The 2023 NFL Draft will take place in Kansas City, Missouri, marking the first time the city has hosted the event since 1991. The draft is one of the most highly anticipated events on the NFL calendar, as it gives teams an opportunity to add new talent to their rosters and set themselves up for success in the upcoming season (aka, my Green Bay Packers post the Aaron Rodgers trade).
The event will take place through the weekend at the Kansas City Convention Center, which has been chosen as the venue for the draft. The convention center is located in the heart of downtown Kansas City and is easily accessible from all parts of the city. It has plenty of space for the draft itself, as well as for all the various events and activities that will take place throughout the weekend.
When is the 2023 NFL Draft?
- Round 1: Thursday, April 27th, 2023 @ 8 p.m. ET
- Rounds 2 and 3: Friday, April 28th, 2023 @ 7 p.m. ET
- Rounds 4, 5, 6, 7: Saturday, April 29th @ 12 p.m. ET
As is always the case with the NFL Draft, the first round is the most highly anticipated part of the event. The Super Bowl LVII Champion Kansas City Chiefs will have the 31st pick in the first round. Here’s a quick breakdown of the order of first round picks post the Aaron Rodgers Jets-Packers trade:
Round 1 Draft Order
1) Carolina Panthers (from Chicago)
2) Houston Texans
3) Arizona Cardinals
4) Indianapolis Colts
5) Seattle Seahawks (from Denver)
6) Detroit Lions (from L.A. Rams)
7) Las Vegas Raiders
8) Atlanta Falcons
9) Chicago Bears (from Carolina)
10) Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans)
11) Tennessee Titans
12) Houston Texans (from Cleveland)
13) Green Bay Packers* (from N.Y. Jets)
14) New England Patriots
15) New York Jets* (from Green Bay)
16) Washington Commanders
17) Pittsburgh Steelers
18) Detroit Lions
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20) Seattle Seahawks
21) Los Angeles Chargers
22) Baltimore Ravens
23) Minnesota Vikings
24) Jacksonville Jaguars
25) New York Giants
26) Dallas Cowboys
27) Buffalo Bills
28) Cincinnati Bengals
29) New Orleans Saints (from San Francisco through Miami and Denver)
30) Philadelphia Eagles
31) Kansas City Chiefs
As shown above, there are four teams that have multiple first round picks that have been gathered in recent years (Houston Texans 2 & 12, Detroit Lions 6 & 18, Seattle Seahawks 5 & 20, Philadelphia Eagles 10 & 30).
While the 1st overall pick of the draft appears to be pretty locked up by Alabama’s Bryce Young, here are the other candidates to be chosen first, including a QB that is gaining massive steam in Kentucky’s Will Levis:
In the event that Young gets picked first as projected, BetMGM also has odds for the 2nd Overall Pick:
Finally, with most of the positions in this draft having clear frontrunners that will most likely be picked first, the tight end group is going to be fascinating to watch unfold. Not only is the position the deepest its been in recent drafts, but it is also fairly unclear how it is all going to go down on night one. Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer is currently the favorite at -175 odds to be the first tight end picked off the board, but San Diego’s Dalton Kincaid and two-time National Champion Darnell Washington of the Georgia Bulldogs aren’t names we should dismiss based on needs for each team around the league.
Overall, the 2023 NFL Draft promises to be an exciting event for Kansas City and football fans around the world. With the city’s rich football history and passionate fan base, it’s sure to be a memorable weekend filled with drama, excitement, and as always, plentiful opportunities for surprises.
