damar hamlin
damar hamlin nfl draft
The order for the top 27 picks in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft is set after the divisional round of the playoffs, with the Chicago Bears picking No. 1 and the Houston Texans picking No. 2. The Texans’ dramatic Week 18 victory allowed the Bears to sneak into the top spot. Will Chicago keep this pick or trade back? Will the Texans choose their signal-caller of the future with their selection? The Bears and the Texans are followed by the Arizona Cardinals at No. 3.
Several teams have the opportunity to make big moves, as there have been six trades involving first-round picks. The Texans, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles are in line to have two first-round selections. This year’s Round 1 will have 31 picks as the Dolphins were stripped of their selection for tampering violations. The Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers also will not have a first-round selection. The Denver Broncos don’t own their own first-round selection but will have one from a trade that sent outside linebacker Bradley Chubb to the Dolphins in a deal that included the 49ers’ 2023 first-round pick.
The 2023 NFL draft will take place at Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, with the first round slated for April 27. Rounds 2 and 3 will take place on April 28, and Rounds 4 through 7 will be on April 29. The draft will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN and the ESPN App.
Check out the top 27 picks below, with Nos. 28-31 projected from the ESPN Football Power Index (FPI), which projects the order by simulating the rest of the season 10,000 times. (Team write-ups below have been updated from December)
1. Chicago Bears (3-14)
There will be plenty of Quarterback-needy teams looking to trade up to the Bears’ No. 1 spot. A year after not having a first-round selection, Chicago could come away with multiple firsts by trading back, allowing general manager Ryan Poles to address needs at defensive line, wide receiver and offensive line. The Bears ranked last in the NFL in sacks (20) and pressures (96). Bolstering their pass rush is priority No. 1, and if it doesn’t come by signing free agents, they could find that help atop the draft. — Courtney Cronin
2. Houston Texans (3-13-1)
The Texans’ rebuild is stuck in the mud. Why? Because they’re searching for their quarterback of the future and –with Lovie Smith fired hours after the season finale — a new coach. There was optimism before the season that Davis Mills could become the long-term answer, but he was benched after 10 starts (and 11 interceptions). After backup Kyle Allen struggled through two starts, however, Mills returned as the starter in Week 14. Going into this draft, Houston must find its franchise signal-caller to give its rebuild any legitimacy. — DJ Bien-Aime
3. Arizona Cardinals (4-13)
Arizona will have a plethora of needs in the first round, and sticking to its “best player available” philosophy hasn’t always benefited the team. This draft will be about making quarterback Kyler Murray happy and giving him more options to work with, whether that’s an offensive lineman or an offensive target. The Cardinals will have a new coach and general manager — they hired Monti Ossenfort for the GM job on Jan. 16 — calling the shots for this draft. Murray’s rehab and surgery for the season-ending knee injury he suffered in Week 14 lingers over their offseason. — Josh Weinfuss
4. Indianapolis Colts (4-12-1)
The Colts have drafted two quarterbacks in the first round since 1998: Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck. With their need at the position as dire as ever, look for a heightened focus on the passers in this class. The Colts have other issues to sort out — such as who will be their coach going forward — but there is no debate about the critical situation at quarterback, given Matt Ryan‘s age (37) and performance and the unproven status of Sam Ehlinger. — Stephen Holder
5. Seattle Seahawks (via 5-12 DEN)
The Russell Wilson trade has general manager John Schneider and the Seahawks sitting pretty. With the Broncos at 5-12, the first-round pick they owe Seattle landed at No. 5. Picking that early gives the Seahawks a rare chance at adding the impact defensive lineman they badly need up front, but they’d also need a quarterback if they let Geno Smith walk in free agency. Seattle also owns Denver’s second-round pick, meaning it’s likely to have three top-40 picks. — Brady Henderson
6. Detroit Lions (via 5-12 LAR)
Ever since he arrived in Detroit, general manager Brad Holmes has shown an eye for draft talent, picking gems such as fourth-round receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who is off to a record-breaking start to his career. There will be tough decisions made in this draft, and the Lions likely will have to address quarterback and cornerback. Yes, Jared Goff had a great season, but Detroit needs to secure young talent at that spot, and the secondary is its largest need on defense. — Eric Woodyard
What to know for the 2023 NFL draft
• Ranks: Kiper » | McShay » | Positions »
• Mock drafts: McShay » | Reid »
• Meet the top prospects in the class »
• QB Hot Board » | First-round grades »
• Full ranks » | Draft order » | More »
7. Las Vegas Raiders (6-11)
A year after waiting until the third round to make its first selection — general manager Dave Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniels dealt first- and second-round picks to Green Bay for wideout Davante Adams — Las Vegas again needs to get a little bit of everything. Little has changed, even with stars such as Adams, running back Josh Jacobs and defensive end Maxx Crosby on the roster. The wild card, though, is quarterback. Because even though Derek Carr signed a three-year, $121.5 million extension with a no-trade clause last offseason, the Raiders have a three-day window after the season to move on with a relatively cheap $5.6 million salary-cap hit. — Paul Gutierrez
8. Atlanta Falcons (7-10)
The Falcons might be well-served by focusing on defensive linemen and edge rushers in this draft. They once again ranked toward the bottom of the league in sacks (21) and pressure percentage (22%), and the team desperately needs to find players to surround star tackle Grady Jarrett. It was Atlanta’s biggest need last year — and remains its biggest need this offseason, only this time there is cap money to play with. — Michael Rothstein
9. Carolina Panthers (7-10)
The Panthers haven’t taken a quarterback in the first round since Cam Newton with the top pick in 2011. With the No. 9 pick, it is time to end the quarterback turmoil the team has been in since midway through the 2018 season when Newton suffered a shoulder injury. With the trade of running back Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers, general manager Scott Fitterer has positioned himself to have the picks to move up for a quarterback if necessary. — David Newton
10. Philadelphia Eagles (via 7-10 NO)
The 14-3 Eagles have made a deep run in the playoffs and will still end up with two first-round picks. With Jalen Hurts solidifying his spot as the starting quarterback, Philadelphia can focus on the offensive line, defensive line and secondary. — Tim McManus
11. Tennessee Titans (7-10)
The Titans will be making draft selections without general manager Jon Robinson for the first time since 2015 — they hired Ran Carthon for the GM job on Jan. 17. This draft will be critical for a team stuck in a cycle of early playoff exits. Tennessee has invested heavily in the defense and gotten the desired results, but the offense lacks established dynamic playmakers outside of running back Derrick Henry, so this draft needs to yield players who can help put points on the board. — Turron Davenport
12. Houston Texans (via 7-10 CLE)
This pick is the Texans’ second of the draft and came from a trade with the Cleveland Browns to acquire quarterback Deshaun Watson. In the trade, the Texans received 2022, 2023 and 2024 first-round picks, plus a 2023 third-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick. — ESPN staff
13. New York Jets (7-10)
The Jets should be back to having a normal draft. After stockpiling picks in the past two drafts — they had six total selections in the top 36 — they have one pick in each of the top rounds. That makes it harder to fill needs, but they obviously don’t have as many as in previous years. This puts more pressure on general manager Joe Douglas and his scouting department because the margin for error is slimmer than in the high-volume years, but it’s a sign of progress in their rebuild. — Rich Cimini
14. New England Patriots (8-9)
The Patriots are stocked with picks — an additional third-rounder from a 2022 draft-day trade with Carolina, an extra fourth-rounder from previously dealing running back Sony Michel to the Rams, and two additional sixth-rounders from trades involving Stephon Gilmore and Jarrett Stidham — which will provide plenty of flexibility to make trades. If an offensive tackle is in striking distance early, that would be a slam dunk. Shaky play at that position, due in part to a run of injuries, has contributed to the offense ranking 20th in the NFL in sacks taken per pass play. — Mike Reiss
15. Green Bay Packers (8-9)
Still waiting for that first-round receiver? It will be Year 21 without one, especially since it appears the Packers hit on second-rounder Christian Watson and fourth-rounder Romeo Doubs last year. Yet the Packers still need to get their quarterback — whether it’s Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love — help. That must come in the form of a tackle and a tight end. Who knows how much longer David Bakhtiari will hold up at left tackle? And it’s still not a given that Yosh Nijman is a long-term starter. At tight end, Robert Tonyan is their only playmaker, and he’s on an expiring contract. — Rob Demovsky
16. Washington Commanders (8-8-1)
The Commanders have eight selections in the draft, with three of those coming in the seventh round. They do not have a third-round pick because of the Carson Wentz trade but likely will get one for losing guard Brandon Scherff to free agency last offseason. They’re in a good position to address a few areas. Washington needs more depth at corner and could use its first pick there. Quarterback could be an option, depending on how the position shakes out: Wentz has no guaranteed money and can be cut; Taylor Heinicke will be a free agent; and Sam Howell started one game. The Commanders need more quality interior offensive linemen and speed everywhere. — John Keim
17. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-8)
The Steelers have several immediate positions of need they could fill after addressing the quarterback position in 2022. At the top of their wish list should be cornerback, offensive tackle, interior offensive line and defensive tackle. Since Pittsburgh parted ways with Joe Haden after last season, a true lockdown cornerback hasn’t emerged. And on the offensive line, 2021 fourth-round selection Dan Moore Jr. has been one of the most-penalized tackles and has allowed eight sacks. — Brooke Pryor
18. Detroit Lions (9-8)
This is the Lions’ second pick of the first round. Detroit’s No. 6 pick was acquired in the 2021 trade with the Rams that sent quarterback Matthew Stafford to Los Angeles. The Lions received a third-round pick in 2021 and first-round picks in 2022 and 2023. — ESPN staff
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
Everything the Bucs do this offseason centers on whether quarterback Tom Brady returns, as his contract expires at the end of the season. If he returns, the quarterback situation will have security, and they will be looking to contend. If he doesn’t, and they can’t find a veteran replacement, the Bucs will shift to “rebuild” mode. — Jenna Laine
20. Seattle Seahawks (9-8)
This pick is the Seahawks’ second of the first round. Seattle’s No. 5 pick was acquired in an offseason trade with the Broncos that sent quarterback Russell Wilson to Denver. In the trade, the Seahawks received quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant, defensive lineman Shelby Harris, 2022 and 2023 first-round picks, 2022 and 2023 second-round picks and a 2022 fifth-round selection. — ESPN staff
21. Los Angeles Chargers (10-7)
The Chargers have used first-round picks the past two years to build protection for quarterback Justin Herbert, selecting left tackle Rashawn Slater in 2021 and right guard Zion Johnson last April. That trend could continue, with a need to solidify the right tackle spot, where starter Trey Pipkins III is scheduled to become a free agent. The Bolts have seven draft picks despite sending a 2023 sixth-round selection to the Bears as part of the trade for Khalil Mack. During the draft, the Bears sent a 2023 sixth-round back in exchange for two 2022 seventh-round selections. — Lindsey Thiry
22. Baltimore Ravens (10-7)
While there will be plenty of clamoring for the Ravens to address wide receiver in the first round because of a lack of productivity, no one should be surprised if Baltimore uses its top pick on a cornerback. Marcus Peters is a free agent after a season in which he has clashed with coach John Harbaugh on the sideline and has not looked like himself on the field. Baltimore will need to find another starter to pair with Marlon Humphrey. The Ravens have long prioritized the cornerback position but haven’t selected one in the first round since 2017. — Jamison Hensley
23. Minnesota Vikings (13-4)
One of these years, the Vikings will have to think about life after Kirk Cousins. He’ll turn 35 before next season, and barring another contract extension, will enter 2023 in the final year of his current deal. The Vikings’ unexpectedly successful season makes it unlikely that they’ll be in a position to select one of the top quarterbacks in this draft, but it’s a central team-building issue that is only going to intensify moving forward. — Kevin Seifert
24. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8)
Despite spending $128 million in guaranteed money on seven defensive free agents and selecting five defensive players in the first three rounds the past two offseasons, defense remains the Jaguars’ top priority this offseason. The pass rush has largely been ineffective (2022 No. 1 pick Travon Walker and 2019 No. 7 pick Josh Allen combined for just 11.5 sacks) and the interior of the defensive line needs an upgrade, too. Cornerback could be the top target if the Jaguars aren’t willing to move Darious Williams — who was signed to be the nickelback — outside permanently. — Michael DiRocco
25. New York Giants (9-7-1)
The big question for the Giants will be whether they can — or will — take a quarterback in the first round. Sure, it won’t be easy if they decide to go in that direction, but Buffalo (where general manager Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll worked previously) had the 21st overall pick in the 2018 draft, traded up twice and landed Josh Allen at No. 7 overall. The Giants have nine picks in April’s draft and should add two more compensatory selections. That gives them something to work with. — Jordan Raanan
26. Dallas Cowboys (12-5)
There are several positions the Cowboys could target this offseason, such as running back, tight end, linebacker and potentially even a quarterback for the future. Cornerback is a major need, however. Jourdan Lewis suffered a Lisfranc injury in October that could have a long road for rehab. Anthony Brown, who is set to be a free agent, suffered a torn Achilles in December. The Cowboys have Trevon Diggs under contract through 2023 but would like to extend his contract. Cornerback looks like the biggest position to target going into the draft. — Todd Archer
27. Buffalo Bills (13-3)
The Bills don’t have a surplus of picks in this draft, with the team trading away two late-round picks at the deadline for running back Nyheim Hines and safety Dean Marlowe. They have an additional fifth-round pick after trading offensive lineman Cody Ford to the Cardinals, however. The Bills’ biggest needs will depend on what they do in free agency, with linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and safety Jordan Poyer — two key defensive players — set to be free agents. They won’t have to do major roster work in the draft, but there are positions that they will likely need to address, with the offensive line being another candidate. — Alaina Getzenberg
ESPN FPI’s projections for pick Nos. 28-31
28. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)
29. Denver Broncos (via MIA/13-4 SF)
30. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
31. Kansas City Chiefs (14-3)
The key moments that knocked India out of Hockey World Cup
How did India get knocked out of the Hockey World Cup they are hosting, even before the quarterfinal, against a team ranked lower than them?
In the group stage of the ongoing men’s Hockey World Cup, New Zealand had been underperformed far more than India. In their three matches, they had scored less goals than India and conceded more, struggling to penetrate the circle against lesser ranked teams like Malaysia and Chile. They finished third in their group while India were second, with no losses.
But New Zealand needed just one good match to make it to the quarterfinals and that came against India on Sunday
For all the talk about hockey having a weird format with crossovers, New Zealand made it count when it mattered. Graham Reid’s India suffered an embarrassing loss in the shootout to get knocked out of the tournament.
The result seemed fitting, because the way India played in their first knockout match, they didn’t deserve to win either. The hosts faltered at big moments repeatedly, both during the regulation time and the shootout which stretched to a second one of five shots each.
Here’s a look at exactly how India fluffed the key moments:
Conceding goals at the wrong time
Before New Zealand, irony hit India hard. In the whole tournament, India’s defence had stood up and stood out. They kept back-to-back clean sheets against Spain and England. In fact, it was in the attack that India were finding it tough. On Sunday though, the goals came but goals were not stopped.
Three times they scored, three times they conceded. And all the wrong time.
Lalit Upadhyay and Sukhjeet Singh put India 2-0 up ahead in the second quarter. The momentum was with them so it was important to close out the first half and maintain the two-goal lead.
A minute was left on the clock for the halftime break when India conceded. Sam Lane made no mistake from a close range. It annoyed Reid so much that he spoke about it at the half-time interview with broadcasters.
Then, after going 3-1 up in the third quarter, India gave away another goal just two minutes before the end. Kane Russell converted his chance from the penalty corner. Again letting New Zealand into the game at the wrong time.
Disaster of a final quarter
A quarter to go and the score read 3-2 in favour of India. At a time when the Indian players had to maintain focus and avoid mistakes, they did the opposite.
New Zealand, who knew they were still in the game, played their best hockey of this World Cup in the final 15 minutes. They exploited the space in the Indian midfield to maximum effect. They dominated the proceedings and got their equaliser thanks to Sean Findlay’s brilliant finish from a penalty corner. It had been New Zealand’s second PC of the match.
From 1-3 down to 3-3 in the space of six minutes. In fact, they could’ve won the match in the final second if not for Krishan Pathak’s stunning close-range save off Sam Lane.
Keeping Mandeep out
The day started with the good news that Mandeep Singh was fit to play after an injury scare the previous day in training. While it was expected that Reid might manage his minutes, it was still baffling to see him sit out for the majority of the final quarter. He came in when the final quarter started and then left after playing a few minutes. He then waited on the sidelines to come in but had to stand there for almost five minutes.
Mandeep is known for his goals and assists in the final quarter. He had been playing well in the last couple of matches and this was New Zealand, against whom he has scored 11 goals in 21 matches.
When the team was struggling, they needed their senior forward on the pitch. When he finally came in with two odd minutes remaining, New Zealand had already equalised.
Not taking advantage of 10-men New Zealand
In the 53rd minute, Nick Ross was shown a yellow card and given a five-minute suspension. This was a big opportunity for India to take advantage of the extra-man. Instead of going for an all-out attack approach, though, India struggled to even create chances.
Now, New Zealand deserve a lot of credit for how they managed the last quarter with 10 men: their players won crucial tackles, intercepted the ball at key positions and picked the right passes.
Findlay, one of the young sensations in the game, absolutely bossed the whole match. He ran the show, especially in the final quarter — and that was one of the major reasons why New Zealand didn’t panic when they were down to 10.
Harmanpreet’s bizarre miss in the shootout
India needed two saves from PR Sreejesh to stay alive in the shootout. Lane missed and then Sreejesh pulled off a terrific save to take the match into sudden death. And Sreejesh saved again off Nic Woods, to give India the advantage in the sudden death.
It was now up to Harmanpreet to win it for India. He needed to bank on all his experience and talent to beat Leon Hayward. In fact, he already had done it once in the shootout. But instead of dribbling and taking his time, Harmanpreet came up with a bizarre hit from the top of the circle. Hayward saved quite easily and kept New Zealand alive. A miss that would prove costly soon.
What’s next for India?
India will now head to Rourkela to play the 9-16 classification matches. They will play Japan on 26 November and then, win or lose, their next match on the 28th.
The World Cup may not yet be over for Harmanpreet and Co, but the dream is.
