Philadelphia Eagles Final 7-Round Mock Draft
The big day is finally here, as the Philadelphia Eagles prepare to play the role of home team at the 2017 NFL draft, beginning Thursday night with the first 32 selections.
This draft isn't critical because of the location. It's a critical draft because the Eagles find themselves in a position where serious upgrades are needed via the draft if they expect to compete for a championship—whether that's the NFC East or a bigger one—in 2017 and beyond.
Philadelphia isn't loaded with picks but did well to negate the damage from last year's trade up to No. 2 overall by flipping Sam Bradford for the Minnesota Vikings' first-round pick (No. 14 overall). The Eagles have one selection in every round, save for their duo of picks in the fourth.
The different positional needs for the Eagles to hit on in the draft are boundless, but some are noticeably bigger and more immediate than others. Making the right selections without reaching unnecessarily to fill a spot on the depth chart is important.
With that in mind, let's take our final crack at a seven-round mock that would put the Eagles in position to contend in 2017.
Round 1, Pick 14: CB Marlon Humphrey, Alabama
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It's hard to find a consensus about the top cornerbacks in this draft class outside of the overarching idea that it's a deep class. Beside Ohio State's Marshon Lattimore, there isn't a clear-cut elite cornerback.
The one corner who has shown any ability to rival his level of completeness is Alabama's Marlon Humphrey. It's not often that a big and physical corner of Humphrey's stature with long arms can fly (4.41-second 40) and not only stick with speedy targets but also stand up physically to the big receivers in the NFC East.
Most of the other first-round-caliber corners are likely to slip into the latter stages, but Humphrey may be the only guy available who warrants a pick at No. 14 overall. The Eagles may be eyeing the deep cornerback class to address their pressing need, and the best way to address that is to get the best player they possibly can as early as they can.
It's becoming increasingly clear that Humphrey will be available, and the Eagles can ill afford to pass him up.
Round 2, Pick 43: CB Teez Tabor, Florida
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The Eagles have boxed themselves into potentially needing two Week 1 starters at cornerback from the draft. Fortunately for them, there are a number of targets in Round 2 who could fill the void.
Florida's Jalen "Teez" Tabor is a perfect fit to line up opposite Humphrey on the perimeter and lock down receiving threats, at least on paper. He can home in on his strengths of being a press-cover corner, aided by defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's system, while his perceived lack of speed will be way less of an issue playing alongside Humphrey.
With the Gators, Tabor's ability to shut down some of the best receivers in the SEC became a sticking point for the Florida defense and his individual value. His combine numbers and measurables haven't ranked well alongside other elite corners, but his game film speaks for itself.
Round 3, Pick 99: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, Villanova
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Initially picking 25 spots earlier, the Eagles traded for defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan and moved down to No. 99 overall in the process. That won't prohibit them from landing an impact player elsewhere on the D-line.
Villanova's Tanoh Kpassagnon has been viewed as something of a raw prospect, but his supreme combination of size and athleticism has wowed NFL scouts through the pre-draft process. The 6'7", 289-pound menace is capable of rushing off the edge and explodes better than most players of his stature. His biggest weaknesses come from technique and trying to do too much, issues easily fixed with the right mindset and NFL guidance.
It's no secret the Eagles could use a significant upgrade on the edge—so much so that it's not out of the realms of possibility they go after somebody in Round 1. In this scenario, though, the Eagles could fill the need in the third while getting a player who is likely to outplay his draft position and become a big piece of the defense.
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Round 4, Pick 118: LB Duke Riley, LSU
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This is a dream-come-true scenario for the Eagles, but that doesn't mean it's far-fetched. LSU linebacker Duke Riley is likely to be on the board in Round 4, and if Philadelphia can get him, then it would make for an incredible haul for the first half of the draft.
Riley fits what the Eagles want to do defensively and where their needs are so perfectly that they may kick the tires on taking him earlier. An ultra-athletic and intelligent linebacker with size, Riley can fill the void left at weak-side linebacker that Mychal Kendricks has proved incapable of filling.
The worst-case scenario for Riley in Philadelphia is that he needs some time to develop and becomes a depth linebacker early on. But he's polished his skills quite well in a formidable LSU defense and will be 23 by the start of the season.
Round 4, Pick 139: RB Brian Hill, Wyoming
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Let's pump the brakes on the Eagles drafting a running back in Round 1. Sure, the thought of a Christian McCaffrey or Dalvin Cook in this offense is nice, but you can't overlook how capable the team is of finding a formidable answer in the middle rounds.
Selecting a physical back like Wyoming's Brian Hill would not only allow the Eagles to address bigger needs early on but also give Wendell Smallwood a fair opportunity to break out. Hill was the bell cow for the Wyoming offense with 22 touchdowns in 2016 and appears capable of being a first or second-down back in the league.
The Eagles do need shifty backs first and foremost in the West Coast offense. Smallwood fits that bill, and Darren Sproles is still in the fold. In Hill, they would have the chain-moving presence for short-yardage situations that they lack.
And with 4.54-second 40 speed, it's not like he's the slow-footed presence you'd expect from a bruising back.
Round 5, Pick 155: WR Ryan Switzer, North Carolina
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The Eagles are fortunate to be in a position where wide receiver is no longer a huge immediate need, but it's still a long-term need. They could get a short-term developmental prospect and an immediate contributor all in one with Ryan Switzer.
The former North Carolina Tar Heel showcased a unique combination of durability, pass-catching prowess and explosiveness in his four years that have been overlooked considerably in the pre-draft season. Switzer's size is an easy knock—he's 5'8" and 181 pounds—but he's shown that he can create separation against top ACC defenses and assume a slot-like role in the NFL.
Jordan Matthews has shown the ability to be a slot man, but he's also capable of branching out from there. And Switzer's elite return ability, which notched him seven punt-return touchdowns in college, would be an immediate benefit to an Eagles special teams unit that lost Josh Huff last year.
At worst, the Eagles would land themselves a strong return specialist with potential at the slot. That's more than enough to warrant a fifth-round pick.
Round 6, Pick 194: OT Chad Wheeler, USC
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One of the easiest bets for a late-round pick is on the offensive line, where they're set for 2017 but have little in terms of a long-distance view for the unit. Jason Peters is aging, and Lane Johnson will take his place on the left sooner rather than later, leaving a gaping hole on the right.
There are a few options on the roster already, but USC's Chad Wheeler would be an ideal prospect to insert into the unit and give a shot at developing into that future spot. Injury troubles and durability concerns have affected Wheeler's stock when he'd otherwise be an easy mid-draft selection or higher.
Wheeler has staked his claim on being an elite pass-blocker, something the Eagles will need for the duration of quarterback Carson Wentz's career in gang green. He has some work to do to become a run-blocking plow but should have a couple of years to build that into a strength.
Round 7, Pick 230: CB Sojourn Shelton, Wisconsin
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Finding value in the seventh round is a difficult task, but it's far from impossible. When doing so, teams are best suited going after their biggest position of need.
While the Eagles went with cornerbacks in the first and second rounds in this mock, there are no guarantees they will wind up as impact play-makers. Even so, there's a significant lack of depth that Wisconsin's Sojourn Shelton is well-suited to help.
Shelton is undersized and projects as a slot corner, which hurts his draft stock, but there's no doubting he's proved his ability to cover top receivers. He turned heads while drawing the assignment of likely first-round pick Corey Davis of Western Michigan in the Cotton Bowl, doing quite well with the big wideout.
Shelton isn't a likely target to assume one of the wide positions, but he should be able to compete with Jalen Mills for playing time in the slot and increase the entire unit with his competitiveness.
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