It wasn’t as if the Eagles’ defense needed an overhaul. They had a more-than-serviceable unit with a core in place in 2021 under then-defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. There were holdovers — and anchors — left from the 2017 version that won the Super Bowl in Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox, too.

But then the Bulldogs arrived.

In the 2022 and 2023 drafts, the Eagles selected five Georgia defenders who’d contributed to the program’s consecutive national championships.

First, Philadelphia executive vice president and general manager Howie Roseman took defensive tackle Jordan Davis (No. 13 overall) and linebacker Nakobe Dean (No. 83 overall) in 2022.

One year later, they were joined by defensive tackle Jalen Carter (No. 9 overall), linebacker Nolan Smith (No. 30 overall) and cornerback Kelee Ringo (No. 105 overall).

And in their second professional season together, the quintet has served as contributors — with varying roles — on a defense that allowed the fewest yards per game and the second-fewest points per game this season.

When the Eagles face the Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Feb. 9, they’ll have six former Bulldogs on their defensive depth chart; Dean won’t play after tearing his patellar tendon.

The sixth — Lewis Cine — was just signed off the Bills’ practice squad on Jan. 8 and hasn’t played a snap. But there are more than just Georgia footprints on this Eagles defense.

At this point, Philadelphia has started to become an extension of head coach Kirby Smart’s program and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann’s unit.

“You don’t have to go through the stages of getting to know each other and earning each others’ trust,” Schumann told The Post. “There’s an innate trust there, and when you have that, it’s easier to play well together. And I think that’s contagious.”

Beyond being the unit that allowed just 10.2 points per game and helped the Bulldogs win their first national тιтle since 1980, Georgia’s defense in 2021 — which featured all six of the current Eagles — produced five first-round picks.

Cine led the Bulldogs in tackles. Ringo picked off Alabama’s Bryce Young and returned it 79 yards to ice the College Football Playoff championship game.

And while some of those pieces departed for the NFL, the 2022 edition of the unit only allowed 14.27 points per game en route to their second straight тιтle.

As the Bulldogs’ encore unfolded, the Eagles set an NFL record with 70 sacks in 2022 and ripped off a run that ended with a Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs.

Their established veterans provided the bulk of the production, but Davis and Dean combined for 31 tackles as rookies. Then, just two months after their season ended, Carter, Smith and Ringo joined the duo in Philadelphia.

“I think to have a truly dominant defensive unit you need all 11 guys on the field,” Schumann said, “so until we get a defense with 11 Georgia Bulldogs on it at the same time, there’s obviously other guys out that are a huge part of it. … I think there’s a unique bond and connection and care for one another these guys have.”

In 2024, Smith erupted for 6.5 sacks after recording just one as a rookie.

Ringo only played 11 percent of the defensive snaps during the regular season but remained a core special teams player — and even earned a fifth alternate spot for the Pro Bowl for his contributions to that unit.

Carter has emerged as one of the league’s rising defensive tackles, collecting 4.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 16 quarterback hits, his first Pro Bowl selection and a second-team All-Pro nod.

The former Georgia players didn’t turn this edition of the Eagles defense into a historic unit like they did in 2021. But they sit one final test from capping another run to another championship at another level.

“I always thought that as they started getting paired up that it would be very cool to see that connection live on because it’s a big part of what we talk about here is connection beyond football and connection with each other — and it’s a big piece of our program,” Schumann said. “And from that standpoint, I think seeing that kinda manifest itself in professional football is special.”

And if the Eagles manage to stifle Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid and Travis Kelce in New Orleans, perhaps Smart and Schumann should end up with honorary rings, too.