Howie Roseman deserves Executive of the Year for the way he deftly added talent across the roster to turn a perfectly okay football team into a Super Bowl contender in just one offseason.
But he also deserves the award for swindling the New Orleans Saints out of their first-round pick, landing a Top 10 selection for a draft taking place just three months after the Eagles own a first-round bye.
It's an absolute coup for the Birds, who will soon have to pay Jalen Hurts big money and need to stock up on elite young talent at cost-controlled prices while they can.
MORE: Week 18 Eagles grades by position after clinching No. 1 seed
The Saints' pick officially landed at No. 10 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, so let's turn to the crop of mock drafts released just one day after the regular season ended to figure out who the Eagles will absolutely, 100% be selecting with that Saints pick come April:
Pro Football Focus
S Brian Branch, Alabama
NFL
"Branch is the kind of defensive back that is gaining value around the NFL. He can play the slot position at an elite level against both run and pass. He earned a 90.7 run-defense grade and an 86.4 coverage grade for Alabama this past fall. That would fit in perfectly in Jonathan Gannon’s defense — especially if C.J. Gardner-Johnson departs in free agency."
The Draft Network
RB Bijan Robinson, Texas
"The Eagles are legitimate Super Bowl contenders and can act like one. Sure, many will scoff at a running back being drafted this high, but Bijan Robinson is a special talent. Bijan Robinson is a rare combination of size, vision, and playmaking ability that can be a game-changer for the Eagles’ offense. He’s already earned one top-10 overall grade from our scouting staff and I expect the others to follow suit this spring during cross-checks. Robinson would make a marked difference to a team with a Lombardi Trophy at the forefront of its mind. There is no other player available that boosts Philadelphia 2024 Super Bowl odds more than Robinson."
Sports Illustrated
iOL Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
"Skoronski possesses exceptional athleticism, great passion and high character. His quick feet and fundamentally sound technique are two of his more favorable attributes."
Pro Football Network
DT Jalen Carter, Georgia
"The Philadelphia Eagles love a defensive line prospect, they have Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave as pending free agents, and this is superb value on Jalen Carter. Carter could be a part of the Eagles’ DT rotation as a rookie before taking on a more consistent role after that. Combining Carter with Jordan Davis could make for a really high-upside pairing in the center of that defense.
"From a fantasy perspective, DTs are never high on the priority list. However, this fit should make Carter the first DT off the board. He’ll be a third- or fourth-round option at best, but if your league puts a premium on DT play, Carter has extremely high upside."
Draft Wire
CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
[No entry]
Okay, let's get this out of the way now: the Eagles are not selecting Bijan Robinson. This is not the first time someone has mocked Robinson to the Eagles, and it won't be the last. Miles Sanders is probably playing elsewhere next season and Robinson is the best running back prospect in the Draft. I get it. I really do. But Howie Roseman is not taking a running back at 10th overall. He's just not.
Otherwise, this is a very reasonable and possible crop of players for the Birds at No. 10. I love the idea of shoring up the secondary in one way or another; odds are good James Bradberry has priced himself out of the Eagles' budget for 2023 and the same probably goes for C.J. Gardner-Johnson. There's a chance Roseman ponies up to keep one of those players for a few more years, but the ability to add a long-term stud starter at CB or S through the Draft is enticing.
I particularly like the idea of Porter Jr., who only had one interception in 34 career games with the Nittany Lions but brings truly elite length (he stands 6-foot-2) and great tackling ability. He could play corner or safety at the next level and I imagine Roseman likes that versatility.
I'm also in favor of adding talent along the lines, as Roseman is wont to do. You're going to hear Skoronski and Carter bandied about a ton over the next three months as potential Eagles targets. The team already addressed the future of the center position by drafting Cam Jurgens, and the Eagles could use an heir apparent to Lane Johnson at right tackle or Isaac Seumalo at right guard. Carter would also make sense as a rotational defensive tackle piece in 2023 with sights on bigger things as Fletcher Cox likely moves on after this season.
In any case, hopefully Eagles fans don't have to think too hard about the Draft for another month as the Birds push deep into the postseason.