Post combine Eagles only mock draft

Mar 2, 2016

The NFL combine has come and gone from Indianapolis, and while I personally think the combine doesn’t do a good job of projecting how players will preform in the NFL, with draft stock rising and falling based on performance, I figured it was a good time for another Eagles only mock draft. And yesterdays Sam Bradford deal has a huge affect on what the Eagles will be doing in the draft.

Round One: Now that the Eagles have Bradford under contract for next season at the very least, it really doesn’t make sense for them to take a QB in the first round. That being said, with Pederson endorsing Jason Peters and Lane Johnson getting a long term deal this offseason it makes sense for the Eagles to trade back. One team who could potentially want to trade up is the New York Jets. So in this scenario, the Eagles would receive the 20^th overall pick, the Jets 2^nd round pick (51^st overall) and a 2017 third round pick. The Jets would obviously get the 13^th overall pick, and maybe one of the Eagles 5^th round picks, depending on who stingy the Jets are being. With the 20^th overall pick, the Eagles would take G Cody Whitehair out of Kansas State. Whitehair is pretty much the consensus best overall guard in the draft, and would instantly help bolster the Eagles interior line.

Alternate first round picks: OG Joshua Garnett – Stanford, OT Jack Conklin – Michigan State

Round Two: Now with the 51^st overall pick, the Eagles are going to address their future QB needs, and take Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott. Prescott definitely needs to time sit and develop because he seriously needs to work of his footwork. However, he is the definition of a dual-threat QB with a good arm and good vision and pocket awareness. Working with the staff that the Eagles have, Prescott definitely has franchise QB potential.

Alternate second round picks: C/G Nick Martin – Notre Dame, WR Braxton Miller – Ohio State

Round Three: After addressing offensive needs in the first two rounds, the Eagles should turn to defense in the third. Cornerback Xavien Howard is still an interesting prospect for me. His pro-player comparison is Byron Maxwell, which will probably make a lot of fans balk, but he’s physical, big, and has good coverage skills. Given time, and with the proper development and in Jim Schwartz’s scheme he should develop into a good starting corner within a few years.

Alternate third round picks: CB Harlan Miller – Southeastern Louisiana, ILb Scooby Wright III – Arizona

Round Three: Going back to defense here. Jayron Kearse is easily one of my favorite picks in this draft. He’s reminds me a lot of Brian Dawkins, except he’s 6’4”. Now, to be fair, this is a reach. Kearse isn’t projected to be picked until the fourth round, with some teams have him in the 5^th. But the dude is fast, hard-hitting, and is a serious ball-hawk. A lot of teams are interested in Kearse, but the Eagles should try to snap him up early, and they may just get the next Brian Dawkins in return.

Alternate third round picks: OLB Deion Jones – LSU, DE Shawn Oakman – Baylor

Round Four: The fourth round is a good time for the Eagles to looks at an offensive tackle for the future. Cole Turner out of Harvard is a prospect the Eagles should look hard at. He’s pretty much everything you could want in an offensive tackle; good size, durability, and physicality. He impressed at the Senior Bowl, but will likely need a year or two in the NFL to build proper size, and refine his game a bit. This is a good match for both sides. The Eagles will get a quality tackle who could play as a replacement if needed, but really they’re getting a solid player who will more then likely develop into their future starting RT. Turner will be given the time to develop, and should turn into a good starter for the Eagles.

Alternate fourth round picks: OT Fahn Cooper – Ole Miss, OG Denver Kirkland – Arkansas

Round Five: The one player who has stayed the same in all of my mock drafts is DT Matt Ioannidis out of Temple. An overall solid player who possess all necessary traits and skills to be a quality DT, Ioannidis will serve as a back-up for a while, before eventually competing for true playing time. He’s a smart, safe pick in the fifth round.

Alternate fifth round picks: DT Willie Henry – Michigan, DE Romeo Okwara – Notre Dame

Round 5: Lets assume the Eagles keep both of their 5^th round picks, Pederson may decide to use a fullback again. Glenn Gronkowski is the best consensus FB in the draft, but won’t go until late because its not a true “need” position. He’s a safe pick, and honestly there’s not much to say about him. His stock probably went up because of his last name, but he’s worthy of a late round pick.

Alternate fifth round picks: CB Morgan Burns – Kansas State, FS Tyvis Powell – Ohio State

Round Six: The Eagles don’t really need to draft a wide receiver, because they’ll probably bring in a veteran through free agency, but I guess it never hurts. Cayleb Jones is a solid overall prospect, who will compete for a roster spot or a spot of the practice squad. He’s tall (6’3”) and has long arms, but he’s not very physical. Teams have questions about his commitment and off the field issues, but if he plays as he’s capable of doing, he’d be a steal for anyone who takes him this late.

Alternate sixth round picks: RB Tyler Ervin – San Jose State, ILB Jared Norris – Utah

Round Seven: Round 7 isn’t very important but the Eagles could take another QB here, simply as a camp body. Cody Kessler is a decent pick here, but at best he makes the practice squad, if that. For the Eagles other pick, it would make sense for them to invest in a long snapper here, and Nathan Theus would be a solid pick, and would add competition during the offseason. I won’t even bother with alternate picks, because it’s the 7^th round.