ESPN's latest 2023 1st Round Mock: 7 SEC players in top 10

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1. Will Anderson, Edge, Alabama

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General manager Joe Douglas has set the franchise up nicely for the future, and the Jets are hoping to take another step forward this season -- but they land the No. 1 pick in ESPN's FPI projections. Will there be turnover at key positions -- including perhaps quarterback -- if this is the scenario? Either way, I think New York would simply take the best player in the draft, and that's Anderson. Adding him to Carl Lawson and Jermaine Johnson gives the Jets a ferocious group off the edge. Anderson led the FBS with 17.5 sacks, 34.5 tackles for loss and 79 pressures last season.

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2. Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

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There are some scouts around the league who believe Carter has the most upside in this draft class, and he's the type of player around whom new GM Ryan Poles could build an entire defensive unit. He had just 3.0 sacks last season, but he was sharing snaps with multiple 2022 first-round picks. Carter consistently lives in the other team's backfield. A true penetrator as a 3-technique, he's a wrecking ball with high-level explosiveness, hand power and finishing ability.

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4. Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU

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The Jaguars have young talent in key spots after back-to-back years with the No. 1 overall pick, and Trevor Lawrence's continued progress is the team's most important goal. Jacksonville spent record-setting money in free agency, including signing Brandon Scherff and Christian Kirk, but it still lacks a bona fide go-to target on the perimeter. Boutte is an explosive play waiting to happen and brings a playmaking element that the current receiver room lacks. He missed a lot of last season with a leg injury but still found the end zone nine times.

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5. Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

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Rookie Desmond Ridder has been a bright spot this preseason, and Marcus Mariota is set to be the early starter, but neither quarterback has Young's upside. Young's slender 6-foot-1, 194-pound frame will be a never-ending talking point, but he has all of the requisite traits to be Atlanta's next franchise quarterback. Young enters the season as my QB1 after throwing for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns in 2021. The moment is never too big for him, and he plays the game with the same heartbeat, no matter the magnitude of the game.

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8. Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

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Levis is instinctive, tough and still ascending. He fits the mold of what the Lions have moved toward during the Dan Campbell/Brad Holmes regime. Jared Goff is a serviceable placeholder, but Levis could be someone Detroit could build around. He has a strong arm and plenty of mobility. Levis is a work in progress, though, and I'd like to see him develop his decision-making this season. He threw for 2,826 yards, 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2021, and he ran for 376 more yards and nine more TDs.

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9. Nolan Smith, Edge, Georgia

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With Stroud, Young and Levis off the board, Seattle might wait a on a quarterback. The Seahawks also have the Broncos' first-rounder, and they don't seem to be in a rush with the rebuild. Besides, the Seahawks need help in a lot of places. Smith is a powerful edge rusher with good burst and is aggressive against the run. Some evaluators were surprised to see him return for his senior season, but he still needs to add more pass-rush moves to his repertoire to unlock the next stage of his development.

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10. Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

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GM Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll helped develop Josh Allen in Buffalo, and they could do the same with Richardson, a toolsy yet inexperienced passer. Evaluators will be watching Richardson closer than any other player this year, now that he is Florida's unquestioned QB1 after rotating series in multiple games last season. With a 6-foot-4, 232-pound frame and strong arm, he has the traits to be a very high draft pick, but the sample size is just too small (66 passes and 58 rushing attempts) and the consistency isn't quite there yet. The Giants did not pick up Daniel Jones' fifth-year option, so they will likely be in the QB market next offseason.

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11. Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
14. Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina
25. Eli Ricks, CB, Alabama
30. Jaheim Bell, TE, South Carolina
31. Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M