If you’ve been following this series so far then you will have noticed that the Eagles have great options available in the opening two rounds. The Eagles will have two picks (#70 & #84) in the third and there are some great options available. Here are four more prospects that the team should be circling on their draft board.
Memphis RB Kenneth Gainwell
I wouldn’t expect the Eagles to have taken a running back by this point due to the needs at corner, safety, and linebacker but that’s okay. Kenneth Gainwell would be a great compliment to Miles Sanders and should be in play by the time the team is on the clock. Gainwell opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 and is hoping that his 2019 numbers will be more than enough heading into the draft.
At 5’11” 195lbs, he packs a good amount of power which is partnered with good vision and a lot of agility. Gainwell put together an incredible freshman season at Memphis with 2,069 total scrimmage yards and 16 touchdowns. He tallied 1,459 yards on the ground while averaging 6.3 yards per carry, and caught 51 passes for 610 receiving yards.
Oklahoma C Creed Humphrey
With the inevitable retirement of Jason Kelce looming, it would be wise for the Eagles to draft his successor sooner rather than later. Why not take a player that’s already played with your current QB? Creed Humphrey would be the ideal pick for the Eagles in this round as it covers a future need. Humphrey has a huge frame which he’s used to his advantage at the college level.
He’s not as athletic as Kelce but he has a high football IQ that allows him to know how to work his frame to his advantage. Taking a year to learn from one of the greatest centers of all time would be beneficial for a rookie. Add in the fact that he gets to work with one of the best OL coaches in the game and the Eagles could have a lock for a starting center for 2022 and beyond.
North Carolina LB Chazz Surratt
This would be the third linebacker in as many rounds that I’ve considered for the Eagles this draft. New defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon would be wise to make sure that he’s on the same page as Howie Roseman in regards to the positional need. Chazz Surratt could be a nice pick-up for the birds. He came to North Carolina as a QB and is leaving as a linebacker who could very well be an NFL starter going forward.
Chazz had an incredible year in 2019 as he finished the season with 115 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble. He followed that campaign with an improvement in his pass coverage and tackling. In 2020, Surratt had another good season as he tallied 91 tackles with 7.5 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble. Surratt could be an every-down outside linebacker that wouldn’t be a project at the pro level.
Stanford CB Paulson Adebo
Paulson Adebo could be a steal at this point in the draft. Although the Stanford product opted out of the 2020 season, his last two years were filled with great numbers. At 6’1”, he’s an outside corner with great agility and football IQ. Adebo has shown that he has the quickness to recover if beaten at the line, has the length to meet receivers at the catch-point, and athleticism to stick to receivers in coverage.
Adebo finished his collegiate career with 97 tackles with 5 going for a loss, 8 interceptions, and 27 pass deflections. Aligning a young talent like Adebo with a veteran like Darius Slay could pay big dividends toward the future of the secondary.
Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire
