2012 NFL Draft: Will the Philadelphia Eagles Replace All of Their Linebackers?

There is little doubt that linebacker is Philadelphia's top need this offseason, and they have enough high-round picks to bring in an entirely new group if they want to. After last season's defensive debacle, it's clear that the Eagles are going to have to make changes to a group of sixth- and seventh-round starters.

They can go after free agents like Stephen Tulloch and London Fletcher, but general manager Howie Roseman recently hinted that the Eagles would be focusing on the draft more than free agency this offseason. That begs the question, how big of an impact do the Eagles' front office think this draft class will have on the team?

Aside from linebacker, the Eagles have needs at safety, where Kurt Coleman is inconsistent and Jaiquawn Jarrett hasn't proven to be the safety of the future yet. If DeSean Jackson isn't resigned (which would be a huge mistake by the front office), there will be a hole at receiver. Even if he does return, the Eagles could still use a big receiver for the red zone or a power back for short yardage situations.

Despite all of this, linebacker is by far the biggest concern. If running backs got past the defensive line last year, the linebackers had a very difficult time stopping them. Passes underneath were a problem and Philly had a tough go against good tight ends. Tony Gonzalez caught two touchdown passes against them and Vernon Davis and Rob Gronkowski also found the endzone.

But this is a draft loaded with linebacker talent and the Eagles have plenty of options if they choose to rebuild their unit from scratch. Here are a few names we might see on the back of a Philadelphia uniform in 2012.

Luke Kuechly

The Boston College inside linebacker will likely go in the middle of the first round, which is right where the Eagles sit. With the 15th pick in the draft, the Eagles should take Kuechly if he is still available. He is better prepared for the NFL than any other linebacker in the draft, and the Eagles need help at the position as soon as possible. Kuechly's ceiling may not be as high as others', but he is certainly the best option for the Eagles right now.

Vontaze Burfict

For better or for worse, Burfict is a freak. Lots of draft experts see the inside linebacker from Arizona State as a perfect fit for the Baltimore Ravens because he is essentially the second coming of Ray Lewis. He just needs to keep himself under control for all four quarters. Burfict would certainly be a more exciting pick than Kuechly, but he is raw and uses mostly his instincts to make plays. He'll probably be gone by the end of the first round, so if Kuechly isn't available when the Eagles have to pick, they'll have to reach a bit to get Burfict.

Dont'a Hightower

Hightower's position in the draft remains somewhat uncertain, as some see him going late in the first and others see him as more of a second-round guy. Either way, the Alabama inside linebacker is a bit of a drop-off from Kuechly and Burfict but still much better than anything the Eagles have right now. If Philly decides to use its first-round pick on a position other than middle linebacker, they might be able to trade up with one of their two second-round picks to grab Hightower.

Courtney Upshaw

A teammate of Hightower's at Alabama, Upshaw is the best linebacker available in the draft and could go in the Top 10. One of the things that makes him so special is his versatility. He can play from both the left and right side, which is something the Eagles would like to have with the current linebacker situation. The only downside is Philly would have to trade up, and with the linebacker talent in this draft, it wouldn't be worth it to move up a couple spots.

Zach Brown

The outside linebacker from UNC has first-round talent but will likely fall to the second because of team needs. The Eagles are in much of the same situation with him as they are with Hightower, as they would have to trade up in the second round. Brown's main asset is his speed, as he is as fast as most wide receivers. He comes off quickly on blitzes and could cover slot receivers like Victor Cruz.

Terrell Manning

North Carolina State will be losing a good outside linebacker in Manning, who is undersized but very strong. He is only 224 pounds, which may hurt him on draft day, but the Eagles likely wouldn't have to move from their second round pick to take him. Mel Kiper has Manning listed as the second-best outside linebacker behind Upshaw, so there is definitely an upside that experts are excited about.

Lavonte David

Like Manning, David is a bit undersized for an outside linebacker at 6'1" and 225 pounds. The Nebraska product makes up for it with good instincts, however, and will do well in coverage. He needs to improve his pass rush and doesn't quite have the versatility the Eagles need to plug all of their holes. But Philly has two second-round picks (one coming from the Cardinals as a part of the Kevin Kolb trade), and if they still need an outside linebacker, they could do much worse than David.

The way I see it, the Eagles would be best off if they took Kuechly in the first round and tried to trade up to snag Brown in the late first or early second. It would immediately turn a dismal linebacking corps into a squad built for long success in the NFL. However, one spot is still left open, which could be addressed through free agency or the draft.

It doesn't seem like the Eagles have given up on Casey Matthews yet either. Matthews struggled to start the season and eventually lost his starting job, but he may have just been asked to do too much too soon. After all, he only had a few months to learn a new defense.

Linebacker is the position that the Eagles need to address most, and it's time for them to address it through the draft. After last offseason's spending spree, it would be smartest to spend what money they do have on DeSean Jackson and rely on promising rookies to fill other holes. Philly likely won't replace all of the starting linebackers, but they would do well to replace more than one.