Philadelphia Eagles: Ideal 7-Round Mock Draft
Not even one week remains until the 2015 NFL draft, and you can bet Chip Kelly won’t go down without a fight in his quest to get Marcus Mariota.
It’s been an interesting offseason for the Philadelphia Eagles, and it doesn’t seem like a coincidence that their third-year head coach was just recently given full control over all player personnel decisions just as his college quarterback is hitting the draft. Kelly has a backup plan in quarterback Sam Bradford, a former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick who has the physical tools to succeed.
But rumors will continue to swirl until draft day regarding Kelly’s pursuit of Mariota, a rumor Bleacher Report NFL Insider Jason Cole discussed, and no one really knows what will happen. As it stands now, the team has a draft pick in every round, with an extra one in the fifth, thanks to the Nick Foles-for-Bradford trade.
There are a handful of positions the Eagles could stand to upgrade. The receiving corps took a hit when Jeremy Maclin departed for Kansas City. The offensive line is aging, and putting Evan Mathis on the trade block won’t help that situation any. And despite the $63 million signing of Byron Maxwell, Kelly could still use another cornerback and a playmaking safety for his secondary.
The ideal draft is that the Eagles get Mariota—and find a way to upgrade their other positions. Is that likely? No, but that’s why it’s called the ideal draft. Here’s how next weekend would go for Philadelphia in a perfect world.
Round 1: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
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The Philadelphia Eagles could go with Sam Bradford in 2015, and there’s a decent chance they could still make the playoffs. After all, the team went 10-6 last year and set a franchise record for points scored, despite having Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez at quarterback, two players who combined to throw a league-worst 21 interceptions.
But don’t you want to see what Kelly can do with his quarterback? It would be an awfully steep price to pay to get Mariota, but he’s a tremendous athlete and a high-character guy. There’s no telling what this Eagles offense could do with his combination of skills under center.
It’s not mortgaging the future when it’s done for a franchise quarterback. The franchise quarterback is the future. It would be an absolute travesty if Eagles fans never find out what Kelly could have done had he just gotten his ideal quarterback, so that’s what makes the risks in trading for Mariota worth it.
It will likely take a lot to bring him in—don’t rule out the Eagles trading away this year’s first-round pick, next year’s first-round pick, Bradford and any combination of Fletcher Cox and/or Mychal Kendricks. That’s a steep price, but if Kelly is able to work out a trade, the Eagles should be perennial contenders within the NFC going forward.
Round 2: Eric Rowe, S, Utah
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There’s a particular set of skills Kelly likes from his safeties, and Eric Rowe fits the mold. Rowe is a Pac-12 player. He can play both cornerback and safety, which means he’s from the Malcolm Jenkins school of safeties in that he can line up directly over a wide receiver if needed.
Rowe is also a tall, long, a four-year college starter, and then there’s the fact that Kelly personally attended his Utah Pro Day. There’s a chance Rowe sneaks into the first round, but there's a better chance he’s available in the second round.
If the Philadelphia Eagles don’t take a flier on Rowe, their safety position opposite Jenkins is in trouble. They’ll have to go with any combination of Earl Wolff, Jerome Couplin, Chris Maragos, Chris Prosinski, Ed Reynolds or even last year’s fourth-round cornerback, Jaylen Watkins. While that would make for an interesting camp competition, Rowe has higher upside than any of those players.
Round 3: Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State
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Penn State’s Donovan Smith is a poor man’s version of Jake Fisher, but that will still make for a pretty good NFL player, and he’s well worth a third-round pick.
Smith was a three-year starter at left tackle at Penn State, and he graduated with a degree in criminology (remember how much Kelly likes his players to finish their college degrees?). Smith ran a 4.98 40-yard dash at his Pro Day and the Philadelphia Eagles hosted him in a predraft visit, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.
Smith has the athleticism Kelly prefers in his linemen, and he has freakishly long arms (34 3/8”). Smith would likely compete for a starting right guard spot as a rookie. Eventually, the team will move on from Jason Peters and slide Lane Johnson to left tackle, which could give Smith the opportunity to win the starting right tackle job by 2016 or so.
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Round 4: Chris Conley, WR, Georgia
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Kelly has picked a wide receiver or tight end in the first two rounds in each of his two NFL drafts so far. He traded up for Zach Ertz two years ago and Jordan Matthews last year. This year, he will definitely have a chance to grab Breshad Perriman, Jaelen Strong or Devin Smith, but there’s a mid-round player he could take a flier on.
His name is Chris Conley, and he has the size and measurables Kelly wants from his receivers. Conley is 6’2”, 213 pounds and has long arms. He’s a model citizen, having been an inductee into Georgia’s Student Athlete Leadership Academy. He impressed with a 4.35 40-yard dash and 18 bench-press reps, and that could push him into Day 2 territory.
If he’s still there by the fourth round, the Philadelphia Eagles have a steal. The Eagles hosted Conley this spring, and he would compete for a spot as a role player in 2015. Riley Cooper is likely gone after next season, which means Conley soon has a chance to be a starter on the outside if the team keeps Matthews in the slot.
Round 5: Jesse James, TE, Penn State
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Jesse James would join a crowded group of tight ends that includes incumbent starter Brent Celek, future breakout player Zach Ertz and 2014 special teams star Trey Burton.
James is a huge target at 6'7" and 261 pounds, and he ran well at his Pro Day, turning in a 4.66 40-yard dash. His impressive vertical leap and long arms make him Kelly's kind of athlete, and he did have a private workout with the Eagles already, according to DraftInsider.net's Tony Pauline.
James would have to contribute on special teams to be assured of a '15 roster spot, but there's room for him to have a role in the future given Celek's age (30).
Round 5: Jeremiah Poutasi, OT, Utah
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Utah’s Jeremiah Poutasi is another versatile offensive lineman who could attract Kelly’s interest. In fact, he already has, as the Philadelphia Eagles already hosted him for a predraft visit, according to Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com (via PhiladelphiaEagles.com).
Poutasi is a physical specimen, at 6’5” and 335 pounds, which means he would likely play guard at the NFL level. Poutasi was a second-team All-Pac-12 last year after playing left tackle. He’s a three-year starter in college and would likely compete for Todd Herremans’ starting right guard spot for the 2015 Eagles.
Round 6: Obum Gwacham, DE/OLB, Oregon State
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Obum Gwacham is Kelly’s kind of player. He’s a Pac-12 player, actually having played for Kelly’s rival, Oregon State, in college. Gwacham has the physical tools that make him an explosive athlete, running a 4.72 40-yard dash at close to 250 pounds.
He’s also a former college wide receiver who made a late transition to wide receiver. He’s freakish with his arm length (34 3/8”), hand size (10”) and broad jump (121”). Kelly loves versatility. He’ll play Gwacham primarily as a 3-4 outside linebacker, given that he’s not nearly heavy enough to be a traditional 5-technique player.
His NFL.com draft profile mentions his “exceptional character,” and any fan should know by now how much of an emphasis Kelly puts on that.
Round 7: R.J. Harris, WR, New Hampshire
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R.J. Harris would make three wide receivers in one draft, but just getting drafted wouldn’t mean he’s guaranteed a spot on the team. Fortunately, there’s a good chance he could win a job, considering Miles Austin signed just a one-year deal and hasn’t been able to stay healthy as of late.
Harris is a New Hampshire product, which is the school where Kelly was originally an offensive coordinator. Harris has a solid build at 6’0” and 200 pounds, and he played in a similar fast-paced offense to the one Kelly runs in Philadelphia.
Harris posted a good 4.51 time in the 40-yard dash, and the Eagles both attended his Pro Day and hosted him for a visit.
Harris played all over the field while at New Hampshire, excelling in the bubble screens and sweeps that Kelly likes to use. He’s worth a chance in Round 7.
All scouting combine numbers are per NFL.com.
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