7 Weeks into the season, and the Eagles sit at 3-2. Good enough for 2nd in the NFC East, and 9th in the NFC.
It might not be the perfect situation, but there’s still 11 weeks worth of football to watch. And withthe Saints falling to 2-5 tonight, the Eagles will have an opportunity to make another NFC team 2-5 on Sunday.
The New York Giants
While Sunday will be the Eagles first divisional matchup on the season, the Giants have already stacked up losses against the Commanders (21-18) and Cowboys (20-15). Not that the Giants were expected to be fighting for a top seed in the NFC, but dropping their first 2 divisional games wouldn’t help.
Averaging only 16 points per game, the Giants offense has struggled with and without Rookie WR Malik Nabers. Managing to score a season high 29 without Nabers against Seattle, and struggling to put up more than 7 against the Bengals.
The good news is, the Giants defense gives up an average of 20.16 points per game.
Falling to 2-4 on the season was the least of the Giants woes with an inconsistent level of play that rivals the Eagles. Much like in Philly, the Giants injury report was stacking up too.
Injuries In The Trenches
Both of these teams have thrived off their lines. The Eagles, relying on the high-level of play of the offensive line, will be without Jordan Mailata. With concern if Milton Williams and Jalen Carter will be available for Sundays game.
And on the blue sideline, the Giants have an even worse problem. It was announced on Wednesday that Andrew Thomas would miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury, and on the other side of the ball, with 26 combined Sacks, the Giants defensive line has carried the weight of their success. However with Kayvon Thibodeaux on IR for the next few weeks. The list goes on as both Dexter Lawrence AND Brian Burns have yet to practice at this point in the week.
How Could The Offense Fare?
With injuries on both lines for BOTH teams, running backs could make or break the game for either team. The Eagles know what they have, and what they can get out of Saquon Barkley. If Fred Johnson is able to continue to play successfully as the Eagles LT for the next few weeks, the offense might continue to run smoothly in an offense that has only had its two star receivers for 2 games of the season.
Averaging 21.2 points a game this season doesn’t paint as clear a picture of an offense that still hunts for the big play and refuses to take points when they matter. A wounded Giants team provides a perfect chance to get the offense back in full swing, and hopefully see a high scoring team like we did in Brazil.
There’s multiple reunions at MetLife this weekend. Mekhi Becton’s return to his former home stadium. And Saquon’s return to play his former team – and now divisional rival.
Physical Matchups Are Like Second Nature When the Eagles Meet the Packers.
PHOTO: Kirby Lee/Imagn Images
In the waning moments of the Eagles and Packers Game on Friday night, with Green Bay’s offense down 34–29 and needing a touchdown late in the fourth quarter and desperately trying to get into range for one last-gasp hail mary — Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love was sacked by Jalen Carter.
Writhing in pain on the night Brazilian Turf—Love was taken off of the field and replaced by Malik Willis — who was also then sacked to secure the first Philadelphia win in a season where the Eagles are considered a top contender in the NFC for the Super Bowl.
In another season when the Eagles were a Super Bowl contender, the 1991 season they opened with Philadelphia playing at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers. The Eagles began the season with perhaps the franchise’s best defense in team history, coupled with one of the NFL’s most dynamic quarterbacks in Randall Cunningham. In the second quarter, Packers linebacker Bryce Paup landed on Randall Cunningham’s knee — tearing his ACL — an injury that would sideline him for the rest of the 1991 season.
That 1991 team did give us some amazing moments. The defense was number 1 against the pass, the run, and total yards. During an away game at Houston in a stadium designated as the House of Pain — the Eagles obliterated Warren Moon and the Houston Oilers’ Shoot Offense. In week 3, the Eagles sacked Dallas Quarterback Troy Aikman eleven times in a 24–3 romp at Texas Stadium. Against the Cleveland Browns in Week 10, the Eagles would return from a 24–0 deficit to win 32–30.
Unfortunately, without Cunningham and an injured two-time Super Bowl Champion in Jim McMahon — the Eagles had to rely on a carousel of signal callers like veteran Jeff Kemp — and would miss the playoffs with a 10–6 record.
Some will blame the turf at Corinthians Stadium or the Eagles defense for Love’s injury in Brazil. Everyone must expect a physical matchup for two of the oldest franchises in NFL history. In Brazil, that’s exactly what we have.
After the 1991 win in Houston against the Oilers, Eagles Defensive Tackle Jerome Brown said, “They brought the house. WE brought the pain.”
The problem between the 2022 and 2023 Eagles defense. (Other than not being able to get a single stop most games). Was the change in production from the defensive line.
From having four 10+ Sack players. (Reddick, Sweat, Hargrave & Graham)
To only a single 10+ Sack player. (Reddick)
The 2022 Eagles might’ve fallen short of the Bears 72 Sack record in 2022. But they were nowhere close to repeating that total, only recording 43 sacks last year. Ranking 20th league wide.
There’s plenty of reasons as to what might have fully derailed the Eagles season. Giving up an average of 30.3 points in the final 6 games of the season, including a 32 point defeat to the Buccaneers in the Wildcard round. Somehow, the team that gave up the least passing yards in 2022, with an average of 171.6 yard against per game. Became the team that gave up the 3rd most, with 255.7 passing yards against in 2023.
Overuse Down The Stretch
The Eagles defensive line finished the season injured and not as deep as it started. After playing multiple overtime games, the Eagles were never the same following the win against Buffalo. Where the Defense played 95 Snaps, and what seemed like the point of no return for the season.
Below is the DL and its share of snap counts across the season
Player
Total Snaps
Snap %
Snaps Played Vs Buffalo
Haason Reddick
862
74.18%
83
Josh Sweat
828
71.26%
81
Fletcher Cox
684
58.86%
22
Jalen Carter
563
48.45%
76
Jordan Davis
519
44.66%
62
Milton Williams
494
42.51%
Missed Game
Brandon Graham
395
33.99%
26
Nolan Smith
188
16.18%
11
Marlon Tuipulotu
162
13.94%
32
Derek Barnett
99
8.52%
Cut/Signed with HOU
Kentavius Street
87
7.49%
Traded To ATL
Moro Ojomo
68
5.85%
Missed Game
Had the Eagles not over-relied on their starters and played more of their depth. Perhaps the major burnout at the end of the year would have saved them from not being able to get off the field. Add on the fact they traded away Street and Cut Barnett at the trade deadline. The Eagles defense was without 2 more players to pick up the snaps.
This Years Additions
Much like the last few seasons, the Eagles have successfully drafted players before their predecessor’s had retired. From Kelce to Jurgens. Cox to Davis/Carter.
Now that the Eagles have gone and made acquisitions throughout the offseason. They’ve been able to add Bryce Huff, Jalyx Hunt and Julian Okwara to the OLB position. With the expectation Nolan Smith will also see a larger role in his 2nd season, similar to his fellow Bulldog teammates.
But with countless DBs and only so many roster spots available. It feels like the Eagles further additions could come along the defensive line. (When haven’t they). Additions such as Genard Avery, Ndamukong Suh, Robert Quinn, Linval Joseph have all been acquired throughout the last few seasons.
You can’t always prevent injuries, and if defense wins championships. Then depth could be necessary down the stretch. Could a name like Chase Young come up in a few months if the Saints finally blow it up? Or perhaps the Eagles go big game hunting and see if the Chargers are committed to a rebuild, and are interested in shopping Khalil Mack?
There’s still a long way to go till the Week 9 Trade Deadline. But Eagles training camp begins next week, and then we’ll finally get our first taste of the Eagles season to come that is just around the corner.
The Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame is an exclusive place where only the best of the best can find their names. Which current players might find themselves there, as well?
Shoo-in: Lane Johnson, Brandon Graham
PHOTO: —
Both of the players here have had incredibly long and successful careers with Philadelphia, essentially making them locks for the team’s Hall of Fame. These are two different cases, so let’s take a look.
Lane Johnson is one of the most accomplished Eagles ever, being one of the best players on the Eagles’ Super Bowl roster in 2017, plus being a five-time Pro Bowler and a two-time first-team All-Pro. He has played in 143 regular season games with the Birds from 2013 to the present, so he has seen a lot in his tenure.
Speaking of a player who has seen a lot, we get to Brandon Graham. It took him a while to spread his wings and fly, but he was one of the best Eagles at his peak—he was a key figure on the Super Bowl team and several elite defenses. Making perhaps the biggest play in team history, putting up 73 sacks in 195 games, plus receiving a Pro Bowl nod in 2020, there’s just no way that Philadelphia can leave him out.
More Likely Than Not: Jake Elliott
Jake Elliott has been at it long enough to deserve to be in the “shoo-in” territory here, but he has been an Eagle for about half the time as Johnson and Graham. Still, that doesn’t mean he is any less incredible. Yes, he is a kicker, but he has consistently been a great one.
Elliott has flourished in the clutch, which is an area where many other kickers falter. He was terrific in 2017, and from there he has really only gotten better. Over these past few seasons, he has gotten a Pro Bowl nod and been a second-team All-Pro. One of the NFL’s most accurate kickers from 2021-2023, he has seemingly already done enough to join David Akers in the Eagles Hall of Fame.
Maybe/Too Early to Tell: Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown, Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Jalen Carter, Rick Lovato
This is the territory where we get the most subjective. They won’t all get in, but all of these seven players at least deserve a mention.
Jalen Hurts’ case is pretty obvious. He has only completed three seasons as the Eagles’ starting quarterback thus far, but his time in Philadelphia over just the last two seasons has been sensational. He finished second in MVP voting in 2022 and was the favorite at some points during 2023, so the potential is there. The 25-year-old still has a lot to show before he can be put in the Eagles Hall of Fame with players like Randall Cunningham and Donovan McNabb, but there is definitely a world where it happens.
DeVonta Smith has even more to prove than Hurts does, but we shouldn’t put it past him to be among the Eagles’ greats. Averaging over 1,000 receiving yards across his first three seasons in the NFL, the 25-year-old is clearly pretty special. He has a ton of talent and is a big reason why Philadelphia made it to the Super Bowl in 2022, so he has that going for him. If he can win a championship or have a long tenure with the Eagles, that would be his ticket to eternal glory.
A.J. Brown is our first player here to not be drafted by the Eagles, but he is freshly 27 years of age and has put up two of the best receiving seasons in the history of the team. From 2022-2023, he has an incredible 2,952 yards and 18 touchdowns on 194 receptions. If he can keep that up for a few more years, it would be an inevitability for him to make the team Hall of Fame.
Jordan Mailata is an interesting case because he doesn’t have any accolades on his resume, but it is clear from both the eye test and the advanced stats test that he is sensational. The 27-year-old tackle is lovable and genuinely really good at what he does. He would probably need a Super Bowl win and perhaps some individual accolades to make an Eagles Hall of Fame nod happen, but it’s not like either of those are unrealistic.
Landon Dickerson is in a similar boat, but he has two Pro Bowl nods through just three seasons in the league. The Eagles projecting to be a great team both now and in the future should do wonders for his Hall of Fame case—a championship could set him over the top.
Jalen Carter, while just a sophomore in the NFL, lived up to his draft hype in his rookie campaign. Finishing second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2023, greatness could be in his future. We shouldn’t get too ahead of ourselves, but there is obvious potential here.
Rick Lovato probably deserves to be considered, but he is also a long-snapper. He has played in 118 regular season games with the Eagles, has a Super Bowl championship to his name, and made the Pro Bowl in 2019. Perhaps it’s a stretch considering the position, but maybe it’s time to give a long snapper some love. Really, there is not much else he could have accomplished at this stage, so he deserves a mention.
Seeing as the Eagles have 10 different players on their current roster who could potentially make it to the team Hall of Fame (and perhaps a few more), there’s a lot of greatness in their group. Some of them are bigger stretches than others, but there is still an immense level of talent in their 2024 roster. Can they put it all together?
With three weeks until the NFL draft. Rosters are beginning to take shape and some clear picks are beginning to show.
With the Bears, Patriots and Commanders expected to take their QBs of the future. There will be a long way to go to see who might fall to the Eagles with the 22nd overall pick.
While the Eagles have recently ended the conversation whether they would trade Reddick or Sweat. Another hole has opened in the depth of the roster.
Sure the Eagles have already signed Bryce Huff to a $51M deal and have Nolan Smith waiting in the wings after only playing 188 defensive snaps in his rookie season. Barely seeing an increase in playtime after the Eagles had waived Derek Barnett prior to their Week 11 game against Buffalo.
Laiatu Latu – Edge, UCLA
Re-filling the edge-rusher position after trading away Reddick, with Brandon Graham on his final season all while not knowing what you have in Smith and Huff is probably one of the best options for the Eagles at #22. Similar to drafting Davis and Carter in lieu of Hargrave and Cox departures in the last two seasons.
The biggest area of concern regarding Latu is from a neck injury he suffered during a preseason workout in 2020. An injury that had the University of Washington medical staff refusing to medically clear him to continue playing.
The Eagles have had multiple instances of drafting players with this warning, including Josh Sweat and Nakobe Dean.
If the Eagles don’t believe that Huff and Smith are able to take over enough of the defensive snaps. Bringing in Latu could be the final piece to a new defensive line.
NFL.com has multiple mock drafts with Latu going to the Rams at 19 and 24, as well as the Buccaneers at 26. He might fall perfectly within the Eagles range.
Kool-Aid McKinstry – CB, Alabama
After the disastrous end to the Eagles season. It’s clear a new CB might be needed on the roster. They’ve already gone and re-signed C.J. Gardner Johnson and now brought back Avonte Maddox as well.
James Bradberry was “part of the plan” when Howie Roseman spoke at the combine, but things can always change by September.
There’s plenty of available Cornerbacks in this draft. From Quinyon Mitchell, Nate Wiggins, Cooper DeJean and McKinstry are all projected to go in the late 1st round per NFL.com’s mock drafts.
Much like Latu. The Eagles may have to look at trading up if they wanted to go after Mitchell in the draft. However, if they wanted to move back in the 1st, McKinstry could be available past 22nd. Allowing the Eagles to regain assets later in the draft.
With Bradberry and Slay still under contract for multiple seasons. The Eagles should be looking to drafting their predecessors like they have on the defensive line. Unless Eli Ricks or Kelee Ringo have breakout sophomore seasons, a long-term solution needs to be put in place alongside Reed Blankenship and Sydney Brown in the secondary. McKinstry could be that answer, and could even allow them to trade Bradberry before the start of the season. Rumors have swirled about the Eagles landing Surtain from the Broncos, but I’d prefer to draft and acquire a starting caliber player still on a rookie deal.
No Offensive Picks?
The offence may not have been able to score at will last season. But the Eagles defense hemorrhaged yards and points beyond belief last year. Was it all on coaching?
The Eagles have already gone and signed Saquon Barkley, DeVante Parker, Matt Hennessy and Parris Campbell plus more additions for the offense. Taking another day one defensive pick won’t hurt an offense that recently extended two players on the offensive line. With Mailata, Dickerson and Jurgens all under contract for multiple years. There’s multiple options for the Eagles to find a Right Guard late in the draft if Steen hasn’t won the starters spot.
The Eagles will still have 7 draft picks following the 22nd pick. Where they’ve been able to make successful picks in the later rounds, including 2 more picks in the the top 60.
Who do you have the Eagles drafting in the 1st round?
After signing 13 players over the last few weeks the Eagles have found the solution to most of their 20 free agents this off-season.
Spotrac has the Eagles at a projected $10.5M in cap space, so they might be done spending as they’ll still have to sign all their rookies following the draft. If they’re looking to open up more cap space, the Eagles have yet to make any decisions on Josh Sweat or Haason Reddick.
Even after their shopping spree on the open market. The Eagles still have 8 picks in the upcoming draft, including 3 in the first 2 rounds.
The Eagles have already traded #98 and two 2025 5th round picks for Kenny Pickett and #120. Moving down 22 spots and acquiring a QB with term.
And for a team that’s always active during the draft. Don’t expect them to be quiet.
Previous Draft Trades
Below are the past 3 years of Draft Pick trades the Eagles have made
2023 Draft
Eagles trade 10th pick and a 2024 4th to the Bears in exchange for 9th overall (Jalen Carter)
Eagles trade 62nd pick to the Texans in exchange for picks #65(Tyler Steen), #188(Tanner McKee) and #230
Eagles trade a 2024 3rd to the Texans in exchange for #105 (Kelee Ringo)
Eagles trade a 2025 4th to the Lions for D’Andre Swift and #249
Eagles trade #230 and #248 to the Texans for #191
Eagles trade #191 to Tampa Bay for a 2024 5th
2022 Draft
(Pre-Draft) Eagles traded #16, #19 and #194 to New Orleans for #18, #101, #237, a 2023 1st and 2024 2nd
Eagles trade #15, #124, #162 and #166 to the Texans for #13 (Jordan Davis)
Eagles trade #18 and #101 to the Titans for A.J. Brown
Eagles trade #154 to Jacksonville for #188 and #198
Eagles trade #188 and #237 to Detroit for #181
2021 Draft
(Pre-Draft) Eagles trade Carson Wentz for #84 and 2022 #16
(Pre-Draft) Eagles trade #6 and #156 to Miami for #12 and a 2022 1st
Eagles trade #12 and #84 to Dallas for #10 (DeVonta Smith)
Eagles trade #70 to Carolina for #73(Milton Williams) and #191(Tarron Jackson)
Eagles trade #225 and #240 to Washington for a 2022 5th
Time and time again the Eagles have shown to be very active in the draft. Loading up on future picks and trading up to acquire the guys they want.
It’ll be no surprise by the end of April if the Eagles have traded more of their picks. Whether it’s to acquire players or future picks we’ll have to wait to find out.
The 2024 offseason is now underway for the Philadelphia Eagles, with the bulk of free agents already gone. With the upcoming draft, they have some choices to make on how to fix their roster.
What are the Eagles’ current strengths? What are their weaknesses?
Strength: Offensive Line
Yes, even with Jason Kelce’s expected yet still gut-wrenching retirement, the Eagles are still strong at their offensive line. It shows how spoiled they’ve been for a long, long time.
Photo: Eagles Nation on X.
Sure, the Eagles’ interior offensive line took a big hit with the loss of Kelce, but it will serve as a chance for someone like former 2023 third-round pick Tyler Steen to emerge. He only played 71 snaps last season, so he’s due for an increase in that department. The Eagles have done a fantastic job acquiring and developing offensive linemen over the past couple of decades — the hope is that he can be the next.
The Eagles know what they have in Landon Dickerson, as he is a two-time Pro Bowler with just three seasons under his belt in the NFL. Getting him was a fantastic snag for the Eagles back in the 2021 NFL draft early in the second round. At 25 years of age, he should be the anchor of the interior offensive line for years to come — especially with his new four-year deal.
As for Cam Jurgens, he is the likely Kelce replacement at center after playing a lot of guard for the Birds last season (89%, to be exact). He’s still just 24 and played decent last season, so his progression will be something to monitor.
As for the rest of the offensive line, the Eagles know what they’re getting in tackles Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson at this point. Arguably the best tackle duo in football, the offensive line will still be a strong point for Philadelphia, if not their strongest. If they can stay healthy, there shouldn’t be much to worry about with this unit.
Weakness: Defensive Backs
Looking at the Eagles’ first major weakness, the defensive backs took a significant step back from 2022 to 2023. They lost Avonte Maddox this offseason, who didn’t have the best 2023 campaign, but it’s still a loss nonetheless. James Bradberry’s regression has been apparent, and he still has two seasons left on his $38 million contract that he signed last offseason.
Before free agency, the only positives in the secondary were arguably only Darius Slay and Reed Blankenship. Even Slay took a small step back in 2023, so it was (and still is) a worrying aspect of the team.
But the Eagles went out and signed safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to a three-year deal, giving the Eagles their 2022 swagger back and some good coverage at that. The secondary still needs major work, but the importance of that addition cannot be understated.
Strength: Offensive Skill Positions
One thing that hasn’t always been great for the Eagles has been their skill positions. Now, however, it is one of the best features of their roster. The duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith at wide receiver is can’t-miss good. Both of them will be eyeing Mike Quick’s record from 1983 to 1985 where he notched three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons — they each have two in a row.
More recently, star running back Saquon Barkley agreed to terms with the Eagles. He is the only back in the NFL who recorded top-10 rushing yards over expected (RYOE) campaigns in both 2022 and 2023. He had dozens of big rushing plays (10 or more yards) for the New York Giants on a brutal offensive line, so he’ll help bring some explosiveness to Philadelphia. Even if he’s 27, he’s still one of the best at his position.
At this point, Jalen Hurts doesn’t need to be discussed. Even at his worst, which was arguably last season, he was still a phenomenal quarterback. He will only continue to get better.
Whether or not a tight end is considered to be a skill position or not, Dallas Goedert makes a good case for it. He’s not just a standard tight end — he can block, catch, and make plays. He is a vital player in the Eagles’ offense.
Weakness: Linebackers
It’s been the case for a while now, but the Eagles’ linebackers are not up to par. It’s been a while since that has been a strength, really. It’s both good and bad news that Nicholas Morrow, Zach Cunningham, and Shaquille Leonard are all likely on the way out. They had some good performances in there, but it was overall pretty disappointing.
The Eagles’ defense needs to improve next season, obviously. Things went smoothly early on, but some bad games against the Washington Commanders of all teams suggest they need more. By the end of the season, surrendering 30 or more points came with regularity. The linebackers definitely played into that, and there will be some big changes. If there was a position that the Eagles go heavy on in the draft and what’s left of free agency, that’ll be it.
In free agency, the Eagles added linebackers Oren Burks and Zack Baun to the room, but those are more or less depth adds. The addition of Devin White was a high-reward move, but it doesn’t take away from the Eagles’ issues. With the addition of Johnson to the secondary, the linebacker core is probably the Eagles’ biggest weakness as of now, even with White, especially now there.
Strength: Pass Rush
Much like the offensive line, the Eagles have had a fantastic defensive line for a while. They have great youth in Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, while Josh Sweat and Milton Williams are both relatively young, too.
Photo: —
Carter, specifically, could take a massive jump for the Eagles. He was an elite player last season, so the hope is that his sophomore season can bring even more. With a duo of him and Davis out there, the Eagles should be dangerous for years to come. But 2024 could be a massive one for both of them.
Veterans like Brandon Graham and Reddick are still important to the Eagles. Reddick was the Eagles’ sack leader, while Graham has had his game age like a fine wine. He is still a great player at age 35. He is reportedly in the works for an extension to give it one more year. At this point, he’s one of the greatest Eagles of all time — the good news is that keeping him around will actually help the team rather than serve as a sentimental move.
However, considering the fact that the Eagles signed 25-year-old defensive end Bryce Huff to a contract worth $51.1 million, among their other huge splashes, chances are that someone like Reddick could go. There’s not enough money to keep everyone, and it would be a bit irresponsible for a young team to do that. With that out of the way, the Eagles pass rush should still be an area of strength without either of them. It might take a hit, but it is a young unit with a lot of talent.
In the draft, the Eagles will have three picks in the first two rounds. That’s plenty of ammo to make some big changes.
If the Eagles want to go back to the Super Bowl, addressing their needs will be a must. They have the assets to do so adequately.
Last season, the Eagles were the buzz of the league with their surprising 14-3 record. The 1st seed in the NFC was on its way to the Super Bowl in Arizona. Their players and coaches lined the finalists for most of the categories.
Only for none of them to win. To make matters worse. They didn’t win the Super Bowl later that week either.
During last years awards, the Eagles had the following players received votes for for: – Jalen Hurts, OPOY & MVP – Haason Reddick, DPOY – Nick Sirianni, COY – Shane Steichen, ACOY
You can view a breakdown of the snubs and award losses from last year here.
2023’s Hope For Individual Awards
Once again, the Eagles saw themselves the talk of the NFL for the first 11 weeks of the season. But putting on a show in October and November doesn’t get you very far when you manage to go 1-6 in the final 7 weeks of your season.
Maybe if the Eagles managed to keep their season afloat, some recognition might’ve been acknowledged come award season. Instead, the Eagles only saw one player nominated for an award at by the end of the year.
While Jalen Hurts was in MVP talks after his overtime victory against the Bills. 6 Losses to end the year regardless of a defensive collapse or a stale offense by design, will minimize any hype you might’ve had during week 11.
The ONE Eagle who was able to receive votes for an award was 9th overall pick DT Jalen Carter. Projected to be a frontrunner for the award the ENTIRE season. Here’s how Defensive Rookie Of The Year was broken up.
Player
1st Place
2nd Place
3rd Place
Total
Will Anderson Jr.
16
21
8
151
Jalen Carter
14
14
10
122
Kobie Turner
14
6
7
95
Devon Witherspoon
4
7
16
57
Joey Porter Jr.
1
0
1
6
Here’s how the top 3 finalists did during their 2023 rookie season.
Will Anderson Jr. 15 Games Played, 7 Sacks, 45 Combined Tackles, 10 TFL, 22 QB Hits
Jalen Carter 16 Games Played, 6 Sacks, 33 Combined Tackles, 8 TFL, 9 QB Hits, 2 Forced Fumbles, 1TD
With nobody on the Eagles defense making significant impacts in the final weeks of the year. Perhaps the Defensive Coordinator change was truly the end to the Eagles season.
ATLANTA (AP) — A woman seriously injured in the January car crash that killed Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and an athletics staffer has sued the school’s athletics association and former Bulldogs defensive tackle Jalen Carter for damages.
Victoria S. Bowles was riding in the backseat of the rented Ford Expedition driven by fellow UGA recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy, who died in the Jan. 15 crash along with Willock while racing Carter at more than 104 mph following the Bulldogs’ College Football Playoff championship celebration.
Bowles’ lawsuit filed Wednesday in Gwinnett County State Court accuses the UGA Athletics Association of negligent entrustment of LeCroy and states that the association was aware that she had at least two “super speeder” violations among four speeding tickets prior to the crash.
The NCAA has fined Tennessee more than $8 million and issued a scathing report outlining more than 200 infractions during the three-year tenure of former football coach Jeremy Pruitt.
Kansas State is the defending Big 12 champion even though it was TCU that went to the national title game last season.
The only new coaches in the Big 12 are the coaches of the conference’s four new teams. Gus Malzahn is back in a Power Five league with UCF getting ready to play in the Big 12.
The Southeastern Conference and Commissioner Greg Sankey have agreed to a contract extension through 2028. Financial terms were not disclosed in the release on Thursday.
Bowles sustained multiple serious injuries in the crash including lumbar and rib fractures, a spinal cord injury and lacerations to the kidney and liver, the lawsuit stated. She also sustained a closed head injury with neurological damage and severe eye pain.
Former Georgia offensive lineman Warren McClendon was also in the vehicle that crashed. He sustained minor injuries.
The lawsuit, which includes the estate of LeCroy as a defendant, requests at least $171,595 in general damages along with punitive damages. It accuses the athletic association, LeCroy and Carter of varying degrees of negligence.
The athletic association said in a statement that while it has supported Bowles during her recovery, it disputes her lawsuit and will “vigorously” defend itself in court. The statement added that staff members were to use rental vehicles for recruiting purposes only and not authorized for personal use on the night of the crash or any other time.
“Under no circumstances were recruiting staff authorized to use rental cars to drive at excessive speeds while intoxicated,” the statement added.
Rob Buck, one of Bowles’ lawyers, said in a statement that she is “deeply saddened” by the deaths of Willock and LeCroy and expressed appreciation for the support she has received during recovery.
“Tory is disappointed that the Association and its insurers have forced her to resort to litigation to address her life altering injuries,” the statement added.
Carter, who was selected ninth overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL draft in April, received 12 months’ probation and a $1,000 fine in March after pleading no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing.
Bowles’ lawsuit accuses him and LeCroy of “engaging in a grossly negligent joint enterprise-tandem driving/street racing.”
A representative for Carter wasn’t immediately able to be reached.
Former University of Georgia football standout Jalen Carter was sentenced to probation on Thursday for his role in the January crash that killed his teammate and a team staffer.
The crash happened hours after the Bulldogs’ national championship victory parade.
Carter entered pleas of no contest Thursday to charges of racing and reckless driving, according to his attorney, Kim Stephens.
Carter was then sentenced to 12 months of probation, a $1,000 fine and 50 hours of community service and completion of a state-approved defensive driving course, the attorney said.
“Mr. Carter is happy and relieved to get this matter behind him, so now he can do what he needs to do for the NFL draft,” the lawyer said.
“He continues to grieve for the loss of his friends,” Stephens added.
Athens-Clarke County Solicitor General Will Fleenor confirmed the sentence and said Carter’s privilege to drive in Georgia has been suspended for 120 days.
Fleenor, in a statement, acknowledged questions about the severity of the charges and “whether more serious offenses occurred.” He said law enforcement officers evaluated the appropriateness of more serious charges.
“However, after consultation with the District Attorney’s Office, the Solicitor’s Office, and the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council, based on the evidence and applicable laws in this case, it was determined that the appropriate charges were the two traffic offenses that were resolved in court this morning,” the statement said.
Carter has been projected as a top pick in the NFL draft next month.
CNN has reached out to Athens Solicitor’s Office for comment.
Carter’s teammate Devin Willock and football team staff member Chandler LeCroy were killed in the January 15 crash, which happened hours after the team participated in a parade through campus to celebrate its second consecutive national title.
Carter turned himself in at the Athens-Clarke County Jail earlier this month on charges of reckless driving and racing.
LeCroy was driving a Ford SUV near the campus with Willock and two other members of the football program also in the vehicle, police said. The SUV was traveling “about 104 miles per hour” before it veered off the road and slammed into two power poles and several trees, Athens-Clarke County police said.
Authorities said Carter was driving a separate vehicle and he and LeCroy appeared to be racing.
Police said “both vehicles switched between lanes, drove in the center turn lane, drove in opposite lanes of travel, overtook other motorists, and drove at high rates of speed, in an apparent attempt to outdistance each other.”
Toxicology results show LeCroy, who was driving a university vehicle not authorized for use at the time of the crash, had a blood alcohol concentration of .197 – more than twice the legal limit in Georgia, police said.
Willock was ejected and died at the scene and LeCroy died at a local hospital. The two other passengers in the vehicle were injured, officials said.
Carter was a key part of Georgia’s vaunted defense that allowed the fewest rushing yards per game (77.1) in 2022 and was named to several All-America teams.
More than four months before the fatal crash, Carter had been issued three traffic citations – including one for speeding at nearly twice the legal limit, according to documents and body camera video obtained by CNN from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department.
On September 22, Carter was stopped for speeding. An officer is heard on body camera footage telling him that he was “reckless,” and issued three traffic tickets
One ticket showed Carter was driving at 89 mph in a 45 mph zone. A second ticket cited him for having “material affixed” to his car which “obstructs vision.” A third citation was for an illegal windshield tint.
Bodycam video from the stop showed Carter in the driver’s seat of a Black Jeep. The officer held up a radar gun showing a speed of 89 mph, according to the video.
Carter is seen on video, expressionless, as the officer named two other UGA athletes who he said he had recently stopped.
“Y’all need to slow down dude,” the officer is heard telling Carter, who didn’t respond.
“Look I don’t know if y’all need to send out a text or something to other teammates, but slow down,” the officer said, adding, “That was reckless.”
“When you’re around your teammates, tell them to slow down,” the officer said.
The officer then tested the tint on Carter’s vehicle – which he said is illegal in the state of Georgia. “The front windshield can’t have nothing on it. No material on it whatsoever, OK?”
“Your break is you’re not going to jail. That’s your break. Because that would make all kinds of news, alright?” the officer is heard telling Carter in the footage.
The player smiled nervously. “You’re getting a ticket for speeding,” the officer said.
The officer added, “Slow down OK. That’s all I ask.”
Former University of Georgia football player Jalen Carter pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge in connection with a fatal January crash that killed a teammate and staff member. He was sentenced to probation.
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ATLANTA — Only months after Georgia defensive linemen and Ohio State wide receivers combined to fill five first-round slots in the NFL draft, those positions again boast top talent for the teams preparing to meet in the College Football Playoff Peach Bowl semifinal.
Georgia had three defensive linemen, including No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker, selected in the first round of this year’s NFL draft. Ohio State had wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave chosen with the 10th and 11th picks, respectively.
Despite those important losses, Saturday night’s Peach Bowl will showcase evidence that No. 4 Ohio State and No. 1 Georgia reloaded with more star players.
Wide receiver again is a strength for the Buckeyes as two players, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, have more than 1,000 receiving yards. Quarterback C.J. Stroud said Harrison and Egbuka showed their talent even when they had to play behind Wilson and Olave.
“I’m not saying they’re better than Garrett and Chris, but they were playing really good to be freshmen,” Stroud said. “And I think when you come in with that type of attitude, I am not just going to be here to learn. I am going to be here to dominate. That’s when you learn and that’s when you become a great player. So it hasn’t been overnight.”
The ability to reload with two 1,000-yard receivers is especially impressive because Ohio State lost AP Preseason All-American Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who will miss the game as he recovers from a leg injury and prepares for the 2023 NFL draft. Smith-Njigba is projected as a possible first-round pick even though he was hurt in the Buckeyes’ opener against Notre Dame and played in just two other games.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Stroud is a key to Ohio State’s success at wide receiver.
“It is great quarterback, great system, great coaches, great receivers,” Smart said Thursday. “They’ve come up under … first-rounders. Those kids watched those guys before them play.”
Harrison Jr. was an AP first-team All-American. The sophomore leads the Buckeyes with 72 catches for 1,156 yards and 12 touchdowns.
“I think what makes Marvin special is his discipline and his skill,” said Ohio State coach Ryan Day. “He’s built a tremendous amount of discipline in his life, takes care of his body, prepares at a high level, just unbelievable amount of discipline, the way that he runs his routes. His work ethic is unbelievable.”
Meanwhile, Georgia reloaded after leaning on its defense to win the 2021 national championship. After having Walker and two defensive tackles, Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt, taken in the first round of this year’s draft, the Bulldogs’ 2022 defensive front is led by Jalen Carter, also projected as a high first-round pick.
Carter also was named to the AP All-America team.
“Very good player,” Day said when asked about Carter. “Disrupts the game, and their entire front is really good and so is their back end. They really don’t have any weaknesses on defense. They’re very, very good, and you can see why they’re ranked one of the best in the country. They do a good job, and he is very good as well.”
Carter helped Georgia rank second in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 12.8 points per game. Ohio State ranks second in scoring with 44.5 points per game.
“I’m very confident in the talent we do have on offense, and I feel like when it comes to us playing any team in the nation, I feel confident with our guys and our ability to sling the rock,” Egbuka said.
Georgia had a record five defensive players selected in the first round and 15 players picked overall in the 2022 NFL draft. Linebacker Quay Walker, selected by Green Bay, and safety Lewis Cine, by Minnesota, were the Bulldogs’ other first-round picks.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap—top25
