Draft Recap

Posted: May 1st, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | Comments Off on Draft Recap

Draft analysts love the Eagles class. The reviews are glowing and the grades are high. We will have to see how the players turn out. We do know that Howie Roseman got good value with how he used his picks. He also added three picks for 2025. Howie set a record with nine trades during the draft, moving up and down the board. If the players pan out, this could look like a masterful job with how he handled things.

Let’s talk about the players.

CB Quinyon Mitchell – Toledo – 6-0, 195

Mitchell became a starter in 2021 and became a star in 2022. He picked off 5 passes and had 25 PDs. He only picked off one pass as a senior, but did have 19 PDs. He went to the Senior Bowl and was the top CB there. Mitchell then had a great workout at the Combine.

Toledo had Mitchell play a lot of off-coverage. This allowed him to be at his best. He has good instincts and did a good job of reading plays. Mitchell has terrific burst and consistently showed the ability to break on the ball and make plays. He’s got quick feet and outstanding agility. Mitchell is a good hitter and tackler. He plays with a bit of a chip on his shoulder and that brought out the best in him. He has the skills to be good in press coverage and showed that at the Senior Bowl. Mitchell ran 4.33 at the Combine and you see that on tape.

I think Mitchell is a great fit from an intangibles standpoint. His college coach was Jason Candle, who was a college teammate of Nick Sirianni. Candle isn’t going to push a questionable guy on his close friend. Mitchell had chances to leave Toledo once he became a star, but chose to be loyal to them since they gave him an opportunity out of high school. Going to the Senior Bowl and working out at the Combine shows his competitive nature, something Sirianni loves.

Mitchell should be a great fit on the field. The Eagles secondary bounced between mediocre and awful last year. The best corner is 33 years old. They needed a premier young talent to add to the mix. Mitchell should challenge for a starting role right away. Beyond talent and athleticism, I think Mitchell’s aggressiveness is needed. The Eagles secondary was way too passive last year. If you can’t cover, you better hit and tackle. That didn’t happen. Mitchell can cover, hit and tackle. Great pick.

Here are some of my notes from the Senior Bowl:

I think we can all agree the Eagles need CB help. Mitchell doesn’t come from a big school, but he has emerged as a top prospect. Mitchell picked off 5 passes in 2022. Teams quit throwing his way so his production fell (1 INT, 19 PDs), but he still played at a high level in 2023.

Mitchell was fantastic on Day 1.

I had him with a couple of PBUs and probably missed some reps. INTs for the Eagles were way down in 2023 so adding a player with good hands and good ball skills would make a lot of sense. The Eagles should absolutely be interested in him. The only question now is if he’s still on the board at 22.

Mitchell is athletic, aggressive and physical. He’s everything Eagles DBs weren’t in 2023. As much as they need a talented DB, the Eagles need someone who plays the right way. Mitchell is a good hitter and tackler. He’s tough.

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Players from medium and small schools come to Mobile hoping to show they are just as good or even better than stars from the SEC, Big Ten or whatever other conference still exists. This doesn’t guarantee NFL success, but it sure helps their draft status. CB Quinyon Mitchell from Toledo did a great job of taking advantage of the Senior Bowl. He showed he can cover anyone. Take the logos off his helmet and uniform and you’d think he was an All American from Alabama.

Mitchell is showing great coverage ability. He can press and run with the receiver. He’s got the body control to mirror and stay right with them. Mitchell has the speed and size to handle NFL receivers. Mitchell made an impressive INT down the field on Wednesday. He doesn’t just cover well, he has terrific ball skills and can make plays. Mitchell will be a first round pick. Does he crack the Top 20?

Is there a concern? Sure, that’s true with all prospects. Mitchell will have to adjust to a significant step up in competition while also learning to press. There will be some double moves that eat him up.

Thankfully he did slid to the Eagles at 22.

DB Cooper DeJean – Iowa – 6-1, 202

You’ll notice that I listed DeJean as a DB. He played CB, S and NB at Iowa, where he started 24 games. DeJean is a lot like Mitchell. Iowa plays a ton of zone and mostly had him playing off. That allowed DeJean to use his instincts and quickness to break on the ball and make plays. He picked off 7 passes over the past two seasons.

DeJean is a gifted athlete. He ran 4.44 at his Pro Day and had a vertical of 38.5 inches. There are videos of him playing basketball in high school and you can see what a good athlete he was in those clips. Put on the Iowa game tape and you see that same athleticism. He is both quick and fast. He’s got great hands and made some impressive INTs. DeJean has an outstanding burst to the ball. He can just explode up the field. Good hitter and tackler.

DeJean was also an outstanding punt returner. He averaged 13 yards per PR and ran one back for a TD. He had another TD called back by a questionable penalty. I can’t stress enough how instinctive DeJean seemed to be. If he picked off a pass, he would start weaving through traffic like a gifted WR. When he saw a WR screen, he knew where to attack to blow up the play. He read routes well and was able to go attack the ball.

I’m really curious to see how the Eagles use him. If they want their three best corners on the field this year, Slay and Mitchell will play outside, with DeJean in the slot. Avonte Maddox is back and is a talented player, but DeJean is bigger, faster and more naturally gifted. Long term, you could see Mitchell  and Kelee Ringo outside with DeJean inside. That’s no insult to DeJean. He is a weapon. Teams line up stars in the slot and you need someone to cover them. Trent McDuffie plays n the slot a lot for KC and is terrific. The Eagles could move DeJean to safety or just play him outside. They have options.

DeJean’s versatility can also be looked at as an issue. He didn’t master CB, S or NB. There will be learning at any of those spots. Like Mitchell, DeJean will have to learn how to press in the NFL.

I’m shocked that DeJean fell to pick 40. I love the fact Howie went up to get him. The secondary needed help and he didn’t settle for adding one DB.

OLB/DE Jalyx Hunt – Houston Christian – 6-4, 252

Hunt is a challenging prospect to evaluate. Watch his tape and you see a guy just dominating the competition. It reminded me of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer had the karate class against kids and kept defeating them. Some of the hits that Hunt put on QBs were brutal. He just destroyed guys. But he was playing against insurance agents, bankers, shipping clerks, etc. Small school is one thing. Houston Christian was really small.

The thing that jumps out when you do watch Hunt is his athleticism. Guess what? That’s critical for pass rushers. Let’s compare Hunt to one of his new teammates.

  • Josh Sweat – 6-4, 251 – 4.53 – 39.5 VJ
  • Jalyx Hunt – 6-4, 252 – 4.64 – 36.5 VJ

This doesn’t mean Hunt will turn out to be a stud pass rusher, but it should illustrate that he’s got the size and athleticism needed for the position. You can’t coach that stuff. You either have it or you don’t. He also has 34 3/8 inch arms. That’s important. He can get his hands on blockers before they get to his body. That can dictate who wins a one-on-one matchup.

Hunt went to the Senior Bowl and helped himself a lot. He showed the athleticism that we saw from his tape. More importantly, he showed physicality. Hunt went up against 315-pound OTs. He moved them back on pass plays and held his ground on run plays. Hunt is highly aggressive. He plays hard. He will work relentlessly to get to the football.

There are multiple questions with Hunt. How will he adjust to NFL competition? How quickly can he learn to play OLB/DE? Hunt was a small guy growing up. He played WR and DB. He was 5-7, 170 entering high school. He grew to 6-2, 195 when he played at Cornell. By the time he transferred to Houston Christian, he was 6-4, 250 and ready to rush the passer. Hunt is a project. I’m fine with that for a few years.

First, this was pick 94, near the end of the third round. That’s fine for taking a chance on an athletic project. Next, Vic Fangio really wanted Hunt. The coaching staff has to buy in for a player like Hunt to succeed. Fangio sees a prospect that he can mold into a good player. Finally, pass rusher is a spot where guys don’t need to be polished. That’s a spot where natural ability is critical and Hunt has that. The coaches can teach him how to rush the passer.

I also like the fit from a timing perspective. The Eagles have good depth for 2024. Sweat and BG are likely to be gone next year. Hunt can learn for a season with no pressure on him. He’ll then have a chance to join the rotation in 2025. If Hunt turns out to be some kind of freak and earns a role this year, that’s fine as well. But he won’t be expected to do that.

RB Will Shipley – Clemson – 5-11, 206

After the first three rounds, I’m focused more on role players than future starters. If  you find a Todd Herremans or Trent Cole, that’s great. It just doesn’t happen a lot. Shipley can be a terrific role player. He was a complete RB at Clemson, showing the ability to run, catch and block. He stood out as a receiver. Shipley runs good routes and shows a feel for getting open. He’s got good hands. He caught 85 passes in his career.

Shipley is a good runner. He is able to make guys miss, which is critical. He has good vision and feet. Shipley ran 4.45 at the Combine, but I didn’t see top speed in the games. He didn’t show the burst to pull away from guys. I don’t see Shipley developing into a starting RB. He was a workhorse in 2022, running for 1182 yards and 15 TDs. He is a good goal line runner, making quick reads and finding the right gap.

With the new KOR rules, Shipley has added value. He averaged 27 yards per KOR in college. If you think of him as a replacement for Boston Scott, Shipley should be an upgrade. He can be a backup RB and the primary KOR. Shipley is also good enough as a receiver that you could play him in the slot in some sets. He is a high character player and good team leader. He should be a great culture fit. My only complaint with Shipley is that I would have preferred more of a power runner. The Eagles wanted a versatile runner so they took Shipley.

WR Ainias Smith – Texas A&M – 5-9, 190

Speaking of versatile offensive players, the Eagles took Smith in the fifth round. He only ran a 4.55 at his Pro Day, but you sure see good speed on his game tape. Smith was a versatile weapon for the Aggies. He was a slot receiver, punt returner and even a RB at times. He is the only player in SEC history with 2,000 receiving yards and at least 250 rushing, punt return and kickoff return yards.

The thing that jumps out about Smith is his ability after the catch. He shows speed, vision and good instincts. I hate guys that run out of bounds or right into a tackle. Smith sees the field and knows where to go. He’s also got the ability to get to that spot. Smith isn’t big, but he is tough. He’s not afraid to work the middle and play in traffic. He could develop into a good slot receiver in the NFL. He is also a very talented PR and could be used on KORs. There were some injury issues that pushed him down in the draft.

The Eagles needed a young, cheap weapon at WR. Smith doesn’t have the speed of Jaylen Watkins, but he is a more versatile player and is much more instinctive. Smith will battle Parris Campbell for the #3 WR role. Smith was a team captain in 2021 and chose TAMU because of their engineering school so he should be a good culture fit with Jalen Hurts.

LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr – Clemson – 6-0, 228

What a great story. The Eagles draft the son of a former star and the kid plays the same position. That’s where the similarities stop. Sr was a 6-1, 260 sledgehammer. He could run through a brick wall. Jr is more of a WLB type who is at his best playing in space. He was a MLB at Clemson and can play on the inside. I just don’t know if he can play in there in the NFL.

Trotter is good in coverage. He has the physical skills for it and also shows a good feel for it as well. He picked off 4 passes in his career. Trotter is a good blitzer. He has the burst to get into the backfield, but also has good pass rush moves. He had 13 sacks in his career. He fell to the fifth round because there are some questions. He doesn’t have good size. Trotter shows good range on the field, but he’s not a special athlete. There were times he got lost against the inside run. He also had some missed tackles.

At his best, Trotter was able to shed blocks, find the football and make tackles. The potential is there. He needs to be more consistent. He led the Tigers in tackles each of the past two years, while also being a key playmaker. I’ll be interested to see if the Eagles project him as more of a WLB or MLB. He feels a lot like Nakobe Dean in terms of size, skill set and college production.

OG Trevor Keegan – Michigan – 6-5, 310

The Eagles normally love OL that are athletic, versatile or both. Keegan started 36 games at LG and one at LT. He looks like a pure OG to me. Keegan is a lunch pail guy. He’s not going to wow you with highlights, but will battle every snap for a full game and win most of his battles. He has good size and is a solid athlete. He’s at his best as a run blocker. That allows him to use his strength and physicality. He wants to pound on DL and LBs. He can fire off the ball and might do a good job on QB sneaks. Keegan is solid in pass pro, but doesn’t show anything special in terms of footwork. He has 32.5-inch arms, which isn’t ideal.

Keegan could develop into a starting player. I don’t think he’ll ever be a top shelf OL. He put up decent workout numbers, but looks a bit stiff on tape. He needs to work on his hands. When he gets them on a defender, he’s going to win a lot. There are times when he reaches and misses. Keegan has to rely on size in those instances. That won’t work as well in the NFL. He has the ability to get to the second level, but isn’t always able to land clean blocks on moving targets. He was a team captain last year for the national champs and has a reputation as a high character player. Keegan will be in the mix at RG, but I think he’s a long shot to seriously challenge for that role this season.

WR Johnny Wilson – Florida State – 6-6, 231

Howie said when you get late in the draft, look for unusual guys. Wilson is unusual. He’s a huge WR. Those guys rarely pan out. Most won in college due to size/speed. That’s not good enough in the NFL so they tend to struggle. Wilson ran 4.52, had a 37-inch vertical and a shuttle time of 4.11. That’s a heck of a workout for someone who is 231 pounds. You see that athletic ability on tape as well. He is a good route runner. Most big receivers play too stiff or upright. Wilson can sink his hips, which is critical for making moves at the top of a route. I was surprised by his body control. He made some tough, athletic grabs. I was also impressed by his ability to catch the ball out away from his body. I love receivers who can do that.

I think Wilson fell for a few reasons. This was a deep WR draft. There were some solid players who slid. Some guys even went undrafted. As big as Wilson is, he only had 8 TD catches in his career. Ainias Smith, 5-9, had 19 in his career. Wilson will need to show he can play on STs. He’s not a returner. Can he help cover punts or kicks? I also had questions about his RAC ability. He can break tackles, but didn’t show much in the way of elusiveness. At the very least, Wilson should be interesting to watch in camp.

OC Dylan McMahon – NC State – 6-3, 299

McMahon is the opposite of Keegan, an athletic, versatile blocker. McMahon started 44 games (22 RG, 14 C, 8 LG) in his career. He showed the ability to play anywhere on the inside. McMahon went to the Combine and had one of the best ever workouts by a center prospect. He played in the Shrine Game and looked good. McMahon jumps off the tape when you watch him on the move. He’s got great lateral agility. He’s able to make reach blocks and is good on double teams. McMahon can get to the second level and pound on LBs and DBs.

The issues with him are simple. He’s only got 31.5-inch arms, which is short for an OL. He also struggles when taking on big DTs. Jason Kelce was an undersized center with good athleticism. He struggled with bigger DTs early in his career, but got better over time. McMahon can improve, but there are a lot more undersized guys who didn’t pan out than Kelce’s. The Eagles need depth on the OL and McMahon will have a chance to earn a backup role.

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