6 NFL Draft Prospects Philadelphia Eagles Should Be Watching at Combine

Compared to a lot of NFL teams, the Philadelphia Eagles are in good shape heading into the offseason. They have a significant amount of cap money if they choose to spend heavily in free agency, plus they have an extra fourth-round pick in this year's NFL draft. 

Fresh off a disappointing 10-6 season where the Eagles lost three straight games in December to fall out of the postseason race, the pressure will be on for Chip Kelly to lead the Eagles back into the postseason. After all, he already has complete control in the Eagles' front office despite zero playoff wins in his first two seasons. 

The Eagles desperately need to improve on a secondary that allowed the most passing touchdowns in the league, plus they could use another starter at both inside and outside linebacker. They could also use some depth pieces, particularly at wide receiver, offensive line and safety. 

The following slides will highlight six different players the Eagles could look at in this year's draft. The Eagles have obviously done a significant amount of scouting already, but the NFL Scouting Combine, with measurements taken and opportunities to see how fast and strong players are, will be critical for shaping the Eagles' draft boards heading into the final few weeks before the draft. 

Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA

USA TODAY Sports

This is a critical offseason for Chip Kelly, who was given complete control over the team after winning a power struggle with Howie Roseman last month. Kelly is entering his third season as the team's head coach with no real idea of who he wants to be his long-term quarterback. It could be Nick Foles, it could be his former college quarterback Marcus Mariota or it could be a likely second-round pick like Brett Hundley.

After all, Kelly did recruit Hundley to Oregon, and if he doesn't want to sell the farm for the No. 1 overall pick to draft Mariota, Hundley would be a great second-tier option to compete with Foles. 

How Hundley performs in the combine will be vital, as the Eagles will look to see his measurements and time in the 40-yard dash to see if he has the size and speed to run Chip Kelly's offense. 

Kevin White, WR, West Virginia

USA TODAY Sports

Everything changes for the Eagles if they cannot re-sign Jeremy Maclin. If they can, there's really no reason to take a wide receiver so high in the draft. Maclin established himself as a legitimate No. 1 receiver in the NFL in 2014, catching 85 passes for 1,318 yards and 10 scores.

Jordan Matthews has the potential to take over on the outside, while Josh Huff has the speed and ability to make plays after the catch to fill in as the slot receiver. Oh, and the Eagles can likely release disappointing wide receiver Riley Cooper after the 2015 season. 

But knowing Kelly, an offensive guy, he's going to be tempted by some of the playmaking receivers available in this year's draft. Last year, arguably the best receiver class in history had the Eagles drooling over some top prospects like Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandin Cooks. This year, one player the Eagles should be fascinated by is West Virginia's Kevin White. 

Comparable to Dez Bryant for his size, huge hands and leaping ability, White would be the Eagles' best weapon in the red zone. He's currently listed at 6'3" and 210 pounds, meaning he'd be an ideal fit on the outside next to Maclin as a starter in either 2015 or 2016 after the Eagles release Cooper. 

Devin Funchess, WR/TE, Michigan

USA TODAY Sports

Similar to Kevin White, Michigan's Devin Funchess would be an intriguing fit for the Eagles if he managed to slip into the second round.

Currently listed as 6'5", 230 pounds, he's a big, physical player with the versatility to line up at either wide receiver or tight end. Knowing Chip Kelly, this is a player he'd even be able to get in the backfield at times. 

The Eagles are set at tight end for the next year with veteran Brent Celek and 2013 second-round pick Zach Ertz, plus last year's undrafted rookie Trey Burton. But if they lose Jeremy Maclin at wide receiver, they're going to need another playmaker.

This is where Funchess could fit in. He's able to gain separation and make plays downfield with a tremendous catch radius. He'd help dramatically in the red zone too, where the Eagles have struggled even dating back to the end of the Andy Reid era. There's no doubt the Eagles are waiting to see his measurements at the combine. 

Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon

USA TODAY Sports

Arik Armstead would be an unusual fit for the Eagles, as defensive end is not currently a need. More so, Armstead is projected in most mock drafts to be taken in the first round, so he'd likely need to drop to at least the second round for the Eagles to be interested in selecting him. Oh, and he went to Oregon, so realistically, the odds of the Eagles drafting him are significantly higher. 

Armstead, best suited as a 5-technique defensive end, could take over as the eventual replacement for Cedric Thornton, who is currently a restricted free agent. A luxury pick and not a need if selected, Armstead is listed at 6'7" and close to 300 pounds, meaning he would be arguably the biggest defensive lineman on the Eagles if drafted. 

He's a raw prospect, a player who may need a year or two develop before he can make an impact. He's not going to be a pass-rusher. In fact, he's a similar player to Thornton, a big body to plug in, take on multiple offensive linemen and open up holes for pass-rushers to make plays. In fact, CBSSports.com compares him to Calais Campbell, which tells you all you need to know about Armstead's ability level. 

Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA

USA TODAY Sports

There are a couple of very good reasons for the Eagles to be interested in UCLA inside linebacker Eric Kendricks.

First, he's a good player who is a first- or second-round selection. Next, he plays inside linebacker, a major position of need for the Eagles with veteran DeMeco Ryans entering his age-31 season while trying to recover from his second Achilles injury in the last few seasons. And third, Kendricks' brother, Mychal, is already a star linebacker for the Eagles. Teaming up the Kendricks brothers in the middle of the Eagles defense would be pretty cool.

Kendricks is a little undersized, listed at just 6'0" and weighing about 230 pounds, so it'll be crucial to see his measurements at the scouting combine. But he can flat-out play, the winner of the 2014 Butkus Award as the best collegiate linebacker. CBSSports.com compares him most to Bobby Wagner, the 2012 second-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks who has emerged into one of the best linebackers in the National Football League. 

If the Eagles drafted Kendricks, they could save close to $7 million in cap space by allowing Ryans to leave. Linebacker is historically a position where rookies can step in right away and play well, and there might not be a drop-off at all from the veteran Ryans to the rookie Kendricks. 

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon

USA TODAY Sports

One of the more fascinating players in the scouting combine for the Eagles will be Oregon cornerback Ifo Epre-Olomu. 

First, he went to Oregon, so there's already a tremendous amount of familiarity for Kelly regarding a player he coaches in college. Next, Ekpre-Olomu, like Eric Kendricks, plays a position of need, as the Eagles will likely lose both starting cornerbacks, Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher, in free agency. 

The only issue with Ekpre-Olomu is his size, as he is listed at just 5'10", 195 pounds. As we all know from Kelly's refusal to play nickel corner Brandon Boykin on the outside, height is important to the Eagles' head coach. If Ekpre-Olomu is really just 5'10"—and he likely is—don't expect him to ever be drafted as a starter if the Eagles do have any interest in him. 

Factor in his torn ACL, and Ekpre-Olomu is a player who could fall to the later rounds. The Eagles will likely have interest in him. It's just a matter of whether his health and size will cause them to pass on him in the draft.