Eagles Mock Draft 2018: Projecting Every Pick for Full 7-Rounds
Sure, the Philadelphia Eagles are on top of the sports world. But constant vigilance and forward-thinking is needed to stay there, and the 2018 NFL draft is the next big step.
It's no secret that the Eagles will enter the 2018 season with expectations—both inward and outward—to repeat after winning Super Bowl 52 in dramatic fashion. The return of quarterback Carson Wentz, who missed the postseason, and a plethora of savvy moves by general manager Howie Roseman have set the table for another fruitful campaign in the fall.
While the Eagles were well-positioned entering this offseason to retain most of their key talent from the Super Bowl champion roster, they still said goodbye to running back LeGarrette Blount, defensive end Vinny Curry, cornerback Patrick Robinson and others who played critical roles in 2017.
There aren't a ton of spots where the Eagles need immediate impact players from the draft, but depth will become an issue if they don't land a couple of talented youngsters to infuse into the roster.
Aggressive front-office moves have left the Eagles with just six picks in the 2018 draft. Unless they trade for a second or third-round pick, they will be spectators on Friday's portion of the draft. But with one first-round pick and five selections on Saturday, Philly should be busy scooping up late-round assets, and Roseman needs to be clinical with those picks.
Let's dive right into a full Eagles mock draft for 2018, assuming they don't orchestrate any trades and stick with their current picks.
Round 1, Pick 32: OT Connor Williams, Texas
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This mock selection comes with an important precursor that the Eagles could well be moving out of the first round altogether. An NFC executive told NJ Advance Media's Eliot Shorr-Parks that Philly is looking to trade their No. 32 overall pick in the hope they can scoop up multiple Friday picks.
Assuming they stay put, Texas offensive tackle Connor Williams could be a seismic pick for head coach Doug Pederson's crew.
The former Longhorn exited college early despite missing all but five games of junior season through injury, but he left no doubt that he projects as a potential long-time NFL starter on the offensive line.
The 6'5", 296-pound mauler is dominant in the run game but also possesses great athleticism and a smooth approach, giving him the versatility required to execute Philly's zone-read blocks and feature at multiple positions up front.
Philadelphia is certainly already pondering the idea, as Jared Tokarz of TheNFLDraftInsider.com reported earlier in April that the Eagles were set to host Williams on a pre-draft visit.
The Philly offensive line enjoyed a tremendous 2017 season despite veteran Jason Peters' season-ending injury, but it's long past time to identify his replacement. Halapoulivaati Vaitai obviously chipped in well down the stretch, but there's no guarantee that he can take the reins opposite Lane Johnson when the time comes.
The Eagles' interior line is aging, with Brandon Brooks and Stefen Wisniewski set to enter the new season at 29 years of age. Depending on how the development of other linemen shapes up, Williams could be an easy replacement in the near future and one the Eagles can expect to become a reliable every-down lineman.
Some Eagles fans may clamor for more of an immediate impact player in Round 1, but they could do no better than to grab a lineman who could help make the eventual exit of Peters a seamless one.
Round 4, Pick 130: CB M.J. Stewart, North Carolina
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The Eagles have invested plenty at cornerback in the draft as of late, but the secondary success of 2017 had much more to do with the unit's depth than the contributions of rookies Sidney Jones and Rasul Douglas.
Patrick Robinson emerged as the unit's most pleasant surprise and gave the defense elite play in the slot, which earned him a fat contract with New Orleans. He'll need replacing, and North Carolina standout M.J. Stewart would be a great candidate for slot reps in 2018.
At 5'11" and 200 pounds with a 4.54-second 40-yard dash, Stewart is small and quick enough to translate as a slot corner but possesses the build that will allow him to hold up physically at the next level. With good vision and brawniness when attacking the ball, he has the look of a Jim Schwartz defensive back.
Stewart's weakness in defending deep down the field could cause him to drop to the Eagles at No. 130 overall, but he'll rarely be defending those types of routes in Philly.
With a stocked cupboard at corner including Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby alongside Jones and Douglas, the Eagles can make Stewart a specialized defensive back and lean on their depth in the event that Stewart needs time to develop to the level required to play in this Eagles defense.
Round 4, Pick 132: RB Royce Freeman, Oregon
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The Eagles' running back crew became one of the biggest revelations of the 2017 NFL season, and it should remain one of the league's best units as long as it finds a new power back to replace some of what LeGarrette Blount supplied a season ago.
Many of Blount's 173 carries from last season will be gobbled up by Jay Ajayi and Corey Clement, but Oregon draft prospect Royce Freeman would be a fantastic young bull to rely on for some of the tough yards.
At 6'0" and 229 pounds, Freeman packs plenty of punch to become a short-yardage maestro. The former Duck showed incredible durability with 5,621 yards and 60 touchdowns, both school records, amid an illustrious college career.
Freeman is certainly a target for the Eagles, who was one of four backs to meet formally with the team at the combine, according to Turron Davenport of USA Today.
Philly has familiarity finding collegiate studs who were overlooked in the draft process (see: Super Bowl hero Clement). Freeman won't be attainable with a free-agent contract like Clement, but he'll prove more than worthy of the mid-round selection as he becomes a key complementary piece to the duo of Ajayi and Clement.
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Round 5, Pick 169: OLB Ja'Von Rolland-Jones, Arkansas State
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The Eagles suffered from a lack of linebacker depth going into 2017, which makes the play provided by the linebacker spot all the more impressive given they lost star middle linebacker Jordan Hicks less than halfway through the season. But the cupboard is still thin, and they need more players to emerge at the position.
Arkansas State defender Ja'Von Rolland-Jones could be a steal in the latter rounds. He's a 6'2", 253-pound machine who rounded up a stellar four-year career with the Red Wolves by winning his second-straight Sun Belt Player of the Year award, racking up 13 sacks and 19 tackles for loss.
Rolland-Jones may be more of a 3-4 linebacker by trade, but that could give the Eagles some key versatility.
They could potentially infuse Rolland-Jones in their constantly revolving pass rush while giving him an opportunity to emerge as a depth linebacker. If he develops as a pass-rushing specialist, Philly still has Nate Gerry, Kamu Grugier-Hill and newcomer Corey Nelson to provide depth at linebacker.
If Rolland-Jones becomes the pass rusher that he has the potential to become, and learns to take on the responsibilities of a linebacker in the 4-3 along with it, he'll have a chance to make an impact on an already nasty Eagles defense.
Round 6, Pick 206: WR Steve Ishmael, Syracuse
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The Eagles aren't exactly looking for another 2018 contributor at the wide-receiver position, and realistically, they wouldn't find it in the sixth round. But there's no better position to look for late-round potential than at wideout, and Steve Ishmael offers a high ceiling for the future.
Ishmael is a 6'2", 209-pound receiver with a wide skill set that will allow him to get open down the middle as he develops. The former Syracuse star racked up 105 receptions for 1,347 yards and seven touchdowns in his final collegiate season, posting eight 100-yard games and shredding secondaries ranging from LSU to Florida State.
Philly boasts a deep stable of receivers including Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor and newcomer Mike Wallace, along with youngsters Mack Hollins and Shelton Gibson. Ishmael would face an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster, much less make a serious rookie impact. But the lack of pressure on him to develop quickly could allow Ishmael to zone in on his craft and potentially force his way into the rotation.
Round 7, Pick 250: TE Will Dissly, Washington
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It's ironic that the Eagles' most immediate need isn't addressed until the seventh round, but Philly could get just what it needs at the tight end position from a seventh-round gem in Will Dissly.
The Eagles have two sets of shoes to fill at tight end with Trey Burton and Brent Celek exiting this offseason. One late-round pick isn't going to replace both of them, but Dissly can provide the blocking acumen and pitch in on the dirty work required of a true "Y" tight end that the Eagles currently lack.
With Zach Ertz staking his claim as one of the league's biggest matchup nightmares, the Eagles don't need a big-time receiving tight end. Dissly isn't that, but he can be that sixth lineman that Celek has been for so long and a presence that frees Ertz up to do his thing.
Offseason acquisition Richard Rodgers should supply any surplus receiving needed from the tight ends, and Dissly can pitch in as the No. 3 guy while carving out a place for himself on special teams.
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