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Following a breakout season by quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Philadelphia Eagles made it all the way to Super Bowl LVII. Unfortunately for them, the Birds were not a match for MVP Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, losing 38-35 on a last-minute field goal.
To make matters worse, Philadelphia will look different in the upcoming 2023 season. The team ended up losing many key players in the 2023 offseason.
Starting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson signed with the Detroit Lions after co-leading the league with six interceptions in his lone season with the Eagles.
Starting running back Miles Sanders is on his way to the Carolina Panthers. Notably, one of the top defenders in the 2023 free-agency class, Javon Hargrave signed a four-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers.
Because of that, Philadelphia's moves in the offseason gain even more importance, especially what the team will do in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Eagles have six total picks, including two in the first round (No. 10 and 30). With hopes of going further this upcoming season, these rookies might need to contribute right away.
With that being said, here are three sleeper prospects the Philadelphia Eagles should target in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Eagles 2023 NFL Draft Sleeper Prospects
3. Zach Charbonnet, RB – UCLA
One of the main reasons why UCLA had a surprisingly solid season was its game on the ground. The team had the No. 6 rushing offense in the FBS in 2022, averaging 237.2 yards per game.
A big part of that rushing success was senior Zach Charbonnet. The running back finished fourth in the nation with an average of 135.9 yards per game, despite missing multiple games due to injuries.
For the year, he had 195 carries for a total of 1,359 yards and 14 touchdowns. His touchdown count placed him in the top 20 in the country. Additionally, he scored three or more times in three opportunities in 2022.
For his performances, Charbonnet earned a First-Team All-Pac-12 nod. Most importantly, he was named a First-Team All-American player.
As previously mentioned, Sanders is leaving the Eagles. This past season, he had a team-best 1,269 rushing yards and only trailed Hurts in touchdowns on the ground (11 against Hurts’ 13).
Even though the Birds re-signed Boston Scott and brought in Rashaad Penny, they could use one of its mid-to-late-round picks on Charbonnet. If they do so, they address a big need by bringing in an experienced college player who dominated as a senior.
2. Dawand Jones, OT – Ohio State
An area from the Philadelphia roster that suffered some losses this offseason was the offensive line. Guard Isaac Seumalo signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Andre Dillard joined the Tennessee Titans.
With Hurts' dual-threat capabilities at quarterback, the Eagles might need to upgrade his protection moving forward. It is worth noting that the MVP finalist missed some games in 2022 due to injuries, so keeping him healthy should be one of the priorities throughout the season.
A player that can help Philadelphia in that area is Dawand Jones out of Ohio State.
In 2022, the senior played in 11 games for the Buckeyes, totaling 693 snaps. He allowed four quarterback hurries, no quarterback hits and not a single sack. For his performances, he earned a First-Team All-American selection.
With his help, Ohio State finished in the top 10 in the nation with 490.7 yards of total offense per game.
Despite his All-American nod in 2022, Jones is projected to go either at the end of the first round or on Day 2.
This means that Philadelphia might be able to pick the offensive lineman at No. 30, which would be very helpful for the team's aspirations and roster-building around Hurts.
1. Brian Branch, S – Alabama
With the loss of Gardner-Johnson and Marcus Epps, the Eagles might go after a new safety in the NFL Draft. While they did sign both Terrell Edmunds and Justin Evans, they should consider bringing in a rookie to help the secondary.
One player who Philadelphia should seriously consider is Brian Branch out of Alabama. He played an important role in the team's national title in the 2020 season with two interceptions and continued as a key defender in his final two years in college.
In 2022, he recorded 90 total tackles (58 being solo), seven pass breakups and 3.0 sacks. He also had two interceptions and two punt returns, including one for a touchdown.
Branch earned a First-Team All-American nod for his contributions to the Crimson Tide this past season.
While he is considered one of the top safeties from the 2023 class, Branch is not currently a lock to go in the first round.
A lot of defensive backs such as Joey Porter Jr. and Deonte Banks are projected to go earlier than Branch.
Since the Eagles own the No. 30 pick, they could be able to select at the end of Day 1. Should that happen, Philadelphia would find its new starting safety for the future.
