in total tackles (56), tackles for loss (5), sacks (2.5), quarterback hits (6), and forced fumbles (1).
Hamilton is regarded as one of the better pass rushing interior lineman in the NFL, grading out with the 20th-best pass rush grade among the position, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He graded out as the 26th-best interior defender overall for 2023.
Jacksonville has worked hard to keep last year’s defense line intact, extending starter Roy Robertson-Harris in February, re-signing rotation lineman Adam Gotsis, and signing another rotation piece, Nick Thurman, to a reserve/futures contract at the end of the season. They also return a regular contributor in Folorunso Fatukasi, who signed with the team last year.
With a three-man defensive line, the Jaguars are expected to field Hamilton in the center with Robertson-Harris and Fatukasi on the ends. They may explore some depth options at the position in the draft or free agency, but their top contributors for the next two years, at least, have been established with today’s deal.