He can in fact keep getting away with this
We are one day away from April, meaning there are 25 shopping days left until the 2025 draft. Let’s corral some mocks.
Ian Valentino, the 33rd Team: CB Shavon Revel, East Carolina
There aren’t many obvious holes on the Eagles’ roster, but it’s fair to wonder whether they really like their cornerback depth. Kelee Ringo, Adoree’ Jackson, and Eli Ricks aren’t exactly proven options at this point.
Instead, bringing in Shavon Revel Jr. gives them a long-term star to pair with their 2024 additions. Shavon Revel would arguably be this class’ top corner if not for suffering a torn ACL in September.
In some ways this would be a very Eagles pick. As Valentino notes, Revel began the season as a potential 1st rounder, and then in his third game suffered a season ending injury. As we noted last week, the Eagles will buy the dip on a prospect, but not in the 1st round. Day two though, we could be cooking.
In other ways, it would not at all be their kind of pick. They did just get a hit on a G5 CB in the 1st round last year, but that isn’t a well the Eagles likely to go back to.
Hayden Winks, Underdog Fantasy – WR Emeka Ebguka, Ohio State
Once again not an obvious need, but Egbuka provides depth and could be the tierciary target if TE Dallas Goedert does end up being dealt for a pick and salary cap relief. Egbuka is used to being in a balanced offense with star receiving talent, and he’s made the most of it by being a dirty work slot or flanker. This is a substantial upgrade to Jahan Dotson, who won’t block like Egbuka can in 3-WR sets.
Just missed the cut: QB Jaxson Dart (who I’d have to the Browns at 33rd overall), RB TreVeyon Henderson, WR Luther Burden, OT Chris Conerly, DT Walter Nolen, and EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku.
WR has been a somewhat popular pick for the Eagles recently, foolishly. The Eagles could draft a WR this year, but it won’t be at 32.
But if they did, Ebguka would be a reasonable choice for this team. He’s a guy you can plug in as your starting slot WR and be set for years, but isn’t a slot only player where you have to take him off the field or just have him run cardio if he’s on the outside, so you could hunt matchups anywhere on the field with AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, and Ebguka.
Josh Liskiewitz, PFF – OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State
Key Stat: Through the first six weeks of the 2024 season (before his season-ending ACL injury against Oregon), Simmons did not allow a single quarterback pressure, including against Marshall’s Mike Green.
Bottom Line: Simmons brings impressive flexibility, leverage, foot speed, balance and hand work to the NFL with an adequate frame. He lacks a bit of power in the run game and is coming off an ACL tear in 2024, but his movement skills and football intelligence make him worthy of a top-50 pick and a shot to be a starter early on.
If he hadn’t gotten hurt, Josh Simmons would be OT1 in the draft. Even though he did get hurt, he’s still my OT1. I want the Eagles to draft an OT prospect sooner rather than later, so getting OT1 at 32 I couldn’t really complain.
While all three of these picks would not address the priority draft needs the Eagles have, they would be “stopping letting Howie Roseman draft good players” outcomes that have made the Eagles the best team in football.
Eric Edholm, NFL.com; Kyle Stackpole, CBS; Tyler Dragon, USA Today: trade out
It’s always a good year to be drafting 32nd on merit. But in this draft, it’s a particularly bad year to be drafting 32nd, because this draft is so low on “true” first round picks that it’s unlikely a player the Eagles have a 1st round grade on is available. Which also means it’s unlikely that a team is going to want to move up to 32 this year. The 5th year option just doesn’t have the value it once did now that the option year is fully guaranteed and has escalators on it.
Because of this, and because they have so many picks for next year, I expect them to trade up not back, including a 2026 pick in the deal.
My turn
Let’s rotate back to PFF, three rounds, no trades.
1st round – EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
Also considered: James Pearce, Darius Alexander, Tyleik Williams, TJ Sanders
I’ve taken Scourton before and I’m not going to stop now. Scourton feels a lot like Nolan Smith in that they’re both undersized edge rushers on DLs with talent—Shemar Stewart went 18th to the Seahawks in this, and Shemar Turner is going to go on day two—and at least in this sim they’re both available at the end of the 1st round. Howie szn
2nd round – DT Shemar Turner, Texas A&M
Also considered: Aireontae Ersery, CJ West, Alfred Colllins, Mason Taylor
Well there we go, I said Turner would go on day two. Quite the prophet I am. This is a draft for need pick as all the top DTs are gone by this pick and I am not wild about Turner at this point in the draft. In real life I would expect the Eagles to trade up before the DT run is over. To continue the comparisons to members of the Super Bowl LIX winning Philadelphia Eagles, Turner compares to the man he will replace, Milton Williams, as 6’3” sub 300 lb DL who can line up at multiple spots.
3rd round – OT Anthony Belton, NC State
Also considered: Wyatt Milum, Andrew Mukuba, Devin Neal, Harold Fannin
Let’s keep the comparisons going and go with a Mekhi Becton replacement. We only have to change one letter in the last name! I think this is too high for Belton, we’ll see.
At NC State he played both LT and RT, and if drafted I’d give him the opportunity to be the swing tackle. But like Becton, he might be best at guard. A massive guard, standing at 6’6”.
