6 Combine Studs Philadelphia Eagles Must Have on Their Short List
The NFL Scouting Combine provides head coaches a good opportunity to see the workout numbers of top collegiate prospects, and key figures like the 40-yard dash, repetitions in the bench press and a player’s height and weight will be heavily scrutinized.
Players like Dontari Poe and J.J. Watt saw their draft stock rise due to incredible combine performances; likewise, Maurice Clarett and Vontaze Burfict (to name a few) dropped due to poor 40-yard dash times and/or interviews. The trick for teams is balance an individual’s numbers at the scouting combine with that of a player’s results on the field in college.
Chip Kelly still has three months to review game film and the scouting combine numbers in assessing which players will fit in well with his 2015 team. For now, here are six players whose stock at the combine have to have grabbed Kelly’s attention.
All scouting combine numbers are per NFL.com.
Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (FL)
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It’s no secret that the Philadelphia Eagles are very interested in Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, but what may go under the radar is the fact that Chip Kelly will soon need to begin replenishing the offensive line, despite this still being one of the game’s best units.
Jason Peters, Evan Mathis and Jason Kelce are all Pro Bowlers, and Lane Johnson seems to be on his way there. But Peters is 33 years old. Mathis is 33. And Todd Herremans is 32 years old, and coming off a season-ending biceps injury. Per Overthecap.com, the Eagles have approximately $30 million committed to those players for the 2015 season; that’s a lot of money to pay for non-quarterbacks.
Sooner or later, Kelly will want to get younger, even with Peters and Mathis still producing at All-Pro levels. According to Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt (h/t Rotoworld), Ereck Flowers will likely have to play guard at the NFL level, although NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock does believe Flowers can be a terrific right tackle.
The Eagles could probably draft Flowers with the 20th pick in the draft. Flowers helped his case at the combine by benching an incredible 37 reps of 225 pounds; by comparison, Jake Long matched that number in 2008 and went first overall in the draft.
Flowers measured in at 6’6”, 329 pounds with long arms, and it’s safe to say he’s a physical specimen.
"Ereck Flowers posted the best bench press number among offensive linemen while tied for 8th-longest arms. That's an impressive combination.
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) February 19, 2015"
That skill set has to have the Eagles very interested in him.
Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon
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Jake Fisher has several things going for him. He’s a well-built offensive lineman with exceptional speed and he went to college at the University of Oregon, which will certainly grab Chip Kelly’s attention.
Fisher is 6’6”, 306 pounds and ran a ridiculously-fast 5.01 time in the 40-yard dash. His 4.33 short shuttle ranks as the third-fastest since 2006, per Rotoworld. Fisher was probably a Day 2 prospect before the scouting combine, but his terrific showing may vault him into the first round.
"""For my money, Jake Fisher is the best "sleeper" OL prospect. He could legitimately go Round 1.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) February 20, 2015
"
You have to know Kelly will be interested. Last year, he reportedly wanted to take Oregon defensive end Taylor Hart in the third round; he eventually got him in the fifth. He may see Fisher as his best bet in the first round (assuming Marcus Mariota is off the board).
MyCole Pruitt, TE, Southern Illinois
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The Philadelphia Eagles just released tight end James Casey, clearing up $4 million in cap space and potentially opening up another roster spot at that position. Zach Ertz is a future star, Brent Celek is likely returning given how much Chip Kelly loves him as a blocker and 2014 undrafted rookie Trey Burton was a standout special teams player.
Still, if a physical freak like Southern Illinois’ MyCole Pruitt is available in the middle rounds, Kelly will have to consider him. Pruitt certainly helped his case today, running a 4.58 40-yard dash and leaping 38 inches in the air.
He’s a bit undersized at just 6’2”, 251 pounds, but that could make him a hybrid tight end/slot receiver like Ertz should the Eagles want him.
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Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn
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There’s sentiment out there that Sammie Coates is the most physically-gifted wide receiver in the entire draft, and if the Philadelphia Eagles aren’t able to bring back Jeremy Maclin, Coates may be a good first-round option.
Coates is 6’1”, 212 pounds with long arms and an excellent catch radius. He tied for the top mark among all wide receivers in the bench press (23 reps), matching what Jordan Matthews did last year. An offense with Coates and Matthews, plus Josh Huff developing as a slot receiver, has a lot of potential.
Cameron Erving, OT, Florida State
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Chip Kelly likes versatility in his offensive linemen. That’s why he signed Allen Barbre to a three-year deal to be a backup at either tackle or guard spot. He may be intrigued by Florida State’s Cameron Erving, a 6'5", 313-pound offensive tackle with long arms and supreme athleticism.
Erving posted an impressive 5.15 time in the 40-yard dash. He’s a former college defensive tackle who can play any position on the offensive line, and that could come in handy given the age and salaries of the Philadelphia Eagles’ starting five.
D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida
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Another offensive lineman who saw his draft stock rise via his scouting combine performance was Florida’s D.J. Humphries. Humphries recorded impressive times in both the 40-yard dash (5.12) and 10-yard sprint (1.81).
His 26 reps on the bench press is a solid number, and he’s a large man at 6’5", 307 pounds.
He may be a solid option as a second- or third-round pick should the Philadelphia Eagles want to invest a draft pick on him; he could conceivably sit for a year behind Jason Peters and then take over at right tackle if the Eagles move Lane Johnson to the blind-side role.
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