2012 NFL Draft: Jerel Worthy Is Worth the Reach for the Philadelphia Eagles

With longtime prospective pick Fletcher Cox rising up draft boards, the Philadelphia Eagles should have a contingency plan, in case the St. Louis Rams or Carolina Panthers select Cox. That plan should involve selecting Jerel Worthy with the 15th overall pick.

While this may seem like overreaching at its worst, Worthy has first-round talent and it is baffling that he has slipped to the second round on a lot of boards. The Michigan State behemoth would be worth the reach from the Eagles and would give the defense a more well-rounded player at the tackle position.

Worthy's best attribute is his ability to gain penetration. He excels at attacking and splitting gaps, a crucial requirement in Philadelphia's attacking line schemes.

His off-the-snap speed cannot be matched by any other true defensive tackle in this draft class.This is the kind of attribute that enables Worthy to threaten the A-gap in shifted fronts and also makes him a natural 3-technique pass-rusher.

Worthy would therefore be a perfect fit in the Eagles double 3-technique alignments. He has the first-step quickness and agile footwork to routinely split double-teams and disrupt the backfield.

However, it is Worthy's ability to be a force against the run that should intrigue the Eagles' hierarchy the most. The 6'2", 308-pounder combines a naturally thick base with impressive raw strength in his upper body.

Worthy is able to occupy blockers and drive them back into the path of the ball carrier. His quickness and strength enable Worthy to power through blockers and disrupt running plays at their source, behind the line of scrimmage.

Philadelphia's front struggled against the run up the middle last season and ranked a mediocre 16th overall against the rush.

Even though veteran plugger Derek Landri has been retained, along with Antonio Dixon, neither is the kind of player who can act as the focal point of a run defense. Worthy is certainly a more dynamic alternative.

Despite possessing the skill set of an unquestioned first-round talent, there are issues surrounding Worthy. A poor showing at the combine has damaged his draft stock, as has concerns about his ability to hold up at the point, if his first step fails to get him through the line.

However, a lot of Worthy's problems can be ironed out through a commitment to refining his overall technique. There is nobody better than line guru Jim Washburn for a job like that.

Ultimately, the Eagles defense is built on the line's ability to quickly be able to play in the backfield. That is Worthy's greatest asset.

There are multiple tackle options for the Eagles to consider in this draft. Stout pluggers like Michael Brockers and Dontari Poe could appeal, as could hybrid interior rushers like Quinton Coples and Chandler Jones.

However, none combine the same degree of expertise as a pass rusher and run stuffer, that Worthy offers. For that reason, the Eagles should take a chance if Cox is off the board and select Worthy at 15.