2019 Eagles Draft Preview

The wait is over and the draft is finally here. Christmas in April.

OVERVIEW

The Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2017. They made it to the Divisional Round last year. This is a very talented roster. Yes, there are some holes, but they are few and far between.

The challenge for Howie Roseman and Joe Douglas is to find young, cheap talent. Carson Wentz will be getting a massive contract extension at some point in the near future and that means the Eagles will have to shave a veteran salary or two and depend on young players.

For now, they will focus on finding talented players who can come in and help put this team back on top.

The picks:

1 – 25
2 – 53
2 – 57
4- 127
4 – 138
5 – 163
6 – 197

Needs:

MLB is wide open right now. I doubt the Eagles will draft their 2019 starter, but that is a position they could target.

The team needs talent at RB. They don’t necessarily need a starter, but they do need someone who can offer some impact, as a runner, receiver or both. The Eagles didn’t get enough big plays from the backfield last year. That needs to change.

The Eagles are talented at safety, but also old. They could use a young player to develop for 2020.

This is a great DL class. The Eagles need depth at DT. They might need depth at DE, depending on Chris Long. They need youth at both spots.

OL is a confusing situation. Outsiders talk about replacing Jason Peters. The team thinks Jordan Mailata could really be that guy. Big V is there for 2019 in case of injury. RG Brandon Brooks is rehabbing an Achilles injury so guard could use some depth. Center too.

The Eagles don’t need a WR, but they easily could add someone to develop for the future. Rookies can’t be counted on so you would take someone now to get ready for 2020 or even 2021.

Depth Chart

I’m only listing players that I think have a realistic shot at making the roster in 2019.

WR  Alshon Jeffery ..… Mack Hollins
WR  DeSean Jackson … Shelton Gibson
WR  Nelson Agholor … Braxton Miller
QB  Carson Wentz ….. Nate Sudfeld
RB  Jordan Howard … Corey Clement ..… Wendell Smallwood
TE  Zach Ertz …….… Dallas Goedert …….. Richard Rodgers
LT  Jason Peters …….… Jordan Mailata
LG  Isaac Seumalo
OC  Jason Kelce
RG  Brandon Brooks … Matt Pryor
RT  Lane Johnson …… Halapoulivaati Vaitai

DE  Brandon Graham …. Chris Long ??? … Josh Sweat
DT  Fletcher Cox ……….. Treyvon Hester
DT  Marlin Jackson …….Tim Jernigan ………. Bruce Hector
DE  Derek Barnett ……… Vinny Curry
WB Kamu Grugier-Hill ….. Nate Gerry
MB Paul Worrilow …….. L.J. Fort
SB  Nigel Bradham ………
SS  Malcolm Jenkins …… Andrew Sendejo
FS  Rodney McLeod ….. Tre Sullivan
CB  Ronald Darby  ……. Rasul Douglas
CB  Jalen Mills  …………. Avonte Maddox
NB  Sidney Jones ……… Cre’Von LeBlanc

P Cameron Johnston
K Jake Elliott
LS Rick Lovato

Eagles Draft Interest

Top 30 Visits

S Darnell Savage – Maryland
S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson – Florida
S Juan Thornhill – Virginia
CB Amani Oruwariye – Penn State
CB Isaiah Johnson – Houston
CB DeAndre Baker – Georgia
DE L.J. Collier – TCU
DE Oshane Ximines- Old Dominion
DE Montez Sweat – Ole Miss
DE Jaylon Ferguson – La Tech
DL Rashan Gary – Michigan
DT Ed OIiver – Houston
DT Trysten Hill – UCF
DT Christian Wilkins – Clemson
DT Jerry Tillery – Notre Dame
DT Dexter Lawrence – Clemson

OT Tytus Howard – Alabama State
OT Kaleb McGary – Washington
OG Chris Lindstrom – Boston College
OL Cody Ford – Oklahoma
OL Hjalte Froholdt – Arkansas
RB Karan Higdon – Michigan
RB Josh Jacobs – Alabama
RB Darrell Henderson – Memphis
RB Justice Hill – Oklahoma State
RB Miles Sanders – Penn State
WR A.J. Brown – Ole Miss
WR N’Keal Harry – Arizona State
WR Parris Campbell – Ohio State
WR Jalen Hurd – Baylor
WR Mecole Hardman – Georgia
WR Diontae Johnson – Toledo

Pro Days / Workouts

OT Tytus Howard – Alabama State – Jeff Stoutland at his Pro Day
OT Martez Ivey – Florida – Met with him
OT Isaiah Prince – Ohio State – Asst OL coach at his Pro Day
OT Jonah Williams – Alabama – Jeff Stoutland worked him out at his Pro Day
OT David Edwards – Wisconsin – Asst OL coach at his Pro Day
OT Oli Udoh – Elon – Private workout
OG Lester Cotton – Alabama – Jeff Stoutland worked him out at his Pro Day
OG Iosua Opeta – Weber State – Asst OL coach worked him out at his Pro Day
OG Michael Jordan – Ohio State – Asst OL coach at his Pro Day
OG Nate Davis – Charlotte – Asst OL coach at his Pro Day
OG Chris Lindstrom – Boston College – Jeff Stoutland worked him out at his Pro Day
OG Demetrius Knox – Ohio State – Met with him at his Pro Day
OG Beau Benzschawel – Wisconsin – Asst OL coach at his Pro Day
OC Ross Pierschbacher – Alabama – Jeff Stoutland worked him out at his Pro Day
OC Nate Trewyn – Wisconsin-Whitewater – Asst OL coach at his Pro Day (UW)
TE Kahale Warring – San Diego State – TE coach at his Pro Day
TE Trevon Wesco – West Virginia – Met with him at his Pro Day
TE Dax Raymond – Utah State – TE coach at his Pro Day
WR Corey Contini – Ohio Dominican – Eagles scout talked to him at his Pro Day
RB Josh Jacobs – Alabama – Duce Staley worked him out at his Pro Day
RB Damien Harris – Alabama – Duce Staley worked him out at his Pro Day
RB Trayveon Williams – Texas A&M – Coach at his Pro Day
RB Travis Homer – Miami – Duce Staley worked him out at his Pro Day
RB Darrell Henderson – Memphis – Duce Staley worked him out at his Pro Day
RB Tony Pollard – Memphis – Duce Staley worked him out at his Pro Day
RB Darwin Thompson – Utah State – Private workout
RB David Montgomery – Iowa State – Met with him at his Pro Day
RB Devin Singletary – Florida Atlantic – Duce Staley met with him at his Pro Day
QB Tyree Jackson – Buffalo – Assistant coach at his Pro Day

DE Jaylon Ferguson- La Tech – DL coach worked him out at his Pro Day
DE Clelin Ferrell – Clemson – DL coach at his Pro Day
DE Austin Bryant – Clemson – DL coach at his Pro Day
DE Ahmad Gooden – Samford – Showing some interest
DE Porter Gustin – USC – Scout worked him out at his Pro Day
DE Titus Davis – UCF – DL coach at his Pro Day
DE Montez Sweat – Miss State – Asst coach worked him out at his Pro Day
DE Gerri Green – Miss State – Asst coach worked him out at his Pro Day
DE Maxx Crosby – Eastern Michigan – Scout worked him out at his Pro Day
DE Zach Allen – Boston College – Asst coach worked him out at his Pro Day
DE Wyatt Ray – Boston College – Asst coach worked him out at his Pro Day
DT Trysten Hill – UCF – DL coach worked him out at his Pro Day
DT Dexter Lawrence – Clemson – DL coach at his Pro Day
DT Christian Wilkins – Clemson – DL coach at his Pro Day
DT Albert Huggins – Clemson – DL coach at his Pro Day
DT Jeffery Simmons – Miss State – Dined with him before Pro Day (injured, couldn’t work out)
DT Braxton Hoyett – Miss State – Asst coach worked him out at his Pro Day
LB Emeke Egbule – Houston – Private workout
LB Cody Barton – Utah – LB coach at his Pro Day
LB Kaden Ellis – Idaho – LB coach saw him work out at Utah Pro Day
LB Connor Strachan – Boston College – Asst coach worked him out at his Pro Day
CB JoeJuan Williams – Vanderbilt – Cory Undlin at his Pro Day
CB Rashard Causey – UCF – Scout met with him at his Pro Day

The Eagles have worked out plenty of local prospects. I don’t have all of them listed because it is so hard to gauge just how much interest there is. A player from Temple can visit the Eagles and doesn’t count against their limit of 30 because he’s local.

Some misc thoughts…

The Eagles have talked about wanting to add a young QB almost every year. I doubt they draft anyone this season. The only QB they’ve shown specific interest in is Buffalo’s Tyree Jackson. I do think he’d be ideal for the Eagles, but he’s likely to go around the third round. That’s not good value for this team.

The Eagles have checked out a lot of tweeners. Usually that means DE/LB types. This year that means DE/DT types.

Rashan Gary 6-4, 276
L.J. Collier 6-2, 283
Jaylon Ferguson 6-5, 271
Zach Allen 6-4, 279
Austin Bryant 6-4, 271
Kyle Phillips 6-4, 277

There are others who fit this and the Eagles have seen at all-star games or the Combine

Charles Omenihu 6-5, 280
John Cominsky 6-5, 286
Jonathan Ledbetter 6-4, 280
Kingsley Keke 6-3, 288

The Eagles had Adam Gotsis (6-4, 287) rated highly back in the 2016 draft. He went in the second round to Denver. They have looked at some tweeners the past two years, but this year they seem more interested than ever. Essentially you would be getting a big DE with pass rushing experience and moving them to DT. A lot of colleges now use 3-man fronts so you have these big DEs or undersized DTs who get a chance to play a different role. They have to be strong vs the run, but also athletic enough to be an OT to the QB.

It will be interesting to see if the Eagles take one of these guys, and if so, how early.

The Eagles have shown interest in return specialists. Mecole Hardman and Diontae Johnson came to Philly for visits. Both are speedy receivers, but also dynamic returners. Don’t be surprised if the Eagles add a RS on Day 3.

WHAT HAPPENS AT PICK 25?

First, the Eagles could trade up. This doesn’t feel likely to me, but Howie Roseman focuses more on talent than numbers. He won’t mind sacrificing a pick if he feels there is a special player available.

Here are my top trade-up candidates:

DT Christian Wilkins – One of my favorite prospects in the draft. Dominant DT for Clemson. Big, strong and athletic. Could play NT or 3-tech for the Eagles. Played some DE for the Tigers. Scored 3 TDs on offense so he is a versatile weapon. Very high character. Great student. The only thing close to a knock on him is that Wilkins will turn 24 this year. I think he would be an ideal target for the Eagles. The problem is that he could go in the Top 10. I don’t see Howie being that aggressive.

OL Cody Ford – I like Ford, but I could see the Eagles loving him. Big, strong, physical RT for Oklahoma. Some think he would be better suited at RG. Either way, he’s got the potential to be a Pro Bowl player in the NFL.

Two other guys might slide a bit and end up as reasonable trade-up targets:

DE Montez Sweat – Star pass rusher from Miss State. Stood out at the Senior Bowl and then had a great Combine. There are two red flags. First, he’s got a heart issue that has some teams taking him off their boards. I have no idea what the Eagles think. Sweat is a Top 10 talent. You have to think long and hard about him. The other issue is that there are some character concerns. The Eagles brought him to Philly, likely to get a better feel for Sweat and whether he is worth moving up for. It is possible he could slide all the way to 25.

DL Rashan Gary – Some teams will see Gary as a DE, others a DT. I don’t know what the Eagles think, but they are interested. Gary has a shoulder injury that could affect his rookie season. He also wasn’t overly productive at Michigan. That said, he is immensely gifted. Gary ran the fastest 40 time by a player over 275 pounds in the history of the Combine. Think about that for a second. He is a special athlete. There are flashes on tape where Gary looks special. There are other times when he gets lost. You draft Gary for his potential. If he pans out, he could be a star.

***

What if the Eagles stay put? They always have 5 names they are targeting with their pick. My guess…

DT Jeffery Simmons – I’ve written about Simmons a few times. He is coming off a torn ACL and had an incident in high school, but if you focus on college, he was great on and off the field. Dominant DT. Reminds me a lot of Fletcher Cox. If he makes it to 25, would be a terrific pick. Yes, there is risk. I repeat, there is risk. You would also be getting an incredibly gifted player. I’m willing to take that risk because of the potential reward.

WR Marquise Brown – Explosive WR would give the Eagles a young playmaker to develop. Only 5-9, 166, but he was incredibly productive at Oklahoma. Averaged 18.3 yards per catch and had 17 TDs over the past two seasons. Just runs by defenders. Also has very good RAC skills. You can throw him a quick screen and it can turn into a big play.

DT Jerry Tillery – The Eagles love DTs that can rush the passer. That’s Tillery. Goes 6-6, 295 and he had 7 sacks as a senior. Watch him against Stanford and you’ll think he should be going in the Top 20. Other games he wasn’t as effective. Athletic enough that you could play him some at DE if you wanted. Disruptive player and talented interior rusher.

DT Dexter Lawrence – Would the Eagles really want a DT who is 6-4, 342? That sounds more like a 3-4 NT. Lawrence ran 5.05 at the Combine and did 36 reps. He is big, strong and fast. Put on the game tape and you see more than a big guy. He can push the pocket. He makes some hustle plays. Lawrence had 10 sacks over the past 3 years so he can get to the QB. Lawrence has flashes of physical dominance. He just tosses blockers out of his way at times. As he matures, Lawrence could become physically dominant. Jim Schwartz had plenty of success with Albert Haynesworth at DT for the Titans so he appreciates big guys with athletic ability.

OL Tytus Howard – The Eagles have shown a lot of interest in the Alabama State star. Howard played both RT and LT for them. He played well against Auburn and then more than held his own at the Senior Bowl. Howard is 6-5, 322. That’s the kind of size the Eagles love in their O-linemen. He has terrific feet. Big men who have good feet don’t last long in the draft. The first round might seem early, but Howard might not make it to the bottom of the second. I think he could play OG if they wanted to try him there early on.

***

The Eagles could also look to trade back. This is a really popular idea. I think the key is DT. I only have one guy with a second round grade (Dre’Mont Jones) and I don’t know if the Eagles like him. It feels like Howie wants to come away with a really good DT. Can they move back and still do that? If so, would make a lot of sense. If they move back and go away from DT…

S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson – Feels like an ideal fit for the Eagles. CGJ is an explosive, versatile player. He mostly played in the slot, but is natural playing deep as well. Had a sensational pick vs Michigan down the field. Good hitter/tackler. Has good ball skills. Could take the place of either Malcolm Jenkins or Rodney McLeod in the future.

MY PREDICTION

The Eagles stay put and take Simmons.

Howie wants to win now, but Simmons is a special talent. You roll the dice on landing an impact DT. Plus, Simmons might be healthy enough to contribute late in 2019. DT is one of those spots where you can plug a guy in. This isn’t like DB or OL, where chemistry is critical. You tell the DT to go kill the QB or maim the RB. Off he goes.

-1st Round Board for the Eagles-

QB: n/a

RB: Josh Jacobs

WR: Marquise Brown

TE: n/a

OL: Andre Dillard, Jonah Williams, Jawaan Taylor, Cody Ford, Tytus Howard, Garrett Bradbury

DE: Nick Bosa, Josh Allen, Clelin Ferrell, Montez Sweat, Rashan Gary

DT: Quinnen Williams, Christian Wilkins, Ed Oliver, Jeffery Simmons, Jerry Tillery, Dexter Lawrence

LB:

IB: Devin Bush, Devin White

S: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson

CB: DeAndre Baker, Rock Ya-Sin

I will post a full draft board for the Eagles on Friday.

*****

ALL TOMMY TEAM 

(my favorite non-1st round players)

QB Trace McSorley – Penn State
RB  David Montgomery – Iowa State
WR  Deebo Samuel – South Carolina
WR  Stanley Morgan Jr. – Nebraska
WR  Darius Slayton – Auburn
TE  Trevon Wesco – West Virginia
OT  Yodney Cajuste – West Virginia
OG  Phil Haynes – Wake Forest
OC  Erik McCoy – Texas A&M
OG  Drew Samia – Oklahoma
OT  Chuma Edoga – USC

DE  L.J. Collier – TCU
DT  Daniel Wise – Kansas
DT  Kingsley Keke – Texas A&M
DE  Malik Carney – UNC
LB  Blake Cashman – Minnesota
IB  Terrill Hankes – New Mexico State
LB  Emeke Egbule – Houston
S  Marquise Blair – Utah
S  Jaquan Johnson – Miami
CB  Julian Love – Notre Dame
CB  Sean Bunting – Central Michigan

***

Please draft a couple of these players

WR Deebo Samuel – South Carolina
WR Parris Campbell – Ohio State
G/C Elgton Jenkins – Miss State
OG Drew Samia – Oklahoma
OG Michael Dieter – Wisconsin
RB Tony Pollard – Memphis
RB Travis Homer – Miami
RB Jalin Moore – Appalachian State

DE Maxx Crosby – Eastern Michigan
DE Malik Carney – UNC
DT Jeffery Simmons – Mississippi State
DT Jerry Tillery – Notre Dame
LB Troy Reeder – Delaware
LB Bobby Okereke – Stanford
S Marquise Blair – Utah
S Darnell Saveage – Maryland
S Sheldrick Redwine – Miami

Please avoid these players

C Ross Pierschbacher – Alabama – Just never impressed me, but some see as mid-round target.
DT Renell Wren – Arizona – Has moments where he looks really good, but his lack of production is a red flag for me. Only 14.5 TFLs in four years.
S Juan Thornhill – Virginia – He is very talented. Can cover. Can make plays. But his tackling drives me nuts. Dives at ankles over and over and over. Ugh.
OT Greg Little – Ole Miss – Has the potential to be a good NFL LT, but I don’t like the fit for the Eagles.
WR Andy Isabella – UMass – Small, but very fast. Doesn’t have great hands and isn’t a strong route runner. Needs a lot of work.

***

My ideal scenario for the draft.

1 – DT Jeffery Simmons – Miss State
2 – WR Deebo Samuel – South Carolina
2 – S Darnell Savage – Maryland
4 – OG Dru Samia – Oklahoma
4 – RB Tony Pollard – Memphis
5 – DE Malik Carney – UNC
6 – LB Troy Reeder – Delaware

I’ve already written a lot about Simmons. I just love the idea of taking a chance on greatness.

Samuel had a terrific career and was outstanding at the Senior Bowl. I love the way he competes. Reminds me a bit of Anquan Boldin in that sense. Could play in the slot or outside for the Eagles.

Savage would compete for playing time in 2019, but also have a chance to develop. He can play in the slot or back deep. Could be great on STs as well. Explosive player who is a lot of fun to watch.

Samia started at both RG and RT for the Sooners. He would offer depth and versatility. Nasty player with some athletic ability.

Pollard was a WR/RB at Memphis so I’m sure not everyone would be thrilled with this pick. The Eagles have someone to feed the ball to in Jordan Howard. They need a playmaker. Pollard is a gifted runner, receiver and returner. He would give Doug Pederson a versatile weapon to be creative with.

Carney is undersized at 6-2, 251, but he can stuff the run and rush the passer. Tough and productive. Also a playmaker. Had 17 career sacks and 9 FFs.

I’ve been desperate for the Eagles to get a Penn State LB. How about taking someone that was on the Big Ten’s All-Freshman team at Penn State and then transferred to Delaware? Reeder can play the run and cover. Good athlete. Would be able to compete at OLB and MLB. There will be veteran free agents available after the draft if the team wants to pursue more of a sure thing.

I would love to have another late pick or two. I would want to add another RB and possibly LB to the mix.

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