Philadelphia Eagles: Updated Draft Big Board After 1st Wave of Free Agency

If there’s anything Philadelphia Eagles fans can expect heading up to the NFL draft, it’s the unexpected.

Head coach Chip Kelly has shown he isn’t afraid to make a bold move. He’s made his fair share the past two offseasons, whether it was jettisoning DeSean Jackson, trading the most talented running back in franchise history or swapping a Pro Bowl quarterback for one who has torn his ACL the last two seasons.

Whether Kelly goes after Marcus Mariota on draft day (or before) is the big mystery, but there are some things we know for sure about Kelly. He’s going to get the player who fits what he wants in a team, whether he has to reach for that player or not.

Kelly seems to like big, physical receivers. He wants a power running game and an offensive line full of versatile players. He likes long cornerbacks and versatile safeties and linebackers who can cover. He likes his Oregon Ducks and Pac-12 players in general. He also likes those who beat him in college. So keep in mind that the Eagles’ big board may look differently than other teams.

It’s doubtful a talented but troubled wideout like Dorial Green-Beckham would even be on the Eagles’ big board, as Kelly likes his players to buy in completely with his coaching style. And for the sake of where the Eagles pick in the draft—the 20th selection in the first round—you won’t see players like Leonard Williams or Amari Cooper on here; they’re unlikely to still be available when Philadelphia does pick.

These are 12 players who could realistically find themselves on the Eagles in 2015, ranked in order.

Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

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Don’t think having Sam Bradford will stop Chip Kelly from getting his college quarterback; whether it’s a draft-day trade or a trade that occurs several weeks before the draft, Kelly will do all he can do to land Mariota.

Mariota is a Heisman Trophy winner who led the Oregon Ducks to last year’s national championship game. He has the physical tools to be a playmaker in the NFL, and expectations are high that he would be able to run Kelly’s offense to near perfection.

He will remain Kelly’s top target until draft day.

Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State

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Jaelen Strong is a big, strong receiver who went to a Pac-12 school.  That means Chip Kelly is interested in him, especially considering the Philadelphia Eagles weren’t able to re-sign Jeremy Maclin during the offseason.

If the year started now, Riley Cooper, Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff would be the top three receivers on the roster. Matthews had a fine rookie season (in the slot), but Cooper and Huff as outside receivers wouldn’t scare too many opposing offensive coordinators.

Add Strong to the mix, and all of a sudden, the receiving corps would become a lot more formidable.

Jalen Collins, CB, LSU

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Jalen Collins is the big, tall corner with long arms that Chip Kelly covets, and he should be available with the 20th pick.

He didn’t put up eye-popping numbers in college—just three interceptions in three seasons at LSU—but he has the physical traits to develop into a fine player at the pro level. Collins would get a chance to fight for a starting job as a rookie, considering the No. 2 corner role now is likely to be filled by either Walter Thurmond or Brandon Boykin.

Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon

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Jake Fisher is similar to Lane Johnson: He’s a former high school tight end who has exceptional athleticism for an offensive lineman.

Fisher led his positional group with a 5.01 40-yard dash, and he’s a versatile player who contributed at guard as a freshman and tackle his last two years. He’s a first-round prospect, which means if Chip Kelly does get Marcus Mariota, he won’t likely be able to get Fisher in Round 2.

If Fisher is drafted, it means Jason Peters would likely be entering his last season in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Lane Johnson would move to left tackle, and Fisher would probably contribute at right tackle in the future.

Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford

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It’s no secret that Chip Kelly wants the offensive line to get younger; Jason Peters’ contract allows him to get easily released after 2015, and All-Pro left guard Evan Mathis is already being shopped around.

Stanford’s Andrus Peat is a mammoth of a man at 6’7” and well over 300 pounds; the best bet would be that he sits on the bench for a year behind Peters and Lane Johnson and then fills in at right tackle when Johnson shifts to left tackle in 2016.

Peat doesn’t have experience playing guard, but he’s a two-year starter at offensive tackle and projects to have a bright NFL future.

Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington

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Shaq Thompson is Chip Kelly’s kind of player.

He’s versatile, having played running back, linebacker and safety for the University of Washington in 2014. Thompson has exceptional quickness and speed and likely projects as a safety in the NFL, given that he lacks the size (6'0", 228 lbs) of a traditional linebacker.

Defensive coordinator Billy Davis would love Thompson’s ability to line up at multiple spots on the defense. Thompson just makes plays—he scored four defensive touchdowns in 2014—and the Philadelphia Eagles need that kind of a player on their defense.

Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest

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Kevin Johnson is a tall (6'0") corner with tremendous athleticism. At the combine, he led all cornerbacks in many major categories, including vertical leap, broad jump, three-cone drill and short shuttle.

Johnson was a three-year starter at Wake Forest and projects to be a likely second-round draft pick. The Philadelphia Eagles haven’t drafted a cornerback in the top three rounds since Curtis Marsh in 2011; it’s high time that streak ends.

Alex Carter, CB, Stanford

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Stanford’s Alex Carter is another cornerback who fits the Chip Kelly mold; he’s tall (6'0") and athletic and comes from a Pac-12 school.

Carter is a borderline first-round prospect who would be a steal if he falls to the Philadelphia Eagles’ selection in Round 2. He had just two interceptions in three collegiate seasons, so this pick is more about long-term projectability than what Carter has actually done at Stanford.

Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA

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If Marcus Mariota is off the board, Brett Hundley could be a fine fallback option for Chip Kelly. He’s certainly not Mariota, but there’s still a lot to like about him.

He’s a three-year starter at UCLA who completed 67.6 percent of his passes at the collegiate level. He’s also a threat to run with the football, having accumulated 30 rushing touchdowns in three seasons.

Hundley may need to sit for a year before he starts, but every quarterback to play for Kelly has thrived. That’s good news for the former Bruin.

Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut

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Byron Jones really helped his draft case at the NFL Scouting Combine. He’s a four-year starter at Connecticut and posted some ridiculous numbers in his workout.

Jones nearly set an all-time record with a 44.5-inch vertical leap. He led all cornerbacks in the broad jump, three-cone drill, short shuttle and long shuttle.

Jones is tall (6'1") and could blossom into an effective starter at the next level, although the ideal situation is that he doesn’t have to play too much as a rookie.

Cameron Erving, OT/C, Florida State

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Cameron Erving’s versatility as an offensive lineman could vault him into the first round, but if he does fall to Round 2, he’d be an ideal option for Chip Kelly.

Erving can play left tackle and center, and he’s a former defensive lineman. Not many linemen can say that, and that will make him highly coveted.

Ali Marpet, G, Hobart

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Ali Marpet isn’t a first-round prospect by any means, but you can all but guarantee Chip Kelly is interested in this small-school product.

Marpet went to Hobart, a D-III school in New York with a graduating class of just over 2,000 students. That didn’t stop him from turning heads at the NFL Scouting Combine, where the 307-pounder ran a 4.98 40-yard dash, put up 30 reps on the bench press and led his positional group in the short shuttle and three-cone drill.

Marpet may be best sitting for a year or so—going from Division III to the NFL is quite a jump—but he has the natural athleticism to intrigue Kelly.

All Scouting Combine numbers are per NFL.com.