Eagles Mock 3.0

We’re almost there, but I still have time to throw one more mock draft your way. So let’s jump right in.

1 – WR DeVonta Smith – Alabama – 6-0, 166

Smith is my favorite college player from the 2020 season. He posted gaudy statistics and the game tape was equally impressive. Whatever Smith did, he did well. Good receiver. Good blocker. Good on special teams coverage. Good punt returner. Smith lacks ideal size, to put it mildly. He’s not a dynamic athlete. What he is…a damn good football player. He is a smooth route runner who knows how to get open. He has great hands and incredible body control. Smith combines ability, skill, brains and an ultra-competitive spirit.

Smith would be a terrific addition to the Eagles receiving corps. Beyond that, he’s also the kind of guy you want when you’re trying to turn a team around. He is the kind of foundational player that a new coaching staff wants to work with.

2 – DE Payton Turner – Houston – 6-6, 268

I have a hard time getting a good feel for Turner’s value. I tend to think of him as more of a mid-2nd, but there is a lot of talk about him going before that. The Eagles love to take DL early so they may not want to wait until the middle rounds. New DC Jonathan Gannon spent his formative years with the Vikings and they prefer bigger DEs. Turner has a good combination of size and athleticism. He’s got 35-inch arms, which should help him keep blockers away from his body. Despite being a big guy, Turner has a good dip move and is able to get under blockers. He rounds the edge well for a big DE.

The Eagles have a good trio of DEs in Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett and Josh Sweat. Graham might be playing his final season. Barnett is on a one-year deal. Sweat hasn’t proven that he can be a consistent starter. The Eagles don’t need a DE, but that’s part of the point. Ideally you take one before you do need one. Turner also might have the potential to rush up the middle in sub-packages.

3 – OL Robert Hainsey – Notre Dame – 6-5, 306

Hainsey played RT for the Fighting Irish. He’s not a great athlete and doesn’t have long arms so when he got to Mobile for the Senior Bowl, teams wanted to see Hainsey play G and C. He looked natural at both spots. I was blown away by how he looked at C. That’s not an easy transition. We know the Eagles love versatile OL. Hainsey can literally play anywhere other than LT. He might be okay there in an emergency.

Hainsey has pretty good feet. He plays with a wide base. He uses his hands well and he plays smart. Hainsey got excellent coaching at ND and started 34 games. He comes to the NFL ready to compete for a spot. The Eagles need to figure out long term plans for Nate Herbig and Jack Driscoll. Hainsey would give them flexibility with his ability to play multiple spots.

https://twitter.com/JimNagy_SB/status/1368554854512214021

3 – CB Paulson Adebo – Stanford – 6-1, 198

The Eagles need CB help in a big way. They don’t have to draft great players, but they need prospects with real ability. Adebo opted out of the 2020 season after picking off 4 passes in 2018 and 2019. He broke up 27 passes in those year. Adebo has terrific ball skills and he’s a playmaker. The Eagles need a CB with that kind of ability. Adebo ran 4.45 at his Pro Day and had a 3-cone of 6.67. He can fly, but also has outstanding agility.

Adebo would come in and compete for a starting role right away. He has NFL size, skill and athleticism. He will hit and tackle. Adebo has really good potential.

Man, both of these plays from Stanford's Paulson Adebo are special. He's a damn good athlete with great timing/instincts. pic.twitter.com/0H1T8Mfdhi

— Austin Gayle (@PFF_AustinGayle) September 1, 2019

4 – CB Zech McPhearson – Texas Tech – 5-11, 191

McPhearson is one of my favorite DBs in the class. He is a very aggressive hitter and tackler. McPhearson doesn’t have great size or speed (4.50), but he plays with an edge and is the kind of guy you want to find in the mid-rounds. He picked off 4 passes last year and showed good ball skills.

The Eagles need corners, as in plural. They need talented guys. Adebo is an outside corner. McPhearson could play outside or in the slot. I think he’s the kind of feisty, high energy guy that Sirianni and Gannon would love.

5 – DT Bobby Brown III – Texas A&M – 6-4, 325

Fletcher Cox cannot play forever. The Eagles need a young guy on the inside and Brown has the combination of size and athleticism they would love. I don’t know if he’ll last to the fifth round, but if he does, he would be a good pick.

The Vikings had success with some bigger bodies on the inside. Brown. has yet to grow into his body. He could be 340 in a few years and carry it pretty well. Brown ran 5.04 in the 40 and had a 33-inch vertical, both outstanding numbers for a guy his size. Brown had 5.5 sacks in 2020 and he’s just scratching the surface of how good he can be. It might take him a year or two to put things together, but he’s got really good potential. He can push the pocket or beat blocks with a combination of quickness and agility. I would love for the Eagles to add a big DT with this kind of upside.

In a weak iDL class, Bobby Brown (no. 5) is one of the most intriguing to me

*6'4 / 321 lbs. with mega 85 1/2" wingspan
*Doesn't turn 21 until training camp
*Pretty good tester with serious flashes of strength and power on film pic.twitter.com/JM8VF1elTX

— Connor Rogers (@ConnorJRogers) April 24, 2021

6 – S Damar Hamlin – Pitt – 6-1, 200

Hamlin is more football player than athlete. He ran 4.59 and had a 35-inch vertical so it isn’t like he’s some stiff, but Hamlin won’t be getting an Olympic invite anytime soon. Put on the tape and you see a complete safety. Hamlin will come up aggressively vs the run. He can tackle out in space. He’s solid in both zone and man coverage. There just isn’t anything dynamic about him.

Hamlin has good instincts and he was productive at Pitt. He could be an excellent special teams player in the NFL. I think he’s got the potential to be a starting safety. He’ll need some time, but he’s got the right combination of skill, size and natural talent. I have him rated higher than this, but other sites seems to think he’ll be a late rounder.

6 – TE Kenny Yeboah – Ole Miss – 6-4, 250

The Eagles need a young TE to add to the mix, with Zach Ertz being a lock to get traded in the coming days. Yeboah is a terrific athlete and pass catcher. His blocking needs some work, but you draft this guy for his ability to catch the ball and make plays. He averaged 19.4 yards per reception in 2020. Sirianni has talked about the desire to have guys make plays after the catch. Yeboah is good at that and would be excellent value late in the draft. He spent his first three years at Temple so he already knows a thing or two about Philly.

#OleMiss TE Kenny Yeboah was one of the best big-play TEs in the nation this year — but don't forget he can block too! He is #TempleMade and #TempleTUFF, by the way!

Yeboah reminded me some of David Njoku. Long, linear athlete with willingness to block and YAC ability at TE pic.twitter.com/DH4x4JB0Nw

— Fran Duffy (@EaglesXOs) January 18, 2021

6 – LB Shaka Toney – Penn State – 6-3, 242

Toney played DE at Penn State. He might be best suited to playing SAM on base downs and then DE in sub-packages. Gannon saw the value that Anthony Barr brought to the Vikings. Toney isn’t that level of prospect, but he is a gifted athlete and pass rusher. This is the kind of guy you want to take a chance on late in the draft. He could be a good role player.

Shaka Toney takes some of the tightest corners in college football pic.twitter.com/pcT9xdhG7G

— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) October 24, 2020

7 – OG Sedarius Hutcherson – South Carolina – 6-3, 321

The Eagles might want more depth on the inside. Matt Pryor failed to impress in 2020 and could be gone. Hutcherson played LG for the Gamecocks. He has a thick powerful build. Hutcherson runs well for his size and is a good blocker on the move. I don’t know if he can play another position, but he’s got the potential to be a good backup OG and could possibly develop into a starter.

7 – QB Sam Ehlinger – Texas – 6-1, 220

I remember Ehlinger’s first year at Texas…1978. That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it seems like Ehlinger was there forever. He isn’t the most gifted QB, but he is a gamer. Ehlinger has limited pro potential, but could develop into a good backup. He can make plays with his feet and has an okay arm. I’m sure Sirianni would love his toughness and competitive spirit, even if he didn’t love Ehlinger’s raw talent.

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