There is no doubt in many provisional version analysts who Ohio State Quarterback CJ Stroud and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba will go in the top 10 and would easily be in the top 5 in the . can end NFL Draft 2023†
And according to several analysts, Stroud is the top quarterback chosen and a good contender for draft.
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But new ESPN concept analyst Matt Miller threw out a new idea.
What if Smith-Njigba is chosen before Stroud?
Miller has Alabama defensive end CJ Anderson goes no. 1 to the New York Jetswhile Smith-Njigba would go to No. 2 to the . to go Chicago Bears†
The reason?
Both the Jets, with zach wilson, and the bears, with former Ohio state star Justin Fieldshave young quarterbacks while each team has multiple needs.
Why The New York Jets Might Prefer Jaxon Smith-Njigba Over CJ Stroud
Here’s what Miller had to say about Smith-Njigba.
The Bears haven’t surrounded sophomore quarterback Justin Fields with much of a supporting cast, but that will change via free agency and the draft after the 2022 season, once they have more cap space. The electric Smith-Njigba left us a statement game in the Rose Bowl when he caught 15 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns when the entire Utah defense couldn’t stop him. This would be the highest a wide receiver has drafted since Calvin Johnson in 2007, but Smith-Njigba is the type of talent Fields needs.
Miller has the Houston Texans take at no. 3 Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter and the Jacksonville Jaguars to take Alabama cornerback Eli Ricks at no. 4.
The Texans with Davis Mills and the Jaguars have Trevor Lawrenceso Miller has both teams pass quarterbacks.
But the Atlanta Falcons at no. 5 is a different story with veteran Marcus Mariota and new conscript Desmond Ridder from Cincinnati†
Why the Atlanta Falcons Could Take CJ Stroud?
Miller lets the Falcons take Stroud at number 5. Here’s what he had to say about Stroud:
The first quarterback comes off the board later than expected based on the draft order here, and remember I’m not projecting trades in this fake version. Make no mistake though: Stroud is worth the number 1 pick. The sophomore year starter battled through early adversity last season before finishing with a dominant win over Utah in the Rose Bowl; he had 573 passing yards and six touchdowns.
Stroud is an ideal size (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) and a huge arm that opens up defenses. NFL scouts want him to use his legs more, but Stroud’s trajectory suggests he’s an early pick.
Miller has a third Buckeye player in the first round, with offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. goes no. 22 to the Arizona Cardinals†
Here’s what Miller says about Johnson Jr.:
We’re still waiting for the Cardinals to build a line of attack that can keep Kyler Murray afloat. This would be a step in the right direction. Johnson is a former high school recruit who was on duty last season. He will start tackling in 2022, and scouts believe he has the potential to develop into a novice NFL left tackle.
The NFL draw is scheduled for April 27-29 in Kansas City, Missouri.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, CJ Stroud in NFL mock draft