The Philadelphia Eagles were close enough to the Lombardi Trophy in 2022 to taste the metal. Although they lost a few pieces on the defensive side of the ball, Howie Roseman did a nice job retooling in the offseason. What do the Eagles’ NFL Draft grades tell us about their chances of repeating as NFC champions in 2023?
Philadelphia Eagles NFL Draft Grades
Round 1, Pick 9: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
Jalen Carter is arguably the best player in the 2023 NFL Draft class. That shouldn’t be surprising, considering he was the best player on a 2021 Georgia defense that produced six first-round picks, including No. 1 overall. He’s unbelievably explosive on the interior, and the worst part about all of this for opposing offensive lines is that Carter’s just getting started as a technician.
Adding him to an Eagles defensive front that already fields Fletcher Cox, Jordan Davis, Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, and Brandon Graham, is a disgusting unit to contend with for NFC East offensive coordinators.
Grade: A+
MORE: FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator (With Trades)
Round 1, Pick 30: Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
How the NFL allowed this to happen is beyond me. Nolan Smith was my second-favorite pass rusher in the class. Howie Roseman apparently wanted the entire front seven from the 2021 Georgia Bulldogs defense because he has drafted four of them over the past two seasons.
Smith is an unbelievable athlete on the edge who fits perfectly into the Eagles’ base front as an outside linebacker. He is also a better run defender than he’s given credit for, much like his new teammate, Haasan Reddick, who Smith has been comped to throughout the process.
The rich continue to get richer.
Grade: A+
Round 3, Pick 65: Tyler Steen, OT, Alabama
Tyler Steen looks great on film. He’s a commanding presence at 6-foot-6, 320 pounds. He carries his weight well and is a very efficient mover for his size. When he keeps things lined up from his feet to his hands, Steen is incredibly impressive. He’ll have a chance to sit and develop behind some great tackles in Philadelphia.
As a developmental player, this was a solid selection.
Grade: B
Round 3, Pick 66: Sydney Brown, S, Illinois
Sydney Brown has been a polarizing prospect, but he’s a physical player from the slot. Although he played there quite a bit, he’ll likely move to the back end a bit in Sean Desai’s defense.
However, Brown’s experience in the slot gives him a ton of versatility, if Philadelphia were to prefer playing Reed Blankenship and Terrell Edmunds on the back end to start the season. Brown’s physical presence makes him a pseudo-linebacker in three-safety looks, and his explosiveness allows him to make up a lot of ground in coverage.
Grade: B+
Round 4, Pick 105: Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
Kelee Ringo may end up a safety convert because of the stiffness in his hips, but he is an intelligent zone coverage defender with unbelievable speed. An added bonus for himself and the Eagles is that he won’t be forced into a starting role immediately.
Grade: A
Round 6, Pick 188: Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford
I’m not sure what the vision is here. Usually, backup quarterbacks are somewhat of a pixilated mirror image of the starter, but Tanner McKee is a much more limited athlete than any of Jalen Hurts, Marcus Mariota, and Ian Book. But McKee has impressive tools as a passer and could eventually become a steady backup.
Grade: C
Round 7, Pick 249: Moro Ojomo, DT, Texas
Moro Ojomo was rated much higher than a seventh-round pick by many, including us here at PFN (116). He has a fantastic frame, and on an Eagles team with a ton of talent on the defensive front, Ojomo can sit and develop in the shadows.
Grade: A
What Were the Eagles’ Biggest Needs Entering the Draft?
- S, LB, DT
Losing out on the C.J. Gardner-Johnson market left Philadlephia’s back end exposed. K’Von Wallace has been a consistently inconsistent player for Philadelphia since he was drafted, and Reed Blankenship is an undrafted rookie who flashed last season but is still far from a sure thing.
Linebacker always seems to be a need for Philadelphia. The organization simply doesn’t value the position. They received decent play from T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White in 2022 and let both walk in free agency. The Eagles could also continue building for life after Fletcher Cox as well.