Eagles won’t wait until NFL Draft season to begin studying these prospects

The Philadelphia Eagles could lose an All-Pro via free agency, but they could also replace him via the 2023 NFL Draft.

The son of former NFL linebacker, Joey Porter Jr. made a name for himself at Penn State with the Nittany Lions. Earning Third-Team All-Big Ten honors in 2020 and 2021 before being named a First-team All-Big Ten nod in 2022.

Already seen as one of the top five cornerbacks entering April’s NFL Draft by just about everyone, the six-foot-two, 194-pound cornerback’s star continues to rise and so does his stock. Might Philly discover, after guys like Jalen Carter (Georgia Bulldogs) and Will Anderson (Alabama Crimson Tide) are off of the board, that Porter might be the best available prospect at ten? Would the Eagles use a draft choice on him there if he is?

Keeping Porter in-state could prove beneficial to the Eagles’ aging secondary. James Bradberry IV is someone that most want back, but he may not be. Darius Slay has been criticized during the back half of the season as some believe he’s beginning to show his age.

Even if Bradberry and Slay are both back in 2023, the Eagles need depth. Plus, they haven’t had a cornerback with the size and reachability that Porter Jr. has in a long time. On the Eagles roster, he immediately becomes an early favorite for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

While Philadelphia has a good chance of drafting one of these three players, there are other defensive back prospects they could use an early Day 1 or Day 2 selection on, especially if they trade up or down. These prospects include cornerback Cam Smith (South Carolina Gamecocks), safety Brian Branch (Alabama), and cornerback Kelee Ringo (Georgia Bulldogs).

First things first. Let’s win this Super Bowl, but the conversations about prospects and scouting are certainly going to be fun as we move into the middle of February.