The dust has settled on the 2023 NFL Draft and it is time to look back at every team’s haul to assess how they did. The NFC South feels like one of the most difficult divisions to predict ahead of the 2023 season and all four teams had interesting draft classes. Here are my grades for each team.
Atlanta Falcons
| Pick | Player |
| 1.8 | Bijan Robinson – RB, Texas |
| 2.38 | Matthew Bergeron – OT, Syracuse |
| 3.75 | Zach Harrison – EDGE, Ohio State |
| 4.113 | Clark Phillips – CB, Utah |
| 7.224 | DeMarcco Hellams – S, Alabama |
| 7.225 | Jovaughn Gwyn – IOL, South Carolina |
The Falcons decision to select Bijan Robinson at No. 8 overall might not have come as a surprise, but it was certainly more than a little controversial. There is no doubting the talent that Robinson brings to their roster and purely from an entertainment perspective this has to be the best move of the first round. The question is whether this was the best use of a top ten pick given the other talent still on the board and Atlanta’s need at a number of premium positions.
The rest of the draft was commendable though. Matthew Bergeron put out some great tape at Syracuse and is a perfect fit for the scheme the Falcons want to run. His best future may be at guard, but that is not a problem on a roster that desperately needs help at that spot. In Harrison they add an athletic freak off the edge who has potential but needs to work on his technique. They also added one of the bargains of the draft with Clark Phillips in the fourth round. Don’t be surprised if he’s starting fairly soon out the gate.
Grade: B
Carolina Panthers
| Pick | Player |
| 1.1 | Bryce Young – QB, Alabama |
| 2.39 | Jonathan Mingo – WR, Ole Miss |
| 3.80 | DJ Johnson – EDGE, Oregon |
| 4.114 | Chandler Zavala – IOL, NC State |
| 5.145 | Jammie Robinson – S, Florida State |
With just five picks the Panthers had one of the smallest draft classes this year, but they know how to make those picks count. There had been much debate around which quarterback they would select at No. 1 overall but in Bryce Young they land a player who can turn this franchise around. There are obviously some concerns about his size and how that impacts his durability, but if he is able to stay on the field he has the tools to be an electric NFL quarterback.
Their second pick surprised many, but feels like a very smart move. Mingo might not have had the eye-popping production of some other receivers in this class, but he was one of only a few players with the dream size/speed combo. He adds an extra dimension to this Panthers passing attack and gives their rookie quarterback another weapon in the passing game. The DJ Johnson pick in the third felt a little early, but things got back on the right track with Chandler Zavala and Jammie Robinson on day three.
Grade: A
New Orleans Saints
| Pick | Player |
| 1.29 | Bryan Bresee – IDL, Clemson |
| 2.40 | Isaiah Foskey – EDGE, Notre Dame |
| 3.71 | Kendre Miller – RB, TCU |
| 4.103 | Nick Saldiveri – OT, Old Dominion |
| 4.127 | Jake Haener – QB, Fresno State |
| 5.146 | Jordan Howden – S, Minnesota |
| 6.195 | AT Perry – WR, Wake Forest |
The Saints landed one of the bargains of the first round in Bryan Bresee. Whilst his impact in college was limited by virtue of injuries, it is easy to see why he was the former No. 1 overall recruit. His combination of quickness and power are tailor made for the NFL and if he can stay healthy this could be a steal. Whilst the selection of Foskey at No. 40 overall felt a tad rich, it once again addressed a position of need and gives the Saints another long-limbed and powerful edge to build around.
My favourite pick of their class though came in the third round with the selection of TCU’s Kendre Miller. Had an injury not prevented Miller from getting involved in pre-draft testing I think he would have been drafted far higher. With great contact balance and vision and still only 20 years old, Miller is the ideal replacement for Alvin Kamara. The rest of their group included some nice developmental options, especially sixth round pick AT Perry.
Grade: A-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
| Pick | Player |
| 1.19 | Calijah Kancey – IDL, Pittsburgh |
| 2.48 | Cody Mauch – OT, North Dakota State |
| 3.82 | YaYa Diaby – EDGE, Louisville |
| 5.153 | SirVocea Dennis – LB, Pittsburgh |
| 5.171 | Payne Durham – TE, Purdue |
| 6.181 | Josh Hayes – CB, Kansas State |
| 6.191 | Trey Palmer – WR, Nebraska |
| 6.196 | Jose Ramirez – LB, Eastern Michigan |
The Buccaneers were in dire need of additional pass rush help entering the draft and they got that in Calijah Kancey. The former Pitt Panther is an electric athlete who made his living in the backfield in college, though there are legitimate questions about how well he can hold up on early downs in the NFL. I have serious doubts about his ability to be a true three-down player, which does make you wonder if taking him at No. 19 overall is a tad rich.
The rest of the class felt more than a little underwhelming. Cody Mauch was admittedly a nice addition in the second round, but there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of good value moves or players who can be key contributors outside of that. Players like Payne Durham and Trey Palmer scream “solid”, but that’s not the kind of moves that are going to re-energise your franchise after losing Tom Brady.
Grade: C
