Bijan Robinson to Eagles After Jalen Hurts Contract in Kiper, McShay's NFL Mock Draft

The Philadelphia Eagles may have lost Miles Sanders this offseason, but they could be looking at an improvement during the 2023 NFL draft.

Mel Kiper and Todd McShay of ESPN released a collaborative mock draft Tuesday, which features the Eagles taking Texas running back Bijan Robinson with the No. 10 overall pick.

Robinson is considered the unquestioned top running back in this class and one of the best prospects at his position in recent memory. The reigning Doak Walker award winner, Robinson racked up 1,580 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns during the 2022 season to establish himself as the most dominant back in college football.

Robinson continued impressing at the NFL scouting combine in March, finishing second among all running backs in athleticism score. He also told reporters at the NFL scouting combine he'd be willing to line up at receiver.

"First of all, I feel like if you're a guy who can do all three for your offense, I think that's a very special quality for a player," Robinson told reporters. "You line a player up at receiver, at slot or, obviously, at running back. Just creating mismatches all over the field and being able to create space for yourself ... that's a high value everybody should look at."

The Eagles could slot in Robinson as a safety valve in the running and passing game for Jalen Hurts, who signed a five-year, $255 million extension with the franchise on Monday. The deal makes Hurts the highest-paid player in NFL history on an annual basis.

Hurts' new contract will make loading the roster more difficult over the long term. In that sense, adding a running back at a high-value position like No. 10 may be a misallocation of resources. Teams regularly find gems at running back later in the draft, and Hurts' ability to use his legs will make the job easier for any rookie back coming along.

Philadelphia also signed Rashaad Penny and has 2021 fifth-round pick Kenneth Gainwell already on the roster, so the need for a running back isn't high. The Eagles could instead focus on getting a premier defensive player in a draft that's seemingly going to be dominated by quarterbacks in the top 10.