Chris Infante details a chaotic seven-round Eagles Mock Draft. What are your thoughts on this potential class?
Into the unKNOWN… into the UnKnOwWwWnnn.
Sorry, my daughter has been on a Frozen kick lately.
But the “unknown” theme can be used to describe how the Eagles’ free agency period (through two weeks) has been going:
- What will the Eagles do at WR2? Is the Pascal signing enough?
- What’s going on at safety? Even with Harris back, depth is needed and there aren’t many options left.
- Is Haason Reddick the only addition on defense?
- INTO THE UNKNOWNNNNNN
Assuming these are the only moves made from now until the draft, how should the draft look?
TRADE:
Eagles send #15 & #154
Chiefs send #29 & #30
The Chiefs are no stranger to trading up for a player they desperately want. In 2017, they sent the 27th overall pick, a third round pick, and their 2018 first round pick to the Bills for the 10th overall pick that led to Patrick Mahomes. This year, with the subtraction of Tyreek Hill, they’re in need of a speedster and could look to move up to get one.
On Wednesday, Daniel Jeremiah predicted that the Chiefs will trade up with the Eagles to target Jameson Williams. Williams is coming off ACL surgery in January but reports suggest he is on a faster timetable to return and won’t lose his Hill-esque speed.
Pick 16: Jordan Davis- IDL – Georgia
Despite being almost 20 yards better in the rush defense department in 2021 than they were in 2020, the days of an elite rush defense are long gone. The defensive line benefitted from going away from the “wide nine” but they allowed 123.7 rushing yards per game over the last three games. Davis can come in an immediately clog up the running lanes. With players by the name of Jonathan Taylor, Aaron Jones, Dalvin Cook, and Derrick Henry on the schedule in 2022, Davis would be a good start at preparing to slow them down.
Pick 19: Chris Olave – WR – Ohio State
A “route technician” and compared to DeVonta Smith, Olave and Smith’s presence on the field would lead to many broken ankles in the secondary. There’s a decent chance Olave goes prior to this pick, but if he’s here at 19, the Eagles could do worse than provide Hurts with another elite weapon on the outside.
Pick 29 – Jaquan Brisker – S – Penn State
With Anthony Harris, K’Von Wallace, and Marcus Epps as the only safeties on the roster, youth and talent is desperately needed. A few years after the departure of Malcolm Jenkins, his clone arrives. Brisker can play all over the field and is a tone-setting safety. Eagles’ defensive coordinator attended Penn State’s Pro Day (as did CB Zech McPhearson). I find it hard to believe Brisker falls this far (especially with Dallas a few picks prior) but previous teams could look elsewhere and target safety later in draft.
TRADE:
Eagles send #30 & #124
Seahawks send #40, #104, & 2023 2nd round pick
The Eagles pull off another trade back in an almost identical trade that they had with the Ravens when Baltimore traded up for Lamar Jackson. In this mock, Seattle passes on a QB at 9 after missing out on Willis (drafted by Atlanta at 8) and trades back in to land Desmond Ridder and secure a fifth year option.
I don’t think the Eagles get a 2023 1st round pick. Teams could be wary of allowing the Eagles that much ammo for a second consecutive year. But a 2nd round pick is definitely on the table and I think that would still allow the Eagles to make a decent enough package to move up in the draft if needed.
Pick 40 – David Ojabo – EDGE – Michigan
Ojabo tore his Achilles’ tendon at Michigan’s Pro Day and reports are suggesting he will only miss six months since Rams RB Cam Akers came back in that time. Akers, to me, is the exception and not the rule and most NFL players take nine months to get back to the field. Will teams want to risk a first rounder on that recovery time? The potential is there especially with keeping Ojabo around with the fifth-year option, but my money is on Ojabo slipping into the second round. With now two second round picks in this mock, the Eagles can afford to let Ojabo sit out a year and recover on his own pace.
Pick 51 – Tariq Woolen – CB – UTSA
6’3″, 205 lbs, had the top speed among all defenders at the Senior Bowl (22.45 MPH), ran a 4.26 40, and has the below RAS score:
Tariq Woolen is a CB prospect in the 2022 draft class. He scored an unofficial 10 RAS at the Combine out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 1 out of 1806 CB from 1987 to 2022. https://t.co/yJUs24vfYD #RAS via @Mathbomb pic.twitter.com/qfcLQzgqSr
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 8, 2022
The most athletic and explosive corner in RAS history? Yeah, I’ll take that.
He’s still relatively new to the position (played WR in college) but who better to learn how to be an elite corner than from Darius Slay?
Pick 83 – Troy Andersen – LB – Montana State
Out goes one Montana State LB (Singleton) and in comes another. Andersen played QB, RB, and LB in college and his athleticism is evident as soon as you put on the tape. He has elite closing speed (averaged more than 6 yards/second2 at the Senior Bowl) and he’d offer immediate upgrades in the run defense department.
Pick 109 – Myjai Sanders – EDGE – Cincinnati
Another RAS darling:
Myjai Sanders is a DE prospect in the 2022 draft class. He scored a 9.17 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 119 out of 1428 DE from 1987 to 2022. https://t.co/bbVFc3pcOi #RAS pic.twitter.com/Kxw9yXOvwi
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 25, 2022
There were some concerns about his 40 time at the combine due to his weight being 228 lbs, down from the 240s, but he put the weight back on for his Pro Day and attributed the loss of weight to illness.
Sanders has the bendy-ness needed to be an elite edge rusher at the next level and he’d pair well with Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, and Brandon Graham (not you Barnett) as the Monstars of the DL.
Pick 162 – Matt Araiza – P – San Diego State
Araiza go boom:
Matt Araiza: 52/5.50
Drill: Target GL with 5+ hang.
LOS:50@espn @NFLDraftBible @NFL @NFLDraft @JLSports3 pic.twitter.com/9rCm0Agmfh— Nick Novak (@8nicknovak) March 18, 2022
Pick 166 – Zamir White – RB – Georgia
The Eagles have desperately needed a bowling ball in the backfield to complement Sanders. Gainwell is a very good complement, but he’s the wind to Sanders’ fire. Bring in the earth in White and you’ve got yourself a nasty trio.
Running a 4.47 at 215 lbs is unfair and would cause broken arms on DBs trying to tackle him.
Pick 194 – Cole Turner – TE – Nevada
The Eagles need a TE2 behind Dallas Goedert while Tyree Jackson recovers from his injury. DickRod (Richard Rodgers) is more of an emergency replacement and Jack Stoll is more of a TE3 blocker. Turner can fill the F-role vacated by Zach Ertz and be a movable chess piece in 12 personnel.
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire
