Eagles Draft Update

Posted: March 26th, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 4 Comments »

The draft is a month away. The Eagles are busy filling holes on the roster with cheap veterans so that they can go into the draft focused on talent and not need. The team is also doing work on prospects, in the form of going to Pro Days and bringing some guys to Philly for visits.

Let’s start with talking about recent moves. Nicholas Morrow, Terrell Edmunds, Rashaad Penny, Justin Evans and Greedy Williams are not being looked at as long term answers. They were signed to cheap deals to give the Eagles potential answers at positions of need. You want those guys in place so that you have the freedom to draft who you want, not who you need.

The Eagles can do what they want at pick 10. Could be a CB or OT. Maybe they take a chance on DT Jalen Carter if he falls that far. Maybe they trade back. I wouldn’t want to trade up, but we can’t ignore that possibility. Howie Roseman may see a player he really wants and think the price is worth it. The Eagles will have the freedom to do what they want.

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PROSPECTS OF INTEREST

Top 30 visits are critical to study. They show which players and positions the Eagles are checking out.

* Visits to Philly *

OT Dawand Jones
OT Paris Johnson
RB Bijan Robinson

DL Lukas Van Ness
DL Jaquelin Roy
DL Brodric Martin
DL Jalen Carter
DL Bryan Bresee

Those last two visits are under the radar. Victor Williams is the one who reported them.

https://twitter.com/LibertyLinePHL/status/1639302934155370497

Now let’s talk about the prospects and why they’re of interest.

OT Dawand Jones – 6-8, 374 – Ohio State

He was an up and down player in 2021, but worked hard in the offseason to fix his game. Jones played with better leverage and better balance this season. That carried over to the Senior Bowl. Jones  faced a variety of rushers and handled them all. He just overwhelmed some with his massive size and crazy length. He has to work hard to play with good pad level. Bending your knees doesn’t come naturally for a guy who is 6-8. Jones keeps those knees bent at the LOS, but he is too upright in space. That’s true for many OL, but is worse when you’re as tall as he is.

Jones will be a starting RT in the NFL. Jeff Stoutland prefers OL that are athletic and/or versatile. Jones is neither. But his size is rare and makes him someone the team might take at pick 30 or if they trade back into the 2nd round. He and Mailata would give the Eagles the biggest OTs in the league. Heck, they might be the biggest pair of OTs in league history.

OT Paris Johnson – 6-6, 313 – Ohio State

Jones was the stud RT for the Buckeyes and Johnson was the study LT.  He played RG prior to 2022. You get a prospect who has the footwork to be a shutdown LT and the run blocking and movement skills to excel at OG. Johnson looks really good on the move and blocks really well in space. We know the Eagles love to have their OL pull and move so he’d be a great fit in that sense. Johnson would offer depth at OG and OT until a starting spot came available. Had 36-inch arms. That’s tremendous for an OT prospect. Has a lot of potential. Will be in the mix at pick 10.

RB Bijan Robinson – 5-11, 215 – Texas

We all know…the Eagles don’t take RBs in the 1st round. That will change someday, possibly this year. I doubt it, but we need to at least discuss the possibility. If the Eagles trade back from 10, Robinson could make some sense.

Robinson is a very talented prospect. Guys of his caliber aren’t available every year. Robinson is an outstanding runner, both in terms of physicality and athleticism. He can work his way through traffice and then burst into the open for a long run. He might be even better as a receiver. And I’m not just talking screens/swings. Robinson can catch the ball down the field. He is an offensive weapon.

It would be fun to see a RB with his talent running behind the Eagles OL.

DL Lukas Van Ness – 6-5, 272 – Iowa

A redshirt sophomore who never started a game, but now will be a 1st round pick. Sounds crazy, but it isn’t. Van Ness has a terrific combination of size and athleticism. He can play DT or DE. Good interior rusher, but also athletic enough to win off the edge. He did lead the team in TFLs and was tied for the sack lead this past season. When he was on the field, Van Ness made things happen. He isn’t just a gifted athlete. He is a disruptive player who has a ton of upside.

The Eagles want a versatile defense that can shift fronts and move guys around. Van Ness would be a good fit. I don’t think he’s worth pick 10, but could be in the mix if they move back.

DL Jaquelin Roy  – 6-3, 305 – LSU

Outstanding run defender. Very powerful upper body. Did 30 reps at the Combine and you can see that in his play. Does a really good job of shedding blocks. Thick build despite not being overly bulky. Good motor. Will hustle and chase the ball. Has okay movement ability, but isn’t special athletically. Can push the pocket. Will pressure the passer at times, but isn’t a playmaker. Playing 2-gap is his strength. Could play in a 1-gap system, but not an ideal fit. Would need to be the NT in that.

The Eagles have good rushers and athletes. They could use guys who specialize in run defense. Roy would fit that bill. I think he’s a Day 2 prospect.

DL Brodric Martin – 6-5, 330 – Western Kentucky

Martin is a 2-gap specialist. He would be a good backup to Jordan Davis. Just watch this clip and  you’ll see why the Eagles are interested.

I think he’ll be a mid-round pick.

DL Jalen Carter – 6-3, 314 – Georgia

The best player in the draft. Special player because of his ability to win with power and athleticsm. Absolutely dominant at times. I spent the fall watching Carter and dreaming of some way the Eagles could get him.

Now that might happen for all the wrong reasons.

Carter is having an awful pre-draft process. Todd McShay wrote back in December that there were character concerns with Carter. A lot of people came to Carter’s defense and said McShay was out of line with spreading generalized comments like that. Without specifics, it came across as rumors and not actual reporting.

Carter was involved in a fatal car crash of a teammate in mid-January. He told the police he wasn’t at the scene and wasn’t involved. The police conducted an investigation and found out his vehicle was at the scene and had been doing 104mph shortly before the other vehicle crashed. They believe the two vehicles were racing, which Carter denies.

He went to the Combine on March 1. He weighed in and had to leave immediately because the police filed charges in the case. It isn’t good when your first job interview is delayed because the police say you lied to them, were involved in a fatal crash and you’re arrested for that.

Georgia held their Pro Day recently, with Carter as the most anticipated workout. He came in 9 pounds overweight. He didn’t do the athletic testing, but did do positional drills. He had a bad day. Carter looked heavy, stiff and winded. When he didn’t work out at the Combine, Carter put all his eggs in one basket…his Pro Day. That was his chance to shine for coaches, scouts and GMs.

Instead, he looked completely unprepared. He wasn’t able to finish the workout. Yikes. The question now isn’t whether he’ll fall in the draft but rather how far. I thought the Eagles had zero chance to get him at 10. Now there is a very real possibility he’s there for the Eagles. The visit to Philly will be critical for Carter. He needs to make the Eagles feel that they can trust him and he’s going to handle his business like a professional.

DL Bryan Bresee – 6-6, 298 – Clemson

He was up and down at Clemson, but talent was never the issue. He had injuries, sickness and other issues that hampered him. His sister died of cancer during the 2022 season. I can’t imagine dealing with that as a college kid.

Bresee was the number one recruit coming out of high school and flashed that ability at Clemson. He just didn’t play to his potential consistently. He had a good workout in Indy and that might make teams more comfortable with spending a 1st round on him. He seems more likely to go in the 20 to 40 range.

Bresee would make a lot of sense for the Eagles based on his size and skill set. He is a good pass rusher, but also strong enough to be a good run defender. You would draft him more on potential than production. His visit will be important for teams to make sure they’re comfortable with him.

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* Special Interest * 

C/G John Michael Schmitz – 6-4, 301 – Minnesota

The Eagles paid close attention to him at his Pro Day workout. He would make a lot of sense for a team that loves good OL prospects. He’s the top ranked center in this draft. He started 35 games over the past four years, all in the middle.

Schmitz is not the same level of athlete as Kelce or Jurgens, but he has good movement skills and is good out in space. Schmitz could be in play at pick 30. He won’t last too long into the second round. He’s coming off a good career and then had an outstanding showing at the Senior Bowl. Schmitz could be good at C or OG. Jurgens is the long term answer at C or RG. The Eagles could add JMS to handle the other spot.

Edge/LB Jose Ramirez – 6-2, 242 – Eastern Michigan

Tony Pauline reports the Eagles are showing a lot of interest in Ramirez. He’s got tweener size, but would be fine for the Eagles. Very similar to Haason Reddick. Ramirez was highly productive at Eastern Michigan, racking up 12 sacks and 2 FFs in 2022. He had a great showing at the Combine. Ramirez had the speed, explosion and agility to be a good pass rusher in the NFL. He should go in the 3rd or 4th round.

The Eagles don’t need starting edge rushers, but adding someone like Ramirez in the middle rounds would make sense. Brandon Graham is back for 2023, but we don’t know about the future. It would be great to have someone who could backup Reddick, especially if they have a similar build and skill set.

DL Viliami Fehoko – 6-3, 282 – San Jose State

The Eagles had scout Brandon Myers run the positional workout for Fehoko. It is no surprise they are interested in Fehoko. He is a versatile, productive pass rusher.

https://twitter.com/TuasRevenge/status/1640011212615487490

Fehoko has a great motor. He might be the most relentless pass rusher in the draft. I think he’ll be a mid-round prospect.

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Misc Thoughts

This is not a great LB class. There isn’t anyone that jumps out at me. Jack Campbell from Iowa is the best MLB. He would require an early to mid-2nd round pick and I’m not sure if he’s what the Eagles want. Heck, I’m not sure what the Eagles want.

Noah Sewell from Oregon is intriguing. He’s 6-1, 246 and has some athleticism. He had to learn a new scheme in 2022 and his play suffered. You see flashes from him where he looks really good.

Dorian Williams from Tulane is undersized, but fun to watch. He’s 6-1, 228 and shows a lot of potential.

He’s athletic enough for WLB and might be physical enough for MLB. Interesting mid-round prospect.

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I love the RB class. Evan Hull might be my favorite player in the draft. He’s not a great prospect, but he’s a lot of fun to study and is just an interesting player. Hull had a great senior year, a great Senior Bowl and a strong showing at the Combine.

https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1563591268373909507

He’ll be a mid to late-round pick. I won’t be surprised if he has a long career, even if he doesn’t become a star.

Zach Charbonnet would be a great addition to the Eagles. He only weighed 214 pounds at the Combine. I think he played in the 220’s, but he wanted to run fast so he dropped a few pounds. I expect him to be a 2nd round pick. The Eagles would either have to move back from 30 or up from their 2nd round spot to get him. Good combination of size, strength and speed.

I could list name after name of guys who make sense for the Eagles. They should have a lot of options. I hope they are able to get one of the RBs so the offense has another weapon.

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4 Comments on “Eagles Draft Update”

  1. 1 Eagles News: Trade for Jeffery Simmons? - Camel News said at 10:30 AM on March 27th, 2023:

    […] Eagles Draft Update – Iggles BlitzDL Lukas Van Ness – 6-5, 272 – Iowa. A redshirt sophomore who by no means began a sport, however now shall be a 1st spherical decide. Sounds loopy, but it surely isn’t. Van Ness has a terrific mixture of dimension and athleticism. He can play DT or DE. Good inside rusher, but additionally athletic sufficient to win off the sting. He did lead the crew in TFLs and was tied for the sack lead this previous season. When he was on the sphere, Van Ness made issues occur. He isn’t only a gifted athlete. He’s a disruptive participant who has a ton of upside. The Eagles desire a versatile protection that may shift fronts and transfer guys round. Van Ness could be an excellent match. I don’t assume he’s value decide 10, however may very well be within the combine in the event that they transfer again. […]

  2. 2 Eagles Information: Business in prefer of Jeffrey Simmons? - uuldesign said at 11:17 AM on March 27th, 2023:

    […] Al-Nusour Mission Replace – Eagles BlitzDL Lucas Van Ness — 6-5, 272 — Iowa. A redshirt sophomore who by no means began a recreation, however would now be a first-round select. It sounds loopy, however it is not. Van Ness has an ideal aggregate of measurement and sportiness. He can play DT or DE. A excellent inside of rush, but additionally athletic sufficient to win over the brink. He led the group in TFLs and used to be tied for the sack lead remaining season. When he used to be at the box, Van Ness made issues occur. He isn’t only a gifted athlete. He’s a disruptive participant who has a large number of difficulties. The Eagles desire a flexible protection that may exchange up fronts and transfer avid gamers round. Van Ness can be a excellent are compatible. I don’t believe it merits to pick out 10, however it might be within the combine if they arrive again. […]

  3. 3 The Linc – Trade for Jeffery Simmons? - Balance Sportscast said at 2:06 PM on March 27th, 2023:

    […] Eagles Draft Update – Iggles BlitzDL Lukas Van Ness – 6-5, 272 – Iowa. A redshirt sophomore who never started a game, but now will be a 1st round pick. Sounds crazy, but it isn’t. Van Ness has a terrific combination of size and athleticism. He can play DT or DE. Good interior rusher, but also athletic enough to win off the edge. He did lead the team in TFLs and was tied for the sack lead this past season. When he was on the field, Van Ness made things happen. He isn’t just a gifted athlete. He is a disruptive player who has a ton of upside. The Eagles want a versatile defense that can shift fronts and move guys around. Van Ness would be a good fit. I don’t think he’s worth pick 10, but could be in the mix if they move back. […]

  4. 4 Eagles News: Trade for Jeffery Simmons? – Bleeding Green Nation | WE TALK SPORTS EVERYDAY said at 11:45 PM on March 28th, 2023:

    […] late last week, the Eagles have some additional money under the cap to get that done. Grade: BEagles Draft Update – Iggles BlitzDL Lukas Van Ness – 6-5, 272 – Iowa. A redshirt sophomore who never started a game, but now will […]