Eagles 2023 draft class: Every prospect’s best assets, areas of opportunity
Bravo! We’re going to be honest with you. Perhaps some of you feel the same way. If we have ever walked out of an NFL Draft feeling as positive as we do now, we honestly couldn’t tell you when that was. Maybe it has happened. Maybe it hasn’t, but the Philadelphia Eagles 2023 draft class is getting a ton of attention, and rightfully so.
Had the festivities ended after Thursday night, most of us would have been satisfied if Philly had simply exited the selection meeting with Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith, but as you know, Howie Roseman wasn’t done.
After walking into the proceedings, he worked his magic, traveled around the board, and somehow, added a pick along the line. Philly left Kansas City with seven new Birds. That number swells to eight if you include the trade that landed D’Andre Swift.
Again, this is an impressive draft class filled with a ton of potential. They’re raw in some areas. That’s okay. They’re rookies, but that’s why teams employ position coaches and three coordinators. We trust this Eagles staff to get them where they need to go.
As you’d expect with every Eagles rookie, there are areas where their position coaches can accentuate the positives and help them grow.
We’ve talked to a ton of scouts. We have watched a ton of NCAA football recently, especially games that included the Georgia Bulldogs. Maybe we’re biased, but we give every prospect on this list a passing grade. Here’s where they already seem to excel and where they can stand to improve.
Jalen Carter, defensive tackle
Strengths
- Explodes at the snap
- Elite first step and swim move
- Stays patient until determines which gap to attack (then he hits it)
- Upper and lower body work together flawlessly
- Almost impossible to redirect once he establishes leverage
Weaknesses
- Slightly smaller body type for a defensive tackle
- Can be bullied when engaged with larger offensive linemen
- Pass-rushing moves could use some diversity
- Questions about maturity/work ethic
Nolan Smith, EDGE
Strengths
- Elite speed and quickness
- Fantastic first step
- Rare strength and leverage for a man his size
- The ability to track the football is off the charts
- Nice bend and it can get better
Weaknesses
- May need more mass to survive the grind of a 17-game season
- Speed doesn’t necessarily translate to power
- Can be neutralized by elite protection
- Sometimes takes plays off and relies on teammates to make them
Tyler Steen, guard
Strengths
- Explodes out of the snap
- Above-average lateral quickness
- Almost always sustains blocks
- Excellent feet
- Uses length well
Weaknesses
- Sometimes stands vertically and loses power
- Sometimes leans too often and loses control
- At times grows impatient and lunges
- Doesn’t always redirect defenders as needed
- Could use work as a second-level blocker
Sydney Brown, safety
Strengths
- Zero character questions
- Nose for the football
- Covers tight ends fairly well
- Creates a lot of turnovers
- High football IQ
- Plays well in ‘the box’
Weaknesses
- Average cover skills at best
- Stiff at times and doesn’t change direction well
- Tight hips at times
- Misses more tackles than you would like from a safety
Kelee Ringo, cornerback
Strengths
- Nice muscle mass, isn’t going to be bullied
- Nice balance
- Plays zone coverage well
- Will excel as a press corner
- Isn’t bullied by blocks
- Lacks some initial burst but recovers well
- Excellent tackler, elite speed
Weaknesses
- Questions about desire/work ethic
- Lack of patience against release leads to early hip declarations
- Can be taken advantage of during QB scramble drills
- Lacks some lateral quickness
- At times, struggles with deep ball coverage
- Commits a lot of penalties when beaten
Tanner McKee, quarterback
Strengths
- Prototypical size
- Release time continues to improve with experience
- Excellent spiral
- Doesn’t lose velocity on more difficult throws
- High football IQ
Weaknesses
- Throws too many interceptions in crisis
- Some inconsistency in ball placement
- Stationary target, lacks mobility
- Doesn’t make a ton of off-schedule plays
Moro Ojomo, defensive tackle
Strengths
- Tons of experience, a three-year starter.
- Plays to the whistle, high motor
- Violent hands
- Nice power for a smaller defensive tackle
- Nice array of moves
Weaknesses
- Tighter hips than you would think a smaller DT has
- Sometimes relies too much on the same repertoire of moves
- Can be bullied when forced to move laterally
- Doesn’t explode out of rush, often late off of the snap
Final thoughts: Philadelphia Eagles fans should be confident and are probably getting some solid nights of sleep with this draft class. Thanks to Howie Roseman and his team’s efforts, Philly addressed every need they had when walking into the NFL Draft.
There’s work to be done. Again, that’s okay and to be expected with rookies, but from where we’re sitting and based on everything that we’re seeing, Eagles fans should be very excited about this group’s future. As they grow up and continue to mature, they’re going to be fun to watch for a while
