We finally made it! It’s draft week and the Eagles have two picks in the first round and four picks in the top 100.
This is a huge chance for Howie Roseman to keep the Eagles on top and build a roster now that Jalen Hurts has his mega deal.
Here’s the latest stroll around the internet:
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10. Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
What they said: Let's bring weird from Austin to Philly with this pick. Is it something of a reach to think the Eagles would take a running back with the 10th pick? Yeah, sure. But the team hosted Robinson on a top-30 visit, and while that doesn't guarantee anything, it is a sign they're interested. And they should be because Robinson is special -- and he'd be a perfect fit in the Eagles' offense, even with the loss of Shane Steichen. And if the club doesn't think he'll be on the board when they're back on the clock at No. 30, then maybe this isn't so weird after all, especially with the top two pass rushers and cornerbacks off the board.
30. Nolan Smith, Edge, Georgia
NFL
What they said: Nolan Smith missed part of the 2022 season with a pectoral injury but he's is an electric pass rusher when healthy. He's also a freakish athlete -- he ripped off a 4.39 40 at the combine (and was mad about running too slow!). That motor is all over his tape and he'd fill a need in Philly where he could learn from Haason Reddick, who was a similar size coming out of Temple and is now one of the most proficient pass rushers in the league.
My take on the haul: Mock drafts have been going on so long it feels like we’re cycling back to seeing Robinson’s name next to the Eagles again. You’ll notice that every time Robinson is mocked to the Eagles it comes with the caveat that it’s probably not going to happen. And I’m still of that belief. Robinson is a good player but he’s probably still not good enough to make the Eagles change the way they view positional importance from a philosophical standpoint. If he were somehow available at 30? Sure. But 10 is really rich. I think the Eagles are going to look to land a cornerstone player at a premium position. Sure, Robinson might be a great pick for the next 3 for 4 years. But the Eagles aren’t thinking short-term.
As for Smith, if the Eagles can get him at 30, that would feel pretty good. Smith is a real possibility at No. 10 so if he lasts another 20 picks, it would be a win. It seems unlikely that Smith will be on the board that long but it is fair to point out that his size won’t be for every team. The team that drafts Smith will need to have a plan in place to use him correctly. The Eagles have Haason Reddick, who is the most logical comp for Smith, so at least they won’t be scared away by his lack of size.
10. Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
What they said: A three-down back with his talent and speed – Robinson clocked a 4.46 40 at the combine while showing off velvety soft hands – would have been a surefire top-five selection 20 years ago ... but might still be the first top-10 RB since Saquon Barkley in 2018. Admittedly, taking Robinson here wouldn't be a typical move by Philly EVP/GM Howie Roseman, who frequently opts for linemen atop the board. But does it really feel like RBs Kenny Gainwell, Boston Scott and (oft-injured) Rashaad Penny are going to offset the loss of departed Miles Sanders? The NFC champs very much seem to be in their championship window, and a team that ran the ball more than any club in the NFL save two could very much use a bell cow who had more than 3,300 yards from scrimmage over the past two seasons while averaging 6.7 yards per touch for at least the next four or five years. Robinson could well be the missing Lombardi piece here, not to mention a lethal complement to newly minted QB Jalen Hurts – a combo that could truly fluster defenses.
30. Keion White, Edge, Georgia Tech
What they said: The converted tight end had 7½ sacks and 14 TFLs in 2022 for the Yellow Jackets and is a hustler even at 6-5 and 285 pounds. He's also strong as an ox, evidenced by his 30 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press at the combine. Philly DE Brandon Graham and DT Fletcher Cox can't play forever, and White could spell either depending on the situation.
My take on the haul: Yeah, still not buying the Robinson pick. I’ll believe it when I see it. As far as White, he’s a somewhat polarizing prospect. There’s a lot to like about White, who had 7 1/2 sacks in 2022 but he’s been 24 since Jan. 20. Roseman last week talked about age in the draft and how you have to be aware that an older prospect’s body has developed more than a kid who is 18. So, sure, White was a good player last season … but is there still room for growth? Or was that production a product of his developed body going against younger competition?
10. Nolan Smith, Edge, Georgia
What they said: Came very close to giving the Eagles Peter Skoronski here, but two things happened Sunday. A GM who’s always smart when I do this exercise told me he knew the Eagles love Smith. And someone else told me Skoronski’s very likely to play guard, and check out where the Eagles have drafted starting guards, or guards-to-be. Okay. Cam Jurgens, Landon Dickerson, Isaac Seumalo went 51st, 37th and 79th overall, respectively. And then I looked at the ages of the Eagles’ four most prominent ends or edge players: Brandon Graham, Haason Reddick, Derek Barnett and Josh Sweat average 29 years, 7 months old as of September. Okay. I talked myself into a 238-pound edge player who runs a 4.39 40-yard dash.
30. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
What they said: Might not be just the poor man’s Bijan Robinson. With 195 touches in his one year at Alabama, Gibbs averaged 6.1 yards per rush and 10.1 yards per catch, never fumbling. As good as Robinson was as a collegian, Gibbs has a few teams in this draft that liked him over Robinson for the NFL.
My take on the haul: Yeah, Smith is definitely going to be in the conversation at 10. He’s a special prospect because of his speed and he plays a premium position. That’s the kind of player the Eagles want out of that No. 10 pick.
And as much as I don’t see the Eagles taking a running back at 10, taking one at 30 is much different. While it still might not be likely, the positional rules don’t matter as much this late in the round. And adding Gibbs to this Eagles’ offense would give it a new dynamic the Birds don’t have with their current group.
10. Trade out of 10 with Vikings
23. Adetomiwa Adebawore, DT, Northwestern
What they said: The Eagles could view Adebawore as a defensive end in the Brandon Graham mold or as a 3 technique; he has the athleticism to play either spot.
30. Trade with Raiders
38. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
62. Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M
87. Henry To’oTo’o, LB, Alabama
94. McClendon Curtis, OG, Chattanooga
My take on the haul: Reuter has the Eagles making a couple trade-backs in the first round. At 10, he has the Vikings moving up to take Anthony Richardson and at 30 he has the Raiders moving up to take Hendon Hooker. It might not happen twice in the first round, but the Eagles are always going to be aware when a team wants to trade up, especially for a quarterback because they’ll be willing to overpay. The Eagles moved out of 32 back in 2018 so the Ravens could move up to get Lamar Jackson. They’d do it again if the right deal comes in.
As for Adebawore, 23 might be a little rich but he’s an intriguing prospect. He’s a special athlete with a really high ceiling. While undersized, he does offer some positional versatility. His best spot in the NFL might be as a 3-technique but he can move up and down the line a bit with his unique athleticism.
10. Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
What they said: The Eagles have shown plenty of interest in Paris Johnson Jr. and you can never have too much depth along the offensive line. Johnson Jr. might need to start at RG to begin his career—he played there for Ohio State in 2021—but is the long-term successor to Lane Johnson at right tackle.
30. Lukas Van Ness, Edge, Iowa
What they said: Lukas Van Ness takes a bit of a tumble here relative to where we’ve seen him in most mock drafts. He feels like a fit for the Eagles at No. 10–but there are better options available then—and the Packers at No. 15—but they go offense in this NFL mock draft—but it’s hard to find a landing spot otherwise. If his rawness does cause him to drop, I think Howie Roseman would be more than happy to scoop him up here.
My take on the haul: Johnson is one of the most logical picks at 10. The Eagles have a chance to land the top tackle in this draft class. Johnson would be an eventual replacement for Lane Johnson and in the meantime could plug-and-play at right guard, where he played the 2021 season for the Buckeyes. It might not sound like tackle is an immediate need — and it isn’t — but the Eagles don’t think like that. They’ve used second-round picks on offensive linemen in each of the last two seasons without a clear route for either of them to start. There’s a much clearer route for Johnson to start as a rookie than there was for Landon Dickerson or Cam Jurgens.
And Van Ness at 30? Sign me up. Drafting him at 10 is a tad risky to me because he’s talented but very raw. There’s a real bust potential to Van Ness and if I were the Eagles, I’d be much more at ease taking him later in the round. Although, it seems pretty unlikely he’ll be there this late.
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