The 2023 NFL Draft gets underway this weekend.
NFL rules allow a team to host up to 30 prospects for a pre-draft visit to their facility, but it doesn’t always mean that the team is high on the prospects they bring in. Some teams use the visits to create the illusion of interest, while others want medical examinations and information with their own doctors and training staff (team doctors and trainers are permitted to perform their own medical evaluations of the players).
Only 26 of the 30 visits the Eagles had allocated to them are officially known.
The Eagles ended up drafting/signing 6 of the 30 players they brought in for the 2020 Draft, so these visits are somewhat of an indicator of what Howie Roseman is interested in. The 2021 pre-draft info was murky do to COVID-19 restricting in-person meetings. Last year the Eagles drafted two of the 24 players we knew that visited the facility. Without further ado, here are the top-30 visits the Eagles conducted:
Georgia DT Jalen Carter (source)
Projection: Top-10 overall pick
Notes: Carter would be the heir apparent to Fletcher Cox, who in the prime of his career was able to rush the QB consistently and was a solid run defender as well. Howie might trade up to ensure his trenches stay elite.
Northwestern T Peter Skoronski (source)
Projection: Top-15 overall pick
Notes: You can ever have too many offensive lineman, especially with a $255 Million QB you want to keep healthy. If the Birds drafted Skronski he would likely slot right in at RG right away and allow Cam Jurgens to continue studying behind Jason Kelce since he’d likely take over that position in 2024.
Ohio State T Paris Johnson (source)
Projection: Top-15 overall pick
Notes: Johnson and Skronski are the top-two tackles in this draft. Even though Lane Johnson is still playing at a high level, he is coming off of a torn groin and had a “collapsed ankle” just a few years ago. It’s better to have a replacement handy so the offensive line doesn’t have any holes if a lineman or two gets injured.
Georgia DE Nolan Smith (source)
Projection: 1st Round pick
Notes: Arguably the 2nd-best pass rusher in this draft, Smith would provide a big boost for the d-line. He would allow the Birds to have a healthy rotation of pass rushers by joining Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, and Derek Barnett (plus Haason Reddick rushing as the SAM linebacker)
Iowa DE Lukas Van Ness (source)
Projection: 1st Round pick
Notes: LVN is likely the biggest question mark in this draft. He has high-risk but high-reward abilities. He is versatile by being able to rush the passer on the inside and the outside of the d-line, which could be a big help for this Eagles defense.
Texas RB Bijan Robinson (source)
Projection: 1st Round pick
Notes: Drafting Robinson would ensure the Eagles offense would have zero question marks heading into 2023, and would likely make them the unquestioned best offense in the NFL. The Birds haven’t drafted a RB in the 1st round since 1986, but this might finally be the year that Howie Roseman pulls the trigger…
Maryland CB Deonte Banks (source)
Projection: 1st Round pick
Notes: Banks received the best athleticism score at the combine at his position. He ran a 4.35 40-yard-dash and has a 42 inch vertical jump.
Tennessee OT Darnell Wright (source)
Projection: 1st Round pick
Notes: most of his experience in college is at RT and RG, but did spend 2021 as a LT. If he falls into round 2 he’d be a potential grab for the Birds.
Alabama DB Brian Branch (source)
Projection: 1st-2nd Round pick
Notes: This is the target most Eagles fans want with the 30th overall pick. The Eagles are in desperate need of a reliable safety with just Reed Blankenship and Terrell Edmunds currently on the roster. Branch might be a Week 1 starter if the Eagles selected him.
Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes (source)
Projection: 1st-2nd Round pick
The Eagles are set at CB with Darius Slay, James Bradberry, and Avonte Maddox, but they aren’t young. It might be wise to start planning for the future and have Forbes learn from some of the best CBs in the NFL.
Michigan DT Mazi Smith (source)
Projection: 1st-2nd Round pick
Notes: Smith could be move if Howie passes on Jalen Carter and if he trades the 30th overall pick to gain another 2nd round pick. Smith ways the same as Jordan Davis (335lbs) and only had 0.5 sacks in his college career. So he’d likely be a run stuffer like Davis, and could help replace Linval Joseph.
Ohio State T Dawand Jones (source)
Projection: 1st-2nd Round pick
Notes: Jones would be a nice grab with their 30th pick or if he is still available if they decide to trade back to grab an early 2nd-rounder. The Eagles could decide to skip Skronski/Johnson and use their high draft pick on a different position. But it’s a foregone conclusion they will be drafting at least one offensive lineman.
Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. (source)
Projection: 1st-2nd Round pick
Notes: Devon Witherspoon and Christian Gonzalez are the consensus #1 and #2 CBs in this draft, but most experts have Porter Jr. as #3. The Eagles did homework on a lot of cornerbacks so it’s likely the draft at least one in this draft, it just depends on if it’s a top pick or a later pick.
Georgia CB Kelee Ringo (source)
Projection: 1st-2nd Round pick
Notes: Ringo has the ideal CB size (6’2) and ran a 4.36 40-yard-dash at the combine. He’s also just 20 years old and will have time to learn behind Slay and Bradberry before being thrown into game action.
Iowa State DE Will McDonald IV (source)
Projection: 2nd Round pick
Notes: McDonald had 34.0 sacks in his college career. He is likely best used in a 3-4 OLB role, but could be used as a pure pass rusher or maybe even a backup SAM to Haason Reddick
LSU DE B.J. Ojulari (source)
Projection: 2nd-3rd Round pick
Notes: Ojulari is purely a pass rusher and doesn’t have much run-stopping ability. He had 16.5 sacks in three years and could be a solid backup for Haason Reddick or even rotate on the edges.
Utah OL Braeden Daniels (source)
Projection: 4th Round pick
Notes: The Eagles love versatile offensive lineman and Daniels fits that role, as he can play both guard and tackle in the NFL.
Kansas State CB Julius Brents (source)
Projection: 2nd Round pick
Notes: He’s a huge CB (6’3) and has the ability to switch to safety in the NFL. If the Eagles miss out on Branch then Brents could be the next-best option.
UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (source)
Projection: 5th-6th Round pick
The Eagles are set this year with Jalen Hurts and Marcus Mariota, but Mariota will likely only be here for one season. It might be worth taking a flyer on DTR since he has a similar playing style to Hurts.
Oklahoma State S Jason Taylor (source)
Projection: 4th Round pick
Notes: Taylor might be the Day 3 pick fans love if the Birds select him. He is a big-hitter safety and is also likely to be a special teams ace in the NFL (which the Eagles didn’t have for most of last season).
Baylor DT Siaki Ika (source)
Projection: 4th Round
Notes: Ika projects to be a key run stuffer in the NFL. If the Eagles drafted him then the combination of Ika and Jordan Davis would eat up 3-4 offensive lineman and allow all other defenders to find the ball carrier.
LSU DT Jaquelin Roy (source)
Projection: 4th-5th Round pick
Notes: Roy didn’t get a lot of starting experience in college, so he’d likely be a project to develop and make take a year or two before seeing what he brings to the table.
Florida DT Gervon Dexter (source)
Projection: 4th-5th Round pick
Notes: Like Roy, Dexter is a project that needs more coaching to discover what he can and can’t do at the next level.
Western Kentucky DT Brodric Martin (source)
Projection: 5th-6th Round pick
Notes: projected to be a NT, so would likely be a backup to Jordan Davis.
Western Kentucky CB Kahlef Hailassie
Projection: 5th-6th Round pick
Notes: only got two years of starting experience in college, but ended up with 4 interceptions and 15 passes defended. He could be an interesting day 3 pick with the Eagles set at CB but need a young stud to develop.
Louisville T Trevor Reid (source)
Projection: 7th Round/UDFA
Notes: The Eagles will likely wait and hope that Reid isn’t drafted by other teams and then give him a big bonus to sign on as a UDFA.
*All photos vis each school's respective athletics department*
