If there’s one thing we know about Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, it’s that he will make a trade involving the team’s first-round pick either before or during the NFL draft.
And this draft could be unlike any other in Roseman’s past history of wheeling and dealing of draft picks.
For one, the Eagles have a coveted spot at No. 10 for a team that might like a quarterback. It’s quite possible that either Florida’s Anthony Richardson or Kentucky’s Will Levis will still be on the board.
Secondly, the Eagles don’t have any picks in Rounds 4, 5 or 6 this season. Roseman values picks, especially with several high-priced veterans on the roster — and a hefty contract extension coming for quarterback Jalen Hurts.
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Roseman has made trades with first-round picks in four of the past five years. In 2018, the Eagles traded away their first-round pick at No. 32 for Baltimore’s second-round pick at No. 52. The Ravens took quarterback Lamar Jackson while the Eagles used the pick from Baltimore to trade up three spots with Indianapolis in order to draft Dallas Goedert.
In 2019, the Eagles again traded with Baltimore, going from No. 25 to No. 22, to take offensive lineman Andre Dillard. The Ravens took wide receiver Marquise Brown. The Eagles stood pat at No. 20 in 2020 and took wide receiver Jalen Reagor.
But in 2021, they traded back from No. 6 to No. 12 with Miami, then with Dallas to get to No. 10 to draft wide receiver DeVonta Smith.
Last spring, the Eagles made three trades involving their first-round picks. First, they traded two of their three, No. 16 and No. 19, to New Orleans for the Saints’ pick at No. 18 and a first-round pick this year. That turned out to be No. 10. There were other picks involved in later rounds.
The Eagles then used their original pick at No. 15 to trade up two spots for defensive tackle Jordan Davis. Then they traded their No. 18 pick to Tennessee for wide receiver A.J. Brown.
So it’s easy to anticipate more trades in this mock draft:
*Note: Trade compensation based on points system from draftek.com.
Round 1, No. 10
Trade back with New England to No. 14
Receive: Switch spots in third round (Eagles go from No. 94 to 76), Patriots’ fourth-round pick (No. 107)
Pick: Nolan Smith, Edge, Georgia
Comment: Roseman did enough in free agency to eliminate many of the Eagles’ most pressing needs. But an edge rusher at No. 14 in Smith fits a need for rotational depth this season, with a chance to have a prominent role in 2024. That’s becuase both Brandon Graham and Derek Barnett are entering the final year of their contracts. Sort of like the role Smith’s Georgia teammate Davis had in 2022 learning behind veterans before taking over in Year 2. Smith is considered a Haason Reddick-type player. He ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine. Smith is coming off a torn pec muscle that limited him to eight games last season.
For the Patriots, the No. 10 pick gives them the option of taking a quarterback, either Kentucky’s Will Levis or Florida’s Anthony Richardson, if rumors are true of Bill Belichick’s dissatisfaction with Mac Jones. If not, New England could go for a top left tackle like Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski.
Round 1, Pick 30
No trade
Pick: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
Comment: The Eagles haven’t picked a running back in the first round since 1986, so why would they start now, especially after Bijan Robinson should be long gone? For one, Gibbs with his speed and ability on the perimeter would be a perfect compliment to Hurts as a runner. Secondly, a running back drafted in the first round is a smart move for a Super Bowl contender because he could be under team control for six years at a relatively low cost. A first-round contract can last for up to five years. Plus, there’s a possible franchise tag in year six. The franchise tag for a running back in 2023 is one-third the cost of a quarterback, $10.9 million compared with $32.4 million.
Round 2, No. 62
Trade up with Seattle to No. 52
Give up: Seventh-round pick (first of two), second-round pick 2024 (first one), fourth-round pick 2024
Pick: Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
Comment: This is Seattle’s second of two second-round picks. No, the Eagles aren’t looking to replace star tight end Dallas Goedert. But Musgrave is too good to pass up. The Eagles saw the dropoff at tight end when Goedert missed five games with a shoulder injury. Plus, both Goedert and Musgrave in “12 personnel,” along with DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, would present all kinds of problems for opposing defenses. Musgrave played in only two games last season after suffering a knee injury.
The Eagles should have 12 picks in the 2024 draft — eight current ones, including two second-rounders, plus the maximum four compensatory picks for losing free agents this spring.
Round 3, No. 76
(from New England, see above)
Pick: Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State
Comment: This is an ideal situation for a young cornerback to learn from Darius Slay and James Bradberry for a year in order to take over either in 2024 or ’25. Brents, at 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, has the length to develop into a starting corner in a zone scheme. Brents had four INTs last season.
Round 4, No. 107
(from New England, see above)
Pick: Blake Freeland, OT, BYU
Comment: The Eagles need to add depth on the offensive line after losing Isaac Seumalo and Andre Dillard in free agency. Freeland is a project, but at 6-foot-8, 302 pounds, he can spend a season learning from the Eagles’ massive tackles in Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson, along with backup Jack Driscoll, while filling out his body and working on his technique.
Round 6, No. 181
Trade with Tampa Bay
Give up: 2024 fourth-round pick
Pick: SirVocea Dennis, LB, Pittsburgh
Comment: The Eagles trade to get into the beginning of the sixth round where they’ll take Dean. That provides depth behind Nakobe Dean and free agent signee Nicholas Morrow. Dennis adds depth and special teams along with a group that includes Shaun Bradley, Christian Elliss, Kyron Johnson and Davion Taylor.
This pick is the second of three Buccaneers picks in the sixth round, but it comes fourth overall in the round.
Round 7, No. 248
No trade
Pick: P.J. Mustipher, DT, Penn State
Comment: For a seventh-round pick, Mustipher has the chance to add to the Eagles’ depth and perhaps win a roster spot over Marlon Tuipulotu, who’s coming back from a torn ACL, or Marvin Wilson. At 6-4, 320 pounds, it’s certainly worth a chance.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
