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C.J. Stroud falls, trio of Buckeyes land in latest ESPN expert two-round mock draft

Spencer-Holbrookby:Spencer Holbrook•04/11/23•

SpencerHolbrook

C.J. Stroud by Getty Images
(Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

COLUMBUS — Just one month after all three ESPN NFL Draft experts finally agreed that Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud will be the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft, the most well-known of the trio is backing off that idea.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. now has Alabama quarterback Bryce Young at the top of his board, going to the Carolina Panthers with the top overall pick later this month. That decision to slot Young at the top of the board has dropped Stroud to No. 2 overall in Kiper’s latest mock draft, going to the Houston Texans.

While Stroud wants to be the top pick in the draft, going second overall might not be a bad consolation, considering Kiper also has the Texans picking former Ohio State superstar wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Stroud’s best friend, with the No. 12 overall pick.

Here’s what Kiper had to say about that pick:

This is the Texans’ chance to take their pick of the wide receivers in this class, and we know Smith-Njigba can be a star with C.J. Stroud throwing him passes. What’s not to like about this combo? Smith-Njigba has No. 1 wideout potential, but he’s coming off a lost season because of a hamstring injury — he caught five passes and ran 42 routes during the entire 2022 campaign. He showed he was healthy at the combine, and I feel comfortable putting him in this range in Round 1. Houston has to add more talented pass-catchers. If it decides on another position, keep an eye on defensive line.

Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN

After those two Buckeyes go off the board, Kiper has a surprising fall for a third former Ohio State star. He has offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr., largely viewed as the top tackle on the draft board, going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the No. 19 overall pick, a long fall from his usual spot in most mock drafts around the No. 7 to No. 14 range. If Johnson falls to the Buccaneers, it will be a surprise. Kiper thinks it will happen with just three weeks until the draft.

Kiper has just three Buckeyes going in the first two rounds, meaning players such as defensive end Zach Harrison and offensive tackle Dawand Jones fell out of the top two rounds, per Kiper’s draft board.

The pre-draft process is almost complete. It’s almost time for the first round to begin. And three Buckeyes, at least, are expecting to hear their name called in a few weeks. Kiper thinks it’ll happen, although he had some surprises along the way.

Mel Kiper’s updated NFL mock draft Top 10

  1. Carolina Panthers (from trade with Chicago Bears) — Alabama QB Bryce Young
  2. Houston Texans — Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud
  3. Tennessee Titans (via mock trade with Arizona Cardinals) — Florida QB Anthony Richardson
  4. Indianapolis Colts — Kentucky QB Will Levis
  5. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos) — Georgia DT Jalen Carter
  6. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams) — Alabama QB Will Anderson
  7. Las Vegas Raiders — Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon
  8. Atlanta Falcons — Georgia LB Nolan Smith
  9. Chicago Bears (from trade with Carolina Panthers) — Tennessee OT Darnell Wright
  10. Philadelphia Eagles — Northwestern OL Peter Skoronski

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