‘It’s a Conversation’

The 2023 NFL draft is two weeks away and big decisions lie ahead for the Philadelphia Eagles,  who own two first round picks.

On the latest episode of “Inside The Birds,” Adam Caplan and Geoff Mosher provided intel on some of the top prospects that could be available at picks 10 and 30.

Georgia EDGE Nolan Smith is considered one of the top athletes in the draft with a similar build to Haason Reddick

Peter Skoronski

Adam Caplan: “He has a first-round grade but is not a left tackle at the next level. I have talked to three offensive line coaches. He can play right, but his arms are short and he doesn’t have Rashawn Slater’s athleticism.”

Bijan Robinson

Geoff Mosher: “This could be the year where the Eagles really get tested as far as are they fair in their process? Let’s say the Eagles don’t have a trade-up offer. Are they really going to take someone else and say that player was the best on their board [over Robinson]? I have gotten no feedback that Bijan Robinson has a fundamental flaw. I am really wondering what happens if Bijan is there [at pick 10] and a lot of their positional priority guys are not there.”

Caplan: “They definitely need a running back that they can rely on when push comes to shove, but you don’t have to spend the 10th overall on a guy who is going to be a bellcow. The Eagles will occasionally run the ball a lot like the Green Bay game, but that is not what they want to be. He’s absolutely worth the 10th pick, but that’s not how the Eagles do business.”

Nolan Smith

Caplan: “The only thing is do you want two smaller edge rushers? Nolan Smith is freaky athletic, his vertical is crazy, he ran one of the best 40 times ever for a d-lineman at 4.39. But you also have Haason Reddick who is smaller.”

Mosher: “If they did it, that would be their way of saying that they are going to make Reddick and Smith their overhang players and they would move Josh Sweat inside. You can’t get Nolan Smith on the field as a five technique or a three technique. He’s light for anything other than a stand-up pass rusher.”

Zay Flowers

Caplan: “Every receivers coach I have talked to said he is a slot and can play Z if you need him to. His body type is slot. He has great initial quickness. If he’s there at 30, it’s a conversation.”

– Benjamin Paul is a staff writer for InsideTheBirds.com.