(Above Image Credit: Detroit Sports Nation)

This Thursday night, the future starts for NFL’s stars of tomorrow.

The NFL Draft is back and will be held live from Kansas City from April 27-29. It’s that time of the year again where the biggest college prospects gather in one place where they hope to be drafted to a certain NFL team. There are a lot of names on the list this year such as Bryce Young, Bijan Robinson, Anthony Richardson, and many more.

So many NFL analysts have figured or are still figuring out their picks for each team. But, hey, it’s the NFL Draft, right? If there’s one thing we all know is that anything can happen, anyone can be picked, and we might not see it coming. It’s also hard to predict who will be drafted to where, but it’s quite fun to take wild guesses. I decided to join in on this annual guessing game.

So without further ado, here are my projected first five picks of the 2023 NFL Draft:

1. Carolina Panthers – Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

Perhaps it was a good thing that Carolina got the very first draft pick instead of Chicago. Plenty of teams would do or give anything to draft the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner.

It’s not the size that made Young stood out as a prospect, but that he knows his way around a football field. He thinks fast and leads receivers to extensive amounts of yards. He’s more of a pocket passer, but he’s also able to run or scramble when it’s really necessary. I see Young becoming the new face of the Panthers and leading them to bigger and better seasons. And the playoffs? Well, let’s not think too far yet.

2. Houston Texans – C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State

If they don’t get this pick traded, and they shouldn’t in my opinion, the Texans will have to get their hands on the next best quarterback available after Young. That’s where Stroud comes in.

They have struggled with quarterbacks the last few seasons. The ones they have right now aren’t ready or capable enough to be declared starters for this season. Stroud has all the makings of a future star quarterback.

He’s the best pure pocket passer of the 2023 class. He also knows the whole field, so he will have good ideas over who to pass the ball to. His throwing trajectory is second-to-none, and his throws are remarkably accurate even under pressure. The only things he will have to work on is finding the will to run the football and using able to use his feet at the right time to run or slide.

3. Arizona Cardinals – Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech

This pick is a long shot if I’m being brutally honest here.

The way I see it, Arizona has two choices: Take the offensive route and draft Bijan Robinson or take the defensive route and pick a defensive end. I believe they should focus on the defense first. Drafting Wilson is a smart move they shouldn’t pass up.

Wilson created a reputation for himself in Texas Tech. He made 15.5 sacks in this career there. He also recorded over a hundred tackles, 29 of them resulting in yard loss. He would always target the quarterback when he starts running, and it won’t be so easy to bring him down when that happens. He also moves well and has the size and strength to set the edge when anyone comes at him.

4. Indianapolis Colts – Will Anderson, Jr., OLB, Alabama

Indy can try to go for the next best quarterback available after Young and Stroud, but then they won’t focus on the other positions needed for their squad. For example, they need an offensive linebacker. A few other teams will need OLBs, but they get first pickings at the position. That’s where they can snatch Bama’s Anderson.

His lower-body strength is able to overpower and stack blockers, but he’s well known as one of the best pass rushers in the class. He’s able to get to the quarterbacks in a number of ways, which explains how he recorded 34.5 sacks in his Alabama career. A relentless edge runner like Anderson will make the Indy defense look intimidating, and that’s a start for them.

5. Seattle Seahawks – Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

I believe Seattle will start their draft picks by building up their defense too. Wilson will be off the “best available” market for defensive ends, and they might see drafting Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness as a long shot. So, they should turn their attention to the defensive tackles.

Carter’s long arms, powerful hands, and flexible torso make him proficient at working the offensive linemen. He shows good range once he pursues, and he can hold the point against some defending double-teams. I think Carter will have give Seattle that defensive edge they need.