Eagles reveal what it means to be a ‘red star guy’ — like their 3rd round pick

PHILADELPHIA – On Wednesday, the day before the 2023 NFL Draft was set to begin, Eagles front office staff and coaches piled into the NovaCare Center draft room to review prospects — from projected first-rounders to late-round selections to players who won’t get drafted.

Each scout makes the case for players who possess qualities — beyond playmaking abilities — that are crucial to the Eagles. On the draft board, next to their names, they place a red star.

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“It’s a long tradition, not only here but a couple of other places that people have been,” general manager Howie Roseman explained Friday after Day 2 of the draft had ended. “When we’re looking at the draft board, we have a red star on the guys, and (owner) Jeffrey (Lurie) a lot of times will go, ‘Hey, don’t forget’ — as we’re deciding between those two guys — ‘that’s a red star guy.’ It gives our scouts a chance to really put their name on guys, and that gives them a lot of pride.”

Roseman estimated that only roughly 15 players — out of hundreds of prospects — receive the designation because they possess good character, passion and/or leadership, along with high testing results, intelligence, playing the game as it should be played, and a practice work ethic. Roseman mentioned wide receiver DeVonta Smith, chosen by the Eagles in the first round in 2021, as an example.

Roseman revealed that the Eagles added another in the third round on Friday — Illinois safety Sydney Brown. While the 5-foot, 9-inch, 211-pound defensive back showed coveted skills with six interceptions, seven pass breakups, 59 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack, those numbers alone didn’t earn him a star.

“Sydney Brown was a passion player for a lot of people in this organization,” Roseman said. “He was a red star guy, and just a tremendous person with obviously really good athletic tools, leadership ability, and [we’re] just excited to get him in the building.”

Brown could compete for significant playing time after the Eagles lost safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson in free agency.

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The Eagles will hunt for another on Saturday in Rounds 4-7. They have four selections on the draft’s final day: one in the sixth round (188th overall) and three in the seventh (219, 230 and 248). The Eagles traded their lone second-pick at No. 62 overall for the 65th pick and one pick in each of the sixth and seventh rounds, because “we want to take a couple more shots,” Roseman said.

After that, they’ll scramble with the rest of the league to sign the best players who didn’t get drafted.

“Sometimes the scouts, they understand the first-round picks are usually organizational decisions,” Roseman said. “Those are ones where everyone is involved. But when you get later in the draft and certainly when you get into the undrafted free agent process, [scouts] have a chance to put their name on guys and go recruit guys, and they do it with our coaches. It’s a really fun process.”

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Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.