As they do each year, Zach Berman, Sheil Kapadia and Bo Wulf settled on the most likely players to be selected by the Eagles in the first round and rank their personal preferences below. With two first-round picks on the Eagles’ docket, the player field expanded to 20 players. Of note, no quarterbacks have been included in anticipation of the Eagles giving Jalen Hurts at least one more full year as the starter. The rankings below are based on the average ranking from the three writers, with each individual’s ranking in parentheses.
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1. Oregon DE Kayvon Thibodeaux
6-4, 252 pounds, 21 years old, 4.58-second 40-yard dash, No. 8 on Dane Brugler’s big board
Berman (2): If I had the No. 1 pick in the draft, Thibodeaux would be on my short list. He’s a unanimous All-American who has been productive since day one, has ideal size, has a good athletic profile and plays a premium position. The fact that he’s even in discussion beyond the top five makes me wonder … what do they know that I don’t? If he starts to slip, the Eagles should be aggressive in trying to trade up to acquire him. Thibodeaux’s upside is worth the collection of picks it would take.
Kapadia (1): It feels like some are overthinking this with Thibodeaux. He was dealing with an ankle injury last year and still had seven sacks in 11 games. He had over 100 fewer pass-rushing opportunities than Aidan Hutchinson, but Thibodeaux was a top-five pass rusher when using many of the rate stats. I don’t care that he created his own cryptocurrency. He can hit the quarterback and has a high ceiling. Thibodeaux won’t last to 15, but if he starts to slide, he could be a trade-up candidate.
Wulf (1): Thibodeaux is the perfect blend of high-impact prospect at a premium position of need for the Eagles. I like Thibodeaux best among all the edge rushers in the class, but even if you view him as third in the pecking order behind Aidan Hutchinson and Travon Walker, there’s no denying that he would help a pass rush that finished 31st in sack rate in 2021. If the Eagles are going to move up inside the latter half of the top 10, I think Thibodeaux would be their target.
2. Notre Dame S Kyle Hamilton
6-4, 220 pounds, 21 years old, 4.59-second 40-yard dash, No. 6 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (1): Don’t overthink this. He’s an elite player and could change the Eagles secondary. Hamilton checks so many boxes — production, size, range, instincts, ball skills. If the knock on him is an undesirable 40 time, then it’s easy to rationalize because speed does not appear to be an issue on the field. The teams have GPS data that could offer a more advanced measurement of his speed. Hamilton would be a dream scenario and would be one of the team’s best players from the first day of training camp.
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Kapadia (2): Size, range, high football IQ, versatility — there’s a lot to work with here. I’m not sure why we’re putting more stock into his pro day 40-yard-dash time (4.7) than his combine time (4.59). Hamilton can be used in the back half of the defense as a robber or as a tight end matchup. I view him as a supersized Tyrann Mathieu. I don’t think he slides to 15, but Hamilton is another potential trade-up candidate.
Wulf (3): No real argument here, though I have a slight preference for our next player. If the Eagles are able to draft one of the top-three players on this list without mortgaging more than a third-round pick to move up, I think they should be ecstatic.
3. LSU CB Derek Stingley Jr.
6-0, 190 pounds, 20 years old, 4.44-second 40-yard dash, No. 14 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (3): If Stingley is on the board and the medical staff signs off on him, then run the card up to the board. Not much more analysis is needed. Stingley can be an elite player. He was once considered a potential top-five pick. As a true freshman, Stingley was a consensus All-American with six interceptions. The talent is there. He’s still just 20. He fits a need. This would be close to an ideal scenario for the Eagles.
Kapadia (5): I love Stingley’s upside. There’s a best-case scenario where he’s a Hall of Fame-type corner. If my medical team told me it had no concerns about his durability, I’d bump him up. But the injury risks scare me a little, given that Stingley played in just 10 games over the past two seasons. He’d be a no-brainer at No. 15 and has the upside to be worth a trade up.
Wulf (2): If we’re presuming he’s cleared medically, I give the slight edge to the elite cornerback over the elite safety. Stingley’s arms are a little on the short side (30 5/8 inches, while 31 inches is the low bar for Pro Bowl/All-Pro cornerbacks over the past 10 years), but locking up JaMarr Chase in practice as a true freshman is good enough for me.
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4(t). Ohio State WR Garrett Wilson
6-0, 183 pounds, 21 years old, 4.38-second 40-yard dash, No. 10 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (5): Wilson is so smooth, he can play around the formation and is electric after the catch. It’s easy to see why he’d be the top receiver taken — he appears to be a clean prospect. It’s worth drafting a wide receiver in the first round for the third year in a row with someone like Wilson, who doesn’t come with a lot of projection. Give him two more inches and 20 more pounds, and he goes in the top five. He still might go in the top 10. He’s a high-floor player who also has significant upside.
Kapadia (4): At first, I thought the Stefon Diggs comps were overblown. Then I took a closer look at Wilson, and that’s exactly who he looked like. Wilson had 70 catches for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns last year. He ran a 4.38 and can play outside or in the slot. He has the upside to be a WR1, and Wilson and DeVonta Smith would give the Eagles a pair of route-running savants.
Wulf (6): I’m not sure wide receiver is the best bet for the Eagles in the first round, but Wilson and Jameson Williams are the two I think would be worthy of the 15th overall pick.
4(t). Florida State DE Jermaine Johnson
6-5, 254 pounds, 23 years old, 4.58-second 40-yard dash, No. 11 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (4): Johnson would be an outstanding pick for the Eagles. He checks almost every box you would want at a premium position. He has an ideal size/length/speed combination, he had standout production in college and he’s strong against the pass and run. I’d gamble on Johnson becoming a Pro Bowl defensive end.
Kapadia (6): He was highly productive last year with 12 sacks and 18 tackles for loss. Johnson ranked in the 92nd percentile or better with his 40-yard dash, his 10-yard split and his broad jump. He has the size and athleticism to potentially develop into the best pass rusher in this class.
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Wulf (5): I have some questions about why Johnson was unable to break through at Georgia and he’s a little older than I’d prefer, but that has mattered less for edge rushers than other positions. Even if he doesn’t hit his ceiling, he would fill a long-term position of need and importance.
6(t). Alabama WR Jameson Williams
6-1 1/2, 179 pounds, 21 years old, no 40 time, No. 13 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (7): Elite speed and production at Alabama is a good place to start, right? Williams is the best deep threat the Eagles could add this offseason. It’s not ideal to draft a player coming off a torn ACL, although it worked last year with Landon Dickerson (albeit not in Round 1). If you’re asking which prospect can change a game in a blink, it’s Williams.
Kapadia (3): I am happy to be the highest on Williams among my colleagues. I guess they weren’t convinced by his 79 catches, 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns in the SEC last year. Williams is more than just a deep threat, although his 19.9 YPR average last year was eye-popping. He’s a complete receiver who has the upside to be among the most dangerous weapons in the NFL. He can take his time recovering from the ACL injury. The Eagles can wait until October or November if they might be getting a blend of Justin Jefferson and Tyreek Hill.
Wulf (7): It wouldn’t take a lot of convincing for me to move Williams ahead of Wilson at the top of the wide receiver board. No one in the class has more juice and one would imagine he figures to pair well with DeVonta Smith, even if they never played together. The reason he’s this far down my pecking order is less about the ACL than the low hit rate on mid-first-round wide receivers.
6(t). Georgia DT Jordan Davis
6-6, 341 pounds, 22 years old, 4.78-second 40-yard dash, No. 24 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (6): I won’t talk myself out of Davis. He was perhaps the best player on the best team in college football. He won the Bednarik Award, he has off-the-charts athleticism and he can be a defensive centerpiece. At the minimum, he’s a dominant run defender in the middle of the line — but I believe he has the talent to be more. If Davis had double-digit sacks at Georgia, he’d be the No. 1 pick. This is why he’s even in the conversation at No. 15. Take the floor, gamble on the ceiling.
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Kapadia (7): He’s one of the hardest evaluations on this list. On one hand, Davis is an elite athlete with a high ceiling, and it’s easy to be convinced that he can develop into the best player in this class. On the other hand, he had two sacks last year, and Georgia coaches thought they were better with him on the sideline than on the field on third downs. As Bo has pointed out, there’s not a great history of defensive tackles like Davis making a big jump in pass-rush production from college to the NFL. Having said that, the upside is tantalizing enough that I’d be on board if he were the pick at 15.
Wulf (4): I think it’s unlikely Davis turns into a pass-rushing force in the NFL, but the combination of his upside (best defensive tackle in the league) and his floor (very good two-down starter) would make him a good bet at No. 15. I think if the Eagles stick at No. 15 and draft someone below Davis in these rankings, they will have done something questionable.
8. Purdue DE George Karlaftis
6-4, 266 pounds, 21 years old, 4.77-second 40-yard dash, No. 18 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (8): You wish there was more sack production for an edge rusher, but he consistently puts pressure on the quarterback (35 hurries, per Pro Football Focus) and will be effective in the NFL. The Ryan Kerrigan comp gets mentioned often, but I can see him being a Brandon Graham-type player — someone who can play against the pass and run and has the strength and athleticism to affect the quarterback throughout the game but might not be reaching double-digit sacks each year.
Kapadia (13): I had a hard time figuring out where to put Karlaftis. I have a type at edge rusher and usually lean toward the bendy/flexible guys. Karlaftis’ game is all power, and there’s nothing wrong with that. He was a productive player in college and projects as a quality starter in the NFL. He wouldn’t be the most exciting pick but would be a fine option in the middle of the first round.
Wulf (8): We’re now in the territory of players worth considering with the second of the Eagles’ first-round picks, and the truth is I find them all sort of uninspiring. Absent an available trade down, Karlaftis represents competency at an important position. Considering the Eagles’ needs, I think you’re better off looking for a Day 2 wide receiver, linebacker or defensive back than an edge rusher, so Karlaftis gets the nod here.
9. Arkansas WR Treylon Burks
6-2, 225 pounds, 22 years old, 4.55-second 40-yard dash, No. 21 on Brugler’s big board
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Berman (13): Burks has been a draft crush of mine, and I believe he can be a standout receiver in the NFL. I’m careful to go overboard because I felt similarly about Laviska Shenault two years ago and there’s certainly some Shenault to his game. The A.J. Brown comps make sense — he’s like a running back when the ball is in his hands. Look at his game against Alabama (eight catches, 179 yards, two touchdowns) for his upside. I like that he’s different and am not concerned with the 40 time. Maybe the floor is lower than some of the other receivers, but this pick would earn high marks from me.
Kapadia (8): The good news is that he’s big and was productive (66 catches for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns). But Burks did not line up as a traditional outside receiver. Per Brugler, 82.9 percent of Burks’ snaps came in the slot, inline or in the backfield. He ran 4.55, and his three-cone time ranked in the ninth percentile. Having said that, he ranked first in yards per route run and had 179 yards against Alabama despite dealing with a shoulder injury. I think Burks’ production will likely depend on finding the right coach and scheme fit. He feels like a boom-or-bust option, but the best case is he develops into some version of A.J. Brown, and that’s pretty special.
Wulf (10): I think trying to pair wide receivers by skill set is a mostly silly exercise (just find two good players and they’ll figure out how to work together), but I can see Nick Sirianni coveting Burks as the open-field complement to DeVonta Smith the team hoped Jalen Reagor might be. Still, I would prefer a trade down to sticking at No. 18 and selecting Burks.
10. Michigan S Dax Hill
6-0, 191 pounds, 21 years old, 4.38-second 40-yard dash, No. 29 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (12): Here’s a defensive back you shouldn’t sleep on in the teens. He’s going to be a valuable player in somebody’s secondary, and the Eagles could use him. Hill can play multiple spots. He can be a deep safety, a slot cornerback and he can help in the run game. He doesn’t get the hype some other players on this list do, but he would be a day-one starter for the Eagles.
Kapadia (9): I think Hill profiles as one of the most complete defensive players in this draft class. He has size and speed. He is versatile (can play deep, in the box or as a slot corner). He started 23 games and didn’t miss any time due to injury. He’s an outstanding athlete. And he’s a physical player who wants to mix it up on every play. The profile screams high floor and high upside. The Eagles need players in their secondary. I have to think Hill ranks pretty high on their draft board.
Wulf (12): I sort of regret not putting Hill a couple of spots higher. Safety has a slightly lower bust rate than other positions in the first round, and he checks all the boxes. I think he would be fine at No. 18.
11. USC WR Drake London
6-4, 219 pounds, 20 years old, no 40 time, No. 15 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (9): I’m not scared off by the J.J. Arcega-Whiteside memories because London can similarly become a Mike Evans type — it would be typecasting to see a big-bodied, contested-catch specialist from the Pac-12 and think the outcome will be Arcega-Whiteside. He averaged 11 catches and 135.5 yards per game last season. I prefer a few of the other top receivers in this class, but London would be an upgrade for the Eagles.
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Kapadia (15): If he turns into Mike Williams or Mike Evans, I’ll look like an idiot here. That’s OK. I get scared off when I see questions about a wide receiver’s ability to separate. Add in that we don’t have a timed speed on him and that he averaged 12.3 YPR last season, and I just can’t get there with London. I hope he has a great career, but I’d be scared to take him in the first round.
Wulf (11): London’s statistical profile is drool-worthy in terms of his age, performance and measurables (absent the 40 time) and a lot of people whose opinions I respect think he’s the best wide receiver in the class. Then I watch him and … kind of think he stinks. So I’m being a coward and splitting the difference. This is hard!
12. Ohio State WR Chris Olave
6-0, 187 pounds, 21 years old, 4.39-second 40-yard dash, No. 17 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (12): Good, solid receiver who has many of the qualities used to describe DeVonta Smith. He can play multiple spots, he runs good routes, he creates separation. I just think there’s a higher ceiling on some of the other receivers on this list.
Kapadia (10): I think coaches are going to love Olave because he looks like a finished product who can step in and contribute right away. He was a productive college player whose game is built on two things I like: speed and route running. But he is not going to break a lot of tackles or be a big threat after the catch. I think his ceiling is lower than some of the other receivers here, but I like him more than London and think Olave will be a quality pro.
Wulf (13): I don’t like the profile and I think the Eagles would be better served drafting a different position in this scenario and leaving wide receiver to the second day of the draft. I guess as long as they don’t trade up for him, it could be worse.
13. Washington CB Trent McDuffie
5-11, 193 pounds, 21 years old, 4.44-second 40-yard dash, No. 12 on Brugler’s big board
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Berman (10): I thought I wasn’t as high on McDuffie until I saw where I ranked him relative to Bo and Sheil. Maybe he turns into Jaire Alexander and he’s worth this pick. If I’m drafting a cornerback here, I want him to have elite size or traits. Perhaps that’s technique and toughness with McDuffie. He’s good enough to be a day-one starter for the Eagles. This wouldn’t be a bad pick, but he doesn’t excite me the way some of the others on this list would. My rating is admittedly influenced by what others think.
Kapadia (17): I’m probably too low on him, but I have questions about McDuffie as a mid-first-round pick. He’s 5-foot-11 with short arms and had two career interceptions in three seasons. According to Pro Football Focus, he played just 60 snaps of man coverage. The pluses with McDuffie are that he’s an excellent tackler, and the lack of production can be easily explained by the fact that teams didn’t throw in his direction.
Wulf (14): Cornerback would be a fine bet at this stage given the Eagles’ roster, but McDuffie leaves a lot to be desired given his really short arms (29 3/4 inches, which is in the fifth percentile at the position), his lack of ball production and the zone-heaviness of his role Sheil outlined.
14(t). Utah LB Devin Lloyd
6-3, 237 pounds, 23 years old, 4.66-second 40-yard dash, No. 9 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (11): Lloyd would be an upgrade at linebacker for the Eagles. He has size, he can tackle, he can blitz and he can cover. His speed isn’t elite, but it’s good enough. So why isn’t he higher? There are other positions I’d prioritize, and Lloyd is going to be 24 in December. Nothing egregious about this pick; I just think they’ll have better options in the teens.
Kapadia (12): From a height/weight/speed perspective, Lloyd has drawn comps to Fred Warner. But what makes Warner special are his instincts in coverage, and those could be hard for Lloyd to match. I’m not against the idea of taking a linebacker in the first round, but I need to be sure that linebacker is going to be an asset in coverage. I don’t think I’m quite there with Lloyd.
Wulf (19): Lloyd will enter the league older than each of the 14 first-round Pro Bowl/All-Pro linebackers over the past 10 years and is also on the slow side of that sample. Success at linebacker in the NFL is more about instincts than measurables, but I don’t understand why Lloyd sits atop this linebacker class. I also think he’s kind of a sloppy tackler. Pass.
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14(t). Clemson CB Andrew Booth Jr.
6-0, 194 pounds, 21 years old, no 40 time, No. 26 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (17): He’s someone I probably should have ranked higher because I like him. Checks a lot of boxes: coverage ability, size, athleticism, ball skills. In a trade-down scenario, this would be a great outcome. Otherwise, there are some Day 2 cornerbacks that intrigue me.
Kapadia (16): If it weren’t for his durability issues, I’d probably be right there with Bo. I see Booth’s upside. But this rundown from Brugler made me nervous: missed games with a hamstring injury and a stinger in 2021; required surgery to repair a tear in his patella tendon in 2020; battled knee tendinitis in high school; missed most of the pre-draft process with a quad strain and double hernia surgery. If I’m the Eagles and my medical staff says he’s good, I’d happily take Booth in the first. But I’d need to get their OK.
Wulf (9): I like Booth. The injury history Sheil outlined is troublesome, and his rookie season could be affected by his recent sports hernia surgery (performed in Philadelphia!). But if we presume he’s cleared medically, I like him best of the non-Stingley cornerbacks and think he’s a sensible trade-down target if the Eagles move back from No. 18.
16. Georgia LB Nakobe Dean
5-11, 229 pounds, 21 years old, no 40 time, No. 29 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (16): Dean offers just about everything you want from a linebacker on the field. A culture-setting player from the national champions who can play the pass, play the run, blitz, is smart and durable. He lacks an ideal frame and doesn’t play a premium position. I also like some Day 2 linebackers this year, but I wouldn’t knock this pick.
Kapadia (14): His best traits are his football IQ, his leadership and his tackling. Dean had 72 tackles, six sacks, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and eight passes defended last year. He was the captain of the best defense in the country and didn’t miss a game over the last two years. Dean is undersized, but there’s a lot to work with there. I don’t think I’d take him in the middle of the first round, but if the Eagles trade back? Maybe.
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Wulf (16): I think I like his teammate Quay Walker a little more, but if we’re talking about a trade back to the end of the first round, I could get on board with the Dawgs’ leader.
17. Penn State WR Jahan Dotson
5-11, 178 pounds, 22 years old, 4.43-second 40-yard dash, No. 25 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (18): In a trade-down scenario, Dotson would be appealing. He lacks size, but he seems to catch everything. He fits what the Eagles seek as far as receivers who can play around the formation. If there weren’t so many wide receiver options, he would be higher.
Kapadia (11): I don’t see a big difference between Dotson and Olave. Dotson wins with separation and speed (4.43). He’s got a tremendous catch radius, hauls in pretty much everything and is fearless in the middle of the field. Dotson’s instincts remind me of DeVonta Smith’s, and The Athletic’s Nate Tice has compared Dotson to Tyler Lockett. His play strength is a bit of a concern, and Dotson’s three-cone time ranked in the ninth percentile. But if the Eagles trade back in the first round, he could be an attractive option.
Wulf (18): Don’t ever let Sheil fool you into thinking he’s not a Nittany Lion homer. He does this every year. I like Dotson well enough and sort of agree with Sheil’s comparison to Olave, but drafting the sixth-best player at a position when the hit rate for first-round receivers is so low would strike me as questionable process.
18. Georgia DT Devonte Wyatt
6-3, 304 pounds, 24 years old, 4.77-second 40-yard dash, No. 23 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (14): The athletic profile is intriguing and I understand Georgia defensive linemen did not rack up sacks, so take that into account with the production. But he’s a 24-year-old prospect who had five sacks in 49 games. I don’t doubt the ability and I’ll always push players who can affect the passer up my board. (I’m probably influenced by all the hype around him, too.) I just think there will be better options for the Eagles at Nos. 15 and 18, and I’d rather have Oklahoma’s Perrion Winfrey 20 or 30 picks later.
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Kapadia (19): The film grinders love Wyatt, but I see a lot of red flags. He had five sacks in 49 college games, including 2.5 in 14 starts last year. Per Brugler, he was arrested and charged with three misdemeanors after an altercation with a woman at her apartment in 2020 (the charges were eventually dropped). And he’s already 24 years old. Wyatt could end up being a great player. But he’s the type of prospect I’d be fine missing on.
Wulf (15): Hard pass.
19(t). Iowa C Tyler Linderbaum
6-2, 296 pounds, 22 years old, no 40 time, No. 19 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (20): I’m all for taking the best available player, but positional value matters. A first-round, center-only prospect doesn’t do it for me when there are likely to be other intriguing options, and the Eagles already have internal options to replace Jason Kelce.
Kapadia (20): If he had some versatility, you could talk me into Linderbaum, but he’s a center-only prospect. Jason Kelce was an All-Pro last year and is back in 2022. Who knows how long he’ll play? Plus, the Eagles already have a contingency plan with Landon Dickerson. I am not on board with drafting a center prospect whose only chance of seeing the field next year is if a starter gets injured. If this were a premium position, sure. But not center.
Wulf (17): I don’t like the fit for all the reasons Zach and Sheil stated, but he would at least represent fine value at the back end of the first round.
19(t). Minnesota DE Boye Mafe
6-4, 261 pounds, 23 years old, 4.53-second 40-yard dash, No. 48 on Brugler’s big board
Berman (19): You don’t need to sell me on athletic pass rushers, and I liked what he did at the Senior Bowl. This still seems to be a case of pushing a player up during the post-draft process. I think the Eagles can better spend a top 20 pick. If they move down and add draft inventory, it could make sense.
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Kapadia (18): I kind of like Mafe. He had seven sacks last year and is a freak athlete. Mafe ranked in the 92nd percentile or above among defensive ends in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and broad jump. Could he develop into some kind of version of Brandon Graham? Mafe would be a reach in the middle of the first round, but if the Eagles trade back, I wouldn’t rule him out.
Wulf (20): I liked Mafe plenty at the Senior Bowl, but that was in relation to expectations he would be a Day 2 prospect. I think he would be a substantial reach in the first round.
(Top photo of Kayvon Thibodeaux: Tom Hauck / Getty Images)