2023 NFL Draft: Bryce Young goes No 1 before Houston Texans trade stunner to select CJ Stroud and Will Anderson Jr at two and three | NFL News

Two running backs went inside the opening 12 picks, while no wide receivers were taken until Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s selection by the Seattle Seahawks 20th overall; Texans running back Bijan Robinson went to the Atlanta Falcons at No 8, while the Detroit Lions took Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young was drafted No 1 overall by the Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers selected Alabama quarterback Bryce Young with the first overall pick of the NFL Draft, before the Houston Texans then pulled off a stunner to take both QB CJ Stroud and linebacker Will Anderson Jr at picks two and three after a trade with the Arizona Cardinals.

Heisman Trophy winner Young going number one overall was widely expected, with rumours circling for weeks he was likely to be the Panthers’ pick, but the Texans’ intentions at two were much harder to decipher as they toyed with selecting a new franchise quarterback or pass rusher to help their flagging defense.

Ultimately, they would address both needs with consecutive picks as they pulled off a stunning trade immediately after taking Ohio State QB Stroud at No 2, moving up nine spots from their scheduled second pick at 12 to also snag Alabama linebacker Anderson, widely regarded as the best defensive prospect in the draft.

A third quarterback came off the board inside the first four picks when the Indianapolis Colts picked Florida’s Anthony Richardson fourth overall, who had so impressed observers with his sensational workout at the NFL Scouting Combine in early March. It’s just the fourth time since 1967 that three QBs have been taken with the first four picks in the draft.

The Seattle Seahawks rounded out the top five by drafting Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon fifth overall, while big-bodied linebacker Tyree Wilson went to the Las Vegas Raiders at seven.

One of the biggest surprises of the night was the fact that two running backs were taken inside the opening 12 picks, while no wide receivers were picked until Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s selection by the Seahawks at 20th overall sparked a sudden run at the position with four drafted in a row.

Texans running back Bijan Robinson, considered the best running back prospect to come out of the draft in years, was ultimately snapped up by the Atlanta Falcons at No 8, while Jahmyr Gibbs from Alabama’s selection by the Detroit Lions at 12 – after having traded back from No 6 with the Cardinals – was a bit more of a surprise.

With that selection at No 6, the Cardinals drafted the first offensive lineman of the night, taking Ohio State’s Paris Johnson.

The annual three-day event kicked off in front of thousands of cheering fans in Kansas City, the home of the Super Bowl champions Chiefs, with MVP Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce arriving on stage holding the Lombardi Trophy.