Philadelphia Eagles Mock Draft Roundup 6.0

Van Ness is a long, very athletic rusher who'll formulate an awesome duo with Josh Sweat in Philadelphia for years.

The Eagles love building the trenches early in the draft and high-caliber athletes. Adebawore and Milton Williams on the same defensive line would represent loads of athleticism.

I know, I know. It's a running back in the top 10, and the Eagles' defense is littered with free agents. Call it a luxury pick, but this wouldn't be surprising. Philadelphia leans on the run, Miles Sanders is a free agent and Robinson is a special kind of prospect. He put up 1,580 rushing yards, 20 total TDs, 91 broken tackles and 19 catches last season, and then ran a 4.46 in Indy. He has the contact balance and burst to make defenders miss and move the chains, and I know every other NFC team would be struggling with how to stop an offense that houses Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Robinson. Who do you take away there? There's no right answer.

As for defense, the Eagles have another first-rounder at No. 30.

Eagles GM Howie Roseman loves building his roster up from the trenches, and after landing an impact running back in Robinson earlier in Round 1, he can pick up one of the biggest combine standouts here. Kancey ran the fastest 40-yard dash for a defensive tackle at the combine since 2006, turning in a 4.67. He's a disruptive player with explosive traits, and he had 14.5 sacks and 28.5 tackles for loss over the past two seasons. But he's a bit of a 'tweener at 281 pounds, meaning he might move around Philly's defensive line. With Javon Hargrave, Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Robert Quinn, Ndamukong Suh and Linval Joseph all entering free agency from that line, Kancey's versatility would be welcomed.

With such a loaded roster, Philadelphia is a challenging team to mock for. That said, cornerback is a need. Gonzalez has the size, speed and athleticism to match up against any flavor of wideout in the league.

I could easily see explosive RB Jahmyr Gibbs being the pick here, but I'm going with an Alabama product from the other side of the ball. Branch is a very smart, very consistent player with the versatility to man multiple spots in the secondary.

Talking to league folks in Indianapolis, it was almost unanimous: No one sees the Eagles drafting a running back at No. 10. However, several mentioned the possibility of a trade back and how it would make the RB idea more palatable for general manager Howie Roseman.

Last year, Philadelphia used the No. 13 pick on a nose tackle (Jordan Davis), a position many believe can be found outside of the first round. The Eagles saw the value because of Davis' unique talent. This could be a similar situation.

The value of a running back this early in the draft is a disputed topic, but a talent like Robinson alters the equation.

The Eagles are going to draft a trench player with one of their first-rounders, right? Most would assume that move up front would come on defense, but don't rule out an offensive lineman, if the fit is right.

Wright would be able to step right in and compete for starting reps at guard, while also being the long-term answer at right tackle. He checks a lot of boxes for what Philadelphia covets at the position.

A hamstring injury prevented him from working out in Indianapolis. But he broke up 23 passes over the past two seasons, and his willingness to tackle and mix it up behind the line of scrimmage will earn the appreciation of any defensive coordinator ... especially one who's likely going to lose CB James Bradberry to free agency.

For starters, this feels like the kind of pick Philadelphia EVP/GM Howie Roseman typically swaps for future capital. If not, keep an eye on Smith, who topped The Athletic's famed "Freaks List." He showed off his standout strength in Indy (34 reps on bench) but will wait to do a full workout at the Wolverines' March 17 pro day. He could form a "freakish" combo with 2022 first-rounder Jordan Davis in Philly, which will likely be looking to replenish its depth given DTs Javon Hargrave, Fletcher Cox, Ndamukong Suh and Linval Joseph are on the wrong side of 30 and without contracts for 2023.

Jalen Carter drops, but the Eagles can't let him get by this pick. General manager Howie Roseman reunites Carter with former Georgia teammate Jordan Davis on the Eagles' defensive line. The rich get richer.

Only 166 pounds at the combine, Emmanuel Forbes has very good height (6-foot-1) and length for the position but lacks bulk which is why he falls to the end of round 1. The Eagles will love his hands, ball skills and overall ball production.

When in doubt, go with a defensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles.

"The Eagles and a first-round defensive lineman go together like peanut butter and jelly," Holder said. "Clemson's Brian Bresee can help fill the void left by Javon Hargrave and/or Fletcher Cox—assuming one or both walk in free agency.

"Bresee also drew plenty of attention this past weekend with an impressive 4.86-second 40-yard dash time."

The defensive tackle's abilities and athleticism have never been in question. When Bresee is on the field, he shows why he's special. Unfortunately, he basically played only one full season as a member of the Tigers. In 2021, the defensive lineman suffered a torn ACL. Last season, he dealt with a kidney infection.

The 298-pound defender shows good burst with the ability to play up and down the defensive front. He's a good fit in Philadelphia where he won't be immediately forced to serve as the focal point of the defensive line.

The Eagles like to come at opposing quarterbacks in waves, though it'll be more difficult to do so if Hargrave, Cox, Brandon Graham, Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh all leave.

Eventually, Bresee at 3-technique alongside nose tackle Jordan Davis would give the Eagles a supremely talented interior duo.

The Philadelphia Eagles claim the league's best front five, though a couple of pieces could come up missing this offseason.

Right now, the organization doesn't know whether starting center Jason Kelce and right guard Isaac Seumalo will be back next season.

In one case, general manager Howie Roseman already prepared for the future by selecting Cam Jurgens in the second round of last year's draft to eventually serve as Kelce's replacement. The future at right guard isn't as clear.

"Seumalo has a chance at earning a huge payday in free agency," Thorn said. "Given that he is the fifth-best starter along the Philly line, the Eagles should go younger and cheaper at the position.

"Florida's O'Cyrus Torrence would be an upgrade in size [6'5", 330 lbs vs. 6'4", 303 lbs] and add a little more power to the running game while sacrificing some body control. Under renowned offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, Torrence would have the best possible chance of getting that issue corrected and maximizing his skill set."

The Eagles dominate at the point of attack. Torrence may not be as mobile as Seumalo, but his power could make an already fearsome unit into an even greater driving force for an exceptional offense.

The defending NFC champs have a lot to think about along a defensive line that seemed to sack opposing quarterbacks on half their snaps in 2022. Free agents include Brandon Graham, Javon Hargrave, Fletcher Cox, Ndamukong Suh, and Linval Joseph. So, let's give them Murphy with the 10th pick — at 6-foot-5 and 268 pounds, he can stone offensive tackles with speed and power, and he can kick inside for a bit more versatility as a pass-rusher and in the run game. A perfect fit for a team that loves to throw different fronts and stunts at you.

The Eagles had the NFL's most effective and diverse run game last season, and with no offense to Miles Sanders, Kenneth Gainwell, and Boston Scott, imagine what that would look like with the addition of Gibbs, who reminds me (and many others) of Alvin Kamara with his combination of speed, agility, surprising power for his size (5-foot-9 and 199 pounds), and receiving ability on anything from swings and screens to a full route package when he's aligned in the slot and out wide.

We know this for sure: Dude was scooting at the combine.

It's going to be pricey to keep James Bradberry, so the Eagles take a corner in the opening round for the first time since 2002.

The Eagles figure to lose a lot of free agents this offseason, and they were reminded last season just how effective a supercharged pass rush can be.

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