Notre Dame football: Recent 2023 NFL Mock Draft is very Irish
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football program could be the star of the 2023 NFL Draft, especially looking at this latest 2023 NFL Mock Draft.
During the 2022 NFL Draft, the Notre Dame football program saw its first-round drought broken by Kyle Hamilton. The elite safety was picked with the No. 14 overall selection by the Baltimore Ravens, and while that was later than most projected, it was still nice to see the program represented on Day 1.
From there, the Irish had to wait two days for their next player to be picked, as Kyren Williams was a fifth-round pick on Day 3 of the Los Angeles Rams. That was it, only two members of the Notre Dame football team were picked in 2022, something that will change in a big way a year from now.
In his most recent 2023 NFL Mock Draft, Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports laid out what the first round could look like, and it is very Irish.
Notre Dame football has three 2023 first-round picks
Within the Trapasso mock draft, the Irish see three of their current players picked in the first round, starting with Michael Mayer at No. 16 overall. Mayer ends up in New England in this mock, and rightfully so, as he would be the second coming of Rob Gronkowski for Bill Belichick and his staff.
From there, the Irish hit the board only two picks later, as safety Brandon Joseph is the No. 18 overall pick of the Arizona Cardinals. That would make back-to-back years with an Irish safety going in the first round, which should make fans of the Notre Dame football team excited about what Joseph will likely bring to the table in 2022.
Finally, Isaiah Foskey comes off the board at pick No. 23 overall, and he lands with the Houston Texas. With Houston, he would get to play under a defensive-minded head coach in Lovie Smith, while trying to become the best Texans edge rusher since J.J. Watt.
Overall, this haul is not only a testament to the quality of player on the 2022 roster for the Irish, but also is a glimpse of how good this team could end up being. Having three first-round picks could mean the Irish will be CFP contenders in 2022, and that would be a high note for this trio to leave school on.