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Charlie Campbell, Senior Draft Analyst
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2021 NFL MOCK DRAFT - WALT'S | CHARLIE'S ROUND: 1

2023 NFL Draft Week Rumors Monday

Updated April 24, 2023
By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.

Draft week is finally here! With the 2023 NFL Draft just three days away, here is some of the chatter that WalterFootball.com is hearing from team sources.

Last year, the Philadelphia Eagles moved up in the first round to select Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis, and if the Eagles could have their way, they would do that again to reunite Davis with his former teammate Jalen Carter. NFL team sources have told WalterFootball.com that Philadelphia has made calls to see what it would take for teams to move down to the 10th-overall pick. Given the cost of trading in the top 10, the Eagles are not looking to move into the top five. Their calls have focused on the teams in the back half of the first round.

Of course for a trade to happen, Carter would have to slip past No. 5 in the 2023 NFL Draft. The only top-five-picking team that looks like a possibility for Carter is the Seahawks with the fifth selection. Detroit, Las Vegas and Atlanta are not going to take Carter because of his poor character and work-ethic issues not meshing well with their team cultures. The Bears could easily take Carter if he got to the No. 9 pick, so the Eagles would want to jump them. Among that trio at No. 6-8, the Raiders and Falcons are probably the most likely trade-down partners. Both Las Vegas and Atlanta could use more draft picks, so a trade is possible. The Seahawks are the key to the situation, and if they pass on Carter, then he has a real shot to join Davis in Philadelphia

Sources say that if the Eagles don't land Carter, Iowa defensive end Lukas Van Ness is one of the top candidates for them. They want, and need, more youth on their defensive line, and Van Ness would be a great scheme fit. There has been some hype that Philadelphia might take Texas superstar running back Bijan Robinson, but sources say the franchise are more likely to take a defensive lineman. Everybody around the league loves Robinson, but the value teams place on running backs will cause some teams to take lesser players over Robinson because those players play a more in-demand position. If the Eagles don't take Carter, it sounds like Van Ness is a top target for them.

Where Robinson will go in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft is a big mystery. There are many teams that have him as the highest-graded player in the draft, and Robinson is a lock to go as a top-20 pick. However, teams feel he could go higher than expected.

One source said the Houston Texans love Robinson and that he is in the running for the 12th pick of Round 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Taking running back Dameon Pierce in the fourth round last year is one of the few successes that Texans general manager Nick Caserio can claim, so it would be a surprise if Houston did take a running back given Pierce's excellent rookie season.

However, it is the Texans we are talking about, and they have made a plethora of mistakes over the past five years, with incompetence stemming from owner Cal McNair, former head coach Bill O'Brien, and now Caserio. Robinson would probably be a great player for the Texans, but considering they already have a good running back, it does not make sense to take another when there a lot of other positions starved for talent on their roster. Still, sources say Houston is high on Robinson and if he gets to the 12th pick, he could be too good for the organization to pass up.

Late in the draft process, teams get their medical reports, and if players get flunked medically, they can be dropped off draft boards. One high-profile prospect who some teams have flunked medically is Georgia tight end Darnell Washington. Along with the medical, some team sources said there are some minor character concerns. If Washington slides on the second day of the 2023 NFL Draft, the medical and the character will be the reasons why.

Another tight end who has been hurt by the medical evaluation is Iowa's Sam LaPorta. LaPorta is a sleeper prospect who a lot of teams really loved. In speaking to sources at multiple teams, they said the medical report was not bad enough to get LaPorta dropped off their board. However, it was not clean ,and it would be the reason if LaPorta slides into the middle or back half of the second round during the 2023 NFL Draft.