If I Was Howie Roseman, I Would Do This in the Draft...

While many people would love to be the general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles, there is only one man that can hold that title; right now, it is Howie Roseman. When it comes to who the Eagles will select in the 2023 NFL Draft, it will be Roseman that phones in the picks to Kansas City. I am not the general manager of the Eagles, but I do enjoy speculating what I would do if I was. Here is what I would do with each of the Eagles' picks if I were in Howie Roseman's shoes this time next week at the NFL Draft.

- All draft choices will be made with reference to Pro Football Focus' (PFF) average draft position (ADP) for each player as of April 20, 2023.

Round 1, Pick 10 Overall: Trade Back

If I were the Eagles, there is no doubt that I would want to trade back and acquire more draft capital with this pick. As somebody who has been following NFL Draft prospects for nearly ten years, I believe that this class is one of the deepest for defensive talent. There will be some defensive studs there at pick ten, but there will also be equally talented players available in the mid-to-late first round. 

Teams like the New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, and Washington Commanders may all be vying against other teams to move up and grab players at positions of need. For the sake of this article, I am going to predict that quarterback Will Levis falls to pick 10, and the Commanders make a deal with the Eagles to move up and get him. We will conceptualize that the Commanders would give the Eagles their 2023 first and second round picks (16 & 47 overall) to move up for Levis.

*R1, Pick 16 Overall: Draft Brian Branch

According to Pro Football Focus, safety Brian Branch's ADP is 21.1, so we will project that he will be available at pick 16. 

Brian Branch is one of my favorite prospects in this draft; he is arguably the best tackler, is very solid in down-the-field coverage, and can play all over the field. Safety is a position of need for the Eagles, and Branch could be an immediate starter at either safety position. He is also well-equipped to play the slot cornerback position, which is an area on the field that the Eagles struggled with last season when Avonte Maddox got hurt. Branch would be an excellent addition to an Eagles defense that needs to get younger.

R1, Pick 30 Overall: Draft O'Cyrus Torrence

Arguably, the Eagles have the best offensive line in the league; it is a core that has star power all across the line, but the rich will always get richer. Guard O'Cyrus Torrence can immediately fill a void at the right guard spot on the line, which would allow center Cam Jergens to not be forced to play out of position. This would also allow Jergens to have another year of learning under star center Jason Kelce. Torrence's current ADP has fallen to 31.1, so grabbing him at 30 would be a great value pick for a guy that may be the best offensive lineman in this year's draft.

*R2, Pick 47 Overall: Draft Isaiah Foskey

At an ADP of 59.9, this selection may seem like a reach for the Eagles. With that said, the team loves to build in the trenches, and edge rusher Isaiah Foskey is a guy that can cause havoc for opposing linemen in the NFL. He is athletically gifted with size and strength. Foskey would be able to surely find his way onto the field in a defensive system that constantly rotates their linemen. He can lineup just about anywhere on the line.

R2, Pick 62 Overall: Draft Eli Ricks

At an ADP of 101.5, this seems like a steep price to pay for cornerback Eli Ricks. However, Ricks is a talent that has flown under the radar this year because of the defensive back depth in this draft class. Ricks is a player that should be able to develop well under the current cornerback tandem that the Eagles have. He is hands-down one of my favorite low-risk, high-reward players this year.  

R3, Pick 94 Overall: Draft Trey Palmer

This is another pick where it may seem a bit too high of a price for a player based on ADP; wide receiver Trey Palmer is projected to go around the 114.2 pick. However, this is what I would do if I were Howie Roseman, and Palmer is one of my favorite prospects in this entire draft class. He is coming off of a breakout season in 2022 at Nebraska. The highlight of his skillset is definitely his speed, but his tape screams to me that he has the potential to develop as a route runner and slot receiver. Palmer would be a great depth piece to add to a wide receiver room that already has a bunch of talent that he can learn from.

R7, Pick 219: Draft Kenny McIntosh

While I love the talent in the mid-rounds of this draft, the Eagles simply do not have enough draft capital to trade up for day three picks. After the strong start that I gave myself in this draft scenario, I would be more than content with those first five players and two seventh round picks. With the first of those picks, I would snag a running back that can score touchdowns on the goalline. Running back Kenny McIntosh would be that guy at 6'0, 204 lbs. (PFF). He would be a fun pick to root for and has the potential to make the Week 1 roster. 

R7, Pick 248: Draft Bryce Baringer

The Eagles need a punter. The Eagles had punter issues in the playoffs last season. Why not draft a young one in Bryce Baringer?