The 2023 NFL Draft is over, and on any list of draft weekend winners, you’ll find the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles took seven players, including three from Georgia, and got incredible talent and value throughout. Here are the Eagles NFL draft grades for every pick in this year’s draft.
Philadelphia Eagles 2023 NFL Draft Grades
Round 1, pick 9: DT Jalen Carter (Georgia)
Grade: A+
Jalen Carter was the best player in the 2023 NFL Draft, and the Eagles got him at pick No. 9. That’s a huge win right there.
He slipped that far due to rumors of character concerns, but going to Philadelphia gives him the best chance to succeed. The Eagles have a winning culture, veteran leadership, great coaches, and several of Carter’s Georgia Bulldogs teammates.
The organization is set up to allow Carter to flourish, and if he does, he can be the most dominant defensive tackle to come out of college since Aaron Donald. The DT also fits a need, and pairing him long-term with his former teammate Jordan Davis in the middle of the defensive line makes the Philly D even scarier than it was last season.
This may be the steal of the weekend, which is why this Eagles draft grade couldn’t get any higher.
Round 1, pick 30: EDGE Nolan Smith (Georgia)
Grade: A
Nolan Smith is another pick that gives the Eagles great value. If he didn’t suffer a season-ending injury in 2022, Smith may have been a top-10 pick in this year’s draft. Instead, the Eagles got him at the end of the first round.
Smith doesn’t come without question marks. At just 238 pounds, it remains to be seen whether he can stand up as an NFL edge rusher. However, the Eagles are (once again) uniquely set up to put him in the best position to succeed.
Just look at undersized pass rusher Haason Reddick. The Arizona Cardinals tried to make him an off-ball linebacker, and he almost crashed out of the league. When put in the right positions for his skills and size with the Eagles, Reddick has 16.0 sacks and led the league with five forced fumbles.
Philadelphia knows how to use a player like Nolan Smith, so the match between the prospect and the team is perfect.
Round 3, pick 65: OT Tyler Steen (Alabama)
Grade: A
The Eagles lost Isaac Seumalo and Andre Dillard in free agency this offseason, so the team needed to take a guard in the 2023 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-6, 321-pound Alabama tackle Tyler Steen is a player with versatility who can play guard or tackle in the NFL.
At best, the Eagles got a replacement starting guard to join the best offensive line in football. At worst, they have a player who can back up four spots on the line. That’s a solid pick in the third round, and the reason the team gets another A in these Eagles NFL draft grades.
Round 3, pick 66, S Sydney Brown (Illinois)
Grade: A
Another pick, another A for these Eagles draft grades. Sydney Brown is a versatile ballhawk who can do a multitude of things for the Eagles. The team needs more depth and talent at safety. And Brown provides that.
Brown had 10 career interceptions and six in his final season. He can play center field, in the box, or cover the slot in nickel packages. The Illinois safety is way more than just a backup. He’s a player who will see the field a lot on different sub-packages in 2023.
Round 4, pick 105: CB Kelee Ringo (Georgia)
Grade: A
The Eagles have decided to target players from arguably the best defense in college football history, and that’s a smart move. The 6-foot-2, 206-pound Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo has the size and strength to be an excellent NFL CB.
Ringo needs to tighten up some technique issues, but overall, he’s a potential starting CB someday and a great value in Round 4.
Round 6, pick 188: QB Tanner McKee (Stanford)
Grade: B+
Finally, the first non-A in these Eagles NFL draft grades. Tanner McKee is an interesting prospect, and the Eagles are always looking to develop new QBs. The depth chart is pretty stacked right now, though, with Jalen Hurts, Marcus Mariota, and Ian Book.
McKee is a smart, 6-foot-5 signal-caller, though, who has some real potential and could become an excellent backup or even starter material someday. This pick may get the Eagles back a higher pick in the future if that happens.
Round 7, pick 249: DT Moro Ojomo (Texas)
Grade: B+
Texas DT Moro Ojomo adds more depth to the Eagles defensive line, and getting him in Round 7 is an excellent value after most mock drafts had him going in Rounds 4-6. He is just another example of the Eagles taking the best player available and building from the inside out.
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