Eagles have 10th and 30th picks

Having two selections in the NFL Draft can change the fortunes of a franchise if they can find the right players to fit their roster. The Eagles are in that position, having the 10th pick via a March 2022 trade with the New Orleans Saints and their own selection at 30.

The draft is an important way for the Eagles to build their roster for the next two years because of the large contract extensions on the offensive side of the ball, with quarterback Jalen Hurts expected to receive a lucrative extension himself.

Want to bet on the NFL?

See the best NJ Sports Betting sites

Picking at these two spots in the first round has yielded talent that has significantly changed teams’ futures, including the Eagles. However, with some of the players taken at spots, it set back a few franchises, watching their picks not panning out, with some trying to remain relevant in the league.

Here are the players selected with the 10th overall pick in the last five years:

2022: WR Garrett Wilson, Jets

2021: WR DeVonta Smith, Eagles

2020: T Jedrick Wills Jr., Cleveland Browns

2019: LB Devin Bush Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers

2018: QB Josh Rosen, Arizona Cardinals

Teams have focused a lot on offense at 10, and three of the five selections have worked out.

Wilson was named the Offensive Player of the Year last season after catching 83 passes for 1,103 yards and four touchdowns. Smith was a Pro Bowl alternate in 2022 and had 2,112 receiving yards in two seasons, while Wills has played his way into a discussion about if the Browns will activate the fifth-year option on him or work out a long-term extension for their left tackle.

Bush moved on from the Steelers, signing with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason after not playing as well as he did before he suffered an ACL tear in 2020, and Rosen was a reach at 10, starting 13 games for the Cardinals before being traded to the Dolphins for a second-round pick in 2019. Since then, Rosen has started a total of three games.

Unlike the focus on offense with the 10th pick, the focus has been on defense, and, at 30, the difference between an actual first-round selection to a second-round talent is apparent.

Here are the players selected with the 30th overall pick in the last five years:

2022: DE George Karlaftis, Kansas City Chiefs

2021: DE Greg Rousseau, Buffalo Bills

2020: CB Noah Igbinoghene, Miami Dolphins

2019: CB Deandre Baker, Giants

2018: CB Mike Hughes, Minnesota Vikings

Karlaftis had a solid rookie season, getting six sacks in a season that ended with a Super Bowl win. Rousseau has been solid in the Bills defense, collecting 12 career sacks. Baker lasted only a season with the Giants before being released after he was charged with armed robbery, but the chargers were later dropped, and he’s signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. However, he has not been a factor. Igbinoghene and Hughes have still not made a significant impact during their tenure in the league.

With only six selections in the draft, trading down is possible for the Eagles. The 30th pick would be a valuable asset to trade because a team wanting to move back into the first round for a player they covet would have the important fifth-year option at their disposal when taking the player. Taking advantage of the situation, the Eagles could move down anywhere from 33 and 36 and get at least a fourth-round pick and could net another sixth-rounder this year or ask for a 2024 fifth-round selection.

Several players would be considered the best selections in their draft classes, providing a lot of value for where they were selected.

Buy Eagles gear: Fanatics, NFL Shop, Lids

Here are six notable players selected between picks 33 and 36:

RB Nick Chubb (Browns-2018)

LB Shaquille Leonard (Indianapolis Colts-2018)

WR Deebo Samuel (San Francisco 49ers-2019)

WR Tee Higgins (Cincinnati Bengals-2020)

WR Michael Pittman Jr. (Indianapolis Colts-2020)

RB D’Andre Swift (Detroit Lions-2020)

There are four All-Pro selections among the six players and eight Pro Bowl nods among them.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.

Chris Franklin may be reached at [email protected].