NFL Draft: Best lesser-mentioned Eagles potential options at 30th selection

How many of you have spent so much time agonizing over what the Philadelphia Eagles should do in the NFL Draft at the tenth overall selection that you have spent hours if not days ignoring the fact that they have another choice to make at the end of night one? If that statement applies to you, fear not. You aren’t alone. These are some rather unique circumstances.

Never have we seen Philly represent the National Football Conference in the Super Bowl AND own a top-ten choice in the draft that followed a little over three months later. This isn’t any ordinary franchise though, and vice president/general manager Howie Roseman most certainly isn’t any ordinary executive.

Howie has been named the Pro Football Writers of America’s Executive of the Year twice (2017, 2022), and it is his ingenuity that has earned him the distinction. That creativity has built two different Super Bowl rosters with two different head coaches. It has also landed the Birds a pair of picks in Round 1.

What will they do with that later selection? The possibilities are endless, but if they sit idle and make a selection, they will have quite a few options, many of whom we like.

Here are a handful of prospects that would be phenomenal additions to the Eagles roster at 30, guys that we aren’t discussing enough.

You never know what Howie Roseman might pull out of his hat on NFL Draft night. He has been somewhat of a magician.

No one maneuvers his way around the draft board quite like the game’s top executive. Don’t rule out the possibility of him trading back or trading up. If he does, here are some underrated possible options that we think are going to be stars at the next level.

Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa State

You can believe whatever you want about what some of these NFL Draft pundits are telling you. We elect to form our own opinions and use the eyeball test. Here’s what it has shown us.

Will McDonald IV has the potential to be just as good as Will Anderson. The latter isn’t as polished as this class’s best edge defender yet, but with proper coaching, he can be. From where we’re sitting, he is just as good as Nolan Smith and Lukas Van Ness, and they’re being graded a lot higher.

Jahmyr Gibbs, running back, Alabama

Some are turned off by Jahmyr Gibbs‘ size. He’s five-foot-nine. He tips the scales at 199 pounds. Meanwhile, he plays football’s most punishing position.

While some of that could bring reason to worry about potential durability issues, here’s something we’d like to throw out for debate. Warrick Dunn was five-foot-nine and played most of his career at 180 pounds Darren Sproles was five-foot-six and 190 pounds. Boston Scott is five-foot-six and 200 pounds. It may be too early to compare Gibbs to those guys, but something tells us he’ll be okay.

Football Gameplan owner Emory Hunt grades Gibbs higher than Bijan Robinson. If you know anything about his work, you know that he’s someone whose opinion is worth listening to. Take a look.

While some of you may believe that the 30th-overall selection is still too high to take a tailback, this is one that we should be spending more time discussing. He helped himself out by running a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He’s also one heck of a receiver.

Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State

Felix Anudike-Uzomah impressed pro scouts all of last season. At 255 pounds, he is lighter than some team sources want their edge rushers to be, and that could explain some of his second-round grades. Still, we wouldn’t be shocked to hear his name called at the end of Round 1. Might the Philadelphia Eagles be interested?

Mazi Smith, interior defensive lineman, Michigan

Viewed by just about everyone as one of the top five interior defensive linemen in this draft class, former Michigan Wolverines star Mazi Smith has a lot of people talking. The questions here, however, are the same for Smith as they are for Jordan Davis.

Might he be someone that the Eagles have to take off of the field in obvious pass-rushing situations? He’s a better run stopper than pass rusher, but the Birds could compensate by throwing Milton Williams in the lineup on third down… maybe.

Emmanuel Forbes, cornerback, Mississippi State

The Philadelphia Eagles recorded 17 interceptions during the 2022-2023 NFL season, but the man that led the team in that department (and co-led the NFL), C.J. Gardner-Johnson plays for the Detroit Lions now. Philly would have finished in the bottom third of the league in that category without his efforts.

Darius Slay and James Bradberry, the starters on the outside at cornerback combined for six picks, but Slay eclipsed the 30-year threshold a while ago, and James turns 30 years young in August. It may be time to look to the future.

Theories suggest that we could see a run on cornerbacks during Round 1. Emmanuel Forbes has been given both first and second-round grades. He notched 46 tackles, six interceptions, and ten pass breakups in 2022. Philly has two Mississippi State stars on the roster (Slay and Fletcher Cox). We wonder if they’re in Howie’s ear and campaigning for another Bulldog’s addition.

O’Cyrus Torrence, guard, Florida

Many believe that O’Cyrus Torrence can come off of the board before the 30th selection. That’s a reasonable theory, but we have seen late first-round and early second-round grades on him as well.

While taking a guard in Round 1 isn’t sexy (and while most would like to see Cam Jurgens contribute as a starter), the Birds are thin at the position. Landon Dickerson,  Sua Opeta, and Tyrese Robinson are on the roster.  Josh Sills is a special exemption. Bolstering the O-line wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Brian Branch, safety, Alabama

The Eagles seemingly aren’t the only team that is undervaluing the safety position. Brian Branch is the cream of this year’s crop, and there are a lot of mocks that have him coming off of the board late in Round 1.

90 tackles, two interceptions, three sacks, and seven pass breakups were the results of his efforts in 2022. He provides versatility and can play deep, at the line, or in the slot. If he’s on the board when the Eagles are picking at 30, they may not want to ponder too long.

They never pick safeties in Round 1, but this might be someone worth making an exception for.

The wild card: Calijah Kancey, IDL, Pittsburgh

Some of you may disagree with this, but Calijah Kancey gives us Warren Sapp vibes. No, we aren’t throwing him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he feels like one of those guys that might spend the next ten years of his life making every NFL team that passed on him regret that decision.

NFL.com’s Lanze Zierlein compares him to John Randle. Think about that for a couple of minutes.

He has also been compared to Aaron Donald for obvious reasons. Both played at Pitt. Both were super-athletic and seen as undersized. We see how Donald has turned out. It would suck to miss out on a game-changer when there is so much evidence that this young man could be scheduled.

Yep, we’re torn here. Thank goodness we don’t have to make these selections.