Philadelphia Eagles: 10 Most Likely 1st-Round Draft Selections
With all the rumors swirling still two months before draft, it's bound to be an interesting draft day for Chip Kelly and the Philadelphia Eagles.
The big story will be whether or not Kelly can work his magic and obtain Oregon's Marcus Mariota, Kelly's collegiate quarterback and a likely top-five overall draft pick. Aside from the desire for Mariota, though, the Eagles have pressing needs at multiple positions on their roster.
The secondary was at times a disaster in 2014, and expecting Billy Davis to scheme with Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher as his cornerbacks is not a plan for success.
The wide receiver corps could take a hit if reigning Pro Bowler Jeremy Maclin departs in free agency. The offensive line will soon need an overhaul, especially with the left side well over the age of 30. And the defense could use a stud player, one who gives opposing offensive coordinators nightmares come game time.
Factoring in the team needs and which players are likely to be around when the Eagles make their selection, here are the top 10 candidates to be Kelly's first-round pick in 2015.
Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
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The closer it gets to draft day, the more rumors will swirl about what head coach Chip Kelly will do to obtain his former college quarterback, Marcus Mariota.
It doesn’t seem to be a coincidence that Kelly recently earned an offseason promotion, allowing him control over all final personnel decisions. This is likely Kelly’s way of ensuring he has every opportunity to trade up and select Mariota in the draft.
Kelly has proved he can win with any quarterback—former third-round selection Nick Foles is 14-4 as a starter—but it’s no secret his offense will flourish with a quarterback of Mariota’s skills. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2014, throwing for 42 touchdowns to just four interceptions, rushing for 15 more scores and even catching a touchdown as a receiver.
That’s 58 scores in just 15 games for Mariota, and that’s why he’s viewed as a consensus top-two quarterback and top-five overall prospect.
Kelly will have to pull off a blockbuster trade to get in position to acquire Mariota. It’s expected that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will go with the better on-the-field prospect in Jameis Winston. Jacksonville and Oakland at picks three and four are likely to be more-than-willing trade partners, given the current state of their respective rosters.
Don’t be surprised to see Kelly dangle current players like Foles and LeSean McCoy, as well as several first-round draft picks, in an attempt to acquire Mariota.
Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
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The Philadelphia Eagles desperately need long-term answers at the cornerback position, and LSU’s Jalen Collins fits the mold of a prototypical Chip Kelly cornerback.
He’s tall (6’1”) with long arms (32.125”) and the size (203 pounds) to be physical with opposing receivers. Collins has good athleticism, having recorded a 36-inch vertical leap and a solid 4.48 time in the 40-yard dash.
Collins’ numbers at LSU won’t overwhelm anyone—he had just three career interceptions—but this pick would be about potential at the next level. Ideally, the Eagles would have two free-agent corners in place, so Collins won’t have to start right away and can instead contribute from a nickel or dime role.
Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington
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Shaq Thompson is an unusual draft prospect. He’s a terrific athlete who projects to be a top-25 pick, despite not having a natural position. The University of Washington star has played both linebacker and strong safety, and he even thrived as a running back last season.
Thompson is 6’0”, 228 pounds, so it’s logical to assume he would be best suited at the NFL level as a safety. What will attract Kelly to a player like Thompson, though, is the versatility factor. Kelly and defensive coordinator Billy Davis can utilize Thompson at multiple spots on the field, whether he’s rushing the quarterback or dropping back into coverage.
Thompson is a natural playmaker, having scored a ridiculous four defensive touchdowns as a junior at Washington in ’14. The Philadelphia Eagles need a ball hawk in their secondary, one who can make impact plays in key situations. Thompson tested well in the short shuttle, which means he has the sideline-to-sideline speed to stick with running backs and slot receivers.
It could be seen as a risk for the Eagles to take a chance on Thompson—who is no sure thing at the next level—especially after the team gambled on a project pick last year (Marcus Smith) and saw no results.
But Kelly likes to pick players who beat him at the collegiate level, and Thompson had a fine game against Kelly’s Oregon Ducks in 2012, recording eight tackles and an interception. If he’s there at pick 20—and the Eagles haven’t traded up—his raw potential could intrigue Kelly.
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Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
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If the Philadelphia Eagles let Jeremy Maclin walk in free agency, they’re going to need to draft his long-term replacement. Even if the team places the franchise tag on Maclin, Kelly may still want to acquire a wide receiver in the NFL draft.
Arizona State’s Jaelen Strong is a Kelly-type of receiver. He’s 6’2”, 217 pounds and ran a 4.44 time in the 40-yard dash. Strong played two years of junior college football at Los Angeles Pierce College before transferring to Arizona State University, where he thrived in 2013 and 2014. He is also from the area, having been born in Philadelphia and attended West Catholic Prep High School.
If Maclin isn’t on the Eagles next year, it’s likely Kelly would utilize Strong in the exact same way he used Jordan Matthews in ‘14—in the slot, where Strong’s size would allow him to excel in one-on-one mismatches against slower linebackers and smaller cornerbacks.
La’el Collins, OT, LSU
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It doesn’t seem like offensive line should be a first-round priority for the Philadelphia Eagles. After all, Jason Peters and Evan Mathis are arguably the finest in the game at their respective positions, Jason Kelce is coming off a Pro Bowl berth, and Lane Johnson is blossoming into a future star at right tackle.
But Peters and Mathis are both 33. They’re scheduled to make a combined $15.5 million in 2015. Right guard Todd Herremans, 32, was already released in a move that will save the team $2.8 million against next year’s cap.
The Eagles need a long-term guard and possibly another tackle. Spending a first-round pick on La’el Collins may seem like a curious decision, given other positions desperately need an upgrade. But this would be about the long-term plan.
Collins may be off the board when Philadelphia picks at 20, but if he’s there, he would be a great fit. He’s a three-year starter at LSU who has played both tackle and guard in his collegiate career. Theoretically, he could contribute as a Day 1 starter at right guard in ’15 or sit for the time being, as was the case with Taylor Lewan on the Tennessee Titans last year.
Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon
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Chip Kelly loves his former Oregon Ducks. Last year, he drafted two (Josh Huff and Taylor Hart), and he’s signed a whole bunch more through free agency. So that bodes well for Jake Fisher, an athletic freak who thrived as an offensive lineman at Oregon the last two seasons.
Fisher is 6’6” and over 300 pounds, but that didn’t stop him from running a 5.01 40-yard dash and the third-fastest short shuttle among offensive linemen since 2006. Fisher played right tackle at Oregon but has the athleticism to play guard or even left tackle in the NFL.
If the Philadelphia Eagles drafted Fisher, his best fit may be as a right guard in 2015. The team recently released veteran Todd Herremans after 10 seasons, and Fisher did contribute at right guard with the Ducks in ’11. Eventually, Kelly would probably envision a tackle tandem of Lane Johnson at left tackle and Fisher at right tackle.
Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA
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Wouldn’t it be cool to see the Kendricks brothers playing inside linebacker next to each other on the Philadelphia defense? Mychal has been a rising star and is likely to get a long-term contract extension this offseason; meanwhile, Eric is a similar player who could take over DeMeco Ryans’ spot in 2015.
Eric is undersized (6’0”, 232 pounds) and registered a slower 40 time (4.61) than most would have expected. It could cause concerns about having two undersized inside linebackers lining up next to each other. But Eric is a playmaker who is always around the ball.
He’s the all-time leading tackler in his school’s history and was the recipient of the 2014 Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker. He’s a former high school quarterback and running back who has the athleticism to cover tight ends, running backs and wide receiver.
Alex Carter, CB, Stanford
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Stanford’s Alex Carter presents another intriguing cornerback prospect the Philadelphia Eagles are likely interested in. He possesses good size (6’0”, 196 pounds) with long arms, and he’s a Pac-12 product, as many of Chip Kelly’s draft picks have been.
He fulfilled his draft stock with a fine scouting combine performance, running a 4.51 40 and posting an impressive 40-inch vertical leap.
Carter didn’t flash on the stat sheet in college, recording just two interceptions in three seasons. Like Jalen Collins, his draft stock will be more about the potential he offers. The ideal scenario would probably be that Kelly can get Carter in the second round, but if the Eagles feel he’s the best available player, they will be more than willing to pull the trigger.
Landon Collins, S, Alabama
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To start, it’s doubtful the Philadelphia Eagles would draft Landon Collins if he was available with the 20th overall pick, and it’s doubtful Collins falls to that spot.
But should he be there, the team has to be at least intrigued. Collins is the clear-cut best safety in the draft, a player who could go in the top dozen picks. The Eagles like their safeties to be versatile more than anything, and Collins is more of a traditional in-the-box safety than one who can cover wide receivers like Malcolm Jenkins or Devin McCourty.
But safety is a pressing need. Malcolm Jenkins is just a stopgap at the one safety spot. Nate Allen may be re-signed, but it’s time the Eagles find a player who can scare opposing wide receivers.
Collins is a big safety at close to 230 pounds, but he’s an incredible athlete who was timed at 4.39 in the 40-yard dash back in high school. He also posted a ridiculous 43.5-inch vertical leap. If the Eagles do land Collins, he’s a Day 1 starter.
Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE/OLB, UCLA
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Remarkably, the Philadelphia Eagles still need another pass-rushing linebacker to add to the mix, despite spending a first-round selection a year ago on Louisville’s Marcus Smith. He has offered nothing thus far, and Brandon Graham is likely to test the free-agent market.
Connor Barwin had a breakout season in 2014, and the team will likely restructure the deal of Trent Cole, the team’s longest-tenured player. But getting another young player in the mix would be beneficial, and UCLA’s Owamagbe Odighizuwa is a prospect on the rise.
He’s described as having the physique of “an absolute Greek god,” and his workout numbers attest to that. Odighizuwa led his positional group in the 40-yard dash (4.62) and vertical leap (39 inches), in addition to broad jump and both shuttle drills. He’s coming off a season at UCLA in which he recorded six sacks and 11.5 tackles for a loss.
Odighizuwa would likely be a hybrid end/outside linebacker for the Eagles, contributing as a down lineman in a four-man front and a linebacker in a 3-4. He’s a bit of a project player, which could scare the Eagles off considering they seemingly whiffed on Smith a year ago. Or his raw athleticism could intrigue Kelly enough to roll the dice on him.
All scouting combine results are per NFL.com. All college statistics are courtesy of Sports-Reference.com.
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