Last month I devised the perfect plan for the Eagles in free agency and the draft. The Eagles didn’t listen, but I’d say they’ve done a pretty good job so far.
Now that free agency is essentially over, it’s time to turn to the draft.
I’m here to bless you with my second and final mock draft. I won’t go crazy into detail on each pick, many sites have done that already and I’ll just sound redundant. Let’s begin.
Trade back SZN
There’s absolutely no secret that the Eagles need wide receiver help. Many people, including myself, have mocked the team to trade up to grab one of the “big three”, but not here.
With Lamb, Ruggs, and Jeudy all projected to go between picks 11-15, the Eagles find themselves in a spot where they can move back in the draft and still get the guy they want.
A position that’s not as deep is linebacker. The Ravens were trucked by Derrick Henry in the playoffs to the tune of 30 carries for 195 yards. They need a stout middle linebacker to help that rush defense. This is where the trade comes in.
The Eagles and Ravens already have a friendly relationship, as Harbaugh is a former Eagles coach, Joe Douglas went from the Ravens to the Eagles, and they had joint practices in August 2019. The Ravens see that the Patriots and Saints, both picking in front of them, need linebacker help. To ensure they get their guy, the Ravens send picks 28 and 92 (792 value) to the Eagles for picks 21 and 190 (815 value). Ravens get Kenneth Murray at 21 and the Eagles get…
First Round pick 28: WR Denzel Mims
In an interview with ESPN, Mims mentioned the Eagles as one of the teams heavily interested in his services:
Denzel Mims told @mattmosley the NFL teams he has talked to most are the Eagles, Bills, Bears Colts, Jets, Cowboys, Rams and Titans.
— Stephen Simcox (@SimcoxStephen) April 3, 2020
If the Eagles do have Mims in their sights, pick 28 could be the sweet spot to get him. With the Vikings, and maybe Saints, needing receiver help, it could get tricky. But in this mock, the Vikings take Justin Jefferson, leaving the 6’3” athletic freak to be selected by Philadelphia.
Mims’ biggest knock is his route tree, which can be deemed elementary at best.
46.05% of his routes in 2019 were either a “go route” (25.49%) or a “hitch route” (20.59%), according to ProFootballFocus. His next highest percentage was a slant route at 11.76%. Having just two routes in his arsenal isn’t quite ideal for the NFL.
However, he brings 4.38 speed to a team that’s said to be looking to add speed. He creates separation and can track a deep ball, two things that were severely lacking on the Eagles in 2019. Check out this match up with top cornerback prospect Troy Pride Jr. at the Senior Bowl:
The arm bar by Denzel Mims to hold Troy Pride Jr. away from the catchpoint was one of the most advanced WR techniques we’ve seen in Mobile this week pic.twitter.com/7brMzdZDiQ
— Brad Kelly (@CoachBKelly) January 23, 2020
For those asking, an NFL ref was officiating the play and did not deem it to be OPI. Mims provides a skill set desperately needed on the Eagles. D.K. Meltcalf’s lack of a college route tree didn’t seem to hinder his early NFL success, neither should Mims’.
Second Round pick 53: CB A.J. Terrell
Darius Slay is a much welcomed addition to the corner back room, so is Nickell Robey-Coleman, but the additions shouldn’t end there.
As it stands now, the corner depth is Slay, Robey-Coleman, Sidney Jones, Avonte Maddox, Rasul Douglas, and Cre’Von LeBlanc. Jalen Mills should still see time at corner, although he will be mainly safety.
The Eagles allowed the 14th most passing yards in 2019, the 12th most touchdowns, had the 11th fewest interceptions, and the coverage was so soft that they were ranked 30th in average depth per target at 9.6 yards per target, according to Pro Football Reference.
The necessity for better corners and cornerback play is there, and that’s where A.J. Terrell comes in. Terrell was the least targeted corner in the nation according to PFF, averaging 9.4 snaps before seeing a pass come his way.
He ran a 4.42 40 at the combine, which meets the “fast” component of the draft board, and is very sticky on man coverage. He can play soft press as well, but will need to get better at tackling. What Eagles corner doesn’t?
Terrell is an athlete that can fit very well in Schwartz’s scheme. He could quickly become CB2 next to Slay and be CB1 once Slay is gone in a few years.
Check out the middle rounds on the next page!
Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
