PHLEaglesNation’s 7-Round Mock Draft: 1.0
It’s draft season, so what better way to celebrate than mock drafts?
Everyone loves a good mock draft, so the folks here at Eagles Nation have collaborated in order to build what we think would be an ideal outcome for the Philadelphia Eagles after the NFL draft.
Using the mock draft simulator from The Draft Network, here are the results we came up with.
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Round 1: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
Ruggs would almost instantly become the Eagles’ most dynamic weapon. In an offense where Wentz wants to quickly get the ball to his playmakers, let’s just say get Ruggs the ball and let him do the rest. The Alabama product possesses elite speed and offers a multitude of ways to keep defensive coordinators sleepless heading into matchups. Easily runs by defenders, I like to refer to him as Tyreek Hill with angel wings.
While speed may be his best attribute, it is far from the only thing Ruggs has to offer. He is aggressive at the catch point and has shown he is more than capable of coming down with contested catches. While his route tree isn’t as refined as you would like to see and he struggled to hold his own against press coverage *see game vs. LSU*, those are things that with the right coaching are fixable. The effort is never a question, works hard even when he knows the ball isn’t coming his way, particularly on running plays.
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Round 2: Antoine Winfield Jr, S, Minnesota
This name may sound familiar, the son of the former Minnesota Vikings safety has made a name for himself during his time with the Golden Gophers. Injuries costed him most of the 2017 and 2018 season which is the reason he is listed as a Redshirt Sophomore. However, when Winfield Jr is on the field, there is no denying his impact as a ballhawk, finishing the season with seven interceptions this season, ranking fourth in the country. Winfield just has a knack for being near the play, whether he’s making an impact or not he just has a nose for the football.
With questions at the safety position, Winfield could solidify the position should the Eagles lose Rodney McLeod via free agency. With skills in both man and zone, Winfield would quickly fit with the versatility that Jim Schwartz loves in his safeties. Good in run support but even better breaking on a ball when he sees a quarterback has decided on his reads. Doesn’t have the best speed, will get beat occasionally but can certainly hold his own against not so shifty receivers.
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Round 3: Alton Robinson, DE, Syracuse
Robinson is as interesting as a prospect as there is in this class. After ranking fairly high coming out of Judson High School in Texas and committing to Texas A&M, Robinson was accused of a second-degree robbery charge stemming from a disagreement with an ex-girlfriend over a cell phone. This caused Texas A&M to release him from his letter of intent. A year later all charges against him were dropped and Robinson enrolled in Syracuse after a brief stay in JUCO.
This will obviously force Roseman and the company to do their homework on a few of Robinson’s character traits but should that clear the Eagles might have found themselves a diamond in the rough. Robinson is among the best in the country in terms of getting pressure with the speed rush. His first step is great, has the inept ability to put tackles in a tough position at the snap. The swipe and dip is his go-to move but has the tendency to overuse it. Robinson is still raw in a few areas and can be viewed as a situational pass rusher at this point. Needs to develop a backup plan once his speed rush fails.
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Round 4: Troy Pride Jr, CB, Notre Dame
An underrated prospect due to a deep cornerback class. Looks really comfortable in off coverage and zone coverage, which are often the ways the Eagles choose to use their cornerbacks. When in the zone, he has a really good feel for routes and where his help is, which allows him to keep an eye on the quarterback. Not much film on him in the slot, which is fine because he is more than capable on the outside. The student of the game does his homework on the opposition in preparation for the game, which often results in him identifying routes the receiver is most comfortable running.
Could be better in press coverage, while his technique is sound, he’s shown that he could be bullies by big body receivers. Although, during Senior Bowl week he showed improvement in the press during one-on-one drills. Isn’t the fastest guy but has some speed to him and he could be a better tackler at this point but he shows effort. While Pride Jr isn’t the CB1 in this class, with the Eagles need at the position beggars can’t be choosers.
While he is better suited as a high-end CB2 currently, with the right coaching he has the talent to develop into a CB1.
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Round 5: Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas
Duvernay is a weird prospect, much of his technique can use some work and he is often too stiff getting in and out of breaks on routes. Not really the best in terms of beating press coverage, which is fine because he doesn’t see much of it from his natural position in the slot. However, the way Duvernay seemed to do things didn’t seem to affect his production as he was one of the most electrifying receivers to watch every Saturday evening. At 5’11, 202 pounds Duvernay still has enough speed to be legitimate down the field threat.
Duvernay’s is best with the ball in his hands, has running back like a vision on underneath routes and as we noted has enough speed to turn a 5-yard play into a 45-yard play. Pretty good hands, reliable and doesn’t drop many balls. Finds a way to get hands-on inaccurate passes, though I’m not sure if by design or coincidence, but he doesn’t have much jump ball work on the film. It would be best to stay in the slot at the NFL level in order to maximize his usage.
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Round 6: Michael Onwenu, OG, Michigan
Onwenu is a monster among men. For a 6’3, 362-pound man, he moves like a freak. When it comes to interior linemen, Onwenu has solid lateral agility. Really long arms for a guard (34.5 inches) and uses them really well at the point of attack. It will be interesting to see how he fairs against a multitude of moves from defensive tackles, but it’s safe to say Onwenu will never be overpowered. Despite huge stature, Onwenu moves very light on his feet and has shown on tape the ability to pull block on zone running schemes. Had a pretty good Shrine Bowl week, cementing himself as one of the best linemen present.
Despite what he has shown on tape in terms of lateral quickness, there are still concerns about Onwenu’s mobility due to his huge stature. Struggles at times to get to blocks at the second level, which can be concerning with the elite athleticism from linebackers at the NFL level.
He is often over-reliant on his stout frame which gets him in trouble with quicker defensive tackles. While Onwenu has all the tools to become a starting interior lineman, there is still improvement left to make. While the Eagles don’t have a massive need along the interior offensive line, the unit is getting older and it could serve as a big boost to add some depth with the status of “Big V” unknown.
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Round 6: J.R. Reed, S, Georgia
A raw talent with a whole lot of untapped potential. At this point, he is better used as a modified linebacker/box safety. Does a good job of identifying plays that happen in front of him, has a “see the ball, get the ball” mentality. A consistent tackler, though he has the tendency to whiff at ankles from time to time. A fearless player, not afraid of any matchup and is very aggressive in terms of jarring the ball lose when it is in the area. A passionate player was referred by UGA head coach Kirby Smart as the leader on the defense. It would serve as a big help if Reed were able to learn from Malcolm Jenkins should he return.
Deep coverage is not his strong suit; it would probably be smart not to be sure on him as the single high in a cover 1/ cover 3 scheme. Reed doesn’t quite have the ability to get from sideline to sideline in coverage. Breaks on the ball too late, which often leaves him out of position when defending deep passes.
When blitzing Reed can often be undisciplined, but his good pursuit allows him to make up for it from time to time. Reed started 42 consecutive games for the University of Georgia and racked up 199 career tackles, with only five career interceptions.
Featured Image: Daniel Craig / Philly Voice
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