Birds Go Defense In Third Round

By Paul Bowman, Sports Talk Philly Editor

After taking a game-braking receiver and solidifying the future of the offensive line with their first two picks, the Eagles almost had to go defense with their next pick.

First, the Eagles chose to make a move to add an extra pick, sending Carolina the 70th pick in exchange for pick 73 and pick 191 (sixth-round).

Trade: #Eagles have traded No. 70 overall to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for picks No. 73 and No. 191.@LifeBrand_AI | #EaglesDraft pic.twitter.com/uKpCaeAppt

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) May 1, 2021

That move gave the team eight picks on the third day of the draft, with four picks in the sixth. That kind of capital gives them the opportunity to move around freely later in the draft and/or look to add higher picks in future drafts.

When it came time to make their new pick at 73, they did go defense by stocking the line.

Milton Williams comes from Louisiana Tech where he faced a lower level of competition, but recorded 106 tackles and 10 sacks over his last two seasons (he was a COVID opt out in 2020).

He is a player who offers the Eagles versatility to play at defensive tackle or defensive end.

He has great motor and effort, but needs to build size and refine his technique more than some other prospects coming from FCS-level programs. Despite this, he is considered a top-five DT in this draft and has extreme potential if the Eagles can help him reach his ceiling.

The Eagles next pick is currently slated for round four on Saturday.