Eagles draft: Birds can help themselves vs. Saints; College Football Playoff matchups to watch

The Eagles have more than playoff seeding to gain this weekend.

A win against the New Orleans Saints Sunday would not only secure the top seed and a first-round bye for the Eagles, but would also improve their standing in next April’s NFL draft.

Going into Thursday night’s games, the 2023 first-round pick the Eagles acquired in a trade last offseason is No. 10 overall, but there’s a cluster of teams all sitting at 6-9 with two games remaining.

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With the Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns, and Saints all deadlocked, there is something to glean from each organization’s priorities with two weeks remaining. The Panthers and Saints are the only two of the group still in playoff contention thanks to the lackluster NFC South standings.

The Browns are eliminated, but may still see value in finishing the year strong with Deshaun Watson back in the picture after missing almost two full seasons while embroiled in sexual misconduct allegations and trade demands. Even though the Raiders still have a minuscule chance of making the postseason, they benched starting quarterback Derek Carr and seemingly have their focus on the offseason.

An Eagles win over the Saints at Lincoln Financial Field would accomplish two things: It would push the Saints pick closer to the top five, and it would also knock New Orleans out of the division race going into the final week of the regular season. A loss would not only leave the Eagles in an uncertain spot going into the regular-season finale, but would also send the Saints pick back closer to No. 15 than No. 4.

Two Saints wins combined with two Tampa Bay Buccaneers losses would be the worst-case scenario: A New Orleans playoff berth pushing the pick to No. 19 at its highest.

This year’s draft class is top-heavy along the defensive line and at quarterback, which could benefit the Eagles. Here are some matchups to watch going into the College Football Playoff:

Georgia CB Kelee Ringo vs. Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr.

The matchup between Georgia’s freakish No. 1 cornerback and Ohio State’s freakish No. 1 receiver is of note for multiple reasons.

Ringo will likely end up as the first cornerback off the board and would certainly appeal to the Eagles unless they’re able to re-sign James Bradberry in the offseason. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Ringo is built more like a box safety than a lockdown corner, but he has a special blend of speed to go with his bigger frame.

Harrison Jr. is not only a Philadelphia native, a former St. Joe’s Prep standout, and the son of a Hall of Famer, he is also the best receiver in college football. He won’t be draft eligible until next offseason, but the plays he spends lining up against Ringo on Saturday will produce the most informative tape NFL evaluators could hope for on the Georgia corner. Harrison Jr. has 72 catches for 1,157 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. At 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, he has NFL size and athleticism.

The Eagles secondary has been defined largely by pairing Darius Slay’s technical coverage style with Bradberry’s physicality. The combination allows defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon more flexibility with his matchups and also keeps opposing offenses from being able to avoid either corner.

Ringo might boost his draft stock out of the Eagles’ range depending on his performance this Saturday and how he tests at the NFL scouting combine, but he would be an ideal fit if Bradberry finds a lucrative deal outside of the Eagles’ price range this offseason.

Georgia DL Jalen Carter vs. Ohio State LG Donovan Jackson & Co.

Carter is a higher-rated prospect than Ringo, but the players lining up across from him aren’t as evenly matched.

Jackson is likely the most qualified Ohio State interior lineman Georgia’s game-wrecking defensive tackle will face, but Buckeyes center Luke Wypler and right guard Matthew Jones both have some NFL upside as well.

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The Eagles would need the Saints to lose out to have any real chance at Carter, who is projected to go in the top 3-5 picks in most mock drafts, including recent ones done by The Athletic and Pro Football Focus. If they’re in range, it’s hard to imagine them passing up on a player like Carter, who can wreak havoc from multiple alignments in odd and even fronts, has familiarity playing next to Jordan Davis, and has been virtually untouchable for most of college football’s offensive linemen this season.

Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud vs. Georgia’s defense

Save for a flier on a cheap backup in the later rounds, the Eagles won’t be in the quarterback market this draft cycle. That doesn’t mean they won’t be monitoring the top guys, though, and Stroud has a significant amount riding on Saturday’s game.

Stroud, Alabama’s Bryce Young, Kentucky’s Will Levis, and even Florida’s Anthony Richardson all have a chance to climb draft boards over the next few months and a dominant showing against one of the country’s best defenses could give Stroud a boost going into the offseason. If Stroud gets that boost, it would benefit the Eagles by either enticing teams to trade for their pick or by forcing an early run of quarterbacks that leaves the rest of the board for them.