Over the last month of draft prep, fans and analysts of the Philadelphia Eagles have heard about how the front office values certain positions over others when it comes to the draft. Great players at certain positions are valued higher than maybe even better players at less valued positions.
It’s the reason Jordan Davis is an Eagle instead of Kyle Hamilton. It’s why DeVonta Smith is here instead of Micah Parsons.
So while the team has two picks in the first round this year to try and improve on a season full of a record-setting offense and defense, there are certain positions that are going to be addressed with those picks over others.
Let’s look at the five most likely positions that are going to be drafted by Philadelphia in two weeks.
Defensive End
This is pretty obvious. Since the 2010 season, the Eagles have drafted a defensive end three times in the first round. 2023 could be no exception. There’s a plethora of solid pass rushers like Nolan Smith that would make a lot of sense to join the Eagles and would help their lack of depth on the roster. Philadelphia has a penchant for selecting the best available player in the draft at their key positions and the defensive end spot is an obvious choice.
Defensive Tackle
Jalen Carter or Calijah Kancey. Enough said. While Jordan Davis was the selection last season, the loss of Javon Hargrave in free agency allows Philly to be able to pick a top defensive lineman high in the draft. There are plenty of solid options but this will always be a position that the Eagles feel they need to nail above many others.
Right Tackle
Outside of the defensive line, the most popular draft position the Eagles have tried time and time again at is depth along the offensive line. Jack Driscoll, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, and Jordan Mailata have all been selected in recent years due to the team wanting to provide depth at each position group. Because Lane Johnson is 32 years old and coming off of major surgery, it would make a lot of sense for Philadelphia to address his inevitable successor.
Wide Receiver
Since 2009, the wide receiver position has been the most addressed spot on the roster in the first round of the NFL draft. While the Eagles have a trio of weapons that are one of the best groups in football, the addition of a better slot receiver could make the Eagles passing attack one of the greatest groups in football history. It’s unlikely, but it’s a position that Philly would like to address here.
Quarterback
Before everyone starts freaking out – the Eagles are not drafting a quarterback in the first round this year. That doesn’t mean they aren’t going to have high evaluations with the 10th and 30th picks. That’s for a reason. With the Eagles valuing a quarterback high, Philly could leverage the 10th pick for an impressive haul for a quarterback-desperate team like Tampa Bay or Washington and solidify their top draft capital for future years.
It’s hard to see that happening, but the reason why Philadelphia values the quarterback position so high is for moments like this.
Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire
