With free agency now well underway and the Eagles’ roster taking shape, it’s time to attack the NFL Draft to see how many holes Howie Roseman can fill.
There won’t be any trades in this Mock, as it’s being created with simplicity in mind. However, there is a focus on the types of player Roseman would look for at each position.
Round 1, Pick 15: Kyle hamilton | Safety | Notre Dame
Kyle Hamilton is the top safety in this class and with the Eagles looking for stability in the secondary, this pick should be a no-brainer if he’s still on the board. He’s beyond efficient coming downhill and is a fantastic tackler. The Eagles need someone to do the dirty work while Harris sits over the top and Hamilton is versatile enough to play both spots, making him the perfect candidate for a defense that’s built on having reliability on the back end.
Round 1, Pick 16: Tyler Linderbaum | Center | Iowa
The Eagles still need to find an heir to Jason Kelce’s throne and Linderbaum is by far the best candidate that’s come through college in recent years. At 6’3, 290 lbs, he’s an athletic monster and is PFF’s top-graded center since they began college grading in 2014.
Linderbaum’s freaky athleticism would mean that there shouldn’t be a change in what the center is asked to do under Sirianni with regards to reach blocking etc, and he has a year to learn under the perfect player to model his game after.
Round 1, Pick 19: Jordan Davis | Defensive Tackle | Georgia
The Eagles not only need a solid four-man rotation, but someone to receive the baton when Cox moves on. Davis could partner Williams on that second line for now before moving up to sit alongside Javon Hargrave.
Davis fits the new Eagles mold of being an athletic monster, having ran the fastest 40-yard dash of any player over 310 lbs since 2003, and a phenomenal 1.68 10-yard split.
Round 2, Pick 51: Chad Muma | Linebacker | Wyoming
Muma is a strong run defender who has great sideline-to-sideline speed. The Eagles really need a linebacker who can hold his own in coverage and Muma excels in that area. There will be some concerns about his ability to adapt to the NFL level, but he’s worth taking here to solidify a young corps.
Round 3, Pick 83: Rachaad White | Running back | Arizona State
The Eagles are likely going to be moving on from Miles Sanders at the end of next season, continuing their trend of: not paying running backs. This means that the NFL draft is a gold mine for cheap, young players…especially when they can run behind one of the best offensive lines in football.
White is a monster. He had 1,000 carries and 15 touchdowns last year, averaging 5.5 yards per carry, and catching a further 456 yards worth of passes through the air. He’s a power back through-and-through and would be a perfect complement long-term to Kenny Gainwell thanks to his surprising level of agility and acceleration for a back his size.
Round 4, Pick 124: Mario Goodrich | Cornerback | Clemson
If there are two things I like they’re A: Tall corners who are great at the catch point and B) Great value.
Goodrich sustained cracked ribs at the Senior Bowl and as a result, has been operating at less than 100% when it comes to individual drills. I’m not worried about his 40-time as he plays faster on tape, and while his numbers may see him drop down the pecking order, he should fall gracefully into Howie’s lap.
He was debatably Clemson’s most well-rounded corner last year, tying for the team lead in pass breakups with 9, picking off 2 passes, and registering 48 tackles. He’s solid in zone coverage and while he’s far from a great athlete, he has the requisite aggression and awareness to position himself in the right spots to make a play on the ball.
Round 5, Pick 154: Armare Barno | Defensive end | Virginia Tech
The Eagles need a defensive end and they like freak athletes. Barno ran a 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds at 6’6, 245 lbs…that kinda says all you need to know.
He had 5.5 TFL last year and 3.5 sacks. He’s incredibly burstful off the edge, reflected by a 10-yard split of 1.54 seconds. He’s got supreme bend and a lot of tools in his back pocket to get past tackles…and his sheer size alone is a problem for them to handle. If he’s still on the board here, he’d be the perfect fit.
Round 5, Pick 162: Chasen Hines | Guard | LSU
The Eagles have done wonders in developing offensive line talent over the years and they need a name to groom behind Nate Herbig in a reserve guard role. Hines has played in every spot along that LSU offensive front and has some nice agility to his game when pulling blocks. He’s fundamentally raw and can lose balance (think early Halapoulivaati Vaitai) that often loses the early leverage he gains.
But if there’s a raw offensive lineman with a strong athletic profile, the Eagles should be interested.
Round 5, Pick 166: Tyquan Thornton | Wide receiver | Baylor
The Eagles just brought in Zach Pascal, so why not keep the trend going and bring in a player in the same mold who can grow behind him and inherit that X spot? Thornton stands at 6’3, 182 lbs, and somehow posted a 4.21 40-yard dash. yeah, no idea how either.
He’s also got really impressive body control for a receiver his size. He’s not a jump-ball specialist as much as he is a home-run hitter who just happens to be a Giant, making him very efficient over the middle and on shorter routes where he can use his twitchiness to create separation. I don’t really think he’s going to be available this late, but he was on my sim….so that’s all that matters.
Round 6, Pick 194: Jalylen Watson | cornerback | Washington State
Throw in a project QB here if you want to, but I’d much rather add another 6’2 corner who is vicious at the catch point and has 4.46 speed which enables him to stay in-phase on deep routes.
He struggles with tackling despite being a thumper and isn’t the most disciplined in coverage, which can lead to his eyes being glued to the QB. However, if Jonathan Gannon is the DB whisperer, let’s give him a project to whisper to.
Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire
