Eagles top-five most likely first round draft choices in 2023
In a perfect world, we’d simply walk into Kansas City, the Philadelphia Eagles would wait until Jalen Carter fell to the tenth-overall selection, they’d scribble his name on a draft card when they were on the clock, and we’d add another star at the 30th slot to conclude a nice night. Unfortunately, the NFL Draft is anything but ‘perfect’.
It has been called a crapshoot. Though every team has control over its own decision-making process, there are components of the draft that feel similar to placing prop bets.
Everyone has seen these young men play. No one knows if what we have seen them do collegiately will translate to the professional level. Still, if we’d be forced to place a wager on what we’ll see on April 27th, we’d assume any temptation involving Carter and Bijan Robinson (if you’re a fan of seeing him in an Eagles jersey) would be removed by one of the nine teams that select ahead of Philly.
Will Anderson will probably be off of the board when the Eagles are on the clock. We can’t fathom the idea of them taking a wide receiver or cornerback. Again, we’re trying to nail down likely scenarios, so with that being said, we jotted down a list of realistic options… we think.
Be forewarned. Revisions to our list might be announced tomorrow. Who the heck knows what any of these teams are thinking anymore?
Here are five prospects we’ll list as realistic first-round options for the Eagles in the 2023 NFL Draft.
We know the Eagles are in love with Jalen Carter. We are also aware that, as the days pass, it becomes increasingly more obvious that the chances of landing him are slim.
For that reason, here are the guys that we have also heard they are enamored with. Place these guys on your imaginary big boards if you haven’t already.
Nolan Smith, Georgia – The undersized yet freakish athlete
We love Nolan Smith. We absolutely love what he brings to the table. So do the Eagles, but there are two sides to every coin and two sides to the Nolan Smith discussion. There are legitimate reasons to question his validity as a top-ten-level prospect.
This has been said about several of the Georgia Bulldogs stars. It may be unfair to do so, but we asked the same question about Nakobe Dean last year.
Is Smith a stud or the product of being surrounded by so many future NFL stars and great teammates? Regardless of where you stand in that discussion, here’s where the chips still fall.
Again, the Eagles absolutely love Smith, and he’s been compared to Eagles star Haason Reddick on more than one occasion. It’s hard to find a better compliment
The skill is undeniable. The athleticism is otherworldly. Place Smith’s name on a short list of realistic options for Philadelphia at ten.
Lukas Van Ness, Iowa – Is this the ‘boom or bust’ guy?
Before we say anything else. Let’s establish a few things. Lukas Van Ness is a baller. Lukas Van Ness is, without question, a first-round talent. He deserves all of the attention he has been given. This young man is going to make the team that drafts him very happy.
There have been discussions about the fact that he didn’t start at Iowa. Ignore them. The Hawkeyes simply refuse to start underclassmen. His role as a rotational player was more about tradition than talent.
If the Birds are on the clock and Tyree Wilson and Will Anderson are both off of the board, which is a very realistic .scenario, Van Ness might be the highest-graded edge rusher on a lot of teams’ draft boards.
Again, don’t hear what isn’t being said. Don’t read what has been written. We’re expecting the former Iowa star to enjoy a prosperous career, but we aren’t sure that he’s better than Nolan Smith, Myles Murphy, or Will McDonald for that matter. Here’s what we do know, however. The Eagles are very high on him.
Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State – Lane Johnson’s potential replacement?
During the pre-draft process, there have been many lines drawn that connected the dots representing the Eagles and Peter Skoronski. There are also whispers that Philly prefers Paris Johnson.
The argument for Skoronski? If he’s drafted by the Eagles, it’s believed he’ll begin his career as a guard before shifting outside as Lane Johnson’s replacement whenever Number 65 calls it a career.
It’s also believed that Skoronski’s short arms and size lead many to believe he’ll, more than likely, wind up being a guard at the pro level for the duration of his career. Johnson is seen as more athletic and a more polished NFL-ready tackle.
While it’s also quite possible that Skoronski will be drafted first and before the Birds are on the clock to remove any temptation, no one should be shocked if both were available and Philly went with Johnson at ten. Heck, if they believe he’s a ten-year starter, no one should complain in the slightest.
Dawand Jones, Ohio State – A nice consolation prize late in Round 1
Here’s one of the most complimentary statements we have heard about Dawand Jones recently. Pro Football Focus’s Mike Renner was recently quoted as saying “If you have a mobile quarterback, this is the guy you want at right tackle”. Truer words have never been spoken.
Dawand Jones is massive. He’s six-foot-eight and tips the scales at 374 pounds. His arms are almost a full five inches longer than Peter Skoronski’s, and here’s where the rubber meets the proverbial road. Most believe Dawand Jones will be available when the Eagles are on the clock at 30.
Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
Raise your hand if you have heard that Tyree Wilson might actually be available at the tenth overall selection. Keep those hands up if you believe that actually might happen.
Yep, that’s what we thought.
Maybe we’re overthinking things or letting our imaginations run wild. After all, we have seen draft boards and grades where Tyree Wilson has actually ranked ahead of Will Anderson as the class’s top edge rusher. Then, we have seen others where they’re flipped.
It seems unbelievable when you think about it, but with there being less than a week between now and the draft, it seems more realistic now that the Eagles might have a shot at the former Texas Tech Red Raider, especially if there’s a run on quarterbacks during the first nine selections.
Tomorrow, we might feel differently. Today, we feel like there’s a shot, but if Tyree slides to ten, he’s too good to pass up. If by some chance, he is within Philly’s reach, he’ll probably be displaying an Eagles jersey in Kansas City.
Keep in mind the fact, however, that our feelings on this are subject to change by tomorrow or later this afternoon.
