How Are Eagles Impacted by Jeff Okudah Trade to Falcons?

The former third overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft sends a distinct message to Philadelphia Eagles and others, and how it might influence Philly's pick at No. 10

As the 2023 NFL Draft creeps closer, a stark reminder arrived on Tuesday when the Detroit Lions traded cornerback Jeffrey Okudah to the Atlanta Falcons, and that is there are very few sure-things in the first round.

Okudah was the third overall pick just three years ago. The best the Lions could get for him was a fifth-round draft pick.

There are some thoughts that come to mind, and how the trade could potentially impact the Philadelphia Eagles.

First, what will the Lions do now when the first round begins on April 27?

They could very well dive back into the cornerback market and take one of the top three there.

Second, what does the deal do for the Falcons?

They could take an offensive player now, and that offensive player could very well be running back Bijan Robinson as they look to take some of the pressure off second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder.

If Robinson and a cornerback go in the top 10, and four quarterbacks do as well, that could increase the likelihood that Jalen Carter could still be on the board when the Eagles make their pick at No. 10.

Of course, that would mean the defensive tackle has to get by the Chicago Bears at No. 9, which probably wouldn't happen, but it could put Eagles GM Howie Roseman in range of making a small trade up to No. 7 with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Finally, what happened with the failure of Okudah to ignite in the Motor City is something to be mindful of for fans clamoring for prospects and teams looking at why players succeed and fail no matter where they are drafted.

Okudah had a prospect grade of 7.15 coming out of the NFL Scouting Combine in 2020. That score was the highest in recent memory for a cornerback. Even the two top corners taken in 2021 – Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain – had grades of 6.46 and 7.02, respectively.

Okudah’s early washout in Detroit is certainly something for the Eagles to keep in mind when it comes to the top cornerbacks in this year’s draft and certainly lends credence to their decision to bring back two veteran corners in James Bradberry and extend Darius Slay.

Free agent cornerback Greedy Williams, who signed a one-year deal with the Eagles, had a 6.70 grade when he came out in 2019.

The top cornerbacks in this year’s draft, who each have been linked to the Eagles at various points in mock drafts, have scores that don’t approach even 7.0.

They are:

• Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez – 6.70

• Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon – 6.43

• Penn State CB Joey Porter – 6.42

Obviously, prospects can outperform their grades, but it can go the other way, too.

Look at former Eagles receiver Jalen Reagor. He had a 6.36 grade coming out in 2020, and the Eagles selected him 21st overall. He didn’t come close to that grade and was traded last year to the Vikings.

It all comes down to player development and a passion for the game a prospect must have, which is an intangible that can be difficult to measure.

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Ed Kracz covers the Philadelphia Eagles for SI's EaglesToday.

Please follow him and our Eagles coverage on Twitter on @kracze.

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