The No. 10 pick has been a notable selection in the NFL Draft's storied history. Great selections have come from the 10th spot, mainly Patrick Mahomes, Marcus Allen, Rod Woodson and Jerome Bettis -- three are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Mahomes is certainly going there as well.
The Philadelphia Eagles are the proud owners of the No. 10 pick this year, one of two first-round picks at their disposal in this NFL Draft. Philadelphia is the first team to reach the Super Bowl and have a top 10 pick in the draft since the New England Patriots in 2008, the definition of a "luxury" pick.
With all the quarterbacks expected to go early in the draft, the Eagles could be getting one of the draft's best players at No. 10. These are the players who make the most sense for Philadelphia at that spot based on how the draft board could play out (this is assuming these players could be available there).
1. Jalen Carter (DT)
This would be the home run selection for the Eagles if Carter would happen to fall to No. 10. Hard to envision this scenario as Carter may not make it past the Seahawks at No. 5 or the Lions at No. 6, but it's a safe bet he won't get past the Eagles at No. 10 if he falls there.
Carter would immediately start on the defensive line next to Fletcher Cox or Jordan Davis, helping overcome the loss of Javon Hargrave in free agency. A rotating trio between Carter, Cox, Davis and Milton Williams keeps their defensive tackle group elite.
The Eagles prefer to draft this high in the trenches. If Carter is there at No. 10, general manager Howie Roseman is running to the podium.
2. Paris Johnson Jr. (OT)
Hard to find a premier player who makes the Eagles' offensive line better, which is what they would be getting if Johnson is on the board at No. 10. Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland can groom Johnson to be the long-term successor for Lane Johnson at right tackle while instantly starting him at right guard in 2023 (where he played at Ohio State before moving to left tackle).
The multi-faceted offensive scheme the Eagles run will take some adjusting for Johnson, but the Eagles' offensive line will be even better than they were last year with him at right guard.
3. Peter Skoronski (OT)
There's a possibility both Johnson and Skoronski may not be available at No. 10. If Johnson is off the board, the Eagles wouldn't have an issue taking Skoronski at this spot. Skoronski would become the immediate starter at RG, giving Cam Jurgens another year to develop at center as Jason Kelce's successor while the Eagles would fortify their right guard spot for the next several seasons.
Skoronski will eventually swing outside to tackle, performing well as the successor to Rashawn Slater over the last two years at Northwestern. An excellent pass blocker and run blocker, Skoronski could be a Pro Bowler from day one.
4. Devon Witherspoon (CB)
Do the Eagles need a cornerback at No. 10? No, but a roster can never have enough cornerbacks -- especially good ones with Witherspoon. Even though James Bradberry and Darius Slay are locked in for the next several years, Witherspoon's aggressiveness and ability as a shutdown corner on the outside will be hard to ignore.
Witherspoon can use Year 1 to develop and build muscle mass while immediately being ready to play should an injury happen at cornerback. He's one of the best finishers in the draft.
5. Lukas Van Ness (EDGE)
The Eagles put pass rushing at a premium and typically lean in this direction when they have a pick this high in the draft. Is Van Ness the best edge rushing prospect after Will Anderson and Tyree Wilson? That's certainly debatable, but the Iowa edge rusher has tremendous upside.
Van Ness can play the edge while also sliding inside over the B-gap, versatility the Eagles prefer with their defensive linemen. His length and play strength wear down offensive linemen over the course of a game -- and his competitiveness to win every play is a benefit for any defense. He's an ideal add for a defensive end rotation who has the potential to become a star edge rusher.
6. Nolan Smith (EDGE)
Put Smith in the same ranking as Van Ness here, as Philadelphia likely won't go wrong with adding either of them to the defensive end rotation. Smith plays similar to Hasson Reddick with his pass-rushing traits, so he'll have a good mentor in the Eagles' rotation over the next several years.
While Smith needs to have a better pass-rushing strategy, he wasn't exactly asked to execute that as the "JACK" at Georgia. His first step off the line will be crucial toward NFL success.
7. Bijan Robinson (RB)
On this draft board, Robinson is the second-best player behind Carter. Ideally, he's a great fit for the Eagles as another explosive player in an already explosive offense. Even better, Robinson ran in an RPO offense at Texas, so he would thrive in the Eagles' multi-faceted attack.
Robinson has the natural ability to cut and burst at the line, a key reason why he forced 116 missed tackles last season (most in FBS). He'll be there for the Eagles at No. 10, but Philadelphia just doesn't draft running backs that high, and no running back has gone in the top 20 since Saquon Barkley in 2018.
This is a polarizing pick (and wouldn't be a bad pick), but Robinson would have success in Philadelphia. If the Eagles select Robinson, it goes against the standard for the organization.
