Defensive linemen Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith were taken the first round, followed by cornerback Kelee Ringo in the fourth. The Birds traded for 24-year-old running back and Philadelphia native D'Andre Swift. The Birds now have Bulldogs everywhere.
With the 30th pick in the first round, the Eagles selected Nolan Smith, linebacker out of Georgia. According to the Eagles website, Smith had the fastest 40-yard dash and the highest vertical among all defensive linemen at the 2023 NFL Combine.
Smith helped the Bulldogs win the 2021 National title, but suffered a torn pectoral muscle in October 2022 and missed the remainder of the season.
But in 2021, he compiled a career-high 56 tackles, 9 tackles-for-loss, and three forced fumbles.
Smith helped the Bulldogs win the 2021 National title, but suffered a torn pec muscle in October 2022 and missed the remainder of the season.
Smith was teammates and roommates with second-year Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean at Georgia.
Dean was at the draft this week in Kansas City to support his former college teammates.
"Nothing went into it," Nolan said at press conference at NovaCare. "That's my best friend, and he's my roommate, and that connection piece at Georgia is real. It's not lip service for us. This is really my brother next to me, and I mean that when I say that.
"When he was there, it just made me -- got me a little excited. Him and Travon {Walker), they were both there, and Travon plays for the (Jacksonville) Jaguars"
The Eagles also added Philadelphia native D'Andre Swift to the running back room. Once Jahmyr Gibbs was taken in the first round the Detroit Lions, the writing was on the wall for Swift who played 40 games for the Lions with 16 starts.
For his career, the former second-round pick out of Georgia rushed 364 times for 1,689 yards and 18 touchdowns. The 24-year-old also caught 156 receptions for 1,198 yrds and seven more trips to the end zone.
The Lions traded Swift and a seventh-round pick (No. 249) to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick and pick No. 219 in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The rest of the picks:
Round 3 - (No. 65) Tyler Steen, Offensive guard - Alabama
Round 3 - (No. 66) Sidney Brown, Safety - Illinois
Round 4 - (No. 105) Kelee Ringo, Cornerback - Georgia
Round 6 - (No. 188) Tanner McKee, Quarterback - Stanford
Round 7 - (No. 249) To be added.