Eagles select RB Bijan Robinson in McShay’s NFL Mock Draft 1.0

With the Philadelphia Eagles focusing on capturing home-field advantage and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, many teams are already turning thier attention to the NFL Draft.

The Eagles are going to have to keep one eye on each, because they currently own the New Orleans Saints pick, which is sitting at No. 5 overall as of this writing.

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And with the fifth pick in the 2023 NFL, ESPN's Todd McShay, who has his McShay Mock Draft 1.0 posted on Tuesday, has the Eagles taking Texas running back Bijan Robinson.

Miles Sanders is set to be a free agent, this offense leans heavily on the run (433 rushes, second most in the NFL), and Robinson is a special prospect with elite size, speed, power and elusiveness.

I know the "it's too early for a running back" arguments are coming, and I agree 99% of the time. But why spend heavily on re-signing Sanders or bringing in another back in free agency when Robinson -- who is an upgrade -- is available here on a rookie deal?

Taking a running back at No. 5 sounds like a bit of a reach,  but with the Eagles having a luxury pick, coupled with Miles Sanders being a free agent, I guess its plausible.

Robinson was a beast at Texas, rushing for 1,580 yards and 18 TDs for the Longhorns. He can also catch the football and has great run after the catch ability, can break tackles and make people miss.

At No. 31 (there are only 31 picks this year, because of a forfeited pick), the Eagles look to replace some talent on their defensive line, taking Notre Dame's Isaiah Foskey.

So while the Eagles lead the NFL in sacks (49), they will still be looking for pass-rush help opposite Josh Sweat after the season. Foskey uses his great initial burst to put offensive tackles on their heels, and he had 11 sacks in each of the past two seasons.

The Eagles are always looking to add depth to their defensive line, and with an aging Graham and Derek Barnett's ACL injury, the Eagles need to find a young player to pair with Josh Sweat.

The NFL Draft begins Thursday,  April 27th in Kansas City and on 97.3 ESPN.