Scouting report: How does the Eagles’ 2023 NFL draft class stack up collectively?

The Eagles entered the 2023 NFL draft with just six draft selections, and with questions surrounding the future of their defensive line, safety position and the interior of their offensive line, specifically the right guard spot.

After several trades, from moving up to get Jalen Carter, to several trade backs to have back-to-back picks in the third round and everything in between, the Eagles ended up making seven draft selections overall.

Who will emerge from this group to be a difference maker as a rookie? Are there any players who could become starters in the future?

We explore those questions and more, breaking down what each player brings, what they must improve on and their projections for the Eagles over the course of their time in Philadelphia.

Strengths: Carter has a dominant skill set with the blend of quick twitch athleticism and power to leave offensive linemen in the dust at the point of attack with an explosive first step. He’s at his best his best when he’s allowed to control a single lineman, using swim, bull rushes, and club-rip moves to be disruptive as a run defender and pass rusher. Has inside-out pass-rushing ability that will allow him to be used in multiple alignments.

Weaknesses: Combining his ability to win quickly at the line of scrimmage and consistently getting into the chest of offensive linemen to control their leverage is the next step for Carter. Because he won so frequently with his speed or power, he wasn’t forced to use more than a handful of moves to win against defenders. Anchoring more consistently against double teams is another area of improvement.

» READ MORE: Howie Roseman defends the Eagles’ Jalen Carter draft pick, and the only fair response is to wait and see

Summary: Lining up primarily as a 2i or three-technique with the Bulldogs, Carter best fits as a one-gapping run defender who is allowed to penetrate vertically, but his versatility and unique athleticism could have him serve in 4i roles in Sean Desai’s defense. The upside is tantalizing, and if his game comes together — on and off the field — he has the potential to be a franchise cornerstone.

Strengths: Possessing rare athleticism, Smith is an explosive, twitchy, and bendy athlete who can put pressure on offensive linemen with his speed and fluidity, playing with relentless pursuit. As a run defender, Smith consistently takes on pullers and spills running backs to his pursuing linebacker teammates, with excellent power in his lower body to play much bigger than his 6-foot-2, 238-pound frame. His change-of-direction ability is elite.

Weaknesses: Pass-rush plan is not yet fully realized and developed, winning with speed to power, or winning with pure speed on an inside or outside track. Hand usage can be cleaner and more savvy to win in a variety of ways, both as a run defender and pass rusher. Missed six games with injury (pectoral), so health will be something to watch going forward, although he’s been cleared medically.

Summary: Smith has ideal traits and explosiveness to be a pass-rush specialist early in his career behind Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat, but his activity and disruptiveness as a run defender can earn him snaps on early downs as his rookie year progresses. The sky is the limit for his potential, as he continues to improve his game.

Strengths: A smooth player who pops out of stance quickly, Steen has the lower-body torque to displace defensive ends and outside linebackers in the run game. As a pass protector, Steen has patient hands, a powerful strike to keep pass rushers at bay, and recovery speed coupled with active hands to mitigate twitchy or powerful rushers. Intelligent lineman who anticipates stunts as well.

Weaknesses: Wide feet and base cause Steen to have balance issues, particularly when handling speed to power moves. Because of the inconsistent base, Steen has issues anchoring at times. Technique and pad level is inconsistent, as Steen can be caught lunging against longer-armed athletes, and hand placement can sometimes be outside frame of defender.

» READ MORE: Four big-picture takeaways from the Eagles’ draft haul

Summary: Tyler Steen was a four-year starter, playing one season at right tackle and the last three at left tackle. With his ability to mitigate pass rushers with accurate strikes and recovery speed to never be out of a play, Steen is expected to make a move to the interior where his run-blocking ability, specifically displacing defenders, will best suit him. While his technique and wide base are a work in progress, Steen can make a challenge for the vacant right-guard job while having the ability to play either tackle spot in a pinch.

Strengths: A physical specimen who brought imposing presence on a dominant defense, Brown made a living with the Illini as a low-hole safety who thrived near the line of scrimmage. Has ability to undercut crossing routes and intermediate concepts, and cover tight ends one-on-one. He’s a “thumper,” providing booming hits on running backs and receivers in the box and in space with his compact frame (5-10, 211), and tested like an elite athlete.

» READ MORE: Eagles think they finally drafted a ‘red star’ safety in Sydney Brown

Weaknesses: Brown struggles moving laterally with tight hips, and had a high number of missed tackles in his final season at Illinois (16.5% according to Pro Football Focus). While Brown has the straight-line speed to run stride-for-stride with receivers and tight ends, he wasn’t asked to play the “post” safety role much; he looks much more comfortable playing near the box and defending between the numbers.

Summary: With a physical tone-setting mindset, Brown projects as a low-hole safety who thrives attacking downhill and playing with physicality in coverage. Because of that, Brown can be a candidate to cover tight ends, while being an extra number in the box to stop the run. While he doesn’t have the best hip fluidity and needs to clean up the missed tackles, Brown can push to earn early playing time with his well-rounded skill set, and can be an asset on special teams early in his career with his speed.

Strengths: Athleticism shines through with Ringo, who has size (6-2, 207) and speed to run with any receiver. Brings a physical presence and component to playing corner, likes to tackle in the open field, and reacts incredibly well as a zone-coverage defender, closing quickly on routes developing in front of him. At just 20, Ringo’s best football is expected to be ahead of him. He checks the boxes of a modern defensive back.

» READ MORE: Get to know the new ‘Philadelphia Bulldogs’ through eyes of coach Fran Brown — Georgia’s resident Eagles fan

Weaknesses: Ringo’s inconsistencies stem from struggling to locate the football in the air and the inability to recognize route concepts, causing him to get beaten with his back turned. With average hip fluidity, Ringo has to be more precise and refined in his technique and needs to develop better route anticipation and recognition.

Summary: As a fourth-round pick, Ringo has an opportunity to learn from Darius Slay and James Bradberry to become a more well-rounded defensive back. His ability to fly at his size, physicality defending routes, and ability to make plays in zone coverage give him a good baseline as a developmental player. If his route-recognition skills and confidence playing with his back to the ball improve, Ringo can be an in-house replacement for Slay or Bradberry whenever their time in Philly runs out.

Strengths: As a taller quarterback, the 6-6 McKee possesses a compact throwing style that allows him to distribute the football with a quick release. With average mobility to create on the move and maneuver pressure, the Stanford product excels hitting in-breaking routes and consistently rips the football on seam routes between the numbers. Thrives in red-zone situations, throwing with great touch and placement into tight windows.

Weaknesses: Has a hero element to his game — tries to keep plays alive, which can result in bad decision making. Internal clock feeling pressure and pocket collapsing around him isn’t always sound. Deep-ball accuracy leaves something to be desired, not putting enough air on vertical routes to allow receivers to get underneath the football.

Summary: Tanner McKee played in a pedestrian offense that relied on his arm talent and accuracy to throw into contested windows. Receivers hardly created separation and the offensive line was below average, leaving McKee playing on the run half the time. While he possesses desirable traits, size and mobility, McKee has work to do on anticipating pressure and his deep-ball accuracy, but the skill set is worth developing into a long-term backup.

Strengths: Ojomo has a quick first step and powerful hands that allow him to get upfield penetration, particularly in the run game. Has knock-back power to shock offensive linemen, create separation against interior linemen and make plays down the line of scrimmage. Versatility, playing both as base end and three-technique, with enough juice to win on inside track getting after the quarterback.

» READ MORE: Why Howie Roseman and the Eagles drafted Kelee Ringo, Tanner McKee, and Moro Ojomo on Day 3

Weaknesses: Tightness in lower half stalls out his pass rushes from the interior when attempting to move laterally. Lack of fluidity changing direction limits effectiveness on stunts such as twists, and because of that, his game best projects in the interior versus being a full-time defensive end. Pass-rush plan and moves are limited in effectiveness.

Summary: A three-year starter at Texas, Ojomo has impressive physique and power in his hands and lower body. Plowing through double teams and interior offensive linemen, Ojomo does a nice job creating vertical penetration from three-technique alignments. While he’s not an overly explosive athlete and his pass-rush ability is limited, Ojomo projects as a rotational defensive linemen who can align as a 4i defensive end on running downs.