The first round of the NFL Draft is supposed to start at least quarterback-quarterback, with some notable forecasters predicting the first four picks will be QBs.

But what if a team fails to follow the script?

It won’t be the Carolina Panthers. They traded up from the ninth selection to get a face-of-the-franchise quarterback with the No. 1 pick.

The Houston Texans hold the second selection, and reading the tea leaves provides a reason why the team would sidestep a quarterback here.

If Houston doesn’t take a quarterback, then the Arizona Cardinals will be in position to make a franchise-altering, NFL-shaking daily double.

Are the Cardinals allowed to do that? Arizona has been to the playoffs once in the past seven seasons and six times in the 34 seasons since the team relocated from St. Louis.

The first AL.com mock draft provided a pick-by-pick projection for the first round. The second one tried to predict some of the trades that will inevitably shake up the draft order. The third one looks at how those with courage and vision could upend the status quo in at least the NFC West and AFC South.

The 88th NFL Draft will be held Thursday through Saturday at Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri. After Thursday night’s first round, the second and third rounds will be held on Friday, with the fourth through seventh rounds following on Saturday.

The 32 NFL teams will pick 259 players in the 2023 draft. A look at the players who could be selected in the first round and trades that might be made:

No. 1: Alabama quarterback Bryce Young by the Carolina Panthers

The Panthers obtained the No. 1 pick from the Bears to select their quarterback for the next decade. While they’ve acknowledged considering four, two seem more ready to play – Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young. Might this come down to coach Frank Reich trying to convince owner David Tepper not to pick the QB who is almost 6 inches shorter than the team’s head coach, with general manager Scott Fitterer the man in the middle? The Heisman Trophy still carries the cachet to energize a fan base drained after five consecutive losing seasons.

No. 2: Alabama outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr. by the Houston Texans

Why would the Texans bypass Stroud? Through two drafts, Houston general manager Nick Caserio doesn’t appear bound by convention, and the Texans’ new coach, DeMeco Ryans, arrived from six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, where he saw teams succeed without a highly touted QB. During Ryans’ time in San Francisco, the 49ers reached at least the NFC Championship Game three times – twice with second-round QB Jimmy Garoppolo and last season with rookie Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy at the controls. Ryans is a defensive guy. Give him a defensive star to affect the other team’s quarterback.

No. 3: Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud by the Arizona Cardinals

With their presumed pick at No. 3 gone at No. 2, Arizona can now entertain offers from the quarterback-hungry teams scrambling to draft Stroud. But this time around, the Cardinals get two of the potential No. 1 picks by selecting Stroud and doing this:

No. 4: Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter by the Arizona Cardinals in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts

With Stroud in hand, Arizona, with a new general manager and new coach, send quarterback Kyler Murray and the 34th selection in this year’s draft to the Colts to add Carter, who was considered a potential No. 1 pick when the Chicago Bears held the first selection. The trade will cost the Cardinals some money in the short term, but they land two of the marquee picks of the 2023 draft and revert to a quarterback on a rookie contract. Indianapolis has the fourth-most cap space for 2023 in the NFL, allowing them to get a franchise-caliber QB without rolling the dice on a rookie.

No. 5: Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson by the Tennessee Titans after a trade with the Seattle Seahawks

The Titans send the 11th and 41st selections in this year’s draft to the Seahawks to move up to No. 5. With an offseason of handwringing over Ryan Tannenhill already under way and Malik Willis slighted by the team down the stretch in 2022, Tennessee goes for a jumbo backfield, pairing the 6-foot-4, 244-pound Richardson with running back Derrick Henry for an ultimate short-yardage/goal-line package.

No. 6: Texas Tech outside linebacker Tyree Wilson by New Orleans Saints after a trade with the Detroit Lions

An outside linebacker for the Red Raiders, Wilson could turn into a defensive end with an impressive wingspan for the Saints, who send the 29th and 40th picks in this year’s draft plus a 2024 second-round selection to jump ahead 23 slots in the first round. Cameron Jordan isn’t getting any younger.

No. 7: Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon by the Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders decide they’re good at quarterback with Witherspoon available at No. 7. Las Vegas finished tied for last in interceptions and only one team broke up fewer passes than the Raiders in the 2022 season. The former Pensacola prep star has a knack for finding the football.

No. 8: Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez by the Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons also sidestep Kentucky QB Will Levis to address a defense that was bottom 10 in the NFL in points allowed, yards allowed, rushing yards allowed and passing yards allowed in 2022. Pairing Gonzalez with A.J. Terrell in the secondary will give Atlanta an all-first-round pair of cornerbacks.

No. 9: Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski by the Chicago Bears

No team in the NFL had its quarterbacks sacked at a higher rate than Chicago in the 2022 season.

No. 10: Georgia offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. by the New England Patriots after a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles

What’s wrong with New England quarterback Mac Jones? How about a sub-standard offensive line? The Patriots have 11 draft picks, and Philadelphia has six. The Eagles gain one by picking up No. 76 to move back to the 14th pick.

No. 11: Clemson defensive end Myles Murphy by the Seattle Seahawks after a trade with the Tennessee Titans

The Seahawks could have sat tight at No. 5 and selected Texas Tech outside linebacker Tyree Wilson. Instead, the draft-night trade that moved them down six spots still netted a pass-rusher and yielded a second-round pick.

No. 12: Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker by the Houston Texans

The Texans have a quarterback on a rookie contract who has started 26 games in the past two seasons. Houston stays unconventional and gets a quarterback who’ll be ready to be an NFL starter when he completes his recovery from a senior season knee injury.

No. 13: Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones by the New York Jets

The Jets make a draft pick with incoming quarterback Aaron Rodgers in mind.

No. 14: Alabama safety Brian Branch by the Philadelphia Eagles after a trade with New England Patriots

The Eagles have been on a hot streak with former Alabama players over the past three drafts. Quarterback Jalen Hurts, wide receiver DeVonta Smith and guard Landon Dickerson have been dead-center hits. Philadelphia lost its starting safeties in free agency, and Branch could be a slot corner, too.

No. 15: Southern Cal wide receiver Jordan Addison by the Green Bay Packers

The Packers are moving to a new quarterback in 2023. Their top wide receiver currently under contract for 2023 had 611 receiving yards in 2022.

No. 16: Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. by the Washington Commanders

A lot of ways the Commanders could go here, including back. But they stick to the spot to strengthen their secondary.

No. 17: Kentucky quarterback Will Levis by the Minnesota Vikings after a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers

With the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers holding the next two picks, the Vikings get nervous about Levis falling to them at No. 23. Minnesota sends the 23rd, 87th and 119th selections in this year’s draft to change first-round places with Pittsburgh with quarterback Kirk Cousins on a one-year contract.

No. 18: Iowa defensive end Lukas Van Ness by the Detroit Lions

After using the second selection in the 2022 draft on Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and getting 9.5 sacks from the rookie, the Lions go for another Big Ten pass-rusher to bring the heat opposite Hutchinson.

No. 19: Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

If the Bucs aren’t going to re-sign Donovan Smith, adding Jones would allow them to follow through on their decision to move Tristan Wirfs from right tackle to left tackle. Wirfs has been a Pro Bowler at right tackle the past two seasons. Wright played both sides at Tennessee, but he played right tackle as a senior and is considered a better NFL prospect there.

No. 20: Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence by the Seattle Seahawks

Torrence’s addition would allow free-agent signee Evan Brown to play center, as he has for most of his career, and put a lot of size into the Seahawks’ run game.

No. 21: Texas running back Bijan Robinson by the Los Angeles Chargers

With the Chargers and running back Austin Ekeler on the outs, Los Angeles gets another do-it-all talent for its backfield.

No. 22: Pittsburgh defensive tackle Calijah Kancey by the Los Angeles Rams after a trade with the Baltimore Ravens

With the Ravens holding five picks entering this year’s draft, Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta said he hoped to be able to pick up some more. How about the 36th, 77th, 167th and 171st to let the Rams make a first-round pick this year? Los Angeles has done quite well with Aaron Donald at defensive tackle, so getting another Pittsburgh defensive tackle with an explosive get-off looks like something the Rams know about.

No. 23: South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith by the Pittsburgh Steelers after a trade with the Minnesota Vikings

The Steelers signed Patrick Peterson in free agency, but the eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback most recently earned that honor in 2018 and is entering his 13th season. Smith should mesh well with Pittsburgh’s zone-centric schemes, and the Steelers have four picks in the next 64 to find an offensive tackle.

No. 24: Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo by the Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars probably wanted an offensive tackle, but by not trading up, they have the choice of taking the fifth offensive tackle of the first round, the fifth cornerback of the first round or the best player available. Jacksonville goes with a big cornerback, figuring the quality of offensive tackle that they can get with the 56th pick won’t be much off that what they’d get here.

No. 25: TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnson by the New York Giants

The Giants gave something to quarterback Daniel Jones this offseason – a big contract. Here’s something else for him – a big receiver.

No. 26: Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee by the Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas defense can be pretty disruptive around the edges. Bresee would put some of that in the middle, too.

No. 27: Oklahoma offensive tackle Anton Harrison by the Indianapolis Colts after a trade with the Buffalo Bills

Indianapolis had the NFL’s best offensive line for three seasons, then left tackle Anthony Castonzo retired after the 2020 campaign. They did all right with Eric Fisher at left tackle in 2021, but then it went all to pieces up front for the Colts in 2022. Indianapolis needs a pick to stabilize its O-line and get left guard Quenton Nelson, center Ryan Kelly and right tackle Braden Smith playing to their standard again. The Colts give the Bills the 35th, 79th and 138th picks in this year’s draft to move up, and Indianapolis still gets to pick again at No. 34 thanks to trading the No. 4 pick.

No. 28: Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks by the Cincinnati Bengals

After signing former Alabama standout Irv Smith Jr. in free agency, the Bengals pivot from taking their pick of a strong group of tight end prospects to work on their secondary.

No. 29: Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers by the Detroit Lions after a trade with the New Orleans Saints

Picking here instead of sixth in exchange for this choice and a couple of second-round selections from the Saints, the Lions opt for a wide receiver with their second first-round pick for the second year in a row. Last year, Detroit took Alabama’s Jameson Williams after adding Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. This year, the Lions have taken another pass-rusher, Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness, at No. 18. Flowers’ get-open ability from the slot will allow Amon-Ra St. Brown to concentrate on playing split end.

No. 30: Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs by the Philadelphia Eagles

By taking two Crimson Tide players in the first round on April 27, the Eagles will solidify their status as Alabama’s NFL team. Philadelphia passed on talented Texas ball-carrier Bijan Robinson at No. 14 to take Tide safety Brian Branch. The Eagles don’t figure Gibbs will be around when they pick again at No. 62, and while they could trade back a little, they don’t chance it. In free agency this offseason, Philadelphia lost leading rusher Miles Sanders after he ran for 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022, and signed running back Rashaad Penny, a former first-round pick who played in five games for the Seattle Seahawks in 2022 because of a broken leg.

No. 31: Georgia outside linebacker Nolan Smith by the Kansas City Chiefs

Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has fallen to the Chiefs. Except Kansas City knows quarterback Patrick Mahomes makes the receivers, not the other way around. The Chiefs go with a front-seven defender who ran a 4.39-second 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.