The Senior Bowl is upon us and it’s time to do something a little different. We all know that Mock Draft Mania is all the rage, but what if the Eagles could only draft players they’ve watched down in Mobile?
What’s the worst that could happen?
Round 1: Pick 15 LB – Devin Lloyd – Utah
I know that Lloyd technically isn’t playing in the exhibition game this weekend despite being registered, but if we don’t include him then we’re all in on first-round quarterbacks and that’s not a vibe.
The Pac-12 defensive player of the year ended his 2021 campaign with 111 tackles, 8 sacks, a forced fumble, 4 interceptions, and a pair of touchdowns.
The man is an absolute menace who prides himself on being a versatile and physical linebacker who can play every down. If you combine Alex Singleton’s ability to charge through gaps at the LOS and a hugely athletic upside in coverage, you have Devin Lloyd.
The Eagles need some immediate help at LB and while Lloyd probably isn’t going to be the guy they choose, the appeal of such a dominant downhill player who can be lined up all across the defense is too good to pass up.
Round 1: Pick 16 QB – Malik Willis – Liberty
Don’t shout at me, options are limited.
Willis appears to be the guy gaining the most traction down in Mobile and has turned the head of Howie Roseman, for better or worse.
Willis is almost like an alternative version of Jalen Hurts. He’s a dynamic QB who has a cannon for an arm, but still struggles with progressions and anticipation. Unlike Hurts, it’s not that his passes lack touch, it’s that there’s almost too much zip at times.
WIllis rides the line between a Josh Allen and a Jalen Hurts. If the Eagles aren’t sold on their current QB1, Willis is a strong alternative to hit reset without really losing much in the way of an immediate floor.
Round 1: Pick 19 – CB Roger McCreary – Auburn
Is this too early to take McCreary? Yes. But frankly it’s this or another offensive tackle…and I think Jeff Stoutland could somehow turn me into a borderline backup so they don’t need to spend heavy.
He may lack length in both his arms and overall frame, but the 5’11 DB plays much taller than his height suggests. He had 14 PBU’s last year along with 2 interceptions, registering 49 tackles in the process.
McCreary could be a fun prospect to develop at the CB2 spot. Realistically I’d like to see the Eagles push for Gardner or one of the top three corners in this class because they have the ammo too. Unfortunately, this mock is limited.
Round 2: Pick 51 – OT Darian Kinnard – Kentucky
Ideally I’d like a guard here, but I think it’s likely that Andre Dillard is moved this offseason. 6’5, 325 lbs, and moves like he’s about 100 lbs lighter? Stoutlant will have a field day here.
Kinnard could become the perfect swing tackle backup with some help. He lacks polish and often relies on his freaky athleticism to get him out of trouble, but a couple of years under Stoutland could be all he needs to take that next big step.
Round 3: Pick 83 – EDGE Jermaine Johnson – FSU
11.5 sacks, 17.5 TFL, hello.
Johnson would be the perfect developmental EDGE rusher to slot in behind Josh Sweat and BG. He’s aggressive, powerful, and explosive out of his stance. He’s already got an eclectic arsenal of pass-rushing moves at his disposal and flashed a saucy spin move at practice this week.
He could eventually soar up out of this range, but for now, we have no choice but to gush over the idea of getting a top-5 talent at the EDGE position this late.
Round 4: S Jalen Pitre – Baylor
The Eagles need help in the secondary and Pitre can do a little bit of everything. Another Baylor Safety (hello Grayland Arnold), the guy is an absolute monster who will go up against anybody and play with the same level of confidence and fearlessness. Whether it’s in the slot or over the top, Pitre will hit hard, hit often, and always find his way around the ball.
Considering that Philly will need all the help they can get on the back-end, Pitre is an addition who could tick several boxes at once.
Round 5: RB James Cook – Georgia
The younger brother of Minnesota Vikings running back, Dalvin Cook, James runs with the same kind of tenacity. If Jordan Howard was efficient out of the backfield, that’s the kind of back Cook would project to be, a baby David Montgomery if you will. He’s patient at the line of scrimmage but hits the hole hard and doesn’t have much tread on the tyre at all.
The Eagles would be getting a young back who has only carried the ball 218 times across four years at UGA. It’s a Miles Sanders esque’ move, but he also brings traits to the table that the Penn State product doesn’t.
Round 5: LB Aaron Hansford – Texas A&M
One of the true darlings from Mobile this week, Hansford was actually recruited by Eagles WR Coach Aaron Moorhead. Make a note of that. An offensive convert, he’s very similar to Davion Taylor in terms of having limited experience at the collegiate level to begin with, but he grew and grew during his six years there, becoming a key player under Jimbo Fisher.
He led the Aggies in tackles with 89 and 8.5 for a loss in 2021. This is a pretty modest stat-line for a linebacker who became the heartbeat of the A&M defense, but his read-and-react ability is stunning for a player who is still finding his feet at the position.
Hansford is an under-the-radar player who clearly has a strong footballing IQ and shows great positioning traits. He’s another freaky athletic player who does lack some polish, but he could be a really fun player to watch grow.
Round 5: CB Tariq Castro-Fields – Penn State
I’m a sucker for tall corners. 6’2, 173 lbs, quick strides in press-coverage and great boundary awareness? Sign me up.
Castro-Fields won’t get the praise he deserves because he’s quite clunky in coverage and is either all-in or totally invisible in the run-game. But if you want someone who can matchup against the taller wideouts in camp and present some redzone nightmares, this is the kind of talent you can work with.
Jonathan Gannon has a kanck for developing DB’s, give him a project and see what happens.
Round 6: G Chris Paul – Tulsa
Not that Chris Paul.
CPTulsa is a fundamentally raw tackle with nice size (6’4, 324 lbs) who is all arms. When leverage is the name of the game, Paul will run guys into the ground. But if he gets knocked off his perch or asked to move to the second level, his lack of athleticism sticks out like a sore thumb.
With that said, we all know what Stoutland can do with raw talent. Paul is an aggressive lineman who has 10 starts at RT, but could be a great fit at guard due to his limited mobility and impressive upper-body strength.
Why not?
Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire
