Eagles draft: Four versatile prospects after Round 1 worth considering

The Eagles have two of the first 31 picks (Nos. 10 and 30) in the 2023 NFL draft, which is set to kick off Thursday in Kansas City. It’s a rare opportunity for a team fresh off a Super Bowl appearance.

After Round 1, the Eagles are scheduled to make just four more picks (Nos. 62, 94, 219, and 248). It’s an opportunity to add additional difference makers and depth to a roster that has seen a major shakeup since the start of free agency.

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Day 2 and 3 of the draft is where teams are built. Josh Sweat was a fourth-rounder in 2018; Jordan Mailata was a seventh-round pick that same year; Hurts was a second-round pick in 2020.

Here are four versatile prospects who won’t be Round 1 or even Round 2 players, but have experience or upside to play multiple positions.

Excelling across the entire offensive line at the Senior Bowl, North Dakota State offensive lineman Cody Mauch plays with the edge and mentality that match the intensity and ferocity the Eagles offensive line plays with in the running game. Mauch, a 6-foot-5, 302-pound mauler, was a two-year starter for the Bison program after he began his career as a walk-on tight end in 2017.

He’s a physical run-blocker with the athleticism to block on the perimeter and pull down the line of scrimmage to kick out the end man. Mauch showcased his versatility at the Senior Bowl in February, taking snaps at all five spots on the offensive line. As a pass protector, he shows a nuanced approach in chopping down the arm of defensive linemen. The Eagles took interest in Mauch at the combine, with the North Dakota State standout complimenting the work offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland has done.

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“I really liked the O-line coach there, lot of energy, that was a really fun interview,” Mauch told reporters at the combine about his meeting with the Eagles. Mauch added that no position was an ideal match for him, but added that “having that versatility and unknown is a good thing, just the ability to play any of those [offensive line] spots.”

He’s likely a guard at the next level, but Mauch’s run-blocking prowess and experience at tackle would give the Eagles an intriguing piece with the right guard spot not yet filled but with the expectation that 2022 second-round pick Cam Jurgens could step in.

With Auburn prospects Tank Bigsby and Derick Hall dominating the draft talk, versatile defensive lineman Colby Wooden has flown under the radar, having played both as an edge rusher and interior defensive lineman. At 6-4, 273 pounds, Wooden has a “tweener” body composition, in the gray area of a true defensive end or one-gap penetrating defensive lineman. But his tape suggests he can be a true disruptive player in the interior, with first-step quickness and excellent hand usage to deconstruct blocks in addition to playing with power to set a hard edge.

At the combine, Wooden talked about why he was used in multiple alignments along the Tigers’ defensive line.

“Being recruited as a defensive end, I felt that was my initial home … rushing outside was more natural to me, but getting more inside reps allowed me to be able to pass rush both from the outside and inside,” Wooden said. “So I knew some of the moves I did on the outside would have to be quicker or be able to move faster with on the inside, which has allowed me to use my versatility and agility on guards, which made it easier.”

Finishing 2022 with 45 tackles (11.5 for losses) with six sacks and a team-high three forced fumbles, Wooden will find a home at either three-technique or 4-3 defensive end. But his versatility as a rotational player along a defensive line, especially for a team like the Eagles with aging veterans Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham, could be a valuable addition on late Day 2 or early Day 3 of the draft.

A player who deservedly is getting plenty of buzz, Jartavius “Quan” Martin from Illinois played mostly at nickel in college, but he has snaps rotating to and lining up as a traditional safety.

A smooth player in and out of his breaks, Martin has a skill set similar to that of Daxton Hill, a first-round pick for the Cincinnati Bengals last year. Martin tackles well in open space and can cover shiftier slot receivers on deeper routes, showcasing his ability to turn and find the football in the air. He finished 2022 second on his team with 64 total tackles (51 solo, team lead) with ball production as well (three interceptions, 11 pass breakups).

During the combine, even Martin admitted teams were split on what he would be in the NFL.

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“Sixteen teams saying one thing, you got 16 teams saying the other, they pretty much asked me where I feel the most comfortable,” Martin said during the combine. “[I] just study my opponent throughout the week, about how [a receiver] runs his routes, his alignment, just knowing what routes I can expect at different spots on the field.”

Martin is a second-day draft candidate who can wear several hats for a defense, playing as a nickel corner or converting to safety full-time with his range and speed. The Illini standout can be a long-term answer at safety, a position with a mix of short-term fits along with players who haven’t been difference makers yet.

Hailing from the illustrious Florida A&M, versatile linebacker and pass-rusher Isaiah Land has length, speed, and a relentless motor. Known mostly for his enticing bend coming off the edge and first-step quickness to blow by offensive linemen, Land plays with excellent pad level with his long arms. But a transition to being a stacked linebacker could be in the cards for a player who had 89 total tackles (42.5 for losses) and 29 sacks in 29 career games with the Rattlers. In the latter stages of Senior Bowl week, Land took snaps at off-ball linebacker to give teams another look at his athleticism and instincts at a different position.

His slight build (6-3, 236 pounds) may result in a long-term position switch, but as Land detailed at the combine, he embraces change and proving people wrong.

“Even in high school, I was never the best on my team, so I’ve always had that underdog mentality and keep that chip on my shoulder,” Land said. “I had one offer, which was FAMU, but I stuck with my craft and I was a scout team player my first year of college. ... I just kept focusing on the things I needed to get better at and it’s just a blessing to be here.”

A likely sixth- or seventh-round pick, Land has the versatility to be a sub-package pass-rusher early in his career, but he has the closing speed and range to play inside the box. Depending on where teams view him, Land would be a draft, stash and developmental option if the Eagles wanted to bring in a player who has an enticing skill set.