This article is a follow up to the grades I handed out this past weekend for the offseason; CLICK HERE if you missed it and and want to get the context. On to the grades:
Jalen Carter (#9 overall): B+. We all understand the complications here; sometimes drafting knuckleheads or head cases really blows up in a team's face (Lawrence Phillips, Ryan Leaf), and sometimes the player gets straightened out in time (Warren Sapp, Randy Moss). Obviously it will take a couple years to determine where Carter falls in this continuum, but the odds are that he'll figure it out. Philly is loaded with character guys that won't put up with nonsense and one has to think that the Birds did all the due diligence possible. Of course, none of that guarantees success but I think the obvious talent (this guy could have been the top pick overall) makes the risk worthwhile here. Because of that risk I can't go all the way to an “A” but the grade needs to be high.
Nolan Smith (#30): B+. Another UGA defender that dropped enough to make the pick a no-brainer for the Birds. My only point of concern as things stand now is that Smith seems to profile as a Reddick clone, which makes me wonder what his path to playing time is. He's too small to be a full-time DE and I'm not aware at this point that he offers much as an off-ball LB. If he can put on some weight and/or learn to take some snaps off the ball, this becomes an “A” easily.
Tyler Steen (#65): C+. Steen has a number of elements in his favor (good size at 6-6, 321; smart kid with good character; played LT for Nick Saban; plus athlete). Philly sees his as a guard, which was a position of need. Quibble here is that it's eminently possible that Steen would have been available a round later, making this pick a significant reach.
Sydney Brown (#66): B. Initially I had graded this pick a little lower, but the team's conviction on Brown, plus the idea they have that he can play either safety position, won me over a bit. Brown is another plus athlete, an All-American on one of college football's best defenses, fills a need and was decent value where he was taken. His career stat sheet is stuffed (320 tackles, ten for loss, 10 picks, 16 PBUs, 4 forced fumbles, three defensive TDs). Strikes me as a more athletic Reed Blankenship.
Kelee Ringo (#105): A-. Don't overthink this; Philly needed a DB prospect and no one would have batted an eye had Ringo been drafted two rounds higher. At this time last year, Ringo was considered a top 5 overall prospect. I realize his junior season didn't go as expected but he's definitely young enough to have significant developmental upside. Don't ignore the possibility of a move to safety, either.
Trade for D'Andre Swift: B+. Depending on your personal preference in how to value draft picks (and how to depreciate future picks), the cost for this trade will vary. My personal thought process would value Philly's total net cost at a mere 6th round pick. That's more than reasonable to take a one year flier on a versatile weapon like Swift.
Tanner McKee (#188): A. Most of the people I've talked to or read about this pick don't like it, which is an attitude I don't get. In the preseason McKee was considered a possible first round pick; things went sideways for him in 2022 but it's unfair to pin much of that on him. Stanford struggled greatly on the field last year, so much so that they finally got rid of their long time head coach. Virtually everyone who watched his tape acknowledges that McKee's OL let him down significantly. No one expects to see McKee on the field in the regular season anytime soon, but a developmental high-upside QB3 is a perfectly reasonable investment of a sixth round pick.
Moro Ojomo (#249): A. Initially I had to ask “who?”. Once I did a little digging I was much happier with this pick. Ojomo is an unusual player in that he played five years of college ball and yet is only 21. He's got some inside/outside versatility (some scouts listed him as a DT but Philly announced him as a DE). His strength/athleticism profile is very good, and he had a 5th round consensus grade. Why did he fall to the back of the draft? His production was mediocre in college (possibly because he was only 16 as a college freshman). He'll fall somewhere in the Milton Williams-Kentavious Street spectrum as a tweener with pass rush juice.
Undrafted Free Agents: B-. Unlike some years, not a whole lot of juice here. The headliners include CB Eli Ricks (ironically, considered the #2 corner in this draft behind Ringo before the season) and LB Ben VanSumeren (who is raw but who's athletic profile is off the charts). Philly typically finds a player or two for their 53 from their UDFA haul, so keep an eye on these guys.
All in, I think a grade of B+ is perfectly fair. There are a couple of question marks about fit and development, but there's nothing unusual about that. Philly struck a nearly perfect balance between filling short and long term needs and drafting for value. It's difficult to move a team's Super Bowl chances along through a draft but Philly should get notable contributions from several of these players this year. Some holes remain, but this week is a reason to get excited.
Fly Eagles Fly!
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