Eagles 7-Round Mock Draft: Reloading Defense Following Free Agent Departures

Round 1, Pick 30: Bryan Bresee, Defensive Tackle, Clemson

The Eagles lost breakout star Javon Hargrave to the San Francisco 49ers already in free agency. This was a huge loss for this Philadelphia defense, as Hargrave was near the top of the team in sacks in 2022 and was also a major force in the run game. Ndamukong Suh and Linval Joseph are both still free agents. While most Eagles fans likely did not expect them back in 2023, it still rids them of some much-needed depth at the defensive tackle position.

When you look at who the Eagles currently do have on their roster at defensive tackle, there is still some undoubted talent at the position. 2022 first-round pick Jordan Davis is one of the most promising, young interior defenders in the league. Milton Williams is another guy who has a lot of potential that the team really liked coming out of the 2021 NFL Draft. Maybe they believe that he will be able to make a big jump in production this season.

I still believe that defensive tackle should be a focus for Philadelphia this offseason, particularly in the NFL Draft. Even with retaining Fletcher Cox, adding another dynamic, young player to that defensive front will help the franchise continue to dominate on defense for years to come. Enter: Bryan Bresee.

Bresee was the nation’s top recruit out of high school in 2020, showing the high-level pedigree that NFL teams desire from a young age. While he wasn’t overly productive for such a high recruit at Clemson, he managed solid numbers in each of his three seasons with the Tigers.

What Bresee does best when you watch the tape is penetration. This kid always finds a way to knife through the line of scrimmage and into the backfield. Whether it is shoving a blocker aside with his strength and power or using his quick first step to shoot a gap and leave the blocker in the dust, Bresee lives in the offensive backfield.

Bresee is a very talented player with the desired blend of strength and athleticism to play every down in the NFL. He would be a great complement to what the Eagles already have in Jordan Davis and could come in and play a lot of meaningful snaps right away as part of their defensive line rotation.