What Eagles Should do in First Round of NFL Draft

With three picks on the opening night of next month's draft, the Eagles should make two separate trades, one to go up the draft board, the other to go down

Three first-round picks, one man’s opinion.

That’s what this is. My opinion, tinged with some conversations and rumblings over the past few weeks, as it pertains to what I believe the Eagles should do, and maybe could do, when in one month, on April 28, the 2022 NFL Draft will open for business.

The Eagles are scheduled to hit the clock with the 15th overall pick and follow that up with the 16th and 19th selections.

Here we go:

PICK 15: TRADE

Joe Douglas and Howie Roseman worked together for four years in the Eagles’ front office before Douglas split to be the GM of the New York Jets. That relationship will matter as the two GMs will collaborate on a trade that will require the Eagles to part ways with this pick.

Douglas has the fourth and 10th choices. Roseman will move up.

Which pick and for who?

Two options.

If they go up to four, it will cost more, obviously, and would likely mean they are taking a quarterback.

It’s clear they have done all kinds of homework on Kenny Pickett.

If they like him enough, that’s what they’ll do – move up to No. 4, because he won’t be there at 15. Doubtful he’s there at 10. Quarterback stock always rises the closer the draft gets, and Pickett and Malik Willis’ stick is climbing into top 10 territory.

It won’t matter what you think about Pickett, it will only matter what the Eagles and Roseman think, and they very well could make that move all the way up.

What will it take?

In addition to the 15th pick, it would also cost them another first-round pick in 2022. Or maybe Roseman could keep his other two first-round choices and gives Douglas a first-round choice in 2023.

Roseman and his staff would really have to love Pickett to do that.

I think the Eagles do love Pickett, but they won’t do that deal. Not sure Douglas would, either.

Here’s what I believe will happen.

The Eagles and Jets will swap this pick with the Jets’ 10th and give New York their third-round pick, No. 83 to do it, as well as a fourth-round pick in 2023.

At least one of two players will likely be there that the Eagles like:

CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner and DT Jordan Davis.

SELECTION AT NO. 10: Cornerback Sauce Gardner, Cincinnati.

PICK 16: STAY PUT

The Achilles’ injury to edge rusher David Ojabo probably takes him out of the running here, but the Eagles need to address the interior of their D-line, and Davis is likely gone at this point.

SELECTION: Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, Georgia.

PICK 19: TRADE

Roseman mines another relationship like he did with Douglas. This time, he deals down to No. 30 with Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid. In exchange, the Eagles get two third-round picks (94 and 103) and a fourth (135). The Chiefs have 12 draft picks, so peddling three won’t hurt them terribly, especially to move up 11 spots in the first round.

The Eagles, meanwhile, recoup the third-round pick they dealt away to move up with the Jets plus another one in this deal.

SELECTION AT NO 30: WR Christian Watson, North Dakota State.

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.