At this point, it feels like the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft was months ago, but it’s been just a few days since the Philadelphia Eagles took former, and now-current, teammates Jalen Carter at No. 9 and Nolan Smith at No. 30.
Both picks were mostly heralded among analysts, with the Smith pick seen as a huge win for the Eagles, who opted not to trade out of that second-to-last spot in order to get their guy. While the Smith pick was a no-brainer, there were some off-field concerns surrounding Carter throughout the spring, which makes his pick a little less undisputed.