Eagles Mock 1.0

The draft is just over two weeks away. I’ve been busy studying college prospects to find a bunch of future Hall of Fame players for Howie Roseman and the scouts to take. Here is my first edition of an Eagles only mock draft. If there are any picks you don’t like, please blame Jimmy Bama, Howie Roseman, Joe Flacco or Joe Carter.

1st Round – WR DeVonta Smith – Alabama – 6-0, 170

I’ve talked a lot about my love for Smith in the past few months. He is small at just 170, but he is tough. Smith will block. He will play on special teams. As a receiver, he is a smart, polished player. The Eagles drafted fast guys last year. Now they add someone who knows how to run routes and get open. Smith has elite body control, the most important trait for receivers. He can play in the slot or outside. Smith is the kind of guy you want on a team that is rebuilding. Smart. Tough. Dedicated.

2nd Round – CB Kelvin Joseph – Kentucky – 6-1, 192

The Eagles have issues at corner. Darius Slay is still a solid starter, but his best days are behind him. This team needs talented, young corners. Joseph was an elite recruit coming out of high school. He went to LSU, but things didn’t work out so he transferred to UK. Joseph is a gifted athlete and talented DB. He has the potential to be an outstanding CB in the NFL.

https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1378756435803258889

He’s also a playmaker, something the Eagles desperately need on the back end.

3rd Round – DE Rashad Weaver – Pitt – 6-4, 259

Brandon Graham can’t play forever and we don’t know if Derek Barnett is a long term answer so the Eagles would be smart to bring in a talented pass rusher to add to the mix. Weaver had 7.5 sacks and 3 FF in only 9 games last season. He really stood out to me at the Senior Bowl, showing the ability to win off the edge and to play on the inside. He would take on double-teams and fight to hold his ground. Most DEs slide inside and the first time two guys come for them, they melt into the ground. Weaver is tough.

Per @RAanalytics, Pitt DE Rashad Weaver averaged 2.6 seconds on his 2020 season sacks.

Per @NextGenStats, only 31 NFL sacks came in at 2.6 seconds or less.

Super helpful to quantify how college pass rushing may translate to the NFL. Seems strong for Weaver! pic.twitter.com/WlqWR7Pxrv

— Eric Galko (@EricGalko) March 31, 2021

Production is one thing, but going inside the numbers is important. Weaver doesn’t just get to the QB, he gets there in a hurry.

3rd Round – CB Ambry Thomas – Michigan – 6-0, 191

Thomas sat out the 2020 season due to Covid concerns. He played well in 2019 and then had a solid showing at the Senior Bowl. Thomas has a good combination of size, athleticism  and playmaking ability. Nick Sirianni has talked about takeaways being a point of emphasis. The Eagles want DBs who can cover and also catch the ball when it comes their way. Thomas picked off three passes in 2019. Thomas also has kickoff return experience.

4th Round – DT Jonathan Marshall – Arkansas – 6-3, 310

Marshall racked up 1.5 sacks in college, hardly an inspring number. But he is a hot name due to a terrific showing at his Pro Day. Arkansas used him mainly as a NT so he didn’t have as many chances to make plays. When you study the tape, you see real potential.

Very intrigued with #Arkansas DT Jonathan Marshall as a day 3 prospect. 1-yr starter, team captain.

6-3, 310 with 4.81/1.67 40/10 speed and 36 bench reps. Can see that upper body strength on tape. pic.twitter.com/sYPFU2Y0jL

— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) March 13, 2021

The Eagles have good starters in Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave. They have Hasaan Ridgeway and T.Y. McGill after that. That’s not ideal depth. Marshall could challenge for a backup spot right away and might develop into a starter down the road.

5th Round – OL Robert Hainsey – Notre Dame – 6-5, 302

Versatility. Versatility. Versatility. That’s what Jeff Stoutland wants in his O-linemen and Hainsey has it. He played both OG and OT for the Fighting Irish. Hainsey got some snaps at C at the Senior Bowl and looked terrific in there. He could play anywhere other than LT. Hainsey could be Jason Kelce’s replacement in a year or two.

6th Round – OT Dan Moore – Texas A&M – 6-5, 315

We don’t know if the Eagles are willing to trade Andre Dillard, but it is possible. At the very least, the team needs to bring in competition at OT. Moore was a 3-year starter and played LT for the Aggies in 2020. He is a solid athlete, but is a better run blocker than pass protector.

Dan Moore Jr from Texas A&M is a fantastic run blocker. Really good raw strength and uses his leverage well. Concern over bend and overall athleticism, will cap his ceiling as a tackle. Another solid name in a very good senior tackle class. #2021NFLDraft #DraftTwittwr pic.twitter.com/NTKaun594t

— Jack Borowsky (@Jack_Borowsky) April 19, 2020

I don’t know if he’s good enough to start in the NFL, but he could develop into a good swing tackle. Moore had a solid showing at the Senior Bowl. He played mostly LT down in Mobile.

6th Round – S JaCoby Stevens – LSU – 6-1, 212

I might have Stevens way too low. It is tough to get a read on him. We don’t know if Stevens is meant to be a S or a LB. We do know he is a great athlete and played good football in the SEC. This is absolutely the type of guy you take a chance on. Maybe Stevens becomes a starter. Maybe he’s just a role player and STer. Either way, he’s good value if he does last this long. I think he would be an interesting SS for Jonathan Gannon to work with.

6th Round – LB Tony Fields – West Virginia – 6-0, 222

I like Fields and think he should go higher, but he just might fall to this point in the draft. He lacks ideal size and isn’t a special athlete. Fields is tough, physical and instinctive. He was a star LB at Arizona before transferring to WV last fall. He played well for the Mountaineers and then had a good showing at the Senior Bowl. The Eagles took projects like Davion Taylor and Shaun Bradley last year. I don’t look at Fields as a project at all. I think he can play MLB or WLB.

Said on Locked On NFL Draft that Tony Fields II (LB #1 WVU) is the most surprising film I've seen this year.

6'1, 222 lbs, quick as a wink. Toughness + flexibility = block beater in space. Move to overhang will benefit him a ton. Needs man coverage work but solid in zone. Motor! pic.twitter.com/MfiWluhB5z

— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) March 5, 2021

Fields is more football player than athlete. The Eagles need someone like that to add to the mix.

7th Round – RB Chris Evans – Michigan – 5-11, 211

This isn’t a compelling class of RBs. There isn’t a late rounder that I’ve fallen in love with. Evans is interesting because he’s got some size and is a good pass catcher. He is a north-south runner with good athletic ability. He was 216 pounds at the Senior Bowl so I tend to think he’d play up there or even in the 220 range. The Eagles could use a young runner with a bit of size. Jordan Howard is back, but he’s not guaranteed a spot.

7th Round – TE John Bates – Boise State – 6-5, 259

Zach Ertz is still on the roster, but that will change sometime this offseason. We know Dallas Goedert will start. Richard Rodgers could be brought back as a backup. The Eagles have developmental guys in Jason Croom, Caleb Wilson, Hakeem Butler and Tyree Jackson. Those guys are undersized athletes. Bates is a big boy and he is a good blocker. The team could use someone with his skill set. He is another player that had a strong showing at the Senior Bowl. Bates showed that he’s a better receiver than his stats would indicate.

Good throw and catch from Franks to John Bates pic.twitter.com/7t94qDQzeF

— Billy M (@BillyM_91) January 26, 2021

*****

No QB? I’m not a big fan of the guys outside the 1st round. Maybe the Eagles coaches have someone they like.

Only one WR? I don’t think the team will load up. They took three last year. They’ve got Travis Fulgham and Greg Ward. Adding a big time talent is more important than adding multiple guys.

I’ve mentioned this before but it bears repeating. The Eagles aren’t going to fix every problem this year. There will be roster holes. One draft class doesn’t fix everything. The goal is to find some good players and fix some key spots.

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