The 2023 NFL Draft isn’t a distant memory as of yet, but it is never too early for the Philadelphia Eagles to begin thinking about next year’s selection meeting.
With the 2023 NFL Draft officially behind us, there seemingly isn’t much to talk about until training camp and the preseason begins, but we all know the 32 franchises that make up pro football never sleep. The Philadelphia Eagles have a buzz around them after adding seven new rookies by way of the draft as well as nine undrafted rookie free agents. The headliners are former Georgia Bulldogs defensive tackle Jalen Carter and his teammate, Nolan Smith.
The Eagles are the defending NFC Champions, and even though they didn’t seal the deal with a Vince Lombardi Trophy, people can’t stop talking about the job vice president and general manager Howie Roseman and his team did during the draft. We’re a long way from another one. Heck, we’re still a long way from the regular season, but you can best believe the Birds scouting department is already hard at work.
While the Eagles aren’t quite ready to piece a draft board together, there are talented players who already have received some buzz as potential first-rounders in 2024. Some players are unknown but could become top prospects based on their performance over the coming NCAA football season.
Roseman will also likely have some holes to fill by next year’s selection meeting as well. Fletcher Cox, D’Andre Swift, and Quez Watkins are among the players that will see their contracts expire next offseason, and the offensive line, defensive line, and secondary all feature at least two starters that will be 30 or older during the upcoming season.
While we never how the NFL Season college football season will unfold, it is still fun to make a few guesses. The following prospects have the potential to become top targets and hear their names called during the first two days of the 2024 NFL Draft. You can best believe the Eagles scouts already know who they are.
The 2024 NFL Draft is certain to feature explosive talent that will upgrade the Philadelphia Eagles offense.
As a 17-year-old freshman in 2021, Braelon Allen became the fourth Wisconsin Badger to rush for 1,000 yards as a freshman in the school’s history, and the first since Jonathan Taylor in 2017. In 24 career games, Allen has rushed 416 times for a total of 2,510 and 23 touchdowns and has earned himself two consensus second-team All-Big Ten honors in his two seasons as a Badger.
Standing at a six-foot-two and weighing 240 pounds, Allen can play with patience, power, and speed. His play style is reminiscent of former All-Pro Pittsburgh Steelers’ running back Le’Veon Bell.
With three running backs currently set to become free agents after the 2023 season, Allen could be the long-term rusher the Eagles may need come next year’s draft. Place his name in the back of your mind as well as a few others.
Johnny Wilson, WR, Florida State Seminoles
With a six-foot-seven, 235-pound frame, Florida State’s Johnny Wilson has the potential to become an elite deep threat at the NFL level. Wilson is often able to use his large frame to create leverage to get open both quickly off the line of scrimmage and in jump-ball situations. Wilson began his collegiate career at Arizona State, where he only had 18 receptions for 243 yards and a touchdown in two seasons, but blossomed as a member of the Seminoles in 2022.
With 43 receptions for 897 yards and five touchdowns, Wilson earned second-team All-ACC honors in his first year in the conference. With an impressive average yards per reception of 20.9 yards in 2022, Wilson looks to build upon his solid 2022 campaign to solidify himself as one of the top wide receivers in the nation during the 2023 College Football Season.
If Wilson was placed in a receiving corps featuring A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert, quarterback Jalen Hurts would have loads of elite talent to distribute the ball to as he enters the first year of his $255 million contract. With Quez Watkins set to become a free agent after 2023, there is a good chance the Philadelphia Eagles once again looking to add a receiver on day one or two of the 2024 Draft.
Trey Benson, RB, Florida State Seminoles
Another Florida State transfer, Trey Benson, was also able to find success as a Seminole in 2022 following spending the previous two years as a member of the Oregon Ducks. His yards per carry of 6.4 in 2022 was among rushers projected to enter the 2024 NFL Draft who had at least 100 carries, and Benson also ran for 990 yards with nine scores across his 154 attempts in 2022.
Benson joined his teammate Johnny Wilson on the All-ACC second team in 2022, and both are on watch to be members of the All-ACC first team in 2023 if they can each continue on their paths of success as members of the Seminoles. Standing at six-foot-one and weighing 215 pounds, Benson is able to run with both speed and authority and is another option to keep an eye on in the 2024 draft if the Eagles find themselves shorthanded in the backfield.
Sedrick Van Pran, Center, Georgia Bulldogs
You didn’t expect us to cycle through a list of potential Eagles prospects without stopping between the hedges in Athens to take a look at what Kirby Smart is building with his Bulldogs team, did you? This time, we take a look at his offense.
The Philadelphia Eagles have been adding players from Georgia’s football program seemingly as soon as they are available, and after stocking up the defensive line it wouldn’t be a stretch for Roseman to look a add a captain from Georgia’s offensive front.
With over 1,400 snaps at the center position during 30 consecutive starts at Georgia, Sedrick Van Pran has yet to allow a sack or a quarterback hit. Standing at six-foot-four and weighing 310 pounds, he also has prototypical size to suggest he can translate his success to Sundays.
If 2021 second-round pick Cam Jurgens ends up becoming the long-term right guard for the Eagles offensive line, Van Pran would be a phenomenal replacement at the center position if future Hall-of-Famer Jason Kelce decides to hang up his cleats after the coming season.
