NFL Draft: Best first-round edge rusher prospects for the Eagles to replace Haason Reddick

Time sure does seem to fly in the NFL offseason.

It wasn’t long ago we were all celebrating the Eagles signing Saquon Barkley in free agency.

If you’re a die-hard fan, you tend to dread the thought of the offseason because of how long it is. But, when you’re an Eagles fan and Howie Roseman is your GM, these times can be very, very exciting.

With that said, it’s draft time and the Eagles currently own eight picks, which include three in the first two rounds.

We can sit here and discuss what position should be the focus in the first two rounds of this draft; there are certainly a couple areas need. But, as always, that first-round pick will be magnified more than the others.

I find it hilarious that it’s almost a guarantee that a large part of the Eagles fanbase is going to hate this draft because I could see them going trenches in the first round.

Most Likely Position Group Drafted In 1st Round By Eagles

Offensive line is now the favorite to be the position selected first by the Eagles in the 2024 NFL Draft. pic.twitter.com/JOBWmIEBwB

— Joe Giglio (@JoeGiglioSports) April 11, 2024

If the Eagles elect to go edge-rusher, here are three players I could see them targeting:

Jared Verse, Florida State

Verse is arguably the best athlete at the position in the draft not named Dallas Turner. The last time the Eagles selected a pass rusher from this school, it worked out pretty well for them; as it was Josh Sweat. Verse is viewed as a future star in the NFL but may just be out of Philly’s reach.

It’s worth noting that Verse dominated in both career pass-rush win rate as well as being a very solid run defender; which is an area the Eagles certainly need to improve.

Chop Robinson, Penn State

I get the sense Chop Robinson is and will become a fan favorite in Philadelphia due to being such a big star at Penn State. He looked fantastic at the NFL combine and if you factor that into his character and work ethic, you have a very intriguing prospect.

Robinson is very explosive and versatile, which makes him an interesting NFL prospect. If it adds to the intrigue anymore, his NFL comparison is Micah Parsons.

Still think he's a work in progress, but Chop Robinson's athleticism, explosiveness, and twitch are appealing. Can line up in multiple spots on the line in pass rush situations pic.twitter.com/M8EurDHBLT

— Billy M (@BillyM_91) April 10, 2024

Laiatu, Latu, UCLA

I want to make myself clear here: Laiatu Latu is not the third-ranked edge rusher. Depending on who you talk to, some view him ahead of Jared Verse. Pro Football Focus ranks Latu as the top edge rusher in this class.

Latu is just about on par with the other prospects in terms of athleticism but what makes him stand out is his maturity. When you watch his tape you can see all the different instincts and angles he takes to rush the passer.

I could add a few more prospects to this list, including Dallas Turner, but he will probably be way too far out of the Eagles’ reach.