28 April 2023 , 04:02
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The first night of three has now come to a close in the 2023 NFL Draft after 31 picks made in round one.
Day two will see the second and third rounds as this year's exciting class continues with a number of exciting prospects still available. The first round saw three quarterbacks drafted in the top four, while another slipped later than expected, amid a number of surprising selections.
But none were quiet as shocking as arguably the best player in the class falling to the Philadelphia Eagles, who came so close to winning the Super Bowl last season.
But with the first night wrapped up, Mirror NFL have taken a look at three winners and three losers, whether it be players or teams after the first 31 selections.
Winners
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are the unquestionable winners of the first round, somehow being able to select Jalen Carter from Georgia.
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Had it not been for off-the-field concerns, Carter might have gone with the first overall pick. A game-wrecking defensive tackle, Carter will reunited with Georgia teammates Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean with the Eagles.
He'll be able to learn behind a legend in Fletcher Cox, and lands with a team filled with leaders to keep him on the right path.
Jalen Carter fell right into the Eagles laps at #9Houston Texans
If a team is able to pick twice in the top three, they deserve to be in this category by default.
After getting their quarterback in CJ Stroud, the Texans were then able to trade up to three, without giving up too much draft capital and selected Will Anderson Jr.
In the two, they have acquired leaders on both offense and defense - potentially for 10 years plus.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks were somehow able to select the best defensive back in the draft Devon Witherspoon, before getting the best wide receiver in the draft in Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
It's been another strong start to the draft after the Seahawks had a franchise-changing class in 2022 with two starting tackles, Tariq Woolen and Kenneth Walker.
Many had expected them to draft a quarterback to compete with Geno Smith, but it looks the case that he will remain as the starter for the foreseeable. Smith did sign a three-year extension earlier this off-season, but the Seahawks can end that deal after 2024.
Losers
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals traded out of the third pick which was the smart move with work to do to their roster.
But after doing that, they decided to then move back up to six, giving up much needed draft assets to then select Paris Johnson Jr, the offensive tackle from Ohio State.
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TEMPE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 16: Quarterback Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals leaves a press conference introducing Jonathan Gannon as the new head coach at Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center on February 16, 2023 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)Johnson Jr had been seen as the second best offensive lineman behind Peter Skoronski - who was selected with the 11th pick.
The Cardinals need as much assets as they can get, and might have unnecessarily moved up to take a player they could have got at 12.
Detroit Lions
The Lions let slip that they had hoped to draft Devon Witherspoon with their sixth overall pick, but were bamboozled when the Seattle Seahawks selected him ahead of them.
After being able to trade out of the pick, moving to the 12th pick. And with a lot of talented players still available, the Lions selected running back Jahmyr Gibbs from Alabama.
It was a head-scratching selection, with the Lions already having D'Andre Swift and David Montgomery on the roster - the letter who they gave a long-term deal too.
They then selected Jack Campbell with 18th overall, a linebacker who many believed to be a second-round pick.
Will Levis
Heavily expected to be a top five pick, with the Indianapolis Colts said to be eyeing him with the fourth pick, Levis ended up sliding significantly into the second round.
That will have cost him millions, and he'll now have a tough road to being a starting quarterback, potentially having to wait until 2025.