Eagles' Initial 7-Round Mock Draft Post-Super Bowl
The Philadelphia Eagles showed glimpses of a bright future in last season's 7-9 campaign, but it proved even more that the 2017 NFL draft is a pivotal one for the franchise moving forward.
Philly's trade up to No. 2 overall in the 2016 draft—landing it a promising franchise quarterback in Carson Wentz—proved successful, but it leaves the team behind the eight-ball in the upcoming April draft. The Eagles were able to alleviate some of that damage by flipping Sam Bradford for the Minnesota Vikings' first-rounder, giving them a pick in the middle of the opening round that they could use at a number of different key positions.
For all the excitement Wentz and a stingy front seven provided to Eagles fans throughout 2016, the need for big-time additions out on the perimeter on both sides of the ball has never been more visible. In order to take the next step in an ultra-competitive NFC East, Philadelphia will need to shore up those deficiencies, and picking up a strong draft class will set the tone for free agency and beyond.
Now that Super Bowl LI put a cap on the 2016 season, it's officially time for the Eagles to take a hard glimpse at what they need from this draft class to build on the promising start to 2016 that quickly went sour.
The Eagles have one pick in all seven rounds, and we'll make an early prediction at who they should take in each to move full steam ahead toward 2017.
Round 1, Pick 15: WR Corey Davis, Western Michigan
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Philly can't do wrong by its roster in taking an influential player out wide on offense or defense, as long as it's the right pick and a prospect who can be a centerpiece for years to come.
Corey Davis is that guy. The 6'3", 213-pound wideout dominated throughout his senior season in 2016 and proved he's every bit as talented as any receiver at the top of the draft board in the 2017 class, racking up gaudy numbers.
Davis' 97 receptions for 1,500 yards on the dot and 19 touchdowns showcase what he can do from a production standpoint, but it's his skill set that has draft scouts scouring to put Davis in the top half of Round 1. His ability on the deep ball is for real, but he works the intermediate parts of the field just as well with a strong burst as a prolific route-runner.
The Eagles have drafted heavily at receiver in recent years, but those picks haven't really panned out outside of Jordan Matthews. The team needs to keep taking swings at top-end talent at the position if Wentz is going to have a dependable No. 1 wideout, and Davis is every bit the answer.
Note: A coin flip will decide the 14th and 15th picks in the draft. The Eagles will select in one of those two spots.
Round 2, Pick 44: CB Cordrea Tankersley, Clemson
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For all of the Eagles fans fuming that the Round 1 selection didn't address a hapless cornerback unit, the remedy comes in a strong second-round selection of Clemson's Cordrea Tankersley.
In Tankersley, the Eagles secure a considerably safe bet for a long-term impact player out wide. The Tigers cornerback could have come out early after the 2015 season, but he stayed and showcased his growth as a premier shutdown corner who can do the same at the next level.
His contributions in leading Clemson to a magical national championship victory over Alabama were immense. He helped to get the Tigers there with three combined interceptions in the ACC Championship Game victory over Virginia Tech and the Fiesta Bowl win over Ohio State.
Few secondaries in the NFL were exposed with more regularity than Philadelphia's throughout 2016, and it needs a dependable corner early in the draft to deal with the NFC East's many top-end receivers. Tankersley would be a seismic addition to help put the Eagles' secondary woes in the rearview mirror.
Round 3, Pick 76: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, Villanova
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There are unheralded players from small schools each year who slowly ascend up draft boards in the spring and turn into impact rookies, and defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon promises to be one this April.
Kpassagnon brings serious size to the edge of the line at a seismic 6'7" and 290 pounds, and his senior numbers show it. Nearly half of his 45 tackles on the season were for loss, as he lived in the backfield and decimated the outmatched tackles he faced.
The Villanova pass-rusher didn't get a lot of hype in his collegiate career, but Eagles scouts took note of the local product. Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated documented that the Eagles were one of a few teams to speak with Kpassagnon at the Senior Bowl.
The Eagles have some guys on the edge, but few of them took the next step in 2016 in showing they belong in Jim Schwartz's scheme. There's enough depth there to allow a raw prospect like Kpassagnon to develop, and his emergence will give the Eagles flexibility with some of those guys.
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Round 4, Pick 108: RB Brian Hill, Wyoming
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The Eagles miss out on the top tier of a stacked running back class by addressing more critical needs in the opening two rounds, but they won't be disappointed with giving Brian Hill a share of the backfield.
Hill is fresh off a vastly productive college career at Wyoming, where he put up the yardage and average (5.3 yards per carry) that show he can shoulder a big load in the Eagles backfield. He has prototypical size as an NFL back (6'1", 219 pounds) to pick up tough yards, but his agility and shiftiness prove he can be a complete back.
If Philadelphia wants to lock down a star back, it would be well-served to make that investment earlier, but the roster begs for more attention elsewhere. Nabbing Hill in the mid-rounds would be a solid contingency plan in pairing him along with Wendell Smallwood and giving Wentz some more options in the backfield.
Round 5: OT Conor McDermott, UCLA
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The jury is still out on the Eagles' long-term outlook at tackle, but Conor McDermott out of UCLA would be a huge next step in solidifying the unit up front.
McDermott checks all of the boxes the Eagles are looking for in a would-be right tackle piece for the present and future. His long arms and a 6'8", 310-pound frame allow him to extend the amount of space that rushers need to close down. But it's his quick feet and nimble movement—spawned from his illustrious basketball career in high school—that tie it all together and made him a dependable blocker for UCLA.
Many 6'8" linemen struggle to contain bull-rushers, but that doesn't affect McDermott since he's able to move his feet so well and stay flexible throughout the rush.
Halapoulivaati Vaitai took some steps in showing he may be a part of the plans moving forward at tackle alongside Lane Johnson, but failing to cover their tracks with a solid prospect in this draft class would be a big mistake. McDermott has all the intangibles, size and traits necessary to compete at right tackle and perhaps elevate the line to help better protect Wentz.
Round 6: LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Tennessee
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An injury not only derailed Jalen Reeves-Maybin's senior season at Tennessee, but it's also causing his draft stock to take a nosedive. He's turning into a forgotten man in the linebacker class, and the Eagles would be wise to pounce.
Reeves-Maybin became a starter as a sophomore and has been all over the place on the Vols defense ever since. He has among the best instincts of any linebacker in the class with great close-down speed and elusiveness to evade blockers and stop the ball. At 6'0" and 230 pounds, he's limited by size but can overcome that with eye-popping power and the versatility to do everything needed from a linebacker.
A divorce may be coming for the Eagles and linebacker Mychal Kendricks, who looks like a bad fit in Schwartz's defense and could save some much-needed cap space if the two sides sever ties. Reeves-Maybin is far from a plug-and-play replacement, but when he gets back to the field, he'll make a strong impact from the outset.
Round 7: CB Brendan Langley, Lamar
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We see it often: A defensive back lands at a big SEC school, only for playing time to dry up, and a subsequent small-school transfer allows him to truly break out. That's just what happened to Brendan Langley.
Langley initially played at the University of Georgia before transferring to Lamar, and it was there that he showcased he has the skills to be a shutdown corner. He enjoyed a span of four straight games with an interception, hauling in three picks in one of those games to tie a school record.
At 6'2" and 193 pounds, Langley has great size at the position, but it's not for a lack of speed. When he enrolled at Georgia, the Red and Black reported his 40-yard dash was clocked at 4.39 seconds, and one would think those numbers could improve in the predraft process.
The Eagles' struggles at cornerback are well-documented, and they could use all the potential they can get at the position. Langley is an easy answer and not much of a gamble.
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