It’s safe to assume that the Eagles won’t pick a defensive lineman on Day 2 of the NFL draft on Friday.
That’s because the Eagles took care of that position in Round 1 on Thursday night by drafting a pair of Georgia Bulldogs in defensive tackle Jalen Carter at No. 9 and edge rusher Nolan Smith at No. 30.
The Eagles are in good position to add two more impact players in Rounds 2 and 3, with pick No. 62 near the end of the second round, and No. 66 early in the third.
The third-round pick resulted from a tampering charge when Arizona hired former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon to be the head coach. The Eagles ended up trading third-round picks with Arizona, moving up from No. 94 to No. 66. The Eagles also sent the Cardinals a fifth-round pick in 2024.
Here, then, are some players the Eagles could target on Friday:
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Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
Sure, the Eagles seem set at wide receiver with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, along with Quez Watkins and free agent signee Olamide Zaccheaus replacing Zach Pascal. But Hyatt would have the chance to be the No. 3 wide receiver after finishing fifth among FBS receivers in yards with 1,267. He also tied for second in touchdowns with 15. And he has the speed like Watkins to create separation.
Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA
This is considered a strong draft for running backs, and in Charbonnet, the Eagles are getting a powerful runner and strong receiver. Charbonnet, who began his college career at Michigan, ran for 1,359 yards last season for UCLA and also had 327 yards receiving. He would make for a nice complement to Jalen Hurts as a runner, benefitting the way Miles Sanders did last season.
Brian Branch, DB, Alabama
The Eagles might have to trade up for Branch in the second round. But he would fit what the Eagles are looking for in the secondary as a versatile player who can play both nickel and safety. It’s possible that he could play right away at safety as the Eagles have Terrell Edmunds as one starter, with Reed Blankenship, an undrafted free agent last spring, as the other.
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Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
If the Eagles are looking for another weapon on offense, Musgrave could be the answer instead of a wide receiver. He is considered an elite receiver, and would be a matchup nightmare for opponents when he’s on the field with Dallas Goedert. Musgrave only played in two games last season before suffering a knee injury. Musgrave would need to work on his blocking.
Matthew Bergeron, T, Syracuse
Bergeron would give the Eagles versatility on the line. At 6-foot-5, 318 pounds, he could move inside to play guard, perhaps compete with Cam Jurgens for the starting job or right guard. Bergeron, a native of Quebec, could also compete with Jack Driscoll to be a swing tackle behind Jordan Mailata on the left side and Lane Johnson on the right side.
Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
Could the Eagles take a third defensive player from Georgia in the draft? Well, sure, considering that Georgia won two straight national championships because of an impenetrable defense. Ringo has good size on the outside as he’s 6-foot-2, 207 pounds. He also ran a 4.36 in the 40 yard dash. The knock against him is his anticipation. But that can be worked on during a rookie season in which he can learn from Darius Slay, James Bradberry and backup Greedy Williams.
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D.J. Turner, CB, Michigan
Turner ran a 4.26 at the Combine, the fastest this season and tied for fifth all time. Turner can play both inside at nickel and outside. But at 5-11, 178 pounds, he could get outmuscled by bigger receivers. He won’t get beat deep, however.
Ji’Ayir Brown, S, Penn State
Brown is a physical safety who led the Nittany Lions with a team-high 74 tackles and 4 interceptions last season. But his speed could be an issue as he only ran a 4.65 in the 40 at the Combine. Still, he could fill that hybrid safety/linebacker role.
Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M
Achane would be an intriguing pick because he’s blazing fast with a 4.32 in the 40, but undersized at 5-8, 188 pounds. Yet Achane is fearless running up the middle, and he could certainly benefit from Jalen Hurts’ running ability to burst through holes. It would be hard to see Achane become a three-down back, but with Hurts and a strong rotation at running back, that wouldn’t be a major issue.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
