2023 NFL Draft: Recapping the NFC East on Night One

The first round of the NFL Draft is complete. Here’s a look at who each NFC East team selected on the first night.

Author:
Andrew Parsaud
Publish date:
Apr 28, 2023 1:01 AM EDT

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The NFC East was extremely competitive last season, with three out of the four teams making the postseason. The Philadelphia Eagles came up just short in the Super Bowl, while the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys fell in the divisional round. While the Washington Commanders didn’t reach the postseason, they kept it competitive until the end.

The NFL Draft is always a fun time of year for teams and their fans. All four teams had interesting selections on night one. With that being said, here’s who each NFC East selected in round one.

New York Giants

Round 1, Pick 24 - CB Deonte Banks (Maryland)

Trade: Giants sent the 25th, 160th, and 240th overall picks to Jacksonville for the 24th pick.

The Giant's secondary was depleted for basically the entire season in 2022. While Adoree’ Jackson locked down his side of the field, it was the second cornerback spot that always created trouble. Many players tried filling that void, but ultimately, CB2 was a revolving door during the 2022 season.

That changes now, with the Giants selecting Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks. Banks was considered one of the top cornerbacks heading into the draft and projected to be picked in the late first. Banks is a big, lengthy corner that excels in press coverage. He had 38 tackles, eight pass breakups, and one interception last season. Just a freakishly athletic cornerback that will translate well into Wink Martindale’s system.

The Giants are certainly pleased with adding Banks to the secondary, along with Adoree Jackson and Xavier McKinney.

Philadelphia Eagles

Round 1, Pick 9 - DT Jalen Carter (Georgia)
Round 1, Pick 30 - EDGE Nolan Smith (Georgia)

Trade: Eagles sent the 10th overall pick and a 2024 4th-round pick to Chicago for the 9th pick.

Howie Roseman somehow continues to make the rest of the league look foolish. Last year, they added Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean, two huge contributors to Georgia’s championship run. This year, they do the same exact thing by plucking from Georgia’s talented defense, selecting Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith. These two moves make Philadelphia’s front seven even scarier than it already was.

Carter was once viewed as the potential top pick in the draft until personal issues arose. Despite that, his play on the field is unmatched. At 6’3 and 317 pounds, Carter’s strength and athleticism are always on display. He had 32 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and three sacks in 13 games last season. Adding him on the interior to go with Jordan Davis, this is a message sent to the rest of the league that the Eagles aren’t playing around.

Nolan Smith is a very physical pass rusher. He still has to learn more technique-based things when it comes to his pass rush, but he was still very impactful at Georgia. He had 18 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and three sacks in eight games last season. Smith’s large frame and freakish athleticism could make him into a top-edge rusher down the line. Having him learn from veterans Brandon Graham and Haason Reddick will only be beneficial.

Dallas Cowboys

Round 1, Pick 26: DT Mazi Smith (Michigan)

The Cowboys have been trying to find a permanent solution at nose tackle for a while now. Their front seven was already strong, highlighted by linebacker Micah Parsons. Now, they add Mazi Smith, who was a staple in the middle of Michigan’s defensive line.

Smith, who’s 6’3 - 326 pounds, displays insane strength and size. He was a constant run-stuffer during his three seasons with the Wolverines. Last season, he had 48 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 0.5 sack.

Despite his large frame, Smith is surprisingly light on his feet and moves well for a player over 300 pounds. He was constantly given two-gap assignments at Michigan and handled it well. Dan Quinn and the Dallas defense should be excited that they grabbed a young, ascending player to add to the middle of their defensive line.

Washington Commanders

Round 1, Pick 16: CB Emmanuel Forbes (Mississippi State)

The Commanders took an interesting route with the 16th pick. Some believed they’d take a quarterback and try to find their franchise guy. Instead, they went defense and selected Emmanuel Forbes. Forbes was the second cornerback taken off the board, which was a shocker considering Christian Gonzalez, Deonte Banks, and Joey Porter Jr were still on the board at the time.

However, Forbes does have the play to warrant this selection. He has a knack for finding the ball, with six interceptions last season, returning three for touchdowns. In three years at Mississippi State, Forbes totaled 14 interceptions and 20 pass breakups, with six of those interceptions returned for touchdowns.

The main concern with Forbes is his weight, as he is only 170 pounds. Besides that, he plays with good instincts and obviously makes a ton of flash plays. A strong addition to the Commander's defense.