The NFL draft is still several months away, but with the Eagles season already in the books it is not too early to look towards the future. The Eagles hold eight draft selections in the upcoming draft in Philly, and here are the players I believe they should grab with those picks.
Round 1: WR Corey Davis (6’3, 205)
Davis has been absolutely sensational in his collegiate career. He is the all-time FBS leader in receiving yards at 5,285 and has reeled in 52 touchdowns over four years at WMU. Davis is a big body wide receiver with an enormous catch radius, but also possesses a second gear that he uses to create separation. He is also is an excellent route-runner and is known to rack up yards after the catch. Davis has NFL stud written all over him and would give the Eagles a legitimate #1 wide receiver.
Round 2: CB Jourdan Lewis (5’10, 185)
Lack of desired NFL size and a strong cornerback class will cause Lewis to be available later than he should be, but he is an incredibly good player. Lewis is spectacular in one-on-one situations and sticks to his man like glue. Lewis was targeted 175 times and only allowed 36.6 percent of his targets to be completed, according to Pro Football Focus. Lewis also does a great job of tracking the ball, and is responsible for an absurd 37 pass breakups in four years for the Michigan Wolverines, 20 of which came in his junior year. The Eagles have had a revolving door at the cornerback position and plugging in Lewis to play across from Jalen Mills would provide some much needed stability to the group.
Round 3: WR Isaiah Ford (6’1, 190)
Another WR for the Birds? Yes. The Eagles simply cannot move forward with their current group at this position and must improve the weapons around Wentz. Isaiah Ford fits the bill. Ford has been nothing but productive in his three years at Virginia Tech, but is overlooked due to a relatively strong wide receiver class. He’s also the all-time Virginia Tech leader in receiving yards (2,967), touchdown receptions (24), and receptions (210). Ford has a wiry frame and could certainly stand to put on a few more pounds for the NFL, but he makes up for it with his aggression when pursuing the ball. Ford does an excellent job at grabbing the ball at its highest point and routinely makes contested catches. Although he tends to catch with his body a bit more than desired, any catch would be welcomed in Philly right about now.
Round 4: DE Hunter Dimick (6’2, 272)
Dimick just capped off a stellar senior season at DE for Utah in which he led the Pac-12 in QB pressures, sacks (14.5) and tackles for loss (21). In comparison, projected first rounder Derrick Barnett has 13 sacks and 19 tackles for loss this season. Dimick has a relentless motor and beats offensive lineman with a variety of moves around the edge. At 6’2, 272 he is built similarly to current Eagles DE Brandon Graham and would be a great addition to the defensive line.
Round 4: (Cleveland Pick): RB Jamaal Williams (6’2, 220)
Williams is one of my favorite and one of the more underrated backs in a very deep draft class. He possesses tremendous size for his position and it is apparent on tape. Williams’ long strides allow him to hit his second gear quickly and coupled with his size hardly ever gets taken down on the first tackle. The BYU running back runs angry and always keeps his body moving forward in the process of being tackled. Ball security is also a key strength- only fumbling twice in his 234 carries. He is not much of a receiver, but could serve as the power back in the Eagles running committee.
Round 5: CB Channing Stribling (6’2, 175)
Stribling is quietly having a solid season across from Jourdan Lewis on an impressive Michigan defense. With has 11 pass breakups and 4 interceptions on the year, he possesses a long frame but definitely needs to add muscle in order to defend the receivers at the next level. The potential is there and with the proper coaching could end up being great value in the 5th round.
Round 6: OG Kareem Are (6’6, 334)
Are is a mountain of a man at 6’6 and uses his size effectively. He is a power blocker and opens a lot of things up in the running game at Florida State. Are missed the first 2 games of the season with concussion-like symptoms and 1st round prospect Dalvin Cook was held below 100 yards rushing in each of those games (against unranked opponents no less). Are has the athletic ability to develop in pass protection at the next level.
Round 7: RB Tarik Cohen (5’6, 175)
Tarik Cohen plays for a small school (NC A&T) and lacks ideal NFL size so he will no doubt be overlooked in the draft process, but he oozes talent and would be a great 7th round flier for a team desperately searching for dynamic playmakers. Tarik rushed for 1588 yards and caught 37 passes for 339 yards this season, but the numbers simply do not do him justice. Check out his highlight tape here.
Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
