The 2023 NFL Draft is fast approaching. Many exciting questions are discussed among fans and experts in advance. Who will be the first overall pick? When will the German hopeful Kilian Zierer be selected? Our experts Markus Kuhn and Sebastian Vollmer give their assessments to sport.de!
On April 28th and 29th, NITRO and RTL+ will show the NFL Draft 2023 and rely on an extensive live production: For the first time, a German TV team will present the drawing of the best young talents live from the USA. sport.de accompanies the event in the detailed live ticker.
With Markus Kuhn and Sebastian Vollmer, two former German NFL stars are available as experts. Beforehand, the duo will answer five quick questions about the mega spectacle in Kansas City.
The standard question first: The Panthers invested heavily to get the first overall pick from the Chicago Bears per trade. Who is Carolina getting?
Kuhn: Bryce Young from Alabama is the first overall pick in my opinion!
Vollmer: I’m also betting on Bryce Young. He’s the best quarterback in the draft. His only concern is his stature, which he has delivered his entire athletic career with.
Hardly any prospect is currently polarizing like Anthony Richardson. Florida’s quarterback is an athletic freak, but has by far the weakest passing rate of any high-traffic quarterback in the draft. Can his weaknesses in the NFL be concealed or trained off?
Kuhn: He has inspired many teams since his incredible performance at the Combine. I think he will leave relatively early but should still have some time to learn due to his lack of match practice.
Vollmer: Due to his quality as a runner, he still has a high floor and in fact his pass rate from play-action was higher than the other quarterbacks. His overall upside is so high that it’s worth the risk. Maybe he needs 1-2 years, like a Josh Allen or Jalen Hurts, but with a good offensive coordinator and patience the pick for the respective team will be worth it in the end.
Jalen Carter was traded as the first non-quarterback pick. Then came the negative headlines. Illegal car racing that killed two people, Pro Day fitness issues and off-field issues. From a franchise perspective, what will prevail for Jalen Carter this year – his talent or the skepticism about himself?
Kuhn: He is an absolute top talent, maybe he will slip a bit behind. But he’s just too good for teams to see the question marks surrounding his character.
Vollmer: It’s the same as always: in the end, talent prevails. College fascination prevails, in the right franchise he can be a star and All Pro in his freshman year.
Markus, if you had one wish, who would your former team, the New York Giants, pick in the first round? The same question also goes to Sebastian: who do you want for the New England Patriots in the first round?
Kuhn: The Giants should look for a cornerback, they also need reinforcements on the offensive line, but with a bit of luck they can still get one of the top pass defenders in 25th place. Penn State’s Joey Porter can fit well here.
Vollmer: Difficult, because the Patriots need a lot. If Mac Jones is the quarterback of the future, I would want a cornerback. If not, then maybe Richardson, so a quarterback.
The eyes of German NFL fans are on Kilian Zierer in this year’s draft. Why will “our” O-Liner prevail in the NFL and when do you think his name will be called?
Kuhn: Kilian has done well in his final and only year as a starter in the top College Football Conference SEC. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for him and hope he’s off the board in the fifth round.
Vollmer: Hopefully in round 4-7. Preferably to a team where he can develop further. O-Line and D-Line are two of the few positions where you can make real progress in your training.
