The Eagles are scheduled to pick 10th and 30th in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City later this month. Even though the Eagles will have several players they could choose from when they are on the clock, their plans could deviate thanks to a team picking three spots ahead of them.
Picking seventh in the draft, the Las Vegas Raiders are in a spot where they could go in a few directions. After trading former franchise quarterback Derek Carr to the New Orleans Saints, they signed former San Francisco 49er Jimmy Garoppolo to a three-year, $67.5 million contract. While they could choose Florida’s Anthony Richardson or Kentucky’s Will Levis, there could be a change to their overall draft plan.
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According to ESPN NFL reporter Jordan Reid, the Raiders are open to selecting someone other than a quarterback.
“I’ve been told not to rule out a cornerback there by someone with knowledge of the team’s strategy,” Reid said. “(ESPN’s) Paul (Gutierrez) and I are hearing the same thing. Las Vegas has checked in on Devon Witherspoon (Illinois), Christian Gonzalez (Oregon), and Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State), the top three corners in this class. The Raiders should have a chance to take the first defensive back off the board. Another source told me, “They could go so many directions – quarterback, cornerback. I could even see offensive tackle if they traded back some.”
If the Raiders shy away from a quarterback and decide to go defense, it could work out well for the Eagles for several reasons. The Eagles currently do not have a fourth, fifth, or sixth-round selection. Suppose Richardson or Levis is on the board when the Raiders make their pick, and they bypass them. In that case, it increases the odds that the Eagles could trade the selection to a team that needs a quarterback, allowing the Eagles to pick up a couple more draft picks, with one potentially being in the fourth round or as high as the third.
In terms of staying at 10, the Eagles’ likelihood of choosing a cornerback that high went down a little after they re-signed James Bradberry and extended Darius Slay. The Raiders taking one of these three would mean a defensive lineman would fall to the Eagles, with Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith, and Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson if he falls down the board.
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Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.