Eagles Only Mock Draft 1.0

Posted: March 9th, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 1 Comment »

Everyone loves to read mock drafts. Even more, they love to rip them. I enjoy the process of trying to see what might happen. As we all know, the draft is full of surprises. Trying to guess what a team will do is quite the challenge.

Here is my first offering for 2020. This is not what I want to happen. This is just a scenario, based on my guess at draft value, the Eagles drafting habits and their needs.

This draft is based on the idea that the Eagles will sign a veteran CB to start, re-sign Jalen Mills, add a veteran WR and add a veteran LB.

First Round – WR Brandon Aiyuk – Arizona State – 6-1, 206

The Eagles would love to get one of the Bama guys (Ruggs or Jeudy), but I’m guessing they are gone. Carson Wentz needs weapons. Aiyuk doesn’t have elite speed, but he did run 4.50 at the Combine and you see plenty of speed when you watch him on tape. Aiyuk averaged 18.3 yards per catch in 2019. Some of that was on downfield catches, but he was also excellent at adding RAC yards onto short and intermediate passes. That has been a weakness for the Eagles in recent years.

Aiyuk is also a return specialist and could help in that area as a rookie.

Is he worth pick 21? That’s the complicated part of this scenario. Jim Nagy, who runs the Senior Bowl, said that some teams have Aiyuk graded higher than N’Keal Harry, who was a first rounder last year. We have no idea if the Eagles are one of those teams. We do know Aiyuk is the kind of weapon the Eagles would love to have on the roster. He reminds me a bit of a more physical version of Jeremy Maclin.

Justin Jefferson ran a faster 40, but when I watch the game tape, Aiyuk sure looks like the more explosive player. You don’t see a lot of guys catching him from behind once he’s out in space. Aiyuk isn’t a polished receiver, but he is a weapon, something the passing game lacked in 2019.

Second Round – WR Chase Claypool – Notre Dame – 6-4, 230

With the pickings at WR in free agency being so thin, I’m guessing the Eagles double-dip early in the draft. Claypool weighed 238 at the Combine and some speculated he might move to TE. Turns out he drank a bunch of water on the day of the weigh in. Claypool was 229 at the Senior Bowl and that’s closer to his true weight.

Either way, Claypool isn’t a big plodder. He ran 4.42, which shows excellent speed for his size, and he had a vertical jump of 40.5 inches, which shows lower body explosion. This is a big, talented athlete. He got better each year at ND, going 66-1037-13 as a senior. Claypool has good body control, which is the most underrated skill for WRs.

We know the Eagles like big receivers. Claypool certainly checks that box. He is a good blocker and he will play on STs. When you try to figure out who is going to be active on gameday, you need backups that can do a variety of things. Claypool is a good fit there as well.

Third Round – DL Jason Strowbridge – North Carolina – 6-4, 274

Strowbridge played a lot of DT in 2019. Some think he is best suited to playing DE. I think the Eagles could have interest in him on the inside. The Eagles liked Adam Gotsis a lot as a DT several years back. He was 6-4, 280. They liked Rashan Gary last year, who was 6-5, 278. Strowbridge has similar size and also a similar game. Those guys were athletic DTs who could get pressure up the middle.

Strowbridge had a great showing at the Senior Bowl. You could see his talent every day during the practices. He was productive for UNC and showed that talent during the season.

He would offer the Eagles depth on the inside. Last year the interior pass rush was missing when Malik Jackson got hurt and Fletcher Cox was working his way back to form. Neither of those guys is getting any younger. Strowbridge could also slide out to DE in some sets when the Eagles want more size on the field. He is the kind of versatile, productive DL the Eagles like.

https://twitter.com/BenFennell_NFL/status/1176549218363875328

Third Round – S Josh Metellus – Michigan – 5-11, 209

The Eagles desperately need young talent at safety. I’m hoping they move Avonte Maddox back there since he showed real potential as a safety in 2018. Metellus is a versatile, physical player. He can play in the box or back deep. He ran 4.55 at the Combine so he’s got solid speed.

Over the last two seasons, Metellus had 7.5 TFLs and 5 INTs. He can make plays, something the Eagles need more of from their DBs. He is a physical hitter, something that Jim Schwartz still appreciates in his safeties. You love guys who can cleanly and legally separate the man from the ball. Metellus could immediately contribute on STs and work his way into the defensive rotation. He could be taking over for Malcolm Jenkins in a year or two.

Fourth Round – LB Markus Bailey – Purdue – 6-0, 235

Bailey is a highly athletic, productive, playmaking LB. Why is he available in the fourth round? He injured his knee after playing just two games as a senior. Before you go into panic mode, Bailey had not missed a game in the previous three years. When he’s healthy, Bailey is a really good player.

The Eagles will likely add a veteran to the LB mix, but they need bodies. Bailey can play inside or outside. He can cover. He can fly around the field and hit. Bailey is the kind of playmaker that would fit nicely in Schwartz’s scheme. Bailey got hurt in early September so he should be fine by some time this summer.

Fourth Round – CB Darnay Holmes – UCLA – 5-10, 195

I watched Holmes in getting ready for the Senior Bowl and came away very impressed. He was confident, aggressive and had good ball skills. He picked off 8 passes over the past three seasons. That is the kind of playmaker Schwartz loves at corner. Holmes is versatile enough to play in the slot or outside.

One concern I had was his long speed. If you watch the Washington State game, Holmes gets beat deep a couple of times. It turns out Holmes was dealing with minor injuries in 2019. He went to the Combine and ran a 4.48. That’s good speed for an outside corner. Holmes also has experience as a KOR.

https://twitter.com/JBP_Official/status/1209284964933439489

Fourth Round – OT Charlie Heck – North Carolina – 6-8, 311

Why go for an OT and not an interior lineman? This is a pure guess on my part. Jason Peters and Big V appear to be on the way out. If you lose two OTs, you better add at least one, right? The Eagles will have Jordan Mailata in the mix to be the swing tackle, but could use someone to challenge him.

If the name Heck sounds familiar at all, it should. His dad Andy Heck played for the Skins for a while and is now the OL coach for…the Chiefs. Doug Pederson likely spent time around young Charlie when Doug was an assistant with his dad in KC. That never hurts.

Heck has a massive frame. He’s got long arms and big hands. That’s the body you want in an OT. He had a good showing at the Senior Bowl, playing both RT and LT. He has pretty good feet. Heck needs work, but he could develop into a starter down the road.

Fifth Round – DB Brian Cole – Mississippi State – 6-2, 213

Cole is an intriguing prospect. He began his career at Michigan as a WR. He transferred to Mississippi State and eventually became a DB. He can play in the slot or as a safety. I think Jim Schwartz would love to have a player with his size, versatility and physicality.

Cole is more than just a physical player. He has playmaking ability in coverage.

He would make sense as a safety for the Eagles. They could use him creatively in different packages. Schwartz sometimes puts Jenkins on big WRs or TEs. Cole could potentially handle a role like that in the future.

Fifth Round – RB La’Mical Perine – Florida – 5-11, 216

I debated having the Eagles take a RB. They look to be in pretty good shape with Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, Corey Clement and Elijah Holyfield, who they like. As I looked at that list, you can’t help but worry about what would happen if Sanders got hurt.

Perine is a N-S runner who can break tackles. He only ran 4.62 at the Combine and that will hurt his value, but he’s not meant to be a blazer. Perine is a guy who lowers his shoulder and fights for the extra yard. He did average 5 yards per carry for his career so he’s got some athleticism and big play ability. Perine developed as a receiver while at UF and caught 40 passes in 2019. He finished with 72 for his career so he would fit right into the way the Eagles use their RBs.

Sixth Round – LB Shaquille Quarterman – Miami – 6-0, 234

The Eagles still need depth at LB. Earlier they took a chance on an athlete making his way back from injury. This time around they go for a player who is more instinctive than athletic. Quarterman started for four years at Miami, racking up 356 total tackles and 46.5 TFLs.

Quarterman doesn’t project to being a starter in the NFL, but he could be an excellent role player and STer. He is tough, physical and smart. The Eagles need young, cheap players at LB so they can spend money on the DL and the secondary. Quarterman could be a solid backup. He might develop into more than that over time.

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One Comment on “Eagles Only Mock Draft 1.0”

  1. 1 Iggles Blitz » Blog Archive » Mocking the Mock said at 12:03 AM on March 11th, 2020:

    […] First, here is what I had happening: […]