5 Late-Round Sleepers Who Would Be Perfect for Philadelphia Eagles

As the NFL draft slowly approaches, so much of the focus will be on what the Philadelphia Eagles decide to do with their first-round pick, No. 20 overall. Already, there is a lot of talk about going after the top defensive back prospects, or even attempting a miraculous trade up the board for Oregon quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota.

Of course, the draft is seven rounds and while those top selections are typically the most important, the Eagles have to unearth talent in the back end as well if this program is going to make the jump from also-ran to legitimate Super Bowl contender. That means finding so-called sleepers when the weekend starts getting long and the names being called become far less recognizable.

They’re out there, though, if the Eagles know what to look for. As we looked at five possible late-round sleepers Philadelphia might want to keep its eyes on, we tended to stick with prospects who would also help fill major needs on the roster.

A few of these players could even make leaps up the draft board, but if these names are still available at certain points on Day 3 of the draft, the Eagles have to pounce.

Josh Shaw

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Everybody knows the Eagles need help at cornerback, but the reality is they strongly need to come away from this draft with at least two. That likely means selecting one early and another later.

Fortunately, there could be some good value further down the board, especially if teams are still scared off by Josh Shaw’s off-field incident. The USC product was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing after a police investigation, but the incident cost him most of his senior season thanks to a team-imposed suspension, and no doubt front-office decision-makers will have many questions about the whole situation.

Otherwise, Shaw fits the mold of what the Eagles are looking for in a cornerback. He’s got quality size at 6’1”, 200 pounds. He’s also demonstrated the ability to make plays on the football, recording 15 pass breakups and six interceptions between 2012 and ’13.

The only other possible downside is Shaw’s stock could start to rise if teams decide to ignore that little brush with the law. Right now, some rankings have him as a Day 3 prospect, but he could easily climb into the third round with that size and talent. At that point, Shaw wouldn’t really be much of a late-round sleeper at all.

Eric Rowe

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Regardless of whether Shaw lasts, the Eagles could still be searching for defensive back help later in the draft. And there’s at least one player in particular we know they have shown interest in.

Jimmy Kempski for Philly Voice was first to report of a meeting between Eagles head coach Chip Kelly and Utah’s Eric Rowe at the Senior Bowl last week. Rowe was a four-year starter for the Utes, playing three seasons at safety before moving to cornerback as a senior. He’s 6’1”, 201 pounds, and recorded 36 pass breakups and three interceptions over his collegiate career.

No doubt, Rowe’s size, experience and versatility are all appealing to Kelly. He could be a heck of a value, too, as most rankings have Rowe coming off the board no earlier than the fourth round.

What position Rowe will play in the NFL is probably up for debate, but the Eagles need help at both corner and safety, so it might not matter. Simply put, you’re not going to find a lot of four-year starters with this kid’s measurables from a school in a top conference at that point in the draft.

Mike Hull

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Secondary is just one area of need in Philadelphia’s defense. The linebacker corps is also getting older and in danger of becoming depleted of talent. In fact, it’s unclear who will start on the interior alongside Mychal Kendricks in 2015.

Even if DeMeco Ryans rebounds from an Achilles injury in time to contribute next season, he’ll be 31 and on the final year of his contract. No doubt, the Eagles will be looking for a potential replacement to groom, if not somebody who can possibly step in and take over immediately.

That’s where Mike Hull could come in. The Penn State product has a mid-round grade most anywhere you look, but if he does in fact last to the fourth round, that could be considered a steal—at least if recent Nittany Lion linebackers offer any indication. The university has produced guys like Sean Lee for the Dallas Cowboys and NaVorro Bowman for the San Francisco 49ers over the past bunch of years, both of whom have been impact players in a 3-4 defense.

Obviously, Hull needs to be judged on his own merit, and while he’s not as highly touted as those players coming out of college, he’s got the classic Linebacker U pedigree. Hull was tops in the Big Ten and seventh in the nation in total tackles, his 132 tackles pairing with 2.0 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception.

At 6’0”, 232 pounds, Hull’s size might turn teams off, which is why he could slip. However, if the Eagles need just a solid football player in the later rounds, somebody who could be ready to play quickly, this might be their guy.

Tony Washington

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If you think there was “Oregon bias” before, just wait and see what the roster looks like now that Kelly—the former Ducks coach—has full control over personnel decisions. That being said, who in the NFL would know his former players better?

The Eagles are in danger of losing Trent Cole (possible cap casualty) and Brandon Graham (free agency this offseason), and 2014 first-round pick Marcus Smith hasn’t developed at the speed the club had hoped. The fact of the matter is Kelly needs to be proactive about bolstering the pass rush before it falters, which could mean scoping the draft board for some late values.

Kelly’s intimate knowledge of a player like Tony Washington could prove valuable here. Washington might be considered a tad undersized at 6’3”, 250 pounds, but does he have the frame to bulk up and be a force in the NFL? His 12.5 sacks and six forced fumbles as a two-year starter aren’t exactly huge numbers, but can he become a consistent threat to quarterbacks at the next level?

Surely, the person who was responsible for recruiting Washington should have some additional insight into these questions. If the kid is still on the board around Rounds 5 or 6, don’t be surprised if Kelly decides to go after the answers.

Blake Sims

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Let’s assume the Eagles don’t wind up with Marcus Mariota, because barring an unexpected fall down draft boards, trading up into the No. 1 or 2 pick simply isn’t realistic. That means the organization is likely to enter 2015 with many of the same questions at the quarterback position.

Sure, Nick Foles is the likely starter next season, but there’s a lot of uncertainty there, and the only other quarterback on the roster right now is Matt Barkley. The Birds are going to need some competition there, whether it be through free agency or the draft.

No, the Eagles aren’t likely to find their franchise quarterback in what is a weak draft class beyond the top two prospects. However, there are intriguing developmental prospects to be had late in the draft—for instance, Blake Sims out of Alabama.

Sims only started his senior season for the Tide, but it was a strong campaign, as Sims completed 64.5 percent of his passes with 28 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. That’s the kind of accuracy and decision-making you hope will translate to the next level. Sims also ran for an additional 350 yards and seven touchdowns, so obviously he has some athleticism as well.

Sims doesn’t have the biggest arm in the world, and no doubt his size (6’0”) will be viewed as a major limitation as well. However, for a passer who could be there in the sixth or seventh round of the draft, the Eagles could do far worse. Sims is worth a look at least.