Mel Kiper Jr. Wowed by Eagles, Confused by Lions After 1st Round of 2023 NFL Draft

In the eyes of at least one prominent analyst, the Philadelphia Eagles are sitting pretty after the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. included the Eagles on his list of the biggest winners from Day 1 of the draft after landing Georgia defenders Jalen Carter at No. 9 and Nolan Smith at No. 30.

Carter was the top-ranked player overall on Kiper's draft board, but there was some uncertainty about his stock after he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing stemming from a Jan. 15 car crash that resulted in the death of Georgia recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy and offensive lineman Devin Willock.

"The Eagles are going to reunite Carter with former Georgia teammate Jordan Davis—the two formed an outstanding interior duo in 2021," Kiper wrote. "I love this pick. This team has the locker-room leadership to make sure Carter stays on track and plays to his potential."

NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah had the Eagles taking Smith at No. 10 overall in his final mock draft, so it was hardly a surprise to see his name called when their second selection came up at the end of the first round.

Smith missed the final two months of the 2022 season with a torn pectoral muscle, but he lit up the NFL scouting combine and has drawn comparisons to Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Detroit Lions' decision to select Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12) and Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell (No. 18) in the top 20 left Kiper confused.

The Lions' draft actually started out on a positive note because they traded down from No. 6 to acquire picks 12 and 34 from the Arizona Cardinals. The deal gave them five of the first 55 selections in this draft.

Gibbs was widely regarded as the No. 2 running back in this class after Texas' Bijan Robinson, who went to the Atlanta Falcons with the eighth overall pick. But the positional value, especially with Detroit's other needs, made it a confusing pick.

"Look who else was on the board at 12, though. One of the cornerbacks—Christian Gonzalez or Emmanuel Forbes or Deonte Banks—or edge rusher Nolan Smith made more sense to me," Kiper wrote. "Yes, Detroit has a bunch more picks on Day 2, but it could have found a running back there instead of at No. 12."

Campbell, an off-ball linebacker, plays a position that was generally considered among the weakest in this year's class. He was also Kiper's third-ranked inside linebacker, behind Clemson's Trenton Simpson and Arkansas' Drew Sanders.

Even if both players end up hitting for the Lions, it's hard not to think the value they could have gotten by prioritizing premium positions early would have made more sense. They can easily turn things around on Friday with three of the first 24 picks in the second round.