#winning
The Eagles signed some guys, traded one, and are expected to trade another. And yet, all the draft needs they had a week ago still exist, and they’ve got a few more.
Ryan Fowler, The Draft Network – DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan
There’s still some fine-tuning needed in Kenneth Grant’s game (tightness in lower half tightness, first-step quickness), but the Michigan product is a disruptive and uber-athletic player who remains among the top interior ballplayers in the class. With Milton Williams now out in Philadelphia, Grant could become a highly disruptive force within a defensive line that has talent around him. That fits the script here with the likes of Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, Jordan Davis, and second-year man Jalyx Hunt all in place.
Kenneth Grant is almost a carbon copy of Jordan Davis: a massive, athletic, run stopping DT who played next to an elite DT on a title winning defense. Grant got a lot of buzz before the Combine and if he had a breakout like Davis had it wouldn’t have been the least bit surprising. But he didn’t, though he did test well. Grant is the kind of pick that the Eagles have made in the past, and they could very well take it again if given the chance.
Curt Popejoy, DraftWire – CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
When you are the best team in the NFL you have some freedom, so we go with Morrison to replace Cooper DeJean if he moves outside.
DeJean isn’t moving to the outside. Though CB is a need, it is hard to see the Eagles taking another CB high in a poor CB draft after double dipping last year in a good one. And even if they did, I’d be disappointed with Morrison, who isn’t a 1st round type of talent to me, and he’s had multiple hip surgeries.
Marco Enriquez, Pro Football Network
1st round – S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
The Philadelphia Eagles land another freak athlete in Nick Emmanwori. At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Emmanwori turned heads at the NFL Combine, posting an absurd 4.38-second 40-yard dash.
The Eagles’ draft strategy has always been to take the best player available, and with a clear need at safety, this is a perfect match for the Super Bowl champions.
Clear need and best player available… Donovan Ezeiruaku is the next pick.
The Eagles do need a safety, but they need one who can play against WRs in the slot. That’s probably not Ennamwori, who is a 6’3” S/LB hybrid. The Eagles don’t draft safeties in the 1st, and they don’t draft LBs in the 1st. Nothing about Emmanwori feels like an Eagles pick.
2nd round – EDGE Bradyn Swinson, LSU
Swinson is a fifth year breakout who I am not impressed with. At 64 in this along the DL, Jared Ivey, TJ Sanders, Darius Alexander, and Kyle Kennard are available.
3rd round – DL Shemar Turner, Texas A&M
Turner is a DT/DE tweener, similar to Milton Williams, coincidentally they’re both 6’3” 290. The 3rd round feels like fine value, after all that’s where Milton Williams was drafted.
Kyle Stackpole, CBS – OL Grey Zabel, North Dakota State
General Manager Howie Roseman loves adding to the trenches, and Grey Zabel has played a bunch of different offensive line positions in his career (mostly left tackle at North Dakota State before moving inside during his breakout Senior Bowl performance). He can serve as the replacement for Mekhi Becton, who is now a free agent.
Zabel is reportedly high on the Eagles radar, and loading up on the line is definitely a move they would make. A tackle at NDSU, he projects as a guard in the NFL or possibly a center, A totally unexciting pick, which means it is a realistic one.
The Draft Network, your mock made sense, so I will reward you with using your sim. Also it’s nice to change it up. Again I’ll do three rounds because it lets us dive into a few more prospects.
First round
Top 5 on the board I or the Eagles might take: Tyleik Williams, Walter Nolen, Grey Zabel, Kenneth Grant, Donovan Jackson
Zabel could be in play, and Jackson is really good. But this team has a much more pressing need at DT, and they just traded for a recent 1st round guard, so going guard early doesn’t make much sense here. I do not like Nolen, maybe he’ll put it all together but I am not confident in taking that risk. While Grant would be the kind of guy the Eagles would take, I am not wild about him. Tyleik Williams is an excellent prospect and was the best player on the best defense in college last year, the Eagles have done well with that.
Second round
Top 5: Maxwell Hairston, Darien Porter, TreVeyon Henderson, Emery Jones, Mason Taylor
There are a bunch of DTs also available, but I just took one. Last week I took Taylor here, so I’ll pass for variety’s sake. I am very tempted to take TreVeyon Henderson, but I can’t see the Eagles taking a RB in the 2nd. Hairston is a good player but don’t be surprised if he drops in the draft. Porter is going to get bullied in the NFL. Give me Emery Jones, a potential successor to Lane Johnson and a guy that I am surprised isn’t being talked about more in this weak OT draft.
Third round
Top 5: Jared Ivey, Josaiah Stewart, Gunnar Helm, Jordan Burch, Terrance Ferguson
Helm’s disaster of a Combine takes him out of day two consideration for me. The Eagles still need help at EDGE, and Jared Ivey’s massive frame (the second tallest EDGE at the Combine, and the sixth biggest wingspan) is the kind of player you take a chance on in this part of the draft.
In this sim, Miami offered me 98 and 150 for 96 and 164. I took it. Then they tried to trade for pick 98. I love these things.
