2023 NFL Draft Openthread

Follow along as we see where BJ Ojulari, Jaquelin Roy, and others begin their NFL careers

The first round of the 2023 NFL Draft begins Thursday night in Kansas City.

This year’s draft will be different from an LSU perspective. LSU’s streak of having a player taking top-five in four straight drafts (Devin White in ‘19, Joe Burrow in ‘20, Ja’Marr Chase in ‘21, and Derek Stingley in ‘22) will come to an end. Not only that, it’s quite likely LSU won’t have any player taken in the first round, unless a team picking toward the backend falls in love with BJ Ojulari’s play and character (and I’d advise that course of action if any NFL GMs read this).

Another difference for LSU in this 2023 draft? Volume. LSU had 17 players taken over the last two drafts. I haven’t even included the 2020 draft where Burrow was one of five first round picks, and 14 Tigers taken overall. So that’s 31 Tigers over the last three drafts.

This year’s draft will be a little bit different from a number’s perspective. Ojulari’s probably going to be taken in the top-50. Anthony Bradford and Jaquelin Roy could go in the first 100 picks. Guys like Ali Gaye and Jay Ward are likely mid to late round picks. After that? Maybe teams take a flier on a Jaray Jenkins or a Micah Baskerville?

The elephant in the room is Kayshon Boutte. I’m trying not to pile on, but his fall has been unbelievable. Boutte came into this past 2022 season as a projected first round pick, and maybe even WR1 in this class. Now? It looks like he’ll be waiting till Day 3. His ankle injury in that 2021 game against Kentucky and his recovery (or lack thereof) is going to cost him a truly staggering amount of money. I hate this for him and hope he can recoup that money by having a long, productive professional career.

People either love the draft or hate it. I’m in the love it camp so here’s some non-LSU thoughts I have heading into tonight:

• What the hell are the Texans doing?
• Who is going to sucker themselves into taking Anthony Richardson and Will Levis?
• Why aren’t teams fighting over who takes CJ Stroud?
• Does Jalen Carter’s legal troubles cause him to drop?
• Oh God Mickey Loomis is going to trade up again isn’t he

The Draft begins at 7:00 tonight. Rounds 2 and 3 will be tomorrow, and Rounds 4-7 will be Saturday. The Carolina Panthers have the first pick and all signs point to them taking Alabama’s Bryce Young.