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Steve’s Mock
I don’t think my colleagues at PSN will mind if I say this part but I watch the most College Football out of the group so there’s a lot of pressure on my shoulders to deliver a top-quality mock. With all that being said, let’s jump into it.
Stats courtesy of ESPN
Pick 12 – Patrick Surtain, CB, Alabama
Some will say I’m cheating here and Surtain won’t be there for the Eagles to pick, but you never know with the draft. You also have to consider the fact that Dallas are picking at 10 and who knows what they’ll do with Jerry Jones in charge.
Most Eagles fans and mocks have Philly taking Jaycee Horn here, and while I’m not going to complain if that ends up being the case, the issue I have with Horn in Philly is he isn’t the best-suited to zone coverage.
I understand you can’t really pick for scheme when picking as high as pick 12 but if you’re told to pick between both Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain II, the answer for the Eagles should almost always be Surtain.
Surtain is coming into the league with serious pedigree given his dad was an NFL star, and there’s also the fact that he was a true shutdown corner across his entire college career at Alabama. There truly isn’t much, if anything, wrong with the way Surtain plays. Great speed, great agility, is very patient when using his hands, and the trait I love the most is the way he will always use the sideline as a weapon. Surtain and Darius Slay would be an insane outside corner partnership for the Eagles to have heading into the new season.
Pick 37 – Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU
I honestly don’t believe Marshall will be at 37 for the Eagles and I think they’d have to trade back into the 1st to get him, but with guys like Rashod Bateman, Elijah Moore, and Kadarius Toney all fighting it out to be 1st round picks, one has to slip like Tee Higgins did last year.
Terrace Marshall will be the best-case scenario for the Eagles and solving their WR1 issue right now. It looks like Reagor will be a Z and slot receiver this year and so that just leaves Travis Fulgham as the only X receiver on the roster. Marshall was not only a part of that historic LSU team with Burrow, Chase, and Jefferson but he came back in 2020 and proved to everyone he can be the #1 receiver for the team without any of those guys.
Marshall has all the size, speed, catching ability and route running ability that you’d ever want from an X receiver. Marshall is a consistent weapon at all levels on the field, can play both in the slot and on the outside, and finished the 2020 season averaging over 100 receiving yards per game and a second year of double digit touchdown catches. Get Jalen Hurts the weapon he deserves.
Pick 70 – Quinn Meinerz, IOL, Wisconsin-Whitewater
Jason Kelce is most likely going to play his last season of Eagles football and it’s finally time for the team to address the need for his replacement. I’ve always been of the opinion that drafting Kelce’ s replacement before he retires is the right move so they can learn from him for as long as they possibly can.
Quinn Meinerz was an unknown to most until his exceptional performances at the Senior Bowl caught the eye of everyone around the football world. Meinerz is a highly skilled center already and yet he has so much room to work with, he’s the perfect candidate to replace Jason Kelce.
Meinerz is a strong player who just physically dominates any defensive lineman that tries to get past him. He has a seriously high motor that will never stop running. Balance has been an issue for him, mainly due to the fact he’s so eager to make plays, and he can definitely improve his hand technique. However, he’s the perfect replacement for Jason Kelce.
Also, the fact that Meinerz is such a good, kind, funny person makes it so much easier to root for him and that’s why I need him on the Eagles. You can go back and watch PSN’s interview with Quinn here.
Pick 84 – Cameron McGrone, LB, Michigan
While the Eagles got a great free agency signing in Eric Wilson, they’re desperate for true talent in that linebacker group and that’s exactly what McGrone brings. He was one of the first players I fell in love with this draft cycle after I watched Michigan vs Minnesota and McGrone was simply everywhere in that game, just like every other game he plays in.
Although he didn’t have the biggest game count during his time at Michigan, McGrone took every opportunity that fell to him and shot his stock up over the past 18 months. McGrone would be the perfect linebacker for this new coaching staff to get their hands on and mold further into a true do-it-all linebacker.
Pick 123 – Kylin Hill, RB, Mississippi State
The Eagles are crying out for a true, productive, 2nd option in their running back group to help out Miles Sanders who was misused by the former Eagles staff. The Eagles did bring back both Boston Scott and Jordan Howard, but neither are long term fixes and that’s where Hill comes into it.
Hill is my favourite running back in this draft. He can be both a bruiser back who barrels through the middle and picks up the dirty yards and also an outside the numbers runner.
Hill isn’t going to be a running back who produces 80 yards off of carries like Miles Sanders does, and he doesn’t possess blazing speed like other backs in this draft class. That isn’t what the Eagles need. They need a guy who they can rely on getting 5-10 yards off their carries consistently.
Pick 150 – Jonathon Cooper, DE, Ohio State
Ohio State are arguably DE university and the Eagles need a defensive end to help out an aging Brandon Graham. Barnett hasn’t become the player the Eagles wanted him to and while Josh Sweat has shown he has the talent, injuries keep him from playing a consistent part. That’s where Jonathon Cooper comes into the equation.
Cooper has been a great player for Ohio State during his time there and has power, urgent hands, an arsenal of counter moves, and a motor that doesn’t stop running. He’s the perfect impact edge player to put into that rotation with Barnett and Sweat and he has the room to improve to being a consistent starter alongside BG.
Pick 189 – Deommordore Lenoir, CB, Oregon
While I have the Eagles sorting out their CB2 issue, which means Avonte Maddox can finally go back to slot, the Eagles still need other options in their cornerback room. I’ve loved Deommordore Lenoir for a long time in this draft cycle and he’d be the perfect late-round addition to the Eagles secondary.
Lenoir played both inside and outside at Oregon and played them both to a high standard. He’s a very fluid athlete and has great hip movement. He doesn’t have blazing speed, but he has a great initial burst and instincts when diagnosing routes that make him the perfect candidate for Gannon’s zone-heavy scheme. He’s also a really good ball locator who will always disrupt the receiver at the catch point.
The Eagles aren’t relying on Lenoir to be a starter, just a quality backup that can develop into a CB2 starter once Surtain takes over from Slay.
Pick 224 – Austin Watkins, WR, UAB
The Eagles solved the WR1 need earlier in this mock draft with Marshall Jr but they add another electric playmaker in the late rounds with UAB receiver Austin Watkins.
Watkins caught my eye instantly when scouting him. He can play both Z and X spots, has great speed, and his route running is fantastic for a prospect down this far in the draft. Over 21 games in both the 2019 and 2020 season, Watkins caught 90 receptions for 1,558 yards and 9 touchdowns. I have a really strong feeling about Watkins being a high production guy at the next level, a true hidden gem.
Personally, I think he should be taken a lot earlier on during day 3 and his performances during drills at the Senior Bowl are the reasons why, he really showed what he was capable of against some of the top tier CB talent in this years draft. Get as many weapons as possible for Hurts.
Pick 225 – Damar Hamlin, S, Pittsburgh
With the signing of Anthony Harris, the Eagles have solved their short-term problem at safety but they seriously need to think about their long-term future at the position. Damar Hamlin comes in for now to develop alongside last years pick K’Von Wallace.
Hamlin is seriously underrated going into the draft and was all over the place for Pittsburgh’s defense, playing deep safety, in the box, from the slot, pretty much anywhere Pittsburgh wanted to play him for that specific snap. Seriously reliable, Hamlin is constantly around the football, a very good tackler, and has great coverage awareness whilst processing the play really well. He has a great foundation to build on.
Pick 234 – Sam Ehlinger, QB, Texas
Everyone seemed to freak out when the report dropped stating that the Eagles will be using the draft to bring in a QB. Sam Ehlinger would be the perfect candidate.
Ehlinger was the perfect leader and teammate at Texas and was the life of the team. His leadership, work ethic, confidence and overall energy is infectious to the entire team around him. I absolutely love Ehlinger’s desire to be the best he can be on every snap.
His arm isn’t the strongest and he can be prone to missing some reads, but he will always try to make plays work and that’s what you want from a prospect this late on.
Pick 240 – Avery Williams, CB, Boise State
This was probably the toughest pick I’ve had to make in this entire draft. There are a lot of guys I like at the bottom end of this years draft but it eventually came down to two players – Paddy Fisher or Avery Williams and I decided to go with my heart and tell you all about Avery Williams.
Williams is a 4-year starter at Boise State with over 2,500 defensive snaps and 600 special teams snaps. He’s a strong prospect with a huge ceiling. At 5 foot 9, he’ll be stuck at nickel at the next level but he’s a strong CB who will give you all the energy you’ll ever want from a player.
Williams offers you day-1 impact on special teams, he has 4 forced fumbles and 4 interceptions to his name but more impressively, 8 return touchdowns.
One last thing Williams has that 99% of the other prospects don’t have, an absolute bag full of blocks from both punts and kicks. This kid is a diamond in the rough and I’d absolutely adore him on the Eagles.
Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire
