The 2023 NFL Draft is a little over a month away and the teams out of the NFC East have seen what these players can do at the combine, now they get a chance to see how they perform in a more friendly environment during their pro days. Last season this division was the best in the NFL and with every team making moves early in free agency they are looking to build on their successes while fixing their weaknesses.
The Eagles have lost multiple players on the defensive side of the football along with their leading rusher, and the Cowboys have lost their third receiver, starting left guard and backup linebacker while also releasing Ezekiel Elliott. The Giants lost starting guard Nick Gates, and the Commanders lost starting linebacker Cole Holcomb and former starting quarterback Taylor Heinicke.
So these teams will be looking to refresh their rosters with young talent but it can’t be just any talent, it has to be the right talent at positions of need. Their best bets are taking a player in the first round that can immediately come in and help their teams. So who would be some realistic draft prospects that will be available for each of these teams when they are officially on the clock in the first round? Let’s take a look at a few options that could still be on the board for each of the NFC East teams on day one of the 2023 NFL Draft.
NFC East options on day one of the 2023 NFL Draft
Philadelphia Eagles 10th Pick Options in the 2023 NFL Draft
1. Trade Back for Picks
If the Eagles were going to trade back in order to gain more draft capital their best bet would be to move their 10th pick in order to secure a future first-round pick and then some. Depth at quarterback in this draft could prove beneficial for the Eagles as teams could be willing to give up quite a bit of future draft capital in order to get a quarterback they believe can be the future of their franchise. If a situation like this occurs then the Eagles would be smart to make the move, trade back and continue to collect first-round and second-round picks for the future.
2. Bijan Robinson
Regarded as the best running back in this draft the Eagles should have the opportunity to draft Robinson and after losing Miles Sanders in free agency they need a new lead back. The team did sign Rashad Penny and Boston Scott but Robinson is heads and shoulders above them talent-wise. He has great vision and elusiveness for a running back his size and adding him to this passing attack would be a scary combination for the rest of the NFC East to try and stop. They are going to need that offense to be clicking on all cylinders with their defense taking such a big hit in free agency.
3. Jalen Carter
Carter’s draft stock has been taking a hit with the most recent being his pro day workout where he came in overweight and wasn’t able to finish his pro day workout. That could play right into the Eagles’ hands, we’ve seen that they aren’t afraid to take a defensive tackle high in the draft taking Jordan Davis last season. If Carter is there they would be able to reunite Davis and Carter and start to rebuild that defense, a defense that prides itself on harassing quarterbacks and being tough in the running game. This move does come with the risk of Carter’s off-the-field issues but it would be a solid on-the-field pick for the Eagles.
Washington Commanders 16th Pick Options
1. Hendon Hooker
The Commanders are a good football team with weapons on the offensive side of the football and a tough defense to boot. The one thing they are missing is a quarterback that can lead them out of the NFC East cellar and Hooker might very well be that guy. The Commanders lost Heinicke and released Carson Wentz but did bring in Jacoby Brissett and have Sam Howell on the roster, players who can hold the spot for the season until Hooker is ready to come in and play. If it weren’t for his injury Hooker be going a lot higher in the draft, but he does have some parts of his game that he needs to work on. His landing here would be a good fit for both sides, Hooker gets time to develop and the Commanders get themselves a potential franchise quarterback.
"I don't feel like there has been enough talk about Hendon Hooker.. he's big, accurate and can move around" ~ @MoveTheSticks#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/IkpuzWRgzM
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 28, 2023
2. Trenton Simpson
The Commanders already have a game-wrecker on their defensive line in Chase Young but they need help at linebacker and if Simpson is on the board they would be able to add another physical freak of nature to go with Young. Simpson’s ability to play off the ball and pass rush would give the Commanders a scary pass rush with Young and Montez Sweat. He’s a bit undersized as a linebacker but with Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen in front of him, he would be able to stay clean and make plays on the football. This would seem like a perfect situation for Simpson to excel very quickly for the Commanders.
3. Devon Witherspoon
If there is one weakness in this Commanders’ defense it’s at the cornerback position, thankfully they have a mid-first-round draft pick that will allow them to take one of the better cornerbacks in his draft class. Witherspoon is seen by many as an NFL-ready cornerback that can come in and immediately help a defense thanks to his ability to mirror receivers along with his speed. The Commanders adding him would make things a lot tougher for the rest of the NFC East teams and give that talented defensive front more time to get after the quarterback and make a play.
New York Giants 25th Pick Options
1. O’Cyrus Torrence
If the Giants want to move the needle on offense they need to get better in their protection of quarterback Daniel Jones, they start last season taking an offensive tackle and now they could secure their next starting guard in Torrence. Torrence is a mauler who can come in and immediately help in protection and in the running game thanks to his lower body power that allows him to anchor and hold his blocks or use it to move defensive out of their gaps. The Giants won’t ask him to do any type of pulling plays because he isn’t the lightest of foot but he checks all the boxes in every other category.
2. Deonte Banks
The Giants have been investing in their defensive line for some time now but they need to start working on their cornerbacks again and Banks is a special player that might be able to help. He has the size and fluid movement you look for in a starting cornerback and he has the speed to keep up with quicker receivers as well. If the Giants are looking to get themselves a solid cornerback with the 25th pick Banks would be a solid choice. It also wouldn’t hurt that they would be taking a possible prospect another NFC East team could be interested in taking if he falls to them.
3. Zay Flowers
If the Giants look towards the offensive side of the football to use this pick then wide receiver has to be on their minds if they want to help Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. Outside of Sterling Shepard who’s continued to deal with injuries off and on they don’t have much at the receiver position. The addition of Flowers would give this team a speedster that can take the top off the defense and lighten the box for Barkley. Add Flowers to go with Shepard and the trade for Darren Waller would give Jones a nice pair of options in the passing game to attack defenses.
Zay Flowers to Green Bay, please and thank you. pic.twitter.com/TmXrhvTymK
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) February 19, 2023
Dallas Cowboys 26th Pick Options
1. Dalton Kincaid
The player that seems to have been linked to the Cowboys forever now has been Kincaid, and for very good reason. The Cowboys are letting Dalton Schultz test free agency and even though they have Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot on the roster and did a nice job in their rookie season, having a vertical threat like Kincaid will be hard to pass up. The Cowboys have told everyone this offseason they want to get more weapons on offense after seeing what happened to them in the playoffs when Tony Pollard went down with an injury and the 49ers focused all their efforts on stopping CeeDee Lamb. It would be a good move but you’re going to have to deal with his issues in blocking.
2. Jahmyr Gibbs
A lot of focus has been put on how good Bijan Robinson is and what he can do for this team especially now with the release of Ezekiel Elliott but Gibbs shouldn’t and won’t be overlooked. The Cowboys aren’t going to get the chance to take Robinson and Gibbs will still be there waiting for them and seems like a better fit in Mike McCarthy’s offense. He’s a dynamic running back that is just as dangerous in the passing game as he is in the running game. Pairing him with Tony Pollard would give this offense a dynamic one-two punch in the backfield and the rest of the NFC nightmares trying to figure out how to slow Gibbs and Pollard down.
3. Trade Up for Receiver
The Cowboys surprised everyone with their trade for Stephon Gilmore on the second day of the free-agency tampering period. Seeing how open the NFC East and NFC as a conference is open don’t rule out Jerry Jones making another splash much like he did when he moved up to draft Dez Bryant. There are only a few receivers that garner that type of move but if one starts to fall into the range of the Cowboys then don’t be surprised if Jones pulls the trigger on another trade to secure another receiver that can come in and add juice to this offense on the outside.
Philadelphia Eagles 30th Pick Options
1. Antonio Johnson
The Eagles will be looking to replace the loss of Marcus Epps and possibly Chauncey Gardner-Johnson if he leaves in free agency. Johnson would be a nice start as he’s got the size and experience you want from a college prospect coming into the NFL. Another area where he thrives is around the line of scrimmage where he can come down and make plays on the football on crossing routes and in the running game. He will need to work on his pass coverage a little bit but overall the Eagles would be getting a safety that plays much like the Cowboys’ Donovan Wilson who just re-signed with the team.
2. Jahmyr Gibbs
Much like the Cowboys the Eagles will surely have interest in Gibbs and if they decide not to take Robinson and go with a defensive player then if Gibbs gets past NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys then Gibb could more than likely end up in an Eagles uniform. Behind that offensive line, Gibbs would give them to same if not better production than Miles Saunders was able to give them before leaving in free agency. Seeing Gibbs behind that offensive line should terrify the rest of the NFC East and everyone else as well.
3. Deonte Banks
Banks falling this fall should be absurd but stranger things have happened during the NFL Draft, his fall will benefit the Eagles who did bring back their two starting cornerbacks but need to think about the future at the position. Banks would give the Eagles a very solid trio of cornerbacks that can shut down receivers and give their pass rush ample time to harass the quarterback.
Not to mention he be able to learn from two of the better cornerbacks in the league which can help him develop into a tough cornerback to deal with going forward.