Philadelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman is a master of unpredictability when it comes to the draft. His objects of affection have centered on the trenches, specifically the defensive line in recent ones. He’s a guy that tends to value talent and fit much more than positional need. And if the talking heads are telling him to do one thing, Roseman will almost always zig or zag the other way.
“I kind of try to zig a little bit when people are zagging and just try to stay ahead of it,” Roseman told the “New Heights” podcast in 2023. “The word rebuild kind of rubs me the wrong way, right? We’re about competing.”
With those words in mind, let’s take a crack at predicting what Roseman has planned for the Eagles in 2024. They own eight total picks, including No. 22 overall in the first round. (Editor’s note: I am not accounting for potential trades in this mock). Here it is:
Eagles Mock Draft 1.0 – Mike Greger
Round 1 (No. 22): Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU: Do the Eagles have a pressing need at wideout? Not really. They signed DeVante Parker and Parris Campbell to one-year deals to compete for the slot job, with DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown locking down the outside. It doesn’t matter. Best available.
Thomas is a freak athlete — 4.33 seconds in the 40, with all that speed trapped in a 6-foot-3, 209-pound frame — and a guy who could benefit from a year in the slot as he learns how to run intermediate routes. If he does that, he’s a home run waiting to happen. Plus, Smith is up for a big contract extension and the Eagles could think twice about paying him if Thomas pans out.
Round 2 (No. 50): Javon Bullard, S, Georgia: The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder is almost a carbon copy of C.J. Gardner-Johnson in terms of his physical build and playing style. He lives for contact, making hard hit after hard hit without apology, while anticipating the quarterback’s eyes like a cornerback. Bullard would be a dream fit in Vic Fangio’s scheme which likes to employ a two-safety high scheme to disguise his packages. Also, it would give the Eagles two legit hybrid options to play at nickel corner.
Round 2 (No. 53): Jonah Elliss, OLB/DE, Utah: He’s an undersized edge rusher who relies on first-step quickness (see: Eurostep move) instead of overpowering strength to get into the backfield. Does that sound familiar? It should. If Haason Reddick gets traded, Elliss would bring a similar skillset and aggressiveness: 12 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 37 tackles (16 for loss) in 2023. He would also continue a family tradition of sorts. His brother, Noah, remains on the Eagles’ practice squad and his brother, Christian, competed for a starting spot at Eagles camp last year.
Round 4 (No. 120): Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB, Clemson: There is a chance the Son of the Axeman could be off the board before the Eagles go on the clock in the fourth round. If so, they should consider trading up. Trotter would finally provide stability at WILL linebacker, arguably the biggest weakness on the roster, thanks to his innate ability to blitz and stop the run. (Genetics is so cool when it works, right?) He racked up 192 total tackles (29.5 for loss) along with three forced fumbles, four interceptions and 13 sacks during his Clemson career.
Round 5 (No. 161): Zak Zinter, G, Michigan: A nasty broken leg (tibia, fibula) in last year’s showdown against Ohio State majorly dropped his draft stock but the injury isn’t supposed to pose any long-term issues. Good thing because he’s the real deal. Zitner (6-foot-6, 322 pounds) didn’t allow a single sack or QB hit in 2023 while opening up gaping holes for one of the best rushing offenses in college football. Plus, he’s a natural leader who was voted a team captain. He could walk right into camp and compete for the starting right guard spot with Tyler Steen.
Round 5 (No. 171): Elijah Jones, CB, Boston College: The slender press corner would be a moderate steal if he’s still on the board this late in the draft. Jones (6-foot-1, 185 pounds) won’t offer much in run support but he’s a disruptor with good ball skills and a knack for breaking up contested catches. In other words, throw him in the slot. Avonte Maddox is gone.
Round 5 (No. 172): Jordan Jefferson, DT, LSU: Let’s keep this analysis short and sweet: he is a poor man’s Jordan Davis, one who measures about 3 inches shorter and 25 pounds lighter. Jefferson excels at stopping the run. That’s the scouting report. He had 36 tackles (seven for loss) and 2.5 sacks in 2023.
Round 6 (No. 210): Tyler Davis, DT, Clemson: His lengthy and scary injury history — undisclosed: 2022, torn bicep, 2021, MCL sprain, 2020 — will elicit obvious pause from most NFL general managers. However, Davis can stop the run and rush the quarterback when healthy. He racked up 16 career sacks in 56 games.
AP Photo/Michael Conroy
