Eagles-Only Mock Draft Post-Free Agency

Apr 6, 2023

With the NFL Draft less than three weeks away, the Philadelphia Eagles’ focus is now on using their 30 allotted pre-draft visits to decide who they are going to select at the end of April. Howie Roseman is undoubtedly going to move around the draft board in real life, but for the sake of this article let’s take a stab at players the Eagles could be interested in at each of their six current draft slots:

Round 1, Pick 10: Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia

This draft is extremely deep at pass rusher, both from the interior and the edge, which of course is music to Howie Roseman’s ears. I think the Eagles are going to be very interested in trading down from this spot, both for the reason just stated plus their very small amount of draft capital beyond the first two rounds. If they decide to stick and pick, Nolan Smith is someone I think is both likely to be there at pick 10 and someone I think the Eagles will love. The college production admittedly will not wow you, but he played on defenses absolutely loaded with defensive talent (including Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean in 2021), and this past season was cut short due to a torn pec. Athletically, Smith is an absolute specimen, falling in at least the 95th percentile in all of the speed and jumping drills. 4.39 speed off the edge is almost unheard of. His smaller frame will scare some teams off (6’2”, 238 pounds), but his measurables (and play style) are actually very comparable to those of Haason Reddick (6’1”, 240 pounds). Yes, the Eagles already have two very good speed rushers in Reddick and Josh Sweat, but beyond that, Brandon Graham is 35 years old and they need depth in the pass-rush rotation regardless. Smith can be eased into the rotation in Philadelphia and would create a terrifying quartet of edge rushers for 2023, with the chance to take on a larger role in the years to come.

Round 1, Pick 30: Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State

Jones is a mammoth of a human being at 6’8”, 374 pounds who helped form a dominant tackle duo at Ohio State last year with Paris Johnson Jr., who is probably going in the top 15 picks. Jones is not quite as NFL-ready, as the agility and quickness are still a work-in-progress, but as you might expect he is a mauler in the run game and power rushers are practically useless when they line up against him, as Jones wins literally any strength vs. strength battle. This would be a bit of a “boring” pick, per se, but Jones can be a reserve tackle (and possibly guard as well) in the short-term while Jeff Stoutland molds him into Lane Johnson’s eventual replacement at right tackle. The Eagles are not afraid to play the long game with early-drafted offensive linemen (i.e. Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens). Do not be surprised at all if they do it again.

Round 2, Pick 62: Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M

Johnson is a really well-rounded safety prospect who I actually think has a fairly similar skillset to C.J. Gardner-Johnson, in that he plays physical and can line up at slot corner as well. The main difference is that Johnson’s lack of high-end speed can sometimes make him a liability as a deep safety or against faster receivers, but he is always around the ball and was a super productive player in the SEC. The Eagles need both talent and depth at safety, and Johnson is maybe the most talented true safety in the class. Let Sean Desai figure out how to use him.

Round 3, Pick 94: Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati

Scott is an intriguing but unpolished receiver, in that he is extremely effective as both a vertical threat and gadget player, as well as a very good athlete, but needs to polish his route tree if he wants to become a full-time starter. Wide receiver is an underrated need for the Eagles, in my opinion. At absolute minimum they need to give Quez Watkins some competition for the starting slot receiver role. He was a disaster last year who cost the Eagles in several critical moments throughout the season, including during the Super Bowl. Scott can come in with a similar play style and challenge Watkins for a starting job during training camp. At worst, he will be depth during his rookie season with a likely clear path to become the team’s WR3 in 2024 and beyond if the coaching staff can develop him.

Round 7, Pick 219: Mohamed Ibrahim, RB, Minnesota

Ibrahim runs like a bowling ball and had a very productive career at Minnesota, but as an NFL prospect he has several red flags. He turns 25 years old in September at a position with a short shelf life, he had very heavy usage in college (867 carries, including 302 last year), he offers basically nothing as a pass-catcher, and he has already sustained one serious injury (torn achilles in 2021). All of those factors are likely to drop Ibrahim towards the end of Day 3, but it says something that he is still viewed as a draftable player despite all of those concerns. The Eagles have longed for an impactful short-yardage power back, and I think Mo can be a very effective situational player behind this elite offensive line.

Round 7, Pick 248: Jake Haener, QB, Fresno State

Haener’s physical traits and arm strength leave a lot to be desired, but he is a smart and productive player who the Eagles can develop behind the scenes as QB3 and perhaps a long-term QB2. He gives me some of the same vibes as Bailey Zappe, who already arguably looks better than Mac Jones in New England. I think the Eagles should be looking for someone to develop that is more interesting than Ian Book.

Eagles-Only Mock Draft Post-Free Agency

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