Back in 2023, during the draft, the Philadelphia Eagles were heavy on defense in the first round, with defensive tackle Jalen Carter selected at pick nine and edge rusher Nolan Smith Jr. going 30th, but they could have had a better option to pick from there.
CBS Sports writer Ryan Wilson went through a 2023 redraft in which he first had the Eagles take tight end Tucker Kraft, with Carter no longer available. At pick 30, though, the Eagles decide to pass on Smith and instead pick current Buffalo Bills guard O'Cyrus Torrence.
"(Nolan) Smith has yet to play up to his first-round status, and with questions still at right guard, Torrence would be an easy plug-and-play solution."
Eagles pick O'Cyrus Torrence over Nolan Smith in 2023 redraft
While Smith shows promise, Wilson is 100% right that the young edge rusher has not shown enough to be worthy of a first-round pick. His recent off-field issue regarding his arrest for allegedly driving recklessly and speeding does not help his case for the Eagles to pick him again.
Torrence has at least been a solid starter for the Bills over the last three seasons, as he was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2023. He's played in all 51 games he would be eligible for in a 17-game season and has started 50 of them.
Philly is currently dealing with Tyler Steen at right guard, and while he has done a decent job in one year on the job, there are better options for the position. Torrence has more experience and has been more consistent as a starter over Steen, so it's an update, even if it is a slight upgrade.
Read more: Eagles have "sneaky" candidate to win Rookie of the Year award
The Eagles came out better with the original haul they had than the redraft CBS Sports did. Thankfully, they only got one shot at it and pretty much nailed it.
Add us as a preferred source on Google