Philadelphia Eagles 2023 mock draft 2.0: Free agency frenzy edition

The Eagles add a potential day-one starter/Isaac Seumalo replacement in the form of Emil Ekiyor.

Emil Ekiyor Jr. is a player whose name deserves to be mentioned more often as the draft nears. His stock is going to rise. Ekiyor displays the strength, consistency, and discipline one would expect from a three-year starter on Alabama’s offensive line. He’d be a perfect replacement for Isaac Seumalo if he and the Philadelphia Eagles go their separate ways.

Ekiyor played in over 2,600 snaps in five seasons at Alabama and only allowed two sacks. Both of which came in 2020, his first full season as a starter. While his six-foot-three, frame, coupled with 33 7/8-inch arms and 9 1/2-inch hands may have earned him the label of “undersized”, he’s comparable to  Jason Kelce physically. The legend measured at six-foot-three and 280 lbs with 32 1/2″ arms and 9 1/2″ hands in 2011.

While Eikyor may not have made waves at the combine, only participating in one drill, he was still able to bench a respectable 23 reps. He may not be one of the more coveted offensive linemen projected for the second round. Florida’s O’Cyrus Torrence or North Dakota State’s Cody Mauch seem to have taken that mantle, but he will likely still be on the board when the Philadelphia Eagles are on the board in the second round at the 62nd overall selection.

Eikyor is also currently ranked as NFL Draft Buzz.com’s third-best offensive guard prospect and was given a second-round grade by The Draft Network.com. Overall, he has upside and proven talent, making him worth a second-round pick and a great fit for Nick Sirianni’s offense.