There is a bevy of options for the Eagles to choose from in the opening three rounds of the draft. However, the Genard Avery trade means that Philadelphia will be watching from the sidelines in round 4 and hoping for some talent to fall into their laps one round later. Here are four prospects that the Eagles could look into drafting.
Mississippi State RB Kylin hill
It’s no secret that the Eagles need a complementary back to Miles Sanders. The Penn State product is an incredibly elusive back that can make the most of his yards at any time. After Sanders, the Eagles have Boston Scott and Jordan Howard, but outside of a few flashes, neither has proven that they can be the back to take some of the load from the shoulders of the third-year running back.
Kylin Hill would be a great fit for this role. His ability to absorb contact while maintaining balance has become his bread and butter at the college level. Hill played all four years at Mississippi State and tallied 2,535 rushing yards on 452 attempts while averaging 5.6 yards per carry. He scored 16 touchdowns on the ground and 6 touchdowns through the air.
Florida DT Tedarrell Slaton
The Eagles are moving on from Malik Jackson this offseason which could indicate that the team will be looking for a prospect to incorporate into an aging DT group. Slaton could fit the mold. At 6’ 5”, 340 lbs, Slaton has a nice build that could allow him to throw his weight around against blockers.
Slaton would be more of a project for the team instead of a plug-and-play type of prospect but if the Front office is focused on the future then this could be a fun pick to watch develop. More of a nose tackle and space-eater than a pass-rushing specialist, this is the kind of prospect that could be groomed to help create opportunities for the edge rushers to thrive.
Ohio State DE Johnathon Cooper
Everyone knows just how much the Eagles love to build within the trenches. With Brandon Graham not getting any younger, Josh Sweat emerging and Barnett’s future up in the air, the Eagles need to add a little more long-term security to the group.
Ohio State Buckeye, Johnathon Cooper, has ‘potential steal’ written all over him. He has a high motor and an unsatisfied mindset when it comes to his aggressive pursuit. Cooper is one of the more complete players in the draft at his position, he doesn’t do anything great but instead, he does everything well. He’s tallied 15 total tackles for loss and 10 sacks at his time in Ohio State and is the latest in a long line of scary Buckeye edge rushers.
UAB WR Austin Watkins
Austin Watkins has shown the ability to be developed into a productive receiver at the NFL level. At 6’1”, Watkins is the type of receiver that’s open even when he’s covered. He has shown to have great hands and ball skills and is scary with the ball in his hands. While he isn’t the fastest guy on the field, Watkins can still maneuver his way through traffic and be a fun role player who can fill a variety of roles. Over his last two seasons at UAB, Watkins tallied 1,558 receiving yards on 90 receptions with 9 touchdowns.
Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire
