The Philadelphia Eagles came painfully close to winning Super Bowl 57 on Sunday, but fell just short. Philly held a 10-point halftime lead over the Kansas City Chiefs, but KC came roaring back to take win the Lombardi Trophy. The Eagles played a strong game, but that doesn't make the sting of defeat any less painful.
Now, Philly joins the rest of the NFL in the offseason, and it will surely be an interesting one. The Eagles' list of pending free agents includes Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, Jason Kelce, Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Javon Hargrave, T.J. Edwards, James Bradberry, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and more. With the Eagles already being over the salary cap, many of these players likely won't be back with the team next season.
The good news is that Philly has plenty of draft capital to spend in April. Thanks to a trade with the New Orleans Saints last offseason, the Eagles have the Saints' pick at 10th overall, plus their own at 30th. This means that the Eagles can easily bring in some great young talent to shore up the roster.
But who should Philly consider taking with these selections? Without further ado, here are three players the Eagles should consider picking in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
3. Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
Bijan Robinson might just be the best running back prospect in the last half-decade. In 2022 alone, the Texas back ran for 1,580 yards and 18 touchdowns, with an additional 314 yards and two touchdowns receiving. He finished the season with a PFF grade of 95.3, ranking second out of 459 running backs.
The Eagles are a team that thrives on their amazing running game. They rushed for 147.6 yards per game during the regular season, ranking fifth in the NFL. With both Sanders and Scott about to hit free agency, though, that running game could take a hit next season. By drafting Robinson, the Eagles could help make up for the potential losses and maintain their strong ground game.
Ideally, Philly would be able to select Robinson with the No. 30 pick, but there's no guarantee he'll be available then. If they're dead set on him, they could take him 10th overall, but that comes with a lot of risk. Running backs are usually a luxury pick, and none have gone that high since Saquon Barkley went second overall in 2018. Still, if the Eagles believe Robinson is their guy, it might be a risk worth taking.
2. Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
The secondary is another group where Philly could lose a lot. Bradberry, Gardner-Johnson and Marcus Epps are all pending free agents, and the Eagles won't be able to keep all three. Darius Slay should still be around, but he'll need some help around him.
Enter Devon Witherspoon, arguably the best cornerback in the 2023 draft class. On 62 targets in 2022, Witherspoon allowed just 22 receptions for 206 yards and no touchdowns with three interceptions, per PFF. The Illinois corner finished the season with a 92 PFF grade, placing second out of 917 college corners.
Witherspoon ranks 12th on PFF's big board, the highest of any cornerback. Alabama safety Brian Branch ranks slightly higher at 10th, but Witherspoon's better coverage skills give him the slight edge here. Either way, the Eagles should seriously consider addressing their secondary with their 10th pick.
1. Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
Philly's defensive line had a historic season in 2022. The Eagles finished the season with 70 sacks, most in the league by far and third-most in a single season all-time. Four players — Hargrave, Graham, Josh Sweat and Haason Reddick — all finished with at least 11 sacks to power the Eagles' ferocious pass rush.
However, this unit might look very different next season, and not for the better. Hargrave and Graham are both free agents and may have priced themselves out of Philly, and Fletcher Cox might retire. There's a chance this unit could be a shell of itself next season, and the Eagles can't let that happen.
With this in mind, addressing the defensive line with the 10th overall pick makes a ton of sense. The Eagles will likely be fine at edge rusher with Reddick and Sweat returning, so the more pressing need is in the middle. That makes Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee the perfect pick at this spot.
Bresee's career stat line of just 51 tackles and nine sacks doesn't seem that impressive, but it's important to note that he missed time in each of the last two seasons. Additionally, he possesses great speed for his 6-foot-5, 300-pound frame, so his intangibles are great. Bresee ranks eighth overall on PFF's big board, the second-highest of any defensive tackle. The only DT who ranks above him is Georgia's Jalen Carter, who will definitely not be available at 10th overall.
The Eagles must make up for the coming losses on the defensive line, and Bresee might be the perfect answer.
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