10 Players Philadelphia Eagles Should Avoid in 2017 NFL Draft
The Philadelphia Eagles find themselves in a position that requires some serious precision at the top of the 2017 NFL draft if they hope to be contenders, and that means no busts.
Eagles fans know way too much about early-round draft picks who failed to live up to the hype. Over the last five years, they've landed as many Day 1 and 2 draft picks who could be considered busts than guys that you can argue reached or exceeded expectations.
Going into 2017, Philadelphia has bolstered its roster on the edges of the offense and the interior of the defense but still possesses a few jarring holes. The Eagles truly need to hit a home run in the first or second round and avoid bringing in another player who can't deliver on his potential.
That said, it's also essential that general manager Howie Roseman doesn't just draft the best player available at a position of need. It has to be the right fit, and that should lead the Eagles away from some otherwise very talented players who would thrive in another setting.
Let's target 10 players who should not be called upon when the Eagles are drafting April 27-29.
Jabrill Peppers, S/LB, Michigan
1 of 10
It's hard to buy the concept that Jabrill Peppers is one of the more overrated players in the draft, but it's easy to see how his jack-of-all-trades skill set could lead him to early struggles in the NFL.
Peppers did it all at Michigan, roaming the line of scrimmage as a playmaking safety and doing everything from attacking the quarterback to picking up wideouts in coverage. It's the latter, however, where he has shown room for improvement and that should lead the Eagles away from him.
Sure, Peppers has played a lot of positions that the Eagles need help at—safety, linebacker and cornerback in particular—but that doesn't mean he's assured to be a reliable playmaker at any of them. It makes a lot more sense to target a player whom you know can excel at one position alone, especially in Round 1, where the Eagles simply cannot afford to get a guy who isn't able to be a serious factor in Week 1.
The thought of adding Peppers to the fold is intriguing, but defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz needs players who can do everything at one position and not a bunch of things at different positions.
Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma
2 of 10
On the field, Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon appears to possess a complete package that, in a vacuum, would make him a surefire Round 1 or 2 selection and an immediate game-changer on offense. But it's well-documented that drafting him will not only warrant plenty of distractions and criticism for the team but also serve as a gigantic gamble.
As Adrienne Lawrence of espnW.com analyzed, even kicking the tires on drafting Mixon is a severely divisive endeavor for any front office and their relationship with the fanbase. Some Eagles fans will point to the team giving a second chance to Mike Vick after his legal troubles, but even owner Jeffrey Lurie noted that analyzing a player's off-field misconduct is a "case-by-case" deal, per Aaron Kasinitz of PennLive.com.
The Eagles could really use an impact running back, but with Mixon, it's simple. You can't take a stance against a moral issue, only to negate that by drafting a player with painful history with said issue. If the Eagles drafted Mixon at all, it would be a simple statement that they believe horrible off-field transgressions aren't as important as on-field skill.
Tim Williams, DE, Alabama
3 of 10
Off-field issues plague another potential impact player at a position of need for the Eagles. Alabama edge-rusher Tim Williams showcased the skill of a first-round pick, but he failed to show that he can do the right thing off the field.
Williams admitted at the NFL combine that he failed multiple drug tests with the Crimson Tide, per Chase Goodbread of NFL.com. During the middle of the 2016 season with Alabama, he also got arrested for carrying a gun without a permit, per Alex Scarborough of ESPN.com.
Along with those separate conduct issues that could derail his NFL career, Williams has also proven to be a bit raw as an end and is more of a passing-down specialist. The Eagles need an infusion of young talent at defensive end but not in a player who's skills are as narrow as Williams'.
Williams could turn into a big-time edge-rusher in the league, but the risks are twofold for him and that's why the Eagles would be wise to steer clear.
.png?w=256)
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Dede Westbrook, WR, Oklahoma
4 of 10
Even after the signings of Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, the case can be made for the Eagles to draft a talented wideout to put pressure on their current stable of young receivers. But they need to exercise caution and make sure it's not only the right fit, but a player who can develop into an all-around playmaker.
Dede Westbrook would seem to check some of those boxes, but the knock on him is a doubt that he can handle the physicality and strength needed from any NFL wideout. The Heisman Trophy finalist is noticeably slim at 6'0" and 178 pounds and doesn't appear to have the separation speed required from effective receivers at his diminished size.
It's unfair to attribute Westbrook's collegiate dominance solely to the enhanced weaponry his Sooners offense contained, but it certainly played a part. If and when he makes a name for himself at the next level, it's likely to be in a slot role, where the Eagles are currently happy with Jordan Matthews.
The Eagles need their potential draft wideout to be a high-value pick in the middle rounds who can be a real threat on the perimeter. Westbrook should provide the value but not the distinct skills they need from the pick.
Alex Anzalone, LB, Florida
5 of 10
As they should, the Eagles have been searching far and wide in the draft class for a linebacker who can not only prove worthy of the playing time available but also become a reliable long-term starter.
On the surface, Florida's Alex Anzalone makes a lot of sense. He's a Philly native who grew up attending Eagles games and rocking the gang green, per USA Today's Turron Davenport. He's proven to be an athletic and intelligent middle linebacker with the Gators, but injury problems plagued his collegiate career and surround his durability at the next level with question marks.
If the Eagles were well set with their starting linebackers and only needed rotational help, Anzalone could prove worth the risk due to his array of strengths. But Philly really needs its drafted linebacker to threaten for the starting weak-side spot next to Nigel Bradham and Jordan Hicks, with Mychal Kendricks appearing to be a bad scheme fit.
Anzalone's true calling appears to be as an inside linebacker, but the Eagles need to find a guy who can roam the perimeter and blow up plays on the edge. On top of that, one who has proven the ability to stay healthy would be a big plus.
Adoree' Jackson, CB, USC
6 of 10
Adoree' Jackson has become a riveting NFL draft prospect due to his elusive return-game acumen, track skills and developmental potential as a cornerback. That should convince a cornerback-needy team to draft him high, but it shouldn't be the Eagles.
The thought of Jackson returning punts and kickoffs may exhilarate Eagles fans, but the idea of him stepping into the early playing time needed from any early-round cornerback pick provides an opposite feeling. While the former USC Trojan has displayed top-notch ball skills, he struggles to remain attached to his assignment and that makes him much more of a multiyear project than a Week 1 starter.
Perhaps the worst-kept secret entering the draft is that the Eagles need at least one but likely two early-round picks at cornerback to step into playing time quickly as a rookie. Thrusting a player like Jackson into that type of situation would be a colossal mistake for the Eagles and would ensure that their cornerback issues remain palpable going into 2017.
Takkarist McKinley, DE/OLB, UCLA
7 of 10
Any mid-first-round defensive end prospect who has shown a knack for attacking quarterbacks should draw interest from the Eagles at No. 14 overall, and UCLA's Takkarist McKinley is no exception. But the Eagles have had enough troubles with bad scheme fits, and McKinley would be just that.
At 6'2" and 250 pounds with a 4.59-second 40, McKinley is a dream for many a defensive coordinator. But Schwartz isn't likely to be one of them. The former Bruin is tailor-made for a 3-4 scheme where he can transition between putting his hand in the ground and rushing the quarterback standing up, a feature he won't be able to showcase in Philly.
Schwartz has made his commitment to the 4-3 very clear and he's ostracized some talented defensive players in the process. It's pretty clear that while McKinley is uber-talented and figures to be a big-time NFL player, a 4-3 scheme wouldn't maximize his abilities.
If the Eagles are trying to make a pass-rushing splash in Round 1, they would be exponentially better off with a prospect like Derek Barnett or Taco Charlton.
Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan
8 of 10
It goes without saying that the Eagles will be kicking the tires on the top dozen or more cornerbacks in this ultradeep class, and Michigan's Jourdan Lewis is one of them. The former Wolverine is a ball-hawking presence who will provide strong value in the middle rounds, something that may intrigue the Eagles.
The problem with Lewis is simply that he's a poor fit. The Eagles need rangy, sizable corners who can be physical with the NFC East's elite receivers, and the big knock on Lewis is that he's undersized and projects as more of a slot corner.
Thanks to a strong rookie season from Jalen Mills, Philadelphia no longer has a gaping need at slot corner and the team should devote all of its resources to making sure it has the best shot at landing two perimeter corners. That should take Lewis off the board.
Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington
9 of 10
Eastern Washington's Cooper Kupp has drawn rave reviews throughout the pre-draft process. The 6'2", 194-pound all-around wideout who put up huge production in college with Eastern Washington is likely to be a great mid-draft option.
The Eagles have quietly expressed interest in Kupp, as Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ Advance Media noted that quarterback Carson Wentz has worked out with the receiver over the pre-draft season. It's been noted that the Eagles could use an infusion of young talent to put pressure on their underwhelming receivers, but not guys who will threaten to take snaps from Matthews, a budding star at slot receiver.
With the increased attention around Kupp, he's going to come off the board somewhat higher than what his value is and that's another reason why he shouldn't be a realistic target for Philly.
Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State
10 of 10
Jeremy McNichols is another example of a talented draft prospect who should make a name for himself on a different roster, but not that of the Eagles. Even though on the surface, McNichols' skills would appear to translate well to head coach Doug Pederson's West Coast offense.
McNichols is a multifaceted back who can run for tough yards, see small holes and make defenders miss, but he unfortunately embodies too much of what the Eagles currently get in their only promising running back on the roster. Wendell Smallwood appears ready to take on a higher workload, but he needs a bigger and more physical rushing presence alongside him rather than another player of his same skill set.
The Eagles are short on running backs as of now, with Smallwood and Sproles (who is more of a Swiss army knife on offense) manning the unit. Getting another undersized back, no matter how talented, would be a big mistake for an offense needing more balance.
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
