Best and worst from Round 1 of the NFL Draft

Many pundits expected that the 2023 NFL Draft was going to be one of the more unpredictable events in some time and they were right.

From Houston’s blockbuster trade with Arizona early on, to Indianapolis decision to jump on Anthony Richardson, to the late run on wide receivers, the first round delivered plenty of “wow factor” picks. For better and for worse.

Here are the moments from Round 1 that caught our attention:

Best picks:

C.J. Stroud, QB, and Will Anderson, DE, Houston Texans

Houston landed its franchise quarterback and then it jumped up to snag a player who many consider to be the best prospect in the draft. It was a win-win for all involved, as general manager Nick Caserio got a QB of the future to build around and first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans got the kind of game-wrecking defensive lineman that he built his reputation on in San Francisco.

Jalen Carter, DT, Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles were arguably hit the hardest of any team in free agency, losing several key players from a Super Bowl roster, including defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. But grabbing Carter at No. 9 could go down as the steal of the draft. He is a big-bodied mauler who can beat double teams, disrupt the quarterback and consistently end up in the backfield. Pairing Carter with Fletcher Cox gives Philly one of the top interior defensive lines in the NFL. And Philly has the structure and the veterans in place to hopefully help mentor Carter, who drew off-field red flags during the evaluating process.

Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens

Odell Beckham Jr. was a nice enough start for the Ravens, but Flowers represents the icing on the cake for quarterback Lamar Jackson, who now has a competent trio of receivers to throw to counting 2021 first-round pick Rashod Bateman. Add in All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews and suddenly Baltimore has the makings of one of the scariest passing attacks in the league.

Worst picks:

Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions

While Gibbs is a fine player, 12th overall was incredibly high for a running back who never rushed for 1,000 yards or scored more than seven touchdowns in any of his three collegiate seasons (two at Georgia Tech, one at Alabama). Detroit already has D’Andre Swift on the roster and it signed David Montgomery to a three-year contract in free agency. It is hard to understand why the Lions reached for Gibbs when cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez and Joey Porter Jr., defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, edge rushers Will McDonald, Nolan Smith and Lukas Van Ness and tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Michael Mayer were all available.

Lukas Van Ness, DE, Green Bay Packers

The Packers front office still doesn’t get it. Instead of adding an offensive weapon like Kincaid, Mayer, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jordan Addison or Quentin Johnston to help out first-year starting QB Jordan Love, Green Bay chose to draft a defensive player with its fourth straight first-round pick. It has been 21 years since the Packers took a receiver in Round 1. Just for Love’s sake, I hope Green Bay uses one of its two second rounders on Friday to add a little skill-position talent to the offense.

Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Washington Commanders

Forbes is a solid player, but Gonzalez was still available when Washington picked and Gonzalez both has a higher ceiling and is a better cover corner. The Commanders also had other needs they could have addressed in that spot, such as tight end (Kincaid, Mayer) and offensive lineman (Anton Harrison, O’Cyrus Torrence). Not to mention that Will Levis was still on the board.

Other notable moments from the first round:

Best reaction: Micah Parsons responds to Eagles drafting Jalen Carter

Nobody expected Parsons to be overly happy about whomever the Eagles picked, but his reaction to Philly grabbing Carter -- arguably one of the three best players in the draft -- was equal parts amusing and satisfying. Parsons, who seemingly has an opinion on everything and everyone, could do nothing but act uncomfortably on live television.