1. Eagles put distance between themselves and Vikings, NFC
NFL draft Five Extra points: Philadelphia still rules the NFC; Packers should have done better
The Eagles appear to have either won the draft or finished close to the top.
April 30, 2023 at 2:30AM
Contrary to the televised coverage of the NFL draft, Howie Roseman isn't perfect (See: Reagor, J.). However, the Eagles' General Manager does appear to have either won the draft or finished close enough that the NFC still runs through Philly at a time when free agency had threatened to sink the Eagles. Howie's secret? Keep stocking nasty Georgia defenders. A year after taking two of them in the first and third rounds (tackle Jordan Davis and linebacker Nakobe Dean), Roseman took two in the first round – dominant pass rushers Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith — and then used a 2024 third-rounder to move up in the fourth round for another quality Dawg, corner Kelee Ringo. Roseman then traded a 2025 fourth-rounder for Lions running back D'Andre Swift, who's from Georgia, naturally. Swift is 24, the 35th overall pick in 2020, has only 364 career carries, and has 25 touchdowns in 40 games. He's an ideal replacement for Miles Sanders in Philly's explosive offense.
2. Stetson Bennett most intriguing of nine Day 3 QBs
Speaking of the two-time defending national champions, Stetson Bennett was the second of NINE(!) quarterbacks picked on Day 3. Eleven QBs were drafted in the top 150, which hasn't happened in 28 years. Like all Day 3 QBs, Bennett has noticeable deficiencies. The fourth-round pick of the Rams is small and doesn't have much of an arm by NFL standards, similar to Vikings fifth-rounder Jaren Hall. Bennett does have three things that might help him eventually succeed LA's top Georgia Bulldog, Matthew Stafford: 1, Unsurpassed confidence; 2, Sean McVay; 3, a history of winning. Take that last part with a grain of salt, however. Stetson is the fourth quarterback to win consecutive national titles in the modern era. Tommy Frazier played only in the CFL. Matt Leinart was a bust as a top-10 pick. And A.J. McCarron, a fifth-rounder, went 2-2 in six NFL seasons and is now in the XFL.
3. Packers could have done oh so much better
The Packers stretched their streak of not drafting a first-round receiver to 21 years. They took two tight ends in the top three rounds. Saturday, they picked Penn State QB Sean Clifford when the last thing Jordan Love needs is a rookie backup. Green Bay had 13 picks – including nine on Day 3, tied for third-most behind the Rams (11) and Jaguars (10) – but the kneejerk reaction is meh. The first three picks from the Aaron Rodgers trade produced edge rusher Lukas Van Ness when every receiver in the draft was available, tight end Luke Musgrave in the second round and Auburn kicker Anders Carlson – younger brother Daniel, the former Vikings fifth-round pick – in the sixth round. Daniel became an All-Pro in Vegas after his two-game Vikings career ended after missing three field goals in a 29-29 tie at Lambeau Field. The Packers still have a conditional 2024 second-rounder that becomes a first-rounder if Rodgers plays 65% of the Jets' snaps this year.
4. Mercifully for Denver, Seahawks close the book on Russell Wilson trade
The Seahawks used the Russell Wilson trade to help them win last year's draft en route to a surprising playoff appearance. Denver used it to get a rookie head coach fired during a miserable season. With the conclusion of this year's draft, the books are closed on the deal. Denver got Russell (and his bloated contract) and defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike, a 2022 fourth-round pick. Seattle got – be patient, this takes awhile – players Noah Fant, Shelby Harris and Drew Lock, and picks that became Charles Cross, Boye Mafe, Tyreke Smith, Devon Witherspoon and Derick Hall. Cross, a first-rounder last year, started every game at left tackle. Mafe, a pass rusher, played every game. Fant, a tight end, and Harris, a defensive lineman, were starters. Witherspoon, this year's fifth overall pick, is the draft's best cover corner. Hall, a second-round pick, is a head-turning edge rusher from Auburn.
5. Bears' competitive rebuild finally begins after Poles' perfect tanking of 2022
Unlike his peer in Minneapolis, Chicago's Ryan Poles wanted no part of a competitive rebuild when he became GM a year ago. He let Da Bears burn to the ground so they'd get the top pick, which they traded to Carolina. With two more years to collect on that trade, the Bears so far have netted veteran receiver D.J. Moore, first-round offensive tackle Darnell Wright and second-round cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. Carolina still owes the Bears a first-rounder in 2024 and a second-rounder in 2025 while Philly owes them a fourth-rounder in 2024 for trading up one spot for the pick the Bears got from Carolina. Poles, a former lineman, used three of his top four picks on linemen and took three defensive tackles among his 10 picks. As for the Vikings, well, they had little room for error in this draft. Of the top 101 picks this year, the Vikings made one selection. Detroit made six. Chicago and Green Bay made four apiece.
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
