How Philadelphia Eagles Can Make Most of Every 2015 Draft Pick
This won't be an ordinary draft for the Philadelphia Eagles.
All eyes will be on what head coach Chip Kelly—also the new director of player personnel—does to try to acquire Marcus Mariota. The Oregon quarterback is a consensus top-10 pick with a chance to go first overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
What the organization does in the rest of the draft depends on how much it targets Mariota.
If the Eagles believe he's the only long-term answer they can get for quarterback, they might have to trade up and surrender other draft picks. If the Eagles wait for a player like Brett Hundley, then Kelly will have a quarterback to groom and draft picks with which to build the rest of the team.
The draft doesn't always go as a team expects, even when there's a plan in place. Such was the case in 2014, when the Eagles allegedly targeted six players and missed on all of them, thus having to settle for Louisville outside linebacker Marcus Smith, a likely third-round prospect.
Here's the ideal scenario for the Eagles in this upcoming draft, should everything fall into place.
Round 1: Oregon QB Marcus Mariota
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Maybe it’s not as illogical as it once seemed for the Philadelphia Eagles to draft Marcus Mariota—without trading up.
NFL.com's Bucky Brooks' most recent mock draft has Mariota going 18th overall to Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs. Per Tucker Bagley of Birds 24/7, draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. said Mariota will need a year or two to be ready for the NFL, unless it's the Eagles that draft him.
If Mariota does drop to the 18th spot, trust me that Chip Kelly won't allow Reid to take him; he’ll trade up in a heartbeat to acquire his former collegiate quarterback.
Nick Foles has had success running the Eagles offense, but Mariota offers the ability to do more, namely make plays with his feet. He could easily be the quarterback to push this franchise over the top.
The scary thing for the Eagles would be having to ransom a slew of first-round draft picks for Mariota, as the Washington Redskins did with Robert Griffin III in 2012. That's why getting Mariota without having to trade up—or trade up more than a few slots—would be ideal.
Round 2: Cornerback
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The Philadelphia Eagles will have to pay serious attention to their cornerbacks this offseason. Cary Williams' $8.1 million cap hit for 2015 makes him a possible offseason release, and Bradley Fletcher is a free agent who was exposed as a starter.
Nickel cornerback Brandon Boykin ranks annually among Pro Football Focus’s highest-rated cornerbacks, but the Eagles have all but refused to play him anywhere but the slot. There are a handful of quality cornerbacks the team could target in free agency, but it’s time the Eagles spend a high draft pick on a corner, as well.
The last time Philadelphia drafted a cornerback in the top two rounds was when it took Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown in the first two rounds of the 2002 NFL draft.
A handful of players could fit in this year’s draft, including Oregon’s Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and LSU’s Jalen Collins. Adding one of those two to a defense that will hopefully include a solid free-agent corner will give coordinator Billy Davis some talent to work with.
Round 3: Safety
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How many ways have the Philadelphia Eagles tried and failed with safeties since the days of Brian Dawkins and Quintin Mikell?
The names are endless—Jaiquawn Jarrett, Macho Harris, Marlin Jackson, Kenny Phillips, O.J. Atogwe, Patrick Chung—and the position remains a top priority for the organization this offseason.
Last year’s free agent addition, Malcolm Jenkins, played well enough that he will retain one of the starting spots. Nate Allen could be brought back for another year, but he’s better suited as a backup. The team could go after top free-agent talent Devin McCourty, the All-Pro corner/safety from the New England Patriots.
Getting a ball-hawking safety in the draft is a must, though. It’s not a coincidence that this year’s Super Bowl teams have top-tier safeties, with Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor on the Seattle Seahawks and McCourty on the Patriots.
Possible candidates for the Eagles include Virginia’s Anthony Harris or Stanford’s Jordan Richards.
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Round 4: Edge-Rusher and Offensive Line Depth
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Thanks to the Bryce Brown trade, the Philadelphia Eagles will have two fourth-round draft picks in 2015.
The Eagles will have an offseason decision to make regarding veteran Trent Cole, whose $11.625 million cap hit for 2015 means he will have to take a pay cut or be released. Impending free agent Brandon Graham will likely try to test the market elsewhere, so the team could be looking for help in rushing the quarterback.
Connor Barwin is still entrenched as the one 3-4 outside linebacker, though. Fletcher Cox is a terror as a 5-technique end, and Vinny Curry is a pass-rushing specialist opposite him.
Still, if a talented edge-rusher (either a 4-3 end or 3-4 outside linebacker) is available in the fourth round, the Eagles should take him, especially considering 2014 first-rounder Marcus Smith was M.I.A. his rookie season.
After all, a team can never have too many pass-rushers—just ask the 2007 New York Giants.
With the other pick, the Eagles should look at the offense. Four-fifths of Philadelphia's offensive line should remain the same from 2014 to 2015—left tackle Jason Peters, left guard Evan Mathis, center Jason Kelce and right tackle Lane Johnson.
Given right guard Todd Herremans' age (32), injury history (torn biceps ended his '14 season prematurely), declining skills and high '15 salary ($5.2 million), he might be a salary-cap release.
If Herremans is released, it’s likely that either Andrew Gardner or Allen Barbre starts in his place in 2015, although Matt Tobin, the top-rated guard in the 2014 preseason via Pro Football Focus, will push for a spot too.
Dennis Kelly, a 2012 fifth-round offensive tackle, doesn’t seem to factor into the team’s future plans. The Eagles could use an offensive lineman who plays both tackle and guard, maybe even one with the athleticism to be groomed into an eventual starter.
Round 5: Wide Receiver
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Jeremy Maclin will very likely be re-signed to be the No. 1 receiver, considering he had a Pro Bowl season and is still just 26 years old. Riley Cooper was exposed as a starter opposite Maclin, which means Jordan Matthews might take over his spot with Josh Huff in the slot.
Jeff Maehl and Brad Smith offer very little value as wide receivers, which means Chip Kelly should look to add another playmaker via the draft.
Kelly values bigger receivers in keeping with his "big people beat up little people" motto, but by the fifth round, the best receiver available would be the best policy.
The 2016 Philadelphia Eagles will likely have parted ways with Cooper, so here’s to hoping the ’16 roster can feature Maclin, Matthews, Huff and this draft pick as their top four receivers.
Round 6: Inside Linebacker
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Depth at inside linebacker would be nice, considering the current status of DeMeco Ryans—he’s 30 years old, coming off a torn Achilles tendon and due to make $6.9 million in 2015.
It’s very easy to imagine that Philadelphia will release the veteran linebacker this offseason, although the organization might also ask him to restructure his deal.
Still, Ryans is likely in the twilight stage of his career, and a linebacker to pair with future Pro Bowler Mychal Kendricks would be nice.
The ’15 team will probably have a training-camp competition between Travis Long, Emmanuel Acho, Casey Matthews and Najee Goode—maybe ’14 first-rounder Marcus Smith will even get in on the battle—but this draft pick could provide depth and immediate assistance on special teams.
Round 7: Running Back
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Should the Eagles trade LeSean McCoy, as has been suggested in trade possibilities to move up for Mariota, the team will need more running backs. In fact, another running back in the mix would be nice regardless.
Darren Sproles is a solid backup, although he’s entering his 10th season at a position that sees shortened careers. Chris Polk is a restricted free agent and is no guarantee to return in 2015.
It makes sense to grab a running back via a draft pick, one who can learn the offense and play sparingly in Year 1 before filling in as a situational player going forward.
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