The day is finally upon us. The 2023 NFL Draft is here and the Philadelphia Eagles have a golden opportunity to improve a roster that has just finished a trip to the Super Bowl.
Unlike most years where great teams have to wait a while to decide on a draft pick, the Eagles are in a golden opportunity to take a top blue-chip player in this draft thanks to some savvy trades in past years.
So while you might be tired of reading different mocks and hearing about where the Eagles could go, here’s the only one you need to remember with just a few hours to go before Howie Roseman and the Birds make their pick.
*Trade*
Eagles send 10th overall, 2024 second-round and fourth-round selections to Las Vegas for 7th overall pick
1st round, No. 7 overall – DT, Jalen Carter
Howie Roseman and the Eagles want Jalen Carter. That much is clear with the rumors that the team wants to trade up. Securing Carter would allow the Eagles to not just upgrade the defensive line, but also put themselves in a perfect situation to win for a long period of time. A lot of fans want the team to take Bijan Robinson but Carter is the better fit – just as Donovan McNabb was over Ricky Williams in 1999.
1st round, No. 30 overall – RB, Jahmyr Gibbs
Just because the team missed out on Bijan Robinson doesn’t mean they’ll ignore the running back position. Gibbs is considered a younger version of Alvin Kamara and would be an excellent fit for the Eagles zone blocking scheme. If the Birds come away with Gibbs and Carter after round one, the team will have won the draft alone.
2nd round, No. 62 overall – S, Sydney Brown
In round one, the Eagles addressed both their need at running back and defensive line. So in the second round, they get another depth safety that could grow into a solid player. Brown was part of a loaded Illinois defense but should provide the necessary depth the team is looking for in the back end of their defense.
3rd round, No. 94 overall – OT, Matthew Bergeron
Philadelphia’s depth along the offensive line took a major hit with the losses of Andre Dillard and Isaac Seumalo. That means it’s very likely the team will address this need at some point throughout the draft. Bergeron has played everywhere on the offensive line and his versatility makes a lot of sense for the team.
7th round, No. 219 overall – QB, Dorian Thompson-Robinson
Many people will be perplexed why the Eagles ended up drafting a quarterback at all in a year where Jalen Hurts received the largest contract in team history. People forget though that Marcus Mariota, Hurts’ backup, is going to make over $5 million this year. Having a cheaper and more efficient option to help allow the Eagles to have more cap flexibility is very important.
7th round, No. 248 overall – OL, Earl Bostick
Could Philadelphia trade up with two seventh-round picks next year? Certainly. That being said, with the trade-up for Jalen Carter, the Eagles decide to stay with their current draft picks. In the end, they take another offensive lineman in Bostick out of Kansas. Giving Jeff Stoutland some projects to mold could be more than enough for the team to have enough along the offensive line.
Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire
