Philadelphia Eagles Draft Countdown: Making the Case for Jake Fisher

You could make a case for just about any of the first-round talents at wide receiver or defensive back going to the Philadelphia Eagles in this year’s draft. Yet after watching the team's offensive line struggle for much of last season, it became increasingly apparent what a huge need that area is.

Which is why the Eagles should seriously consider targeting Jake Fisher, perhaps as high as No. 20 overall. Fisher could be an immediate contributor in 2015, and he could eventually develop into one of the unit’s anchors.

Plus, while some might see Chip Kelly’s so-called “Ducks bias” as a problem, the fact that Fisher played for the head coach at Oregon isn’t automatically a bad thing. Kelly has hands-on experience working with the young man, and he should know better than anybody how the offensive lineman projects at the next level.

Offensive line is arguably the most important position in football. Conventional wisdom says quarterback, and there’s plenty of evidence to support that claim, yet it doesn’t necessarily matter who’s under center if the guys up front can’t keep him upright. And if the big guys don’t open lanes to run the football, it probably doesn’t matter who’s carrying the football, either.

YR	CMP%	AVG	TD	INT
2014	59.8	7.0	13	10
2013	64.0	9.1	27	2

In 2013-14, all five starters along the offensive line played all 16 games for the Eagles. Nick Foles had clean pockets and all the time in the world, allowing him to set an NFL record with 27 touchdown passes to only two interceptions. With huge holes to run through, LeSean McCoy led the league in rushing.

YR	YDS	AVG	TD
2014	1,319	4.2	5
2013	1,607	5.1	9

In 2014-15, the Eagles had a different O-line combination seemingly every week. Often with nowhere to go, McCoy led the NFL with 125 carries of zero or negative yards, per Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News. Foles struggled mightily to put the offense on his shoulders, committing 13 turnovers before getting knocked out for the season seven-and-a-quarter games in.

The issue was largely injuries, which could strike anybody and are impossible to predict. However, the age of these players is also a huge concern, as their health is more prone to be at risk, not to mention the inevitable decline in their abilities.

Three of Philadelphia’s projected starters are in their 30s. Future Hall of Fame left tackle Jason Peters is 33. All-Pro left guard Evan Mathis will turn 34 this year, and, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, the team is actively trying to trade him. Journeyman Allen Barbre is currently first in line to take over at right guard, and he’ll be 31 at the start of the season.

Assuming the Eagles are successful in moving Mathis this offseason—possibly even if they aren't—interior lineman is an immediate need. Fisher is thought of as an offensive tackle, but he also has experience playing guard, where he could find a home for a year or two.

Eventually, Peters is going to retire or move on. Right tackle Lane Johnson would likely flip sides and attempt to fill those big shoes, which in turn would allow Fisher to slide back outside. In all likelihood, this or some similar scenario is not far from playing out.

POS	PLAYER	AGE (2015)	GMS (2014)
LT	Jason Peters	33	16
LG	Evan Mathis	34	8
C	Jason Kelce	28	12
RG	Allen Barbre	31	1
RT	Lane Johnson	25	12

Not only can the Eagles immediately upgrade their offensive line by plugging in Fisher up the middle, but this move looks to the future as well. At some point, the Birds will be forced to replace one of the best players on the team—in the entire NFL for that matter. It would be nice if there could be a seamless transition.

Fisher is 6'6" and 306 pounds, and since he's a converted tight end, he’s one of the most athletic linemen in his class. Fisher was one of the most impressive performers at his position at the combine, finishing with the top times in the three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle and placing second in the 40-yard dash and vertical jump, per NFL.com.

The only question is whether Fisher is worth the 20th overall selection in the draft. Rankings don’t necessarily think so. ESPN.com’s Scouts Inc. lists him as the No. 40 prospect in the draft, while CBSSports.com ranks him 38th.

Don Ryan/Associated Press

Then again, offensive tackles have a tendency to go higher in the draft than people think, as the position is highly coveted. And even if Fisher is available in the second round, he almost certainly will not be there by the time Philadelphia is on the clock again.

Again, Kelly should hold an advantage over other talent evaluators in this instance, having recruited and coached Fisher at Oregon. If he believes Fisher has the ability to play professional football, that would be endorsement enough for me.

One thing is for sure: The Eagles can’t wait until the foundation of their offense has already deteriorated from old age to start addressing the line. There are holes all over the roster, but perhaps none as large as the looming voids up front.