| DT | ED | RB | CB | SAF | IOL | OT | WR | QB | TE | LB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1-early | Jalen Carter | Will Anderson NOLAN SMITH | CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ DEVON WITHERSPOON | Jaxon Smith-Njigba* Quentin Johnston | CJ Stroud Anthony Richardson Bryce Young | ||||||
| R1-late | Keeanu Benton | F. ANUDIKE-UZOMAH TYREE WILSON | Bijan Robinson | Emmanuel Forbes Joey Porter Jr Cam Smith | O’Cyrus Torrence | DARNELL WRIGHT Broderick Jones Dawand Jones | Marvin Mims Jordan Addison Zay Flowers | DARNELL WASHINGTON | DREW SANDERS | ||
| R2 | Gervon Dexter Byron Young | Derick Hall Myles Murphy | Zach Charbonnet Jahmyr Gibbs | Garrett Williams | Sydney Brown Chris Smith II | Paris Johnson Anton Harrison | AT Perry Josh Downs | Michael Mayer | Trenton Simpson | ||
| R3 | Kobie Turner Bryan Bresee Keondre Coburn | Dylan Horton Adetomiwa Adebawore | Tank Bigsby Kendre Miller | Eli Ricks Kelee Ring | Brian Branch JL Skinner | Emil Ekiyor Cooper Beebe | Matthew Bergeron | XAVIER HUTCHINSON | Luke Musgrave Dalton Kincaid | Dorian Williams Demarvion Overshown | |
| R4 | Moro Ojomo Siaki Ika Zacch Pickens | Keion White Mike Morris | Kenny McIntosh Eric Gray | Clark Phillips Jaylon Jones | Andrew Vorhees | Rashee Rice Trey Palmer | Jaren Hall | ||||
| R5 | Jaquelin Roy | Zach Evans | DJ Turner | Akeem Dent | Kadeem Telfort | ||||||
| R6-7 | Jermayne Lole Jer’Zhan Newton | Eric Garror | Quindell Johnson | McClendon Curtis | Rakim Jarrett | ||||||
| TBD | Karl Brooks | Julius Brents Deonte Banks | Carter Warren | Antwane Wells |
Player Notes
Defensive Line
Bryan Bresee, DT Clemson – Started watching as he is often the top-rated DL available if the Eagles miss on Carter, Murphy, Will. Really good first step. Just way too inconsistent for me, rarely got off double teams. I’m nowhere near as high on him as most.
Keondre Coburn, Texas – So much focus on Sikai Ika but Keondre is better, particularly in pass rush (23.7% true pass set win rate vs. Ika’s 12.7%). It shows up on film as he consistently pushes the pocket more. Older prospect (I believe he will be 23 his rookie season) and Coburn doesn’t have the length you would want, but for teams needing a NT, he is interesting.
Kobie Turner, Wake Forest – Has a Javon-like build and fits in a 0 through 3 tech. Consistent effort with good pressure rate (15.0% true pass set win rate) and really strong run defender (11.5% run stop rate). Older prospect that will push him down boards. Almost went to school for music so Eagles could get a DL Christmas album with Kobie and JD.
Zacch Pickens, South Carolina – Just don’t see much explosiveness or power. Shut out vs. UGA and a mediocre 16.7% pass rush win rate and 6.2% run stop rate.
Moro Ojomo, Texas – I like Moro more than I probably should. He plays mostly interior but not sure he has the size/power to do so in the NFL, doesn’t handle doubles at all. But also not quick enough on the EDGE. Not a fit for the Eagles as he is probably only a one-gap defender. Love him as a leader (go look up his comments on Texas culture and the young players).
Jaquelin Roy, DT LSU – Good anchor, didn’t see many multi-gap examples.
Jermayne Lole, DT Louisville – A bit of a risk, but he previously had top-50 potential. Missed almost the entire last two seasons with injuries but in 2020 he had a 15% run stop rate and 24% true pass set win rate at ASU. I liked him a lot in 2020.
Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois – Watched him because many are talking about him being a big riser. Plays hard, doesn’t give up on plays, but I watched Michigan where he recorded 2 pressures and 4 run stops. I see the run value as he can hold up at the LOS and shed, but I didn’t see much ability to pressure.
Ruke Orhorhoro, DT Clemson – 6’4″ 295 and plays NT to DE. Good speed for his size, good run defender. One of few guys beyond Carter I like vs. the run and pass rush. If he really is a later day 2 guy, he is really good value.
Tyler Davis, DT Clemson – Will fall due to injuries and length, Clemson’s best run defender and underrated as pass rusher (20.3% TPS win rate). Doesn’t have quick initial burst but rarely driven backwards. Gets turned sideways at line too often.
Edge
Tyree Wilson, Clemson – While he has flexibility across the line, I like him as an edge where you see him get more penetration, gets hung up on leverage inside sometimes. He covers a ton of ground quickly – he looks like a LB in pursuit and you can’t leave him unblocked on the backside. Amazing in run defense, he swallows up any rusher in his area due to his ability to cover ground and length – he is like a shutdown corner, outside runs to his side just don’t work. Needs to get stronger as he wins on speed and leverage. He has gotten more popular in Philly mocks as the Saints pick dropped, but he is not a consolation prize, probably my EDGE2 over Myles.
Draft Profile: https://phillycovercorner.com/2023/01/wagerwire-report-dl-tyree-wilson-draft-profile/
Nolan Smith, Georgia – One of my favorites in this class. Smaller in the Reddick play style, but way too many have him too low. 30% true pass set win rate and a best in this class 21% run stop rate, he is a guy I like more every time I watch him.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas St – 2nd watch and moved him up. Love his effort, he often reverses and pursues, don’t see him give up on a play. 32% true pass set win rate (Tyree is the only one better in this class). Handles double-teams as well as any in this class (his 4th sack vs. TCU in 2021 was against a triple). Two complaints I think are valid – he doesn’t shed blocks in the run game well enough and while many say he has elite bend, I differ – bend is good, nowhere near elite, usually wins with speed.
Keion White, Georgia Tech – Finally got to Keion and was excited to based on some others’ views. But just didn’t see what I was expecting. Watched the UGA game which is a tough task, but he just wasn’t as explosive as many say. Good effort, doesn’t handle getting caught up in traffic well, had a couple of near pressures outside on Broderick.
Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern – Just didn’t see an ability to win when singled, let alone double-teamed. Stats back it up – 22% true pass set win rate and a 6.9% run stop rate. I like his effort, he just doesn’t get there.
Mike Morris, Michigan – Expected to like him much more than I did – really good size and good win rate, but this is one where the stats don’t match the film. Watched Penn State and was waiting to see him win vs. Fashanu but he didn’t. Good stats but gets shut out vs. better opponents.
Dylan Horton, TCU – Watched him after the college playoffs but watched West Virginia game. Liked him, got consistent push even against doubles. I’m probably fitting this comp a bit but has similarities to Milton Williams. Horton is a bit smaller but has some of the versatility from 3 tech to out side. An ex-safety, Horton is going to test really well with a supposed mid 4.5 40 time and 38 vertical. 21% win rate and 10% run stop rate, so some bet he develops. One knock may be his age (think he will be 23). He isn’t really late breakout but for context Milton is 23 right now in his 2nd pro season.
Running Back
For RBs I mostly care about athleticism, vision, an ability to generate missed tackles, and create yards after contact. These isolate to a better degree what a back’s value is independent of blocking. Last year’s RBs best at this were Dameon Pierce, Tyler Allegeier, and Kenneth Walker, who are probably the 3 best rookie backs.
Zach Charbonnet, UCLA – Best contact balance in this class, breaks a ton of tackles, one of few backs with good size in this class, good but underused receiver, and blocks well. Issue is he lacks initial burst – once he gets moving he is great. Not tremendously different stats (size, yards after contact) than Dameon Pierce and both lack initial quickness, so he can be very good. I keep coming back to him.
Tank Bigsby, Auburn – One of the better in this class with an ability to immediately change direction. He is a good contrast to Zach Evans (next) when you watch vs. Alabama. Neither had great blocking but Tank was able to create on his own to a much bigger degree. 75% of his rushing yards this year came after contact, highest in this class. Decent blocker most of the time.
Zach Evans, Ole Miss – One I will be lower on than most. I actually watched him twice because of how much I differed from consensus and actually dropped him more after the second watch. If you watch highlights, you will love him, but I don’t see him creating on plays not blocked well. Doesn’t generate a ton of missed tackles (24%) and vs. the better run defenses (Alabama, Kentucky) you see his inability to create. Didn’t see a lot of great block reps. Also has a 1.7% career fumble rate (and 2% in 2022) which is a big concern Much better options as day 2 is loaded with backs this year.
Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama – Like Zach above, I re-watched Gibbs and ended up lowering him. Watch Tennessee – statistically a great game going 23/103 and he was good. Once in space he can make people miss but he doesn’t break tackles and doesn’t create often enough (25% missed tackle rate, 12th in this class, and 55% of yards after contact which is 15th in this class). Really good vision seeing blocks, very good in passing game. He is very good, I just don’t think he is R1 and I worry on his size. It will be interesting to see how teams view him vs. Corum who is similar in not breaking tackles but much shiftier to me (and a better blocker). Gibbs will go higher than I have him, think he would be great on the Eagles where they have a good line and would get him in space.
Kendre Miller, TCU – He seems to either get taken down early or breaks one in space, like Jahmyr he is more of a boom-or-bust back. Good ability to force misses but needs to get moving first. Would be a good fit on the Eagles where backs get initial holes.
Kenny McIntosh, UGA – May be best pass catcher in this class. Patient at LOS and sets blocks up well. Underrated acceleration and ability to stop/restart. Average contact balance, needs to avoid tackles more than break them or carry a pile (one of lower YCO in this group), too often taken down on first contact.
Blake Corum, Michigan – More of a miss tackle than break tackle back but he is elite at making people miss. Often doesn’t escape first contact but will be explosive. Another back this year where it depends what you want, but he will be a weapon and you cannot ignore the numbers he put up this year in the Big 10.
UPDATE: Corum announced he is returning to school
Cornerbacks
Christian Gonzalez, Oregon – Stays with receivers both downfield and in breaks. Good footwork, agility, hips. Would like to see more physicality in press. Does not shed blocks well. Sometimes takes bad angles / falls for mis-directions. Was my CB1 until I watched more and got to Cam Smith.
Devon Witherspoon, Illinois – I’m alone here but Devon is my favorite CB in this class. Last year after Sauce, my guy was McDuffie and they have similarities. Plays tight coverage, very physical and confident to the point it leads to penalties. His DPI penalties are usually at catch point, not grabbing in routes as getting beat. Menace in run game, best in this class. Need to see more on his long speed, no question on short agility.
Draft Profile: https://phillycovercorner.com/2022/11/draft-profile-if-the-eagles-want-a-cb-in-2023-devon-witherspoon-is-who-they-should-target/
Cam Smith, South Carolina – Along with Witherspoon, the best and most willing tackler in this class. Stays connected with receivers, good COD.
Kelee Ringo, UGA – I’ve written plenty on him and don’t want to repeat too much. To sum up as best as I can – Kelee has great size and athleticism that teams will want, but his short-area change of direction is not great. CBs have one of the highest bust rates high in the draft and I think while Kelee has great upside (which probably needs the right system), he also carries high risk. Different players, but he could be a Trevon Diggs (who went in the 2nd and brings great value with some gaps) or he could be a Sidney Jones (another highly thought of, athletic CB that suffered from short-area agility even before his injury). Am I saying he will be bad? Absolutely not. Would I feel comfortable taking him high? No. Are there CBs at the top of this draft that I think will have better pro careers? Yes. And 3-4 of them carry more certainty in the pros.
Emmanuel Forbes, Miss St – Really like Forbes, has both the speed and burst needed. Really good play recognition and plays the run very well (best run stop rate among CBs in this class). 14 INTs over 3 seasons and the 2nd best rate of getting hands on targets behind Witherspoon. Will overplay and bite on double moves, but think Gannon’s zone-heavy scheme would be a great fit for Forbes.
Jaylon Jones, Texas A&M – I just don’t see the explosiveness or speed. I have soured on tall CBs a bit – it’s why Sauce was so unique, he had the twitch and explosion of a small guy. So many people talk about Jones’s speed, but it just doesn’t show on film. It will be interesting to see him test, I don’t think it will be great.
Clark Phillips, Utah – This feels like a hot take which it isn’t but I am just so far off of what most think here. For corners I value change of direction, stickiness in routes, and tackling more than most. In the games I watched Phillips is a completely unwilling tackler – his 28% missed tackle rate (and overall low tackle numbers) shows up. Don’t see the hype on coverage – undersized, plays off and I don’t consistently see the ability to close and disrupt at catch point enough. He has the interceptions which gets him the hype, but INTs are not a stable metric. I don’t get it.
DJ Turner, Michigan – Love his effort, better zone corner than man, just don’t see the explosiveness to play slot or keep up with deep speed.
Riley Moss, Iowa – Stuck with WRs near goal line better than open field where he gave a lot of cushion. Questionable closing speed and doesn’t get hands on ball much. Another corner that is getting some hype and has some nice stats on YAC and run stops, but I don’t see him as a prospect.
Eric Garror, Louisiana – Small (5’9″ 175) with traits, he brings kick return value with a 14.0 punt return average with 2 return TDs in 2022. Longshot for being an actual slot corner but late in the draft he is worth a pick.
Safety
Chris Smith II, UGA – Last year Lewis Cine was one of my favorite players and UGA safeties and there is similarity (except Cine was a much bigger hitter) on how they play. Smith plays single to two deep 70% of the time, has good instincts and comes in well (2nd best adj run stop in this class at 7.5%). Gets his hands on the ball 20% of the time, only behind Nubin. The more I watch Smith, the more I like him – he is my favorite safety in the class right now with Nubin returning.
Draft Profile: https://phillycovercorner.com/2022/12/wagerwire-draft-profile-georgia-safety-chris-smith-ii/
JL Skinner, Boise St – I hear more variations on Skinner than almost any other guy in this draft. Some think he is good deep, others only in… some think he is good in run support, others awful. It’s weird. I watched what I watched and to me, he is impactful in the run game. I don’t know if he is good as a deep safety – he aligns deep only a quarter of the time. While he has some closing speed, I am not sure he will have the speed for playing deep.
Tyler Nubin, Minnesota – Love Nubin. Good size, plays deep 60% of snaps but still impactful in run game (highest adjusted run stop rate in this class at 8.4%). Gets his hands on the ball a lot with a 17% forced incompletion rate and 4 INTs. Good closing speed downhill, couple of examples of bad angles on tackles in 2021 didn’t see as many in 2022 but had one vs. Iowa. Love hearing him talk on the game. UPDATE: RETURNING TO SCHOOL
Quindell Johnson, Memphis – Like his coverage and ball skills (17.5% PBU rate, 3rd in this class) and has good closing from deep. Will take some poor angles and seems hesitant in pursuit. Athleticism flashes at times and then doesn’t – will be interesting to see his testing.
Akeem Dent, FSU – Lot to like, one of the best run stop rates (7.2%) for somebody that plays deep so much (67%). Closes well and #27 always seems to be near the tackle no matter where the play went. Big hitter, but over pursues and ends up in the wrong spot.
Brian Branch, Alabama – Here is another guy I don’t get compared to where people are talking about him (many have him as S1). Depends what you want in a safety – I eval based purely on ability to play in a deep scheme, he plays up on the line mostly. He doesn’t play deep (3% of snaps) and doesn’t have the speed for it, he plays at the line a lot but isn’t a pass rusher. A fit for some, I am not sure i see it for the Eagles.
Interior OL
Andrew Vorhees, USC – Hands are usually wide (outside) on blocks, moves well. 6th year senior which may hurt draft position but from prior look at older picks, OL is the one with no drop-off into pros. Played 4 positions on line in college.
McClendon Curtis, Chattanooga – A giant (6’7″ 340 unofficially) RG that moves surprisingly well. Gave up 0 sacks and only 7 pressures on 375 dropbacks his senior year. Can question his competition but showed well vs. Kentucky in 2021 and Illinois in 2022.
Tackle
Broderick Jones, Georgia – I view all OTs (and most positions) ignoring what they will be day 1 in the NFL – the Eagles rarely play rookies unless they have to and I’d rather look at the upside. He is inconsistent, he leans and is on the ground more than I would like and needs to develop a snatch trap to defend pass rushers arms more, but knowing he would be coached well under Stoutland, I think he is the best potential Lane replacement in this draft.
Paris Johnson, Ohio State – Lowered on a 2nd watch. Like his versatility and while he is athletic, I worry on his lateral quickness and ability to reset. Against Penn St you don’t have to watch too far into the game to get a couple of examples where he was beaten outside (but Stroud got rid of the ball quickly) or where a pass rusher reversed inside and Paris was a bit slow.
Anton Harrison, Oklahoma – On 2nd watch, I just can’t get past his foot speed. In Texas game, just watch the 2nd snap and his pull. Then a couple of plays in the next 6 or 7 where he has to go find blocks in space, he doesn’t get there with any urgency. When the block is in front of him, he does great, but if this is what you want, I’d honestly take Dawand over him. The way the Eagles use tackles, Anton isn’t it.
Darnell Wright, Tennessee – Got bored (in a good way) watching him vs. LSU. Went to Pitt game and similar. Really good keeping his feet moving under him, good independent hands, good but not elite in space. Probably not viewed as high as others ahead of him because he is a RT, although several above him I’m not sure stay at LT or even OT. He should be in the 1st.
Dawand Jones, Ohio State – He was probably the one I kept thinking about because you naturally watch Paris and Dawand together – I kept liking Dawand more. I love giant lineman and tackles specifically, so Dawand has always had my attention. If you want somebody starting right away, Paris may be the guy but if you want to invest some time into Dawand, he is probably the better, higher upside pro. His length is silly and for his size, he moves incredibly well. Great hands, gets off balance too often, but I’m not sure what uncoachable limitation he has that would limit him in the NFL.
Matthew Bergeron, Syracuse – Good size (6’5″ 322lbs) and the movement skills I want. I liked his 2021 and he was so close to being “my guy”, but got concerned when I saw Clemson 2022 where his stats were good (only 1 official pressure allowed while facing Clemson’s DL) but when you watch, he held often (and I’m not talking about “you can call holding on every play” holds, he should have been flagged 5-6 times) and was beaten on speed several times, particularly when he failed to anchor after a deep set. May be a better OG, he’s not a OT.
Kadeem Telfort, UAB – I’m a sucker for big and athletic and that’s Telfort – 6’8″ 330 with good athleticism. Watching Telfort vs. UGA in 2021, he went up against Travon Walker, Adam Anderson, Nolan Smith and looked good (Walker and Smith recorded no pressures that day). He is a project but this is a “trust in Stoutland” pick. Telfort didn’t pick up stunts well and my biggest issue is his hands need to get much better, he just didn’t consistently latch on. Is he an NFL starter? Probably not, but there is something here, especially where he will likely get drafted.
Wide Receiver
Quentin Johnston, TCU – Surprising ability to speed up / slow down and stop / change direction for his size, especially stopping for come back routes which he uses effectively. Many say he doesn’t block – I don’t agree. He isn’t the best blocker, but he does block. Silly 3.21 Y/RR (which would have been better than everybody except Drake London last year) and 8.9 YAC/rec (only Jameson better last year). Better vs. zone than man, but he does get off press (although I didn’t have a ton of film examples of it). Really concerning how he disappears in games.
Jordan Addison, USC – He gets a DeVonta comp which is a good one as he has sneaky speed, really good hands, and runs good routes. But DeVonta was a better prospect. 2.91 Y/RR and 6.6 YAC/rec and a 3.3% drop rate, Addison can line up anywhere and has very good deep speed.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State – Two concerns on Jaxon – first, obviously, is whatever the medical report would be but second, he is not explosive or fast (could be around a 4.6 guy). He produced with good route running and catching everything – he has 10 college TDs vs. 6 drops… In 2021 he had an other-worldly 4.01 Y/RR (helped by his 336 yards in the bowl game vs. Utah but he went over 4 Y/RR five times that season). But I do worry a lot on his explosiveness. There aren’t many examples of guys that hit at that speed – Amon-Rx St. Brown who ran an official 4.61 is one of the outliers.
AT Perry, Wake Forest – This year I keep dropping WRs I liked after re-watching them – Perry is the opposite. Really like the crispness on route moves, especially at his size. I knew he was big but re-checked after watching – he moves extremely well for 6’5″. In Clemson game he was either consistently creating separation or was being held that day. Doesn’t give much after the catch with a puzzling 2.0 YAC/rec – he weirdly often catches and falls down, not sure if he is avoiding hits or what. Needs to be a better effort blocker – vs. FSU you will see several plays where the run isn’t over but he has stopped looking for work.
Zay Flowers, Boston College – Undersized but will test well. Really good with the ball in his hands. Catch radius isn’t great, gave up an INT vs. Clemson in 2021 on a high pass that he should pull in. Can be effective at all levels. 2.22 Y/RR on a not great BC team.
Josh Downs, UNC – This sounds way worse than I mean it but I got reminded of Reagor watching Downs. Downs has great speed, didn’t see much vs. press and what I did I think it could be an issue in the NFL. Was noticeable when he wasn’t going to be a target, but usually WRs will be active blocking which he isn’t.
Marvin Mims, Oklahoma – Willing blocker, good hands, effective deep. Some nuance on his routes but think he can continue to improve this. Didn’t see him vs. press.
Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State – Big, really good crispness given his size, high effort. Wish I had separation tracking data as I don’t think he gets quite the separation his traits would say, think he has good upside with some route refinement and hands. Saw a lot vs. press and was good, better than most in this class. Sirianni was college teammates with Iowa St coach Matt Campbell and Campbell raves about Xavier’s work effort, seeking perfection, and working with younger players.
Rashee Rice, SMU – I don’t have a ton of film on Rice to be fair, but I don’t see explosiveness, getting off press, an ability to separate, or any examples of crispness in routes.
Trey Palmer, Nebraska – I only had broadcast film for Palmer so feel like I may be low on him. Really good speed, didn’t see much asked of him in routes, only broke out in final season after transferring from LSU to Nebraska. Most of his plays were vs. poor coverage or underneath. Enough concerns to not go high.
Jordan Whittington, Texas – Really good blocking WR, dependable. His quote: “Your effort without the ball determines how much you love your teammates”. UPDATE: RETURNING TO SCHOOL
Derius Davis, TCU – Has a higher TD rate on kick returns than Marcus Jones last year (6 TDs on 92 college return attempts) and was clocked at 22.7mph which would make him the fastest in the NFL.
Tight End
Darnell Washington, UGA – Darnell is what we hoped Tyree could be as a mismatch. The best TE blocker in this class, he looks like a tackle in space. Wasn’t asked to catch much but he has a crazy catch radius. My one issue is he doesn’t have initial burst but does have speed, just takes him time to get there. Routes aren’t crisp all the time, but he has shown he can do it, think he needs some development.
Michael Mayer, Notre Dame – I am really sensitive to not sounding like a hot take and Mayer (along with Kelee Ringo) sound like hot takes. I get what people like about Mayer – he is solid and a really nice pass-catcher. But to say he is good-to-elite at everything is just wrong. He is not a good blocker – he either doesn’t hold blocks long enough or puzzlingly just misses. And he gives little YAC ability (4.9 YAC/rec, one of the lowest in this class). The other top-15 TEs taken since 2010 are Kyle Pitts (pick 4), TJ Hockenson (8), and Eric Ebron (10). Is Mayer a Pitts or Hockenson? Or is he a Freiermuth / Gesicki / Kmet, all good TEs but all round 2 guys? The 2023 draft class lacks the top end talent in a lot of the premium positions (OT, CB, WR) which will push players like Mayer up higher than they would have been in past years.