The 2023 NFL draft is fast approaching, and after a few first wave moves, Philadelphia appears locked in on adding pass rushers and offensive linemen.
Thanks to some draft night wizardry from Howie Roseman, the Eagles traded the No. 16 overall pick, No. 19 overall pick, and a 2022 sixth-round pick to the New Orleans Saints for the No. 18 overall pick, a 2022 third-round pick, a 2022 seventh-round pick, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 second-round pick.
Philadelphia has a Super Bowl-caliber offense and needs to reload on defense.
We’re looking at the top ten players that’ll likely be the target for Howie Roseman and the Eagles at No. 10 overall.
Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech (6-6, 271 pounds)
The versatile pass rusher is a more athletic version of Josh Sweat, standing 6-foot-5 with a 270-pound frame and a motor to match.
Wilson led all edge rusher’s PFF’s “pass rush win rate” stat this season (22.6) while logging seven sacks and 14 TFLs for the Red Raiders.
Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson (6-5, 268 pounds)
At 6-foot-5, 275 pounds, Murphy has the size and Josh Sweat type of athleticism coming off the edge and wouldn’t be forced to be every down player in Philadelphia.
Murphy is versatile, splitting his time between standing on edge and aligning in a four-point stance. He is stout at the point of attack in the run game but needs to become a more consistent tackler.
Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas (5-11, 215 pounds)
A dynamic player with elite burst and supreme vision, Robinson would give the Eagles an authentic three-down back on a rookie deal that would open up the offense even more for Philadelphia’s trio of pass catchers.
The NFC champs are in their championship window, and the NFL’s top rushing team could flourish with a player that amassed more than 3,300 yards from scrimmage over the past two seasons while averaging 6.7 yards per touch.
Pass blocking may be the weakest area of his game, but he still showed an improvement over his college career, ad he didn’t allow a sack last season on 60 pass-blocking snaps per PFF.
Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia (6-3, 314 pounds)
Carter was a 2021 second-team All-SEC selection after logging 37 tackles, 8.5 for loss with three sacks, two blocked kicks, and two starts in 15 games.
In 2022, Carter led a Bulldogs defense that allowed the fewest rushing yards per game (77.1), garnering first-team Associated Press All-American and all-conference honors despite missing time during Georgia’s title run with knee and ankle injuries.
Carter finished the season with 32 tackles, seven for loss with three sacks, three pass breakups, and two forced fumbles in 13 games and nine starts.
Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon (6-1, 197 pounds)
Gonzalez is a tall, fluid cornerback with excellent ball skills who could excel as the Eagles’ third outside cornerback.
Gonzalez is an aggressive ballhawk who’ll gamble for opportunities.
Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern (6-4, 313 pounds)
A star at Northwestern, Skoronski would chart a similar path to that of Cam Jurgens in 2022, and he’d likely see time at guard and tackle while developing under Jeff Stoutland.
Skoronski could be a better fit at guard than tackle, even though he started 33 games at left tackle in college.
Brian Branch, S, Alabama (6-0, 190 pounds)
A free safety that can flourish in the slot, Branch plays a role perfect for modern NFL defenses.
After watching the defense suffer without Avonte Maddox, Branch would give Philadelphia the versatility they had with C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the lineup.
Branch saw over 1,100 snaps in the slot over his career and is an exceptional tackler who brings elite run defense to the table in addition to his coverage skills.
Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois (6-0, 181 pounds)
Slay and Bradberry will be with Philadelphia for at least the next two years, allowing Howie Roseman to stock up on homegrown replacements.
Witherspoon is a lean, rangy cornerback with outstanding quickness, instincts, and ball skills.
The former Big-10 star would be a long-term option who can play inside and outside.
Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa (6-5, 272 pounds)
A monster coming off the edge at 6-foot-5, 275 pounds with explosive power and violent hands, the Iowa star can also play inside at tackle. Van Ness posted 10.5 tackles for loss and six sacks this year on his way to being named Second-Team All-Big Ten and dominated the competition while not starting a game for the Hawkeyes.
Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia (6-2, 238 pounds)
Smith is an undersized edge rusher with an elite change of direction and burst.
The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Smith was on his way to a dominant Senior season before suffering a mid-season pectoral injury that cost him the rest of the year.
Smith plays with power, quickness, and explosiveness off the edge and would mesh well with former Georgia teammates Jordan Davis (DT) and Nakobe Dean (LB).
