The 2023 NFL Draft is winding down and an influx of talent has just been dumped into the league and scattered across the country. Of course, whenever any team submits a pick, it's with the hope that he turns himself into a household name and provides an immediate and long-lasting impact on that franchise.
While that can still be the case, there are scenarios where teams appear to be a bit too eager to bring players aboard and select them earlier than where the consensus had him going. Will the organization ultimately be proven right when they reach up to take a player? That'll play out in the years to come. That said, we're going to dive into some of the biggest reaches teams made over the course of the three-day spectacle.
Jahmyr Gibbs to Lions
Draft selection: No. 12 overall
No one is questioning Gibbs' talent. He is CBS Sports' No. 14-ranked prospect overall and the No. 2 running back in this class behind Bijan Robinson. This is more about positional value and whether or not you believe a running back should be taken in the top half of the first round in today's NFL. Detroit decided to turn its head to the line of thinking and took the Alabama back with the No. 12 overall pick. CBS Sports NFL Draft Analyst Ryan Wilson didn't even have Gibbs as a first-rounder in his final mock draft and was given a "D" grade by CBS Sports' Pete Prisco precisely for the reasoning we illustrated. There were talented players on the board who play positions much harder to identify later in the draft, so this was a puzzling decision here by the Lions even if Gibbs is as talented as they come.
Sean Clifford to Packers
Draft selection: No. 149 overall
It's been a whirlwind of an offseason for the Packers at the quarterback position after trading away Aaron Rodgers to the Jets and having former first-round pick Jordan Love ascend as QB1. In the NFL Draft, Green Bay kept the position in the limelight on Day 3 by taking Penn State signal-caller Sean Clifford with the No. 149 overall pick in the fifth round. Clifford was the 18th-ranked quarterback in the class and was a candidate to go undrafted, so seeing him come off the board in the fifth was certainly shocking. Clifford is also an older prospect. How old? He's four months older than Love.
Jack Campbell to Lions
Draft selection: No. 18 overall
Feels like I'm picking on the Lions here a bit, but their first-round decisions were a bit head-scratching (I did like their Day 2 moves!). Similar to the Gibbs selection, taking an off-ball linebacker at No. 18 felt like more of a luxury pick and could have found comparable players to Campbell on Day 2. He was the No. 2-ranked linebacker in this class and the No. 40 prospect overall. CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson also didn't have Campbell as a first-rounder in his final mock draft. While you can commend Detroit for identifying the guys it liked and going after them, the Lions probably could have moved back down the board, gained value and still came away with the player.
Will McDonald IV to Jets
Draft selection: No. 15 overall
I think the Jets may have been thrown for the loop by the Steelers trading up to No. 14 to select Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones. Solidifying the offensive line around Aaron Rodgers looked like it was going to be the main priority entering Day 1, but once Jones went off the board there were no viable tackles left to target. That led them to pivot to McDonald, who is a solid player but just felt a bit too early. He was the No. 10-ranked edge rusher in this class and the 52nd-ranked prospect overall. At 23 years old, his ceiling may not be as high as some other pass rushers who were still on the board for New York like Georgia's Nolan Smith or Clemson's Myles Murphy.
Chad Ryland to Patriots
Draft selection: No. 112 overall
Only Bill Belichick crosses enemy lines and strikes an inner divisional trade with the New York Jets to move up for a kicker. New England sent out No. 120 and No. 184 overall to select Maryland kicker Chad Ryland at No. 112 overall in the fourth round. This selection earned an "F" grade from CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso, who noted that Ryland "doesn't have a big leg." Of course, kickers do matter in the NFL, but trading up to take one in the fourth round feels extremely rich.
